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BSc (Hons) - Business Management

Lead with confidence and gain a competitive career edge with our Business Management degree. You'll master essential areas—strategy, leadership, marketing, and operations—so you graduate ready for success with practical skills and a deep understanding of what drives organisational performance.

From day one, you’ll build a career story through a compulsory work placement, industry speakers, live client briefs, field trips, and a venture-building project. You’ll test ideas quickly in simulations and real projects, evidencing impact with the latest tools.

As members of the Chartered Association of Business Schools, our course meets leading professional-body standards and the QAA Subject Benchmark. You’ll gain a career-focused education with real, personal support from dedicated tutors and programme leaders.

In Lancaster, you’ll engage with the Eden Project Morecambe, the Heysham Gateway logistics and advanced-manufacturing corridor, and a growing digital cluster in data, AI, and cyber. Across Cumbria, nuclear, advanced manufacturing, and West Coast renewables create high-value supply chains and genuine routes into work. In London, you’ll study in one of the world’s major financial centres.

Informed by applied research in regional growth, sustainability, and SME performance, this degree connects you to projects with real-world impact. Rooted in Cumbria with global reach, come and see where we can take you.

A scholarship is available for this course.
View scholarship and eligibility criteria

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Course Overview

Designed in consultation with leading employers and organisations, our BSc (Hons) Business Management degree gives you a strong foundation in key business areas—leadership, operations, marketing, communication, and collaboration—while helping you develop essential academic and professional skills.

Throughout the course, you'll apply your learning through simulations, group projects, and real-world challenges. You’ll explore topics like entrepreneurship, project management, global markets, and organisational change, with insights from guest speakers and industry professionals.

In your final year, you’ll complete a hands-on consultancy project—whether it’s launching a start-up, working with a real client, or driving business innovation. By the time you graduate, you’ll be ready to lead, innovate, and succeed in a wide range of careers or build your own business from the ground up.

By the end of this programme learners will be able to demonstrate:

On this course you will...

A broad, analytical, and integrated understanding of business and management in a range of contexts.
Detailed knowledge and a skill set associated with working in business and managing people and teams in a range of sectors.
Knowledge, skills and behaviours associated with employability and career progression to management level.
An understanding of ethical and sustainable business practices and their impact.
A commitment to continual learning and development within a business environment. Confidence in dealing with the digital world and its impact on business, adapting to the opportunity’s new digital tools and technologies offer, and managing threats or challenges digital may present.
Potential to be awarded one of Two Scholarships: Up to £3000 to support your studies with the Cumbria Business and Tourism Excellence Scholarship Up to £9000 to support you with the Institute of Business, Industry and Leadership Academic Excellence Scholarship.

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Key Details

Recruiting toUK / RoI / Settled in UK
Course LocationLancaster
Institute Institute of Business, Industry and Leadership
UCAS CodeN333
Mode of DeliveryFace to face
Course DurationFull-time: 3 Years
Study Options BSc (Hons) Business Management IFY
Course Start PointSeptember
AwardBSc (Hons)
More informationProgramme Specification
Prospectus
Open DaysLancaster
All

Minimum entry requirements

104-112

UCAS Tariff points

Tuition Fees Policy

Working with

Course Structure

What you will learn

In year 1 (level 4) of the 3-year programme, the common first year gives you the opportunity to gain thorough grounding in the world of business.
At level 4 all our students are taught together and study 4 x 30 credit modules. Level 4 provides an excellent foundation for you to develop a broad understand of business theory, academic and study skills and an appreciation of some of the debates and challenges facing contemporary business.

As you move into levels 5 and 6, your knowledge and skills will be built on through the modules you will study and the opportunities you will be given to apply your knowledge. We have a varied approach to learning and like to bring realistic contexts to learning through case studies, problem solving exercises, business simulations and games. The programme integrates theory and practice by providing inputs to the student learning from guest speakers, lectures, practising managers and through supporting assessment. Students will have opportunities to give and receive peer review on formative assessment and will be guided throughout in developing their skills in this vocational aspect of their personal development.

At level 6, students are supported into the employability cycle through such activities as application preparation and mock interviews. Research skills are developed at all levels culminating in students designing and undertaking their own research project in Level 6. The Level 6 project is not a traditional dissertation, and is instead a Consultancy project which might be the foundation of a new start-up, a practical project with a partner organisation, or a transformative organisational development initiative.

Year one

Business Environment
The aim of this module is to introduce students to key areas of organisations’ internal operating environments including policy and strategy, digital operations, innovation, and enterprise development. Students will also see how these operations are set within the broader context of market forces and government regulation. The module explores the world of finance and economics and the complexities of data in organisations.
Personal and Professional Skills Development
This module will introduce you to the basics of effective leadership in a business context, exploring various leadership styles, team dynamics, and essential self-leadership skills, developing a mindset crucial for future managerial roles. In addition to our work on personal development and study skills, we will begin to look at the theories and models that inform the practices of business and management, including an overview of the essential functions, structures and types of organisations. Finally, we will begin to consider the importance of values, ethics, and diversity and how they contribute to well-being and sustainability.
Marketing and Business Communications
This module aims to introduce students to the importance of effective internal and external communications skills in building sustainable relationships and delivering customer value. It examines the role of marketing and its significance in the modern world in maximising the effectiveness of business performance. The module will explore the key concepts in marketing including the marketing environment and digital marketing. It will provide insights into the marketing mix and marketing research. In addition, the module looks at the importance of a business communication strategy and the role that digital communication plays within this.
Organisational Behaviour
This module will introduce students to the nature and structure of organisations and the changing environments in which organisations operate, including economic, geographical, nature of the business and competition. It focuses on developing team working skills, how organisations learn, culture in organisations and how digital platforms can enable team working, collaboration and collaborative behaviour.

Year two

Business Innovation and Simulation Lab
This module works through a Business Simulation and involves implementing business development or starting a business. It will bring you together in teams to operate a simulated start-up business and in so doing it provides an opportunity for you to apply your learning from modules across the programme in a group-based business project. The module deals with real world scenarios, challenges and solutions.
Project Principles, Practice and Professionalism
This module will provide you with a broad understanding of the principles of project management which will enable you to make a positive contribution to project work in an organisational setting. The aim is that students will develop a critical understanding of the concepts used in project management at strategic, systems and operational levels, and an appreciation of the knowledge and skills required for successful project management in organisations.
Advanced Marketing and Consumer Behaviour
The aim of this module is to develop an appreciation and understanding of the special nature of services marketing and its underpinning theories, models and concepts. You will have the opportunity to examine consumer behaviour and the unique challenges inherent in marketing, managing and delivering outstanding services. You will also gain insights into customer experience and the progress of the economic offerings of services through the physical and digital channels.
People and Culture
This module explores people in domestic and international business contexts. The course aims to outline how the globalised, changing world of work impacts people in organisations. You will learn how to apply psychological, OB, and HRM theories and principles to organisations and individuals at work. Moreover, the course will look at the impact of AI-enabled intelligence technologies on employee and organisational outcomes in global business. By the end of this module, students should be able to skilfully assess their own and others' personal biases and perceptions and demonstrate an understanding of how these factors can impact behaviour within organisational contexts.

Year three

Innovation and Sustainable Enterprise
This module opens up the concepts of entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship and the strategic planning process needed to move from an idea to a value-generating product or service. The primary objective is to foster an entrepreneurial mindset, encouraging students to identify and seize opportunities, think creatively, and take calculated risks. Through an exploration of key concepts, case studies, and real-world examples, the module aims to instil a deep understanding of the entrepreneurial process, from idea generation to business development. Furthermore, the module seeks to cultivate innovation by emphasizing the importance of adaptability, resilience, and continuous learning. Ultimately, the aim is to empower students to become not only successful entrepreneurs but also innovative problem solvers in various professional contexts.
Managing and Leading Change in Organisations
This module is designed to provide students with a deep understanding of change management, organisations and systems transformation. It explores the theoretical foundations, practical approaches, and case studies related to leading and navigating organizational change effectively.
Business Research Project
The aim of this module is to develop a sound and critical understanding of a range of business and management research methodologies and their relevance to a wide array of fundamental and applied research contexts. The module provides students with the opportunity to initiate, plan, develop and undertake a research project, using a systematic approach to research based on individual initiative and pathway of study. Projects may be either a traditional dissertation, the development of a start-up organisation, campaign or a client project.

Teaching & Assessment

How you will learn

The Business Management programme is designed to provide you with a theoretical understanding and practical skills related to:

Managing and leading yourself and others
Using innovation and creativity to develop solutions for customers, organisations and communities.
Analysing, understanding, and influencing the internal and external environments and systems within which you will work, live and volunteer.

We use a variety of approaches to learning and teaching to make sure you develop an appropriate level of understanding of concepts, knowledge, theories and practices, alongside academic and work-related skills. On your programme you can expect to participate in all the following:

Lectures are used by both practice and theory tutors using a variety of media as support. You will be expected to take notes, ask questions and contribute to any group discussions that ensue.
Seminars will explore issues in greater depth with both tutor and student-led formats. These will require you to engage in research and background reading and will consider the relation of theory to practice and help develop wide ranging transferable skills.
Tutorials provide individually tailored feedback to you. They can range from one-to-one to small group situations.
Practical Workshop Sessions will provide the opportunity for you to develop and apply skills and knowledge.
Problem based learning is a key element of your learning as ‘problem solving’ is an important skill for those working in business. Over the course you will be given a number of ‘business problems’ to solve, either independently or as a team, and these will require thorough research, synthesising the information you have discovered and developing and presenting an appropriate response.
Simulations are a great opportunity for you to apply their knowledge and skills to a ‘real-life’ scenario. For example, you might be asked to draw up a business plan for a new business or develop a digital marketing strategy for a struggling high street business
Group work is very important in business, as teamwork, getting input from different voices, the demands of different bodies and situations require that you develop skills in working with others, communication, trust, responsibility, flexibility and reliability. Many of the projects and tasks that you will be given will allow you to experience, consider and develop your team-working skills.
Research throughout your programme you will be asked to read and research various topics, both independently and with your peers (this is often called secondary research as you are identifying and reading material which already exists in books and papers). However, whilst on the programme you will also develop skills to enable you to carry out your own research and data collection.
Independent Learning forms a natural and expected extension of the formal aspects of the course. Your ultimate success will be dependent on your willingness to develop, experiment with and extend the concepts and approaches introduced by project briefs. It is only with continued application that lasting and valuable progress can be made.
E-learning and Blackboard is the portal to access to project briefs, timetables and lecture notes, to submit module assessments and receive summative feedback. Learning packages which can be completed at your own pace are also a feature in some modules.

How you will be assessed

On the programme we use a variety of assessments to test both knowledge and skills. Where possible, across the programme we have designed authentic and applied assessments. This means that we have designed assignments to reflect the demands of “business2 and the workplace and which will require you to apply your learning to ‘real life’ business problems and scenarios.

Modules are typically assessed by asking you to apply your knowledge and understanding to a business problem or scenario. Alongside formal (summative) assessment and feedback, there will also be opportunities within the module to practice and apply your knowledge and understanding and receive feedback which will help you progress (known as formative feedback). There will also be occasions when you receive feedback from your peers (e.g. in presentations). It is important that you take note of all types of feedback as they can all help you develop. In all modules we will introduce you to and develop professional and employability skills (often known as key, transferable or graduate skills).

Examples of the types of assessments you are likely to encounter include:

Written work is central to a degree course and many of the learning approaches and emphasis is put upon clarity of style and argument as well as presentation. Different forms of written language will be explored to ensure appropriate critical skills and creative authorship are examined. Written work can be either formatively or summatively assessed and this is always made clear in the assessment brief.
Digital Portfolios are a method of presenting a collection of your work. For example, you might be asked to develop a ‘professional development’ portfolio whilst you are on programme. In the portfolio you might be encouraged to record examples of academic and professional training and development courses you have completed, application forms and an up-to-date C.V.
Mock Interviews give you a real-world experience where we bring in careers specialists who will conduct interviews with you. You will have a chance to practice interview skills and prepare before the interview. This process aims to take away a lot of the stress of being interviewed and allows you the chance to reflect on how you could improve before applying for a job.
Presentations provide an alternative way of conveying research and offer an opportunity for all learning types to develop their verbal communication skills. Confidence in being able to speak about your work is absolutely necessary in the workplace. Practicing these skills will contribute to your confidence and personal development.
Posters are one method to share your ideas with a wider audience. In each year of your degree you will be invited to produce a poster.
Self-Assessment is an important method of assessment. You will be given an opportunity to assess your work against the assessment criteria and rubric before the module tutor assesses your work. This process allows for a useful feedback tutorial about your sense of success and how well you are achieving your aspirations. Your involvement in the process means that you have the opportunity to devise, with your tutor, a bespoke achievement route to follow.
Assessment Criteria and Rubrics are connected to each individual module and respond to the learning outcomes. As part of a group, you will work with a module tutor to moderate an assessment rubric where you can see what is being assessed, what you need to achieve for each grade band and the weighting attached to each criterion. This process gives you a clearer picture of how your work will be marked and you will gain a sense of involvement in the assessment process.
Anonymous Marking is employed where possible, usually in contextual modules against written assignments. Your work is submitted anonymously so that first and second markers can assess your work without influence or bias.

As well as testing what you know and can do through a range of formal assessments where your mark will contribute towards your degree (Summative Assessment) you will get regular advice, guidance, and feedback while your work is in progress (Formative Feedback) through one-to-one, peer-to-peer and group tutorials. It is important that you recognise these more ‘informal’ feedback opportunities to discuss and develop strategies to develop your work and achieve the best possible results. In planning and objectivity. We will also ensure that assessment criteria reviewed with you early in the module delivery, as part of individual and group assessment tutorials, and at a follow-up, in-class session prior to final submissions.

Overview

104-112 UCAS Tariff Points, You can find out more about the tariff and qualification options from the UCAS tariff table. Offers are tailored to the individual applicant and their circumstances and can be across the tariff range. Applicants who meet our contextual information criteria will be offered at the bottom of the range.

Qualifications

Entry Requirements

A-levels: BCC - BBC

T-levels: P (C+) - M

Access to HE: 15 Credits at Distinction & 30 at Merit

CACHE Technical Level 3 and Level 3 Extended Diploma: C - B

OCR Cambridge Technical & Edexcel/Pearson BTEC Level 3 (National) Extended Diploma: MMM - DMM

Scottish Highers: BBBC - BBBA

Irish LC Highers: B1, B2, B2, B2 - B1, B1, B1, B2

Fair Admissions

When you apply, our Admissions specialists will review your whole application. We are looking for your potential to succeed so will assess your qualifications, any relevant work experience, your personal statement, and references.

Where you have received a conditional offer subject to achieving particular grades/UCAS tariff scores, and do not quite meet these scores, please try not to worry, where vacancies exist our Admissions specialists will review your whole application again and take account of any mitigating circumstances and reassess your suitability for the course.

Selection Criteria

As part of the application and selection process, we are looking for your commitment to this programme. In your personal statement, you should demonstrate your motivation for choosing this course and reflect upon any practical experience you have gained.

Contextual Admissions

Going to higher education can transform a person’s life. We use contextual admissions to make sure that we are accessible to everyone who has the potential to succeed. Qualifications and grades are important, but they are considered alongside other information that helps universities to identify potential and widen access to university level study. For some individuals, the disadvantages they have experienced in their life mean that they have not been able to demonstrate their full academic potential. Where a person lives and their personal circumstances can all affect their educational attainment.

We take this context into account and look for an applicant’s potential when making admission decisions. The University of Cumbria will make offers at the bottom of any UCAS Tariff range to applicants that live in postal code regions with the lowest participation in Higher Education (Polar 4 quintile 1 – you can check your postcode here), applicants that are estranged from their parents, are care leavers or have caring responsibilities or are in receipt of or received free school meals during their secondary education. Attendance at our Masterclasses and Summer Schools will also allow applicants to receive an offer lower within the tariff range. (T&Cs apply).

Contact ugadmissions@cumbria.ac.uk for more information.

Returning to Education

If you are over 21 and returning to study after being in relevant employment for a minimum of 3 years and do not meet the published entry requirements for Year 1 of our degree courses, please do not assume you are not qualified to join us. Our experienced Admissions and Academic staff will review your prior qualifications and professional experience to support your application.

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BSc (Hons) - Business Management