Business and Management BSc | Brunel Business School

Brunel's Business and Management degree course will equip you with a broad knowledge and appreciation of issues faced in the world of business. You’ll gain the analytical, technical and interpersonal skills required to understand, analyse and address the challenges faced by today’s companies.

The components of this degree offer you the widest range of core skills in business and management out of all the pathways. This includes market economies; theoretical and practical characteristics of organisations; various business models and frameworks; coping with future uncertainty, and managing change.

Emphasis on this pathway is on globalisation issues generated by multinational enterprises (MNEs). As they account for over fifty percent of global output, a deeper understanding of the commercial power of MNEs will help you position yourself strategically in a competitive job market.

This pathway will broaden your knowledge of business concepts as you work on real life business issues and live case studies, to develop managerial skills and enhance your career prospects.

You will also learn valuable technical skills along the way including numerical methods and how to use statistical software packages such as SPSS and EXCEL, without the need for A level maths or the overseas equivalent.

The course includes a module on Management Enquiry to help you adapt to university study through active learning sessions on topics such as working in groups, report writing and time management.

Our Business and Management BSc is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), which means you will gain exemptions from some of their professional papers if you wish to undertake further study towards being a chartered management accountant after you graduate.

There is the option to take a year’s work placement between your second and third year. Previous employers have included Adidas, Microsoft, British Airways, PwC and Nissan. This is an excellent opportunity to gain experience and make valuable contacts for your future career. Find out more on our work placement year page.

Key elements of business and management are explored in the compulsory modules of your first and second year. Areas such as accounting, marketing, PR, international business, and project and operations management are also touched upon. Your final year offers the chance to select optional modules.

Optional modules are indicative and available subject to numbers.

• GCE A-level BBB.
• BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma DDD in Business, or Enterprise and Entrepreneurship.
• BTEC Level 3 Diploma DD in Business with A-level at grade B. (Other combinations may be considered on a case-by-case basis).
• BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma D in Business with A-levels grade BB. (Other combinations may be considered on a case-by-case basis).
• International Baccalaureate Diploma 30 points.
• Access to Higher Education Diploma Complete and pass Access to Business or related subject course with 45 credits at Level 3 Distinction.

All BTEC combinations must include an A-level.

A minimum of five GCSEs are required, including GCSE Mathematics grade C or grade 4 and GCSE English Language grade C or grade 4.

Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants within our grade range as well as our full GCSE requirements and accepted equivalencies in place of GCSEs.

• IELTS: 6.5 (min 5.5 in all areas)
• Pearson: 58 (51 in all subscores)
• BrunELT: 65% (min 55% in all areas)

Teaching is delivered through a combination of lectures, small group seminars, hands-on workshops, and one-to-one sessions with your tutor.

Many of our lecturers are internationally or nationally recognised for their innovative work and research, which results in challenging and stimulating course content. Lecturers may consult for major companies and have practical business experience, potentially from running their own companies. All of this contributes to real-time, real world observations and teaching.

There will be email discussion groups and you’re encouraged to engage with online material using the university’s web‑based learning facilities, Blackboard and u-Link. To support your course content, Brunel Business School regularly offers research talks on key management issues and presentations by outside speakers. Throughout the course, you will also be expected to undertake group work and individual projects and presentations.

Your personal tutor will be assigned in your first year and will be available to help with academic or personal issues. In your second year, this support will be continued through the Business School’s Pastoral Care programme – BBS Student Support – a team of specially chosen personal tutors who are available throughout the working week. Additionally, if you choose a four-year sandwich course, you will be allocated an industrial tutor who will provide support during your work placement. In your final year you will receive one‑to‑one supervision for your major project.

Academic staff are available for a number of hours each week should you need to get advice. Their availability will be displayed on their office doors so you can make an appointment or drop by to see them if you have any concerns about your studies.

Should you need any non-academic support during your time at Brunel, the Student Support and Welfare Team are here to help.

Each subject is assessed either by a combination of continuous appraisal and examination or by coursework or examination alone. As a rough guide, the split is approximately 50:50 exam to coursework but the exact ratio varies depending on the modules you select.

Your results from Level 1 do not count towards your final degree classification, but you have to pass the first year to continue with the degree. Level 2 is worth a third of your final mark and Level 3 - the rest. In your final year you will undertake an assessed project of around 8,000 words worth a third of your Level 3 marks.