Global Business Management (Human Resources) BSc (Hons) - Completion Award
2 Years full-time or 3 years sandwich | September Start

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

The topics you will cover on the module include:

• Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.
• Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.
• Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’
• Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).
• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.
• Listening skills for lectures.
• Speaking in seminar presentations.
• Presenting your ideas
• Giving discipline-related academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback.
• Speed reading techniques.
• Developing self-reflection skills.

Designed specifically for non-Human Resources specialists the HRM Essentials module will take you on a journey through the modern organisation offering you the opportunity to understand how Human Resource Management contributes to the strategic direction of organisations in varying industries and sectors. Building on the level 4 module ‘People, Management and Organisations’, this module is relevant to all those whose careers will involve dealing with and managing people in organisations. Managers are often considered the key link in ensuring the successful implementation of HR processes, and likewise, the support of the HR function is required to ensure that managers operate fairly and consistently within best practice guidelines. Managers are likely to play a key part in several core HR processes in order to ensure that they have the right people in their teams who are able to perform effectively. Thereby an understanding of Human Resources underpins effective management practice. ‘HRM Essentials’ provides a practical overview of each of these core areas, providing a broad grounding in HR practice ranging from recruitment and selection to performance and reward, and learning and development to absence and wellbeing.

This module will not only provide you with the key theoretical arguments in Human Resource Management but will also encourage you to apply this learning to practice and reflect on your own personal skill development in implementing effective HR processes which will be invaluable to you in your future graduate management role.

‘Resourcing and Development for Diversity’ considers how HR practices can be utilised to ensure a diverse and inclusive workforce. This goes beyond the ‘business case’ approach to recognise other perspectives, that increasing workforce diversity does not only ensures equitable access to services and employment but also enables profitability through access to diverse markets. You will examine this premise within the wider context of social, economic and demographic changes, alongside local, national and global concerns. Your learning will focus upon resourcing and development activities, specifically, how organisations can promote diversity through recruitment and retention, ensure inclusion in organisational life and provide accessible career paths with the aim of increasing representation at senior levels. The effectiveness of practices to support this endeavour, such as monitoring workforce demographics, mentoring, network and support groups and zero tolerance of discrimination and harassment, will be examined. You will explore the role of development for ensuring that organisational commitments to diversity and inclusion are reflected in practice. In doing so, you will analyse specific organisational cases, focusing on those characteristics protected by law, as well as developing an understanding of other visible and non-visible differences, such as background, culture and accent. Your understanding will be underpinned by a consideration of the historic development of particular norms and stereotypes, how these impact on practices and how they can be challenged. You will also reflect on the ethical framework required to support diversity and inclusion, including values of openness, listening to diverse perspectives and inclusive participation in decision-making. This learning will be invaluable to your future employment, enterprise/entrepreneurial activity.

In this research-based module you will experience a comprehensive coverage of research methods and analysis that will prepare you both for work placement or study abroad opportunities alongside preparation for your final-year “capstone” research module of either Dissertation, Management Enquiry or Consultancy Project and for your future employment, enterprise or entrepreneurial activity.

You will learn how to develop a research question, and linked to this, be able to choose an appropriate method of research, dovetailing both learning experiences to the development of a critical assessment of the academic literature. You will gain a basic understanding of research philosophy, whilst the coverage and importance given to research ethics will play an important part of your learning within the module and you will appreciate as part of your learning how this underpins research of quality and integrity. The role of Ethics in research will cover study design, participant selection, data collection, data handling and storage and presentation of research findings.

You will learn how to apply quantitative and qualitative methods. In the quantitative applications, you will learn about questionnaire design, sampling, presenting and summarising data, statistical inference and hypothesis testing. You will have the opportunity to use a range of appropriate software tools, including Excel and SPSS. In the qualitative part of the module, techniques covered will include interviewing and focus groups to collect data, supported by analysis methods including content analysis and thematic analysis. You will learn how to execute a critical and effective analysis of your research data for both approaches, as well as appreciating the importance of piloting.

This module has twin aims, firstly supporting your transition into UK higher education by developing your specific skills and attributes to both manage your studies, and to communicate your ideas effectively within the academic community and give you an insight on how these skills contribute to your professional development. The second aim is to equip you with the necessary knowledge and transferable skills to maximise your chances of finding a placement or entering a graduate level role on completion of your degree.

This module will provide you with the skills to manage your studies effectively at level 5. It develops your skills in effective communication, independent and critical thinking, and explores how these can be applied to independent research projects. You will consider how to effectively manage yourself and your studies, how to find appropriate information and use this in your academic writing, develop your academic voice across different communication styles, as well as developing your critical and ethical skills in your studies.

The module evolves through group work and independent study, exploring the concept of employability and career development. You will examine the process of recruitment and selection, and be supported in the production of CVs, cover letters and the use of psychometric tests in order to ensure that you make an impactful application to any employer.

Throughout this module you will be introduced to the opportunities and challenges posed by doing business in an increasingly digital domain. This module is designed to give you an understanding of how using online channels impacts upon different parts of the organisation, and will focus upon 3 core areas of business:

• Digital Business Models: You will develop an understanding of the cost structures associated with using digital channels and different business models (including omnichannel business strategies)
• Digital Marketing: In this part of the module you will consider how consumer behaviour has changed in the digital era, and evaluate the ever-increasing range of digital tools available for marketers online. This will include understanding Google search rankings, social media and mobile marketing.
• Supply Chain Management and Information Systems: You will also develop an appreciation of the role of supply chains in serving global markets, addressing issues such as the application of various systems to facilitate digital transactions (e.g. ERP, CRM) and issues related to web performance.

You will be encouraged to think about digital business as a cross-disciplinary issue that requires the buy-in and contribution of various business functions to truly succeed.

The Study Abroad Semester module is a semester long 60 credit module which is available on degree courses which include the option to study abroad in Semester 2 of Year 2. You will undertake a semester abroad at a partner university equivalent to 60 UK credits.

The study abroad placement is an important element of your course structure and gives you access to modules from your discipline taught in a different learning culture and so broadens your overall experience of learning.

When taken and passed the study abroad semester will be recognised in your transcript as a 60 credit Study Abroad Module. The learning and teaching on your study abroad placement will be dependent on the partner and will be recorded in the learning agreement signed by you, the host University, and the University.

On this module you will consider the management issues in relation to growth and resourcing for international business management. It is designed from a real world relevant point of view, and examines practical situations, with topical cases being used in seminars to highlight issues.

This module develops many of the concepts you were introduced to on the level 4 core modules “Financial Decision Making” and “International Business Environment”. In particular you will study:

• Mergers and Acquisitions including valuation issues in an international M&A context.
• Alliances, Joint Ventures and IB Networks
• Organic growth : coordination, coopetition and concentration premises
• Choosing and designing an appropriate growth strategy
• Investing in growth (investment decisions) and raising international finance
• Financial goals and corporate governance
• Investment environment volatility and international business currency
• Working capital management
• Professional and business ethical behaviour in an international financial management context.

This module will complement your studies in “Global and International Business Context” and “Performance Management”. Both of which are co-requisites of this module.

Completion of the course will ensure that you have the required knowledge to progress your studies in international business management.