Business Management (Human Resource Management) BA Honours

In this module, you will gain a fundamental grounding in a wide range of accounting and financial issues. You will also have the opportunity to develop decision-making skills that are essential for managers through the analysis and interpretation of financial information. You will appreciate this module because you will gain a desirable skill set recognised by employers including analytical skills using a variety of techniques that will keep you interested and engaged throughout the module.

This module introduces the important roles of information and analytics in the business decision making context. It takes you on a journey through responsible acquisition, analysis, presentation and preservation of information. Digital business software and its practical applications in finding, analysing and communicating data and information will be explored. Understanding of information flows within organisations and the management and operations functions and the systems needed to support decision making securely and ethically will be developed by a mix of hands on, classroom based learning and self-directed study.

The module offers you the opportunity to learn how global economies work and the general context in which the business organisations operate.  You'll analyse the purpose, structures and ethical and environmental constraints faced by organisations across different industries. At the same time, you'll study the cultural differences within and between business organisations and as part of the learning process you'll develop research, team work and communication skills.

This module aims to provide you with an introduction to the role of marketing in the organisation and the key concepts that underpin the activities of the marketer. It aims to provide you with an understanding of the marketing environment and the importance of gathering appropriate information to inform marketing decision-making. It considers the marketing process; examining consumer behaviour and decision-making and understanding the marketing mix and its application and adaptation within different marketing contexts to be able to satisfy customer needs and business goals in a constantly evolving environment.

This module is designed to enhance employability and career readiness of learners by helping them discover, understand, and make the most of their personal and professional strengths. Through an evidence-based strengths audit, reflective activities, and insights from organisational behaviour theory, students will develop a deeper self-awareness and recognise the unique value they can offer to employers and wider society. As part of their learning journey throughout the module, students will be encouraged to explore opportunities that allow them to build on their existing strengths and turn unrealised potential into tangible capabilities.

This module is designed to enable you to develop a sound understanding of the essential knowledge, skills and behaviours required by human resources (HR) practitioners. It covers the competencies needed by the HR professional when functioning both effectively and ethically in an organisational context. It will also enable you to understand key developments in the business and external contexts within which HR operates, and recognise the relevance of these external contextual factors for HR policy and practice. The module also examines HR’s role in strategy formulation and implementation.

Decision making is about making choices, often with incomplete or uncertain information and with competing goals. The ability to make effective decisions is a key management requirement which comprises a range of different skills. These skills are highly valued by employers because you are required across many business areas – from everyday tasks through to more complex projects or unforeseen situations. This module offers a practical introduction to decision-making concepts and techniques that are commonly used in organisations to make business decisions. It looks at the ‘psychology’ of choice – how intuition, analysis and judgement affect both individual and group decisions – and how to use a range of models and ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ decision making skills to choose between different courses of action.

The module has three key drivers: 1) Management of self and leadership of others in 21st century work and 2) Employability development through an applied Work Based Learning assessment. 3) Adapting leadership for Digital Business and HR professionals, Economists and Entrepreneurs.The evaluation of Work-Based Learning from work or volunteering, for at least 35 hours, will facilitate learners in applying general knowledge of leadership and management. This Employability related Module focuses on developing skills, business acumen and awareness, while offering support towards a placement next year and graduate applications at level 6.

This module explores how to effectively manage the range of operations functions drawing from the traditional and digital perspectives. It considers the business process; the supply chain; operational strategic alignment; systems integration; and the management of information, quality, demand, capacity and resources. It covers aspects of electronic and mobile services, commerce and business; sustainability; innovation and design in products and services; and developments in technology and systems.

This module seeks to develop your understanding of the nature of work in contemporary society and, in particular, how it is experienced from the perspective of the worker or employee. This includes consideration of the divergent interests and power differentials between the employer and the employed and the meaning and value that work has both to individuals and to society as a whole.

This module explores different psychological theories and their application in organisational settings. The module provides you with an appreciation of the psychological study of work organisations and work behaviour in a contemporary HR business context. The sessions will critically explore the application of contemporary work and organisational psychology to HR business issues and function.

This is a directed dissertation module that provides you with an opportunity to explore your study of Human Resource Management by identifying an area of interest, formulating a research plan with the help of your supervisor and producing an extended scholarly piece of work in the form of a professionally written dissertation. It offers you the opportunity to undertake a piece of sustained independent study focusing on current, permeating themes in Human Resource Management.

Your chosen research theme is leading to the completion of a written dissertation. This module will help you become an independent, self-directed learner and apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the course to analyse a specific human resource management problem. The module offers benefits in terms of employability, as it demonstrates the development of self-motivation and time-management skills, enabling you to showcase your knowledge and capabilities to potential employers.

This module introduces you to the major areas of employment legislation and the employment law system, focusing in particular on ways in which day-to-day HR activities are subjected to some form of regulation. The module is intended to provide an overview, rather than to focus in detail on the operation of specific employment laws, for those who need to understand and evaluate emerging developments in the management of the employment relationship.

This module employs an active learning approach to encourage you to make concrete efforts to secure either graduate-level employment or pursue further study. The first assessment in professional practice explores the relevance of professional institutes and updates professional development plans. The second assessment focuses on leadership theory as applied to a public leader, and also through reflecting on leadership skills within a group task. Learning from the module will be used to develop your competencies in reflection and their development as reflective practitioners.

The Strategic Perspectives module integrates key strategic concepts and enables participants to develop a range of strategic management skills. You will be able to practise your ability to design, develop, implement and evaluate effective and sustainable business, corporate and/or international level strategies. You'll be introduced to the strategy process by analysing the internal environment of an organisation and the broader competitive environment of today’s turbulent economy. Moreover, together we will explore the importance of strategic leadership in organisations that aim to be successful in a complex and unpredictable environment in the long term. The module aims to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals during taught sessions as well as assessments.

This module will explore the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings of psychological, psychometric and organisation-based assessments, and consider their practical use in employee assessment and selection, and organisation-wide interventions. Students will undergo assessments as a candidate; they will examine the role and responsibilities of HRM in overseeing the use of assessments; and learn how assessments should be administered and used following legal and ethical good practice guidelines.

This module focuses upon the theory and applied practice of coaching and mentoring. It covers the principles, theories, models and emerging trends from the discipline of psychology that contribute to the mainstream coaching of individuals and teams in a HR context. The content of the module focuses upon the core psychological approaches and their application when coaching individuals and teams within organisations.

This module draws on your own lived experience of culture (national, as opposed to organisational culture) and the research on cultural differences. It provides a useful foundation for those working in multicultural settings, as well as for those managing in such settings, including those in an HRM role. The module requires you to reflect critically on theory, personal experience and observation of the world at large, with a view to understanding the degree to which assumptions and preferences are culturally derived. You are invited to review personal views and experiences of national culture and explore new concepts and skills to develop appropriate personal and intercultural competencies.