International Business Studies – Higher Cert

It’s all about the people. This module introduces the core concepts in Human Resource management, taking students on a journey from the earliest origins of the discipline to the present-day role of HR as an operational and strategic organisational function. Students will develop practical people management skills through in-class and assessment activities, as well as the soft skills that are directly transferable and beneficial to work placement in subsequent years.

Develop your own business idea. This module has been designed to provide students with an opportunity to develop the skills required to develop and operate a real-life business. Students will be required to work in groups in order to identify a strong business idea they believe presents an opportunity to be exploited. Students will then develop this idea over the course of the module into a real-life business which they will present at the end of the term.

No prior knowledge of accounting is required. This module provides students with all they need to know about the concepts, principles, and practices of financial accounting.

Learn the basics of business, start from the beginning. The aim of this module is to provide learners with an introduction to the key concepts and theories of management and marketing and to develop an understanding of the role of marketing and management in modern organisations. The module aims to develop the student’s ability to apply knowledge, techniques and skills in order to solve marketing and management problems.

It’s a big world out there, get to know it. This module will examine the foundations and rise of globalisation and global business, its influence on markets and production and the forces behind its growth.

Learn a new language in a new way. No prior language skills are required. The semester is built around the theme of introductions, bringing together topics such as family, home, job etc. and basic grammar to be able to speak about daily life in general in a simple structured manner. The spoken language is the focus of classroom activity and assessment for this and many of the subsequent language modules.

Learn to work with different cultures.  The aim of the module is to introduce the important role of culture in international business and to help students to acquire the knowledge, skills and values needed to function effectively within their cultural communities, nation states, regions and the global community. Students will explore the different frameworks for studying cultures, and the cultural dilemmas that can arise in an era of globalisation where the norm is to work across cultural divides.

Let’s keep talking. This module builds on the foundations of the previous semester with spoken and listening skills remaining at the centre of the module. Grammatical concepts and vocabulary are further developed to increase the student’s ability to speak in a wider variety of settings (ordering food, giving directions, buying items).

Learn Maths in a new way from scratch. The aim of this module is to introduce learners to Mathematics in a Business context. Learners will use maths to measure inflation, examine capital investment decisions as well as presenting numerical data graphically. We take our time and everyone gets support!

Develop those web sites. The aim of this module is for learners to understand the process a firm takes in creating a website, from deciding what business model to adopt online, to website project management, including design and development, and finally, online marketing techniques for implementation and go live.

The world is a big place. The aim of this module is to provide students with a strong practical knowledge of Human Resource Management (HRM) as it operates globally. Students will track evolving trends in HR management practice globally, critically evaluating their effectiveness and applying this knowledge to in-class activities and practical assignments.

The only constant is change. We are living in a time of rapid change and the global economic order is likely to change drastically over the next thirty years. This module will provide students with a comprehensive view of the evolving world economy, from the origins of globalisation through to the present day. Students will develop a strong awareness of key markets and population centres globally, international trade theories and patterns of world trade among nations. They will analyse developed and emerging economies as they evolve over time, developing an appreciation for the global economic landscape.

Prepare for your language adventure. Semester 2 of year 2 sees the first overseas experience of the programme. In preparation for this, the language and culture module has a weighting of 10 credits (double other modules) to ensure a solid base of language skills before arriving in the country of choice. General conversational topics such as visiting the doctor, making reservations, buying train tickets together with a study of the country’s regions and business-related tasks will form the main themes of the module. Students will present a topic in the target language and the grammar and vocabulary required to support this task will be explored.

Understanding the legalities. A key feature for the management and operation of any business is the regulatory environment in which it trades. In turn it is both controlled and protected by the legal instruments and requirements of that environment. This module will consider the role and necessity of legal regulation and, in turn, how that regulation is created and developed through various legal tools.

Do we have the budget? This module looks at the management accounting tools used in analysing, measuring, and evaluating the operations of organisations and the environments in which they operate. Specific emphasis will be on the calculation of material costs, labour costs, and overhead costs and the creation of production budgets.

New ways of marketing. The use of social media and mobile apps, for marketing purposes, have become an integral part of any contemporary marketing campaign. This module emphasises both the processes and the tools required to successfully incorporate a social media marketing plan in an overall marketing strategy: from planning and implementation to the analysis of digital campaigns and mobile app functionality. Students will examine how best these communication tools and strategies can be applied to compete effectively both offline and online.

It’s a diverse world. This module examines how managers and workers need to be culturally sensitive to promote a cohesive team. At the core of the module is the understanding that national culture effects and shapes a person’s attitude to communication, effective teamwork and management functions. Therefore, in an international environment, cultural diversity must be explored and embraced in all its complexities so that the intercultural team can be a source of competitive advantage for the organisation.

The first international experience. The basics of the language have been studied in the classroom and it is now time to go away and put them into practice. You can choose to either study for a semester in one of our partner colleges or complete an international work placement. Either way, you will be immersing yourself in the language and culture of another country and acquiring real-life skills that will make you stand out from others when starting your career. You will be fully assisted by your lecturers, the International Office and the Careers & Employability Office to find the right placement for you with continued support while you are away.