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Business Management BA (Hons)

Studying Business Management is a great opportunity to gain a degree that is clearly focused on your long-term career prospects in a wide variety of contexts. Whether you are thinking of setting up your own business, working in a large corporation, the public sector or the ever growing tourist industry you will need to possess an understanding of how businesses operate and how skilled managers can contribute to their success.

But management is also about people, and we will enable you to develop your own skills as a team player, a group member and ultimately as a manager of other people. Our suite of degrees allows you to specialise still further in specific aspects of business and management. So, if you develop an interest in marketing or in tourism, for example, you can take a degree that gives you this extra focus, which will then be specified on your degree certificate.

You don’t have to make a decision about further specialisation until the end of Level 1, by which time you will have had a ‘taster’ of each area of the subject, giving you a firm basis upon which to make your decision. Remember, it’s all about choice: you choose your own direction, and we are there to help you make the right decision for you. There are also opportunities for you to study abroad for part of your degree; the University has connections with other institutions in various countries, including the USA and Cyprus.

Dr Chris Elias

Head of Programme

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How can I study Business Management?

Business Management can be studied as a Specialist degree or as a Joint Honours subject alongside: British Sign Language, Education Studies, English Language, English Literature, History, Information Technology, Media, Modern European Languages, Modern International Languages, Product Design, Psychology, Sport Society & Development and Theology & Religious Studies.

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Why study Business Management?

  • Lots of choice.
  • Opportunities to specialise still further.
  • Focus on real life management issues.
  • Emphasis on management skills and business sense.
  • Clearly centred on employability and career prospects.
  • Opportunityto study with another subject as a Joint Honours degree

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What will I study?

The following list contains examples of programme modules (modules may not be available each year or new ones may be added). You will take a selection of these, depending on your degree choice.

Level 1

  • Leadership & Management provides a broad understanding of the key concepts and principles of leadership and management and how these affect the business environment.
  • ICT & Study Skills develops skills in researching topics, writing essays and reports and using a range of information technology skills.
  • Economics & Finance is an essential background for the study of business management.
  • Managing People develops professional capabilities to take a strategic view in planning, policies, and procedural processes that relate to managing people effectively.
  • Marketing & Operations Management provides an understanding of how organisations can identify and address the needs of internal and external customers.
  • Multimediaseeks to examine the construction and educational models used in the development of multimedia teaching systems.
  • Foreign Language offers you the choice of French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Mandarin Chinese.
  • Tourism Industries is designed as an introduction to the history and development of service industries in general, and tourism and associated industries (eg leisure) in particular.
  • Web Designenables you to produce professional websites to meet the needs of contemporary business.

Level 2

  • Green Businessexamines the basis of environmental management, taking as examples issues which threaten the environment today, such as sustainability, water resources, global warming, and impacts of leisure and tourism activities.
  • Research Methods for Business considers the use of quantitative and qualitative research methods in business contexts, developing skills in the collection, analysis and reporting of business relevant data.
  • Marketing Practice applies key marketing theories and principles to the practical aspects of marketing planning.
  • Financial Management is built around key decisions that managers make on a day-to-day basis; what to produce, how and how much, at what price, how to best use the resources available.
  • Organisational Human Resources Management examines the role of human resource management within the context of the wider organisation.
  • Strategic & Operational Human Resources Management considers appropriate human resource management theories and principles, in relation to the employment cycle from initial job design, recruitment and selection through to performance management and exit strategies.
  • Database Systems for the Web introduces database systems, and how to integrate databases with the World Wide Web.
  • Cultural and Heritage Tourism examines the way that culture past and present has influenced tourism.
  • International Trade & Globalisation provides in-depth knowledge about the growth and future of international trade and globalisation.
  • A Career in Business contains a work placement aimed at enhancing your future employability.
  • Computer Programming for the Web provides you with the necessary skills to demonstrate an understanding of the basic principles of object-oriented methods of computer programming.
  • Travel & Tourism Marketing: examines the structures and processes involved in tourism marketing.

Level 3

  • Research Investigation provides the opportunity to plan and conduct a research investigation through individual and independent activity.
  • Leading & Managing Personal & Organisational Change introduces the theory and practice of change management, developing analytical and planning skills which would be required in a workplace setting.
  • Business Environments in the Single European Market provides prospective managers working in the international environment with a clear understanding of: diverse business cultures, the impact of globalisation, and the business environment of the Single European Market.
  • Organisational Strategy & Decision-making encompasses theory and practice from a broad range of business sectors.
  • Tourism Policy & Planning reviews the tourism planning process, identifying the similarities and differences between the public and private sectors.
  • Developing Interactive Web Applications looks at new developments in web design, and the integration of client and server-side technology.
  • International Marketing develops knowledge and understanding of the international context of marketing and particular issues that affect marketing decision-making and planning at this level.
  • Strategic Corporate Finance covers a wide variety of financial decision-making tools, as well as the underlying conceptual framework and the information upon which good financial decisions are made.
  • Consumer Behaviour: considers issues related to consumer desires and decision processes, how and why purchases are made.

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Will I get any practical experience?

At the end of Level 2, all students undertake a work placement in an organisation of their choice. This provides an opportunity to test out possible career choices, gain a meaningful experience of life as a manager and, potentially, to get a career-relevant reference. As a Business Management student you will be encouraged to take full advantage of the links the programme has with local businesses and other organisations.

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What skills will I acquire?

The programme is committed to the provision of skills that will enhance your performance as a manager of people and in business. We aim to build self-confidence and self-assurance based on effective communication and presentation, and to ensure that students are able to make an excellent contribution to the workplace environment. Transferable skills include the use of IT, report writing, oral presentation, as well as general work-based competencies.

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Business links

Recent project work undertaken by Business Management students has involved the York Museums Trust, North Yorkshire Police and York City Art Gallery.

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Staff interests  

  • Janet Astley: human resource management, personal and professional development, training, gender issues in senior management
  • Sarah Crabbe: information systems, education management and multimedia studies
  • Dr Deborah Davies: strategic management, quantitative analysis, research methods, environmental management
  • Dr Chris Elias: environmental management, web design, research methods, business IT, statistics
  • Dr Dave Greatorex: computer programming, education management, information technology
  • Dr Tina Harness: organisational behaviour, human resource management, training and resource development, research methods
  • Dr Takamitsu Jimura: tourism management
  • Glyn Littlewood: leadership strategy, organisational behaviour, operations management, marketing
  • Doug Meikle: accountancy, financial management and quantitative methods in business
  • Dr Simon Mollan: economics, finance, organisational strategy, decision-making
  • Christine Mortimer: Leadership and personal and professional development
  • Dr Gary Mulholland: leadership development, creativity and innovation, entrepreneurship and strategic marketing
  • Mike O'Dea: Computer game theory, information systems and e-business
  • Simon Sweeney: business environment, Single European Market, international business, globalisation
  • Dr Steve Watson: marketing, tourism management, cultural industries

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Can I get involved with departmental activities?

The department is closely linked with the local business environment and other organisations and professions within the business community. This enables visiting speakers to be brought from a wide variety of backgrounds to enrich the understanding of management from a practical perspective.

We also have an active Management Society run by our students, which organises, throughout the year, a wide variety of social and academic activities. All students and staff are encouraged to play an active role in the society and to get involved with its various activities.

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How will I be assessed?

Methods of assessment are varied and will include essays, learning journals, projects and oral presentations.

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What sorts of jobs do our graduates get?

Our graduates leave us equipped to go into a wide range of graduate careers, including human resource management, tourism, marketing, business, finance and information technology.

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Fact file

You can study our Business Management Degree as a Specialist degree or as part of a Joint Honours degree.

UCAS codes

Specialist degree

Business Management N202

Joint Honours degrees

Business Management and:

British Sign Language QN12
Education Studies NX23
English Language QN3F
English Literature QN32
History VN12
Information Technology GN52
Media NP23
Modern European Languages NR28
Modern International Languages NT29
Product Design WNF2
Psychology NC28
Sport Society & Development NC26
Theology & Religious Studies NV26

Please also see:

The UCAS Institution Code for York St John is Y75 YSJ

Attendance: 3 years full-time, 5-8 years part-time.

Study abroad: Yes - see our study abroad web pages for more information.

Entry requirements

220 points for the Specialist degree / 200-240 points for the Joint Honours degree plus three GCSEs at grade C or above (or equivalent), including English Language and Maths.

How do I apply?

If you wish to apply for full-time study, you need to apply through UCAS. All part-time applications should be made direct to YSJ. Visit our how to apply web pages for more information.

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How can I find out more?

For general information about York St John or details about our Open Days, please call our Information Hotline: T: 01904 876598 E: opendays@yorksj.ac.uk

Degree programme information

For enquiries about the Business Management degrees or to arrange a visit, please contact: Dr Chris Elias, Head of Programme 01904 876840 E: admissions@yorksj.ac.uk

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Information Hotline

T: 01904 876598
E: admissions@yorksj.ac.uk

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