University of Wolverhampton Business School

BA (Hons) Business Management with Foundation Year

BA (Hons) Full-time 4 years, Part-time 8 years

This exciting and innovative general business programme is designed for students who want to embark on an in-depth study of business and management to develop analysis and evaluation skills that can be applied to real-world situations.

This exciting and innovative general business programme is designed for students who want to embark on an in-depth study of business and management to develop analysis and evaluation skills that can be applied to real-world situations.

Award
BA (Hons)
Start date(s)
September 2024, May 2025, January 2025, September 2025
UCAS Code
83N6
Course specifications
Course length
Full-time (4 years),Part-time (8 years)
Campus location
UKMC (Derby Campus),University: City Campus
UCAS points calculator

Why choose this course?

6th in the UK for Business and Management courses (The Guardian University Guide 2025)

The Foundation Year (level 3) is designed to equip applicants who do not have the required qualifications to enter directly onto level 4, with a robust toolkit of the academic, digital and personal skills required for successful study in Higher Education and with an understanding of, and insight to, the business discipline.

Successful completion of the Foundation Year will allow progression onto level 4 of BA (Hons) Business Management or any degree in the Business School portfolio.

This exciting and innovative general business programme is designed for students who want to embark on an in-depth study of business and management to develop analysis and evaluation skills that can be applied to real-world situations.

Innovation and enterprise; sustainability; responsibility and professionalism; and digitalisation underpin this programme: You will explore the functional areas of business, such as management, marketing, human resources, finance and operations, through the lens of these four main themes which run throughout the programme.

Entrepreneurship is a key force for successful economic growth and entrepreneurial thinking is at the heart of this programme in which you will develop knowledge and understanding of a range of management and business practices and the ability to apply them effectively in an entrepreneurial and innovative manner.

Independent and transferable personal development skills are vital in business, and you will have the opportunity to develop them through interactive learning activities and self-reflection to enable you to develop the professional skills required in the workplace. You will acquire core business skills through case studies, online activities and live projects, through interactions with entrepreneurs and business speakers, and through reflecting on your own practice.

All students have the opportunity to take an optional placement year which provides valuable workplace experience and significantly improves your employability on graduation. 

The course aims to supply future managers and professionals to various business and management sectors as well as to provide key knowledge, skills and attributes that are vital to modern organisations.

The course offers you the option of specialising in your final year by opting for a bracketed award in human resources, enterprise, or marketing.

What's unique about this course?

  • 6th in the UK for Business and Management courses (The Guardian University Guide 2025)
  • Accredited by The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) is the Chartered Body for Management and Leadership disciplines.
  • One of the main benefits of studying a CMI accredited qualification is that it enhances student employability; the body’s research suggests that 58% of graduates from a CMI Accredited degree were in professional roles within six months of degree completion.

 

What happens on the course?

Year 1 (Level 3) Modules

21st Century Management

This module will introduce you to various philosophies and theoretical concepts of management with a focus on 21st century developments and real-life scenarios that managers face. A range of themes will be explored including; social responsibility, ethics, globalisation, international cultures, technology and entrepreneurship.

Preparing for success at University

This module is designed to introduce you to university life. It will support you in exploring the university environment. It will also introduce you to the wide variety of academic skills needed to succeed at university and will support you in the development of these skills.

Principles of Business

This module aims to provide you with an introduction to the general environment in which businesses operate. Through studying this module you will develop an understanding of the contemporary debates on the nature and management of modern enterprises. The module covers internal and external aspects of business – such as people at work, marketing, financial information and operations.

Project based learning

In this module, you will work collaboratively with other students on a project that reflects an area of shared interest relating to the broad themes of Business, Law or the Social Sciences. You will have the opportunity to work as a small team to devise, design and plan a project relating to a topic of shared interest. In many aspects of life and work, teamwork and collaboration are the norm to solve real world-problems. This group-based project will allow you to develop a range of skills, including leadership skills, time-management, negotiation, communication, creativity, problem-solving and critical thinking skills. By investigating and responding to a complex question, challenge or problem, you and your group will acquire a deeper knowledge of your topic. The module will conclude with a conference, where your group’s project will be presented to the other groups in your class.

Year 2 (Level 4) modules

The Responsible Business 

An introduction to responsible business practices with an emphasis on professional, moral, and personal responsibility. This module will encourage the development of personal and professional development skills and self-reflection as a personal development tool.

The Innovative Business 

Exploring what it takes for a business to be innovative; you will be introduced to various theoretical views and opinions in the areas of creativity, innovation, and enterprise. You will be challenged to consider where, how and why ideas are generated; how ideas are implemented; and who and what type of people/teams develop innovative ideas.

The Sustainable Business 

As awareness of climate change, resource scarcity, environmental impact and social inequality rises, businesses are increasingly being held accountable by consumers, governments, and other stakeholders. The module provides a holistic view of sustainability through a global lens where you will learn how the aforementioned factors impact the way we live and how businesses operate.

Learning how businesses adopt sustainable strategies across their various business functions such as marketing, supply chain and HR, you will also explore the macro and micro influences that impact these strategies. Overall, the module will help create awareness of corporate as well as individual social responsibility through use of international case studies.

The Digital Business 

The first part of this module aims to provide a practical understanding of the digital business, the need for digital transformation to support innovation and to continue to have a competitive advantage in the marketplace. The various digital business models are explored along with the importance of digital capability.

The second part of the module introduces you to the information systems that support today's digital business. A range of information systems are examined including those that support the operations of the digital business, through to its sales and marketing functions. The importance of big data and business intelligence are introduced before examining how today’s digital business can apply business intelligence to develop new products and services along with improvements in efficiency and its business processes.

Year 3 (Level 5) modules 

Customer Acquisition and Retention 

Exploring the customer journey from prospect or enquiry to loyal customer or advocate, you will learn about the marketing strategies and tactics involved in attracting new customers and retaining them. Research suggests it can cost between 5 and 10 times as much to acquire a new customer as it does to retain an existing one, with the commonly quoted average being 7 times more expensive to acquire a new customer.

 

So why do so many companies spend more time chasing new customers than keeping existing ones? This is the paradox of customer retention and acquisition. This module will enable you to understand the role of customer acquisition and retention in designing contemporary marketing strategies for organisations. You will gain practical experience of planning marketing campaigns designed to attract, win, and retain customers.

 

The Professional Manager and Leadership 

The aim of this module is to develop your understanding of management and leadership principles, and to explore the influence various leadership and management approaches have on key human resource management functions, including change management. Through the study of emerging leadership concepts, such as super leadership, you will develop an appreciation for the development of self as a method to support others in their development. Reflective practice underpins the module to support you in assessing your own approach to learning and development.

Operations and Project Planning 

Exploring operations and supply chain management, as well as the fundamentals of project management, this module aims to give you the skills required to analyse contemporary issues facing business operations and supply chain. It also exposes you to the understanding of how businesses mitigate these issues to deliver goods and services of the quality and of the right quantity to satisfy customers’ need while adopting lean business approaches.

Equipping you with team working and communication skills in a project environment, you will be able to define, plan and control projects through their life cycle, while balancing competing performance objectives and managing competing stakeholder requirements. Detailed study of management tools such as critical path analysis and PERT will be undertaken.

Managing Finance and Accounts 

The aim of this module is to provide an introduction of a range of financial and accounting skills to business students, to help their understanding and managerial decision-making skills. You will evaluate the organisation’ financial statements, identify the principles for setting and managing budgets and understand finance within the organisation. This module has been designed to enhance your confidence and credibility in financial management, which will translate into improved management skills.

 

Year 4 (Level 6) modules

The Strategic Business 

The strategic business module will equip you to make strategic decisions at both a corporate and functional level. You will develop the skills required to evaluate the success of implemented strategy which will inform decision making at a corporate and functional level.

Organisational Behaviour 

Exploring current knowledge around behaviour in contemporary organisations, this module explores areas from an individual employee and manager perspective. You will engage with topics such as identity, power, gender, motivation, change, and ethics, from a critical, and in some instances, post-structuralist perspective. The aim of the module is to equip you with a fundamental grounding in organisational behaviour to help you develop into a manager of the future.

The Professional Project 

On this independent study unit, you will draw learning from previous subjects, focusing on your key strengths, in the production of a business artefact. Alongside the artefact, you will develop a written critical reflection, which is designed to explain your choice of artefact and reflect on the process of its production and dissemination.

The Business Communicator 

The ability to effectively communicate with all internal and external stakeholders is key for business leaders. The business environment is in constant flux, and it is important to be able to navigate this space, whilst building relationships and networks. This module will explore key communication and human resources theories and provide students with the tools to assess and develop their own communication skills.

 

We are currently reviewing our foundation course to enhance student learning and success. Course details may be subject to updates. Please keep an eye on our pages for updates.

 

Course Modules

Additional Information

Everything you need to know about this course!

Studying this course will allow you to:

  • develop and apply research, writing, numerical, digital and personal skills within a business context
  • critically appraise relevant knowledge and understanding of organisations, the external environment in which they operate and management theory when assessing and solving problems in different business scenarios
  • apply relevant transferable skills to a career in business and management (for example, managing projects, communication, working in teams, research and appropriate technologies and critically reflect on the effectiveness of your own skills and knowledge in such application
  • examine contemporary and strategic issues through the application of relevant analytical concepts, models and theories
  • evaluate and demonstrate an informed understanding of ethical responsibilities contributing to professional values and their role in organisations and society in the 21st century
  • develop skills of independent learning, analysis, synthesis and critical thinking through the application of business and management concepts and principles and the related underpinning theories appropriate to a wide range of business organisations and situations.

Location Mode Fee Year
Home Full-time £9250 per year 2022-23
Home Full-time £9250 per year 2023-24
Home Full-time £9250 per year 2024-25
Home Part-time £3120 per year# 2022-23
Home Part-time £4625 per year# 2023-24
Home Part-time £4625 per year# 2024-25
International Full-time £13450 per year 2022-23
International Full-time £14450 per year 2023-24
International Full-time £14950 per year 2024-25

The University is committed to a transparent fee structure, with no hidden costs, to help you make an informed decision. This includes information on what is included in the fee and how fees are calculated and reviewed

# Undergraduate part-time fees for 50% rate of study

Prepare for Foundation Pathway:- We will consider applicants who have not achieved 48 UCAS points (equivalence) from prior level 3 qualifications, if you have a keen interest in this subject area or hold relevant experience. You will be required to attend and pass a compulsory Prepare For Foundation assessment day where you will take part in a variety of activities which will assess your suitability for the course. If you would like more advise and guidance about this admissions pathway, please contact the Gateway team to discuss and support you in making an application to us.

Contact the Gateway - University of Wolverhampton (wlv.ac.uk)

Tuition Fees Loan (Home Fee Status):

Most students will be able to apply for a loans to pay for these subject to eligibility. To find out more information please refer to the government Student Finance website.

Changes for EU students:

The UK government has confirmed that EU students starting courses from 1 August 2021 will normally be classified as having Overseas Fee status. More information about the change is available at UKCISA:

EU citizens living in the UK with 'settled' status, and Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland, will still be classified as Home students, providing they meet the usual residency requirements, for more information about EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) click here.


Self-funding:

If you don’t want to take out a loan to pay your fees or if you aren’t eligible to receive a loan, you might want to take advantage of the University’s scheme to pay by instalments: See How to pay.

For more information please contact the Gateway.


Your employer, embassy or organisation can pay for your Tuition fees:

If your employer, embassy or organisation agrees to pay all or part of your tuition fees; the University will refer to them as your sponsor and will invoice them for the appropriate amount.

We must receive notification of sponsorship in writing as soon as possible, and before enrolment, confirming that the sponsor will pay your tuition fees.


Financial Hardship:

Students can apply to the Dennis Turner Opportunity Fund.

for help with course related costs however this cannot be used for fees or to cover general living costs.


Bursaries and Scholarships:

In addition the University also offers a range of Bursaries and Scholarships packages

You can find more information on the University’s Funding, cost, fee and support pages.

Telephone

01902 32 22 22

Email

enquiries@wlv.ac.uk

Online

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