Foundation Degree (FdA) Business Management

Level 4

Skills for Graduate Employment
This module aims to enable students to carry out a number of employment related tasks, required by employers to increase the opportunities of employment. To achieve this, students will have the opportunity to reflect on their own learning and development to date, developing through this process a greater awareness of their own interests, skills and personal characteristics in the context of careers and work experience and identifying what is important to them in making an effective career decision. Students will develop their understanding of what they need to do to be employable and compete effectively in the job market, identifying resources, support and opportunities to achieve this.

Fundamental Research and Study Skills
This module aims to develop the study skills of the learners, enabling the production of sound academic writing and introducing the concept of critical thought. It will enable students to develop skills in academic research, writing and reflection, along with referencing skills in the required style.

Work Related Health and Wellbeing
This module will explore the fundamental principles of health and wellbeing in the workplace. It will aim to provide an understanding and facilitate the application of theories relating to workplace health and wellbeing.

Marketing and Consumer Behaviour
Equip students with knowledge of key marketing terms and concepts; and ensure their understanding of the influence of marketing on consumer behaviour.

Introduce the different elements of the extended marketing mix and apply this in various contexts.

Principles of Leadership and Management
The aim of this module is to provide learners with an understanding of how organisations and employees manage and adapt behaviour to achieve a range of organisational and personal objectives the intention is to relate practical approaches to their theoretical contexts.

Business Economics
This module explores how businesses operate within a business environment from an economic perspective.

The first part of the module investigates the micro-economic environment within which a business operates, introducing the law of supply and demand and market structures. Analysis tools will be used to evaluate the external environment and the factors that influence the business and its competitiveness.

The second part of the module investigates the macro-economic environment of a business evaluating the wider market and government policy influences and evaluates economic growth and its relationship with monetary and fiscal policy.

Finance for Managers
The module introduces the fundamental concepts and principles of business finance to enable the student to use financial information to make decisions. The module assumes no background knowledge in finance and focuses on the fundamentals of financial and management accounting.

The first part of the module introduces students to the concepts and terms of business finance and how to use accounting techniques to produce financial statements including profit and loss accounts and balance sheets. Following this, financial ratios will be used to interpret the financial statements with a view to improving the quality of decision making within a business.

The second part of the module introduces the principles of management accounting including costs and break-even analysis before producing and interpreting cash forecasts to support decision making. The final part of the module will consider the meaning of sustainable finance and the consideration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors when making investment decisions.

Level 5

Skills for Leadership
This module will develop the students' understanding of various topics needed in modern leadership. These include presenting and communicating data that supports decision making, management of individual and team performance and how to improve performance.

Research Methods for Progression
The module provides learners with the skills and knowledge required to carry out small scale research projects in both an educational and business setting.

The module starts with identifying the initial concept through a research question or hypothesis followed by the development of academic research and writing skills to prepare a literature review and research strategy to write a research proposal.

The second part of the module investigates the different tools available for the analysis of research data and how to verbally present a research proposal for funding approval.

Operations Management
The module aims to introduce students to the fundamentals and principles of Operations Management which are central to all managers irrespective of their job title, and that Operations Management is a practical subject which deals with real issues in the service as well as the production industries. There will be an opportunity to appreciate and understand the role of Operations Management within organisations of varying disciplines and to develop and apply decision making skills to everyday situations.

Digital Marketing
The module explores the role of digital technologies and how they are utilised by organisations to communicate to both current and prospective customers. The rise in digital technologies has had a major impact on the marketing communication process, which has led organisations to adapt their marketing methods. The module will consider how digital marketing has now become part of planned integrated marketing strategies, due to the changing macro environment. The methods of digital marketing will be studied within the context of understanding the rapidly changing landscape from a technological, legal/political and consumer behaviour perspective. There will be a focus on how the digital marketing strategies are created, with emphasis on the creation of a digital marketing communication plan. Additionally, the module will explore numerous real world digital marketing campaigns, with numerous cases considered to analyse how companies engage with customers in the internet age.

Business Planning and Sustainability
The module seeks to provide students with an understanding of the creative, business and personal processes, choices and challenges to be faced by entrepreneurs and managers when starting a new enterprise or developing an existing business.

Adopting a sustainability action strategy and putting sustainable practices and policies at the heart of a business can result in significant benefits including cost savings and an enhanced reputation meaning businesses are increasingly waking up to the advantages of more sustainable operations.

Employment Law for Managers
The challenges of a modern-day workplace require managers to be familiar with the foundations of employment law because employees have a greater awareness of their rights at work.

The module initially explores the different types of contractual working arrangements that have led to an increase in cases brought by employees. The second part of the module considers the rise in litigation and government regulation around pay equality and how a business can mitigate this.

Project Management
Project management is an essential skill within all businesses. This module introduces project management from initial planning through to implementation and covers the key knowledge, skills and techniques required to complete a business project.

To ensure that outcomes and benefits are sustainable over the project life cycles. Various elements will be considered in order to improve and facilitate effective project management and well-being.

Human Resource Management
This module aims to enable students to understand the development of HRM and the resource view of the organisation. It will discuss the principal functions and activities of Human Resource Management and the contribution to the achievement of organisational objectives. Students will explore the processes of recruiting, selecting and developing the talent and skills of the organisation, and the links between performance and reward in a contemporary context.

Level 4

Skills for Graduate Employment
This module aims to enable students to carry out a number of employment related tasks, required by employers to increase the opportunities of employment. To achieve this, students will have the opportunity to reflect on their own learning and development to date, developing through this process a greater awareness of their own interests, skills and personal characteristics in the context of careers and work experience and identifying what is important to them in making an effective career decision. Students will develop their understanding of what they need to do to be employable and compete effectively in the job market, identifying resources, support and opportunities to achieve this.

Fundamental Research and Study Skills
This module aims to develop the study skills of the learners, enabling the production of sound academic writing and introducing the concept of critical thought. It will enable students to develop skills in academic research, writing and reflection, along with referencing skills in the required style.

Work Related Health and Wellbeing
This module will explore the fundamental principles of health and wellbeing in the workplace. It will aim to provide an understanding and facilitate the application of theories relating to workplace health and wellbeing.

Marketing and Consumer Behaviour
Equip students with knowledge of key marketing terms and concepts; and ensure their understanding of the influence of marketing on consumer behaviour.

Introduce the different elements of the extended marketing mix and apply this in various contexts.

Principles of Leadership and Management
The aim of this module is to provide learners with an understanding of how organisations and employees manage and adapt behaviour to achieve a range of organisational and personal objectives the intention is to relate practical approaches to their theoretical contexts.

Business Economics
This module explores how businesses operate within a business environment from an economic perspective.

The first part of the module investigates the micro-economic environment within which a business operates, introducing the law of supply and demand and market structures. Analysis tools will be used to evaluate the external environment and the factors that influence the business and its competitiveness.

The second part of the module investigates the macro-economic environment of a business evaluating the wider market and government policy influences and evaluates economic growth and its relationship with monetary and fiscal policy.

Finance for Managers
The module introduces the fundamental concepts and principles of business finance to enable the student to use financial information to make decisions. The module assumes no background knowledge in finance and focuses on the fundamentals of financial and management accounting.

The first part of the module introduces students to the concepts and terms of business finance and how to use accounting techniques to produce financial statements including profit and loss accounts and balance sheets. Following this, financial ratios will be used to interpret the financial statements with a view to improving the quality of decision making within a business.

The second part of the module introduces the principles of management accounting including costs and break-even analysis before producing and interpreting cash forecasts to support decision making. The final part of the module will consider the meaning of sustainable finance and the consideration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors when making investment decisions.

Level 5

Skills for Leadership
This module will develop the students' understanding of various topics needed in modern leadership. These include presenting and communicating data that supports decision making, management of individual and team performance and how to improve performance.

Research Methods for Progression
The module provides learners with the skills and knowledge required to carry out small scale research projects in both an educational and business setting.

The module starts with identifying the initial concept through a research question or hypothesis followed by the development of academic research and writing skills to prepare a literature review and research strategy to write a research proposal.

The second part of the module investigates the different tools available for the analysis of research data and how to verbally present a research proposal for funding approval.

Operations Management
The module aims to introduce students to the fundamentals and principles of Operations Management which are central to all managers irrespective of their job title, and that Operations Management is a practical subject which deals with real issues in the service as well as the production industries. There will be an opportunity to appreciate and understand the role of Operations Management within organisations of varying disciplines and to develop and apply decision making skills to everyday situations.

Digital Marketing
The module explores the role of digital technologies and how they are utilised by organisations to communicate to both current and prospective customers. The rise in digital technologies has had a major impact on the marketing communication process, which has led organisations to adapt their marketing methods. The module will consider how digital marketing has now become part of planned integrated marketing strategies, due to the changing macro environment. The methods of digital marketing will be studied within the context of understanding the rapidly changing landscape from a technological, legal/political and consumer behaviour perspective. There will be a focus on how the digital marketing strategies are created, with emphasis on the creation of a digital marketing communication plan. Additionally, the module will explore numerous real world digital marketing campaigns, with numerous cases considered to analyse how companies engage with customers in the internet age.

Business Planning and Sustainability
The module seeks to provide students with an understanding of the creative, business and personal processes, choices and challenges to be faced by entrepreneurs and managers when starting a new enterprise or developing an existing business.

Adopting a sustainability action strategy and putting sustainable practices and policies at the heart of a business can result in significant benefits including cost savings and an enhanced reputation meaning businesses are increasingly waking up to the advantages of more sustainable operations.

Employment Law for Managers
The challenges of a modern-day workplace require managers to be familiar with the foundations of employment law because employees have a greater awareness of their rights at work.

The module initially explores the different types of contractual working arrangements that have led to an increase in cases brought by employees. The second part of the module considers the rise in litigation and government regulation around pay equality and how a business can mitigate this.

Project Management
Project management is an essential skill within all businesses. This module introduces project management from initial planning through to implementation and covers the key knowledge, skills and techniques required to complete a business project.

To ensure that outcomes and benefits are sustainable over the project life cycles. Various elements will be considered in order to improve and facilitate effective project management and well-being.

Human Resource Management
This module aims to enable students to understand the development of HRM and the resource view of the organisation. It will discuss the principal functions and activities of Human Resource Management and the contribution to the achievement of organisational objectives. Students will explore the processes of recruiting, selecting and developing the talent and skills of the organisation, and the links between performance and reward in a contemporary context.