BA(Hons) Business and Human Resource Management

Entry year
2024/25
Course code
N1N6
Application
UCAS
Level
Undergraduate
School
Bristol Business School
Tariff points
112
Campus
Frenchay
Duration
Three years full-time; Four years sandwich
Delivery
Full-time, sandwich
Programme leader
Andy Stone

This course is open for applications

Page last updated 30 November 2023

Introduction

Completing this course gets you an Intermediate Diploma in Human Resource Management from the CIPD. This tells future employers you have practical experience in the field.

Accreditations and partnerships:

Why study business and human resource management?

People are the most important asset in any organisation. It's increasingly important for businesses to understand and effectively manage their employees to succeed in a competitive, global economy.

There is always a need for graduates who can help organisations build and develop their workforce. 

Why UWE Bristol?

BA(Hons) Business and Human Resource Management combines the study of people management with finance, marketing and strategy to give you a comprehensive understanding of how businesses function.

This course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Completing this course will also get you an internationally recognised Intermediate Diploma in Human Resource Management.

Learn about the role of managers and how people contribute to business success. Focus on the practices and issues associated with people management. Develop a solid foundation in business theory and explore the challenges facing modern businesses.

An optional work placement year, recent case studies, guest speakers and staff with extensive industry experience provides you with real-world HR know-how.

Our students value the research-led teaching and enterprising business community at UWE Bristol.

Where can it take me?

This broad degree brings opportunities across HR and business management. Our students have secured HR specialist roles in companies such as IBM, Hewlett Packard, Airbus and Caterpillar, and on HR graduate programmes in both the public and private sectors.

Structure

Content

The optional modules listed are those that are most likely to be available, but they may be subject to change.

Year one

You will study:

  • Introduction to Management
  • Understanding Business and Financial Information (BIM)
  • HRM and Leadership in Context
  • Understanding Organisations and People (BIM)
  • Understanding the Principles of Marketing (BIM)
  • Contemporary Business Issues
  • Business Decision Making for Management
  • Enterprise and Entrepreneurship.

Year two

You will study:

  • Managing People
  • Management Skills (Business and Management)
  • Accounting Information for Business (BIM)
  • Contemporary Employment Relations
  • Research Methods for Business
  • Equality Law and Diversity Management
  • Operations and Supply Management
  • Research in Human Resource Management and Leadership.

Placement year (if applicable)

If you study on the four year (sandwich) course, you'll spend a year away from the University on a work or study placement after Year two.

Depending on which you choose, you'll either complete a placement learning or learning and development module.

See the Placements and Fees sections for more information.

Final year

You will study:

  • Critical Business Enquiry project or Applied Business Project or Business Project
  • Strategy and Human Resource Management
  • Human Resource Development and Knowledge Management
  • Managing Organisational Performance
  • International Human Resource Management.

Plus, one module from:

  • Work Integrated Learning
  • Cross Cultural Learning and Development
  • Placement Learning
  • Learning and Development on Study Year Abroad.

The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved, we will inform you.

"Studying a CIPD-accredited course helped me to stand out when applying for graduate jobs. This enabled me to achieve my first role as an HR Administrator and then get promoted to a Recruiter. Since then, I've progressed my career to an HR Operations Analyst for PepsiCo." Opor, 2017 Business and HRM graduate

Learning and Teaching

Our approach to learning is student-focused, with emphasis on helping you to find things out for yourself.

You'll be expected to balance academic rigour and a practical approach to your work, so you can appreciate the relevance and application of the concepts you learn.

You'll learn through a blend of activities - some tutor-led and face-to-face, some student-led and independent, some online and some in groups. Some involve students supporting each others' learning.

Lectures, workshops/seminars, tutorials and group work make up 12 hours of contact time each week and you'll spend at least as much time again studying independently.

This can involve preparing for workshops and seminars, reviewing lectures, online working, reading, conducting research, preparing assessed work and revising for exams.

You'll develop your communication and presentation skills and IT and numeracy skills, with a strong focus on data interpretation and analysis. Your improved problem solving, critical thinking, analysis, evaluation and innovation skills will help you stand out as a graduate.

You can also study optional language classes in French, Spanish and Mandarin.

You can gain practical experience through short-term internships, paid work as a Student Ambassador or Peer Assisted Learning Leader, or through volunteering.

See our full glossary of learning and teaching terms.

Approximate percentage of time you'll spend in different learning activities*:

YearScheduled learning and teaching studyIndependent studyPlacement study
125%75%0%
224%76%0%
319%72%9%

*Calculated from compulsory and optional modules (where applicable) each year

Assessment

You'll be assessed through a mix of coursework and examinations to assess what you know and can do and help you develop the confidence and skills that employers value.

You'll complete essays and reports, business plans and applied research projects, portfolios and weekly notes, and assessed group and individual presentations and posters. You'll also reflect and comment on your own learning and personal development.

Learn more about assessments.

Approximate percentage of marks awarded by each assessment method*:

YearWritten exam assessmentCoursework assessmentPractical exam assessment
115%51%34%
216%59%25%
313%73%14%

*Calculated from compulsory and optional modules (where applicable) each year

Features

Professional accreditation

The course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

Completing this course will also get you an internationally recognised Intermediate Diploma in Human Resource Management- a valuable indication to future employers that you have completed a practice-oriented degree programme.

When you enrol, you'll automatically become a paid member of the CIPD, giving you access to developments in the field and networking opportunities.

This course is also accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

Placements

We encourage you to do a 40-week paid sandwich placement after Year two. It can be in the UK or abroad.

Your placement is valuable because it allows you to gain real-world experience and skills that increase your employability.

UWE Bristol has strong links with employers and our students have secured placements (through a competitive process) with Mercedes F1, IBM, HP, Airbus, the NHS and Hays Recruitment.

You'll get help to find your placement and support throughout from your College and the careers service.

Study year abroad

You'll also have opportunities to study overseas on courses that are taught in English and relevant to your degree. The study year abroad is not a paid placement.

Study facilities

In our Bristol Business School, you'll have access to cutting-edge learning spaces like the Bloomberg financial trading room. Training in this state-of-the-art financial platform will give you a commanding view of global finance.

Designed with student input, the Business School offers learning spaces for individual and group study plus conference rooms you can book. It's a space for students and businesses to come together, collaborate and form new partnerships.

In our specialist library, business librarians manage vast collections to support your research. Attend workshops to develop your information skills or use our Study Skills advise. 

You'll have access to books, trade press, academic journals, and industry databases including FAME, MINTEL, Marketline Advantage and Passport both on and off campus.

Our students have access to guest speakers from the HR profession, including most recently CIPD CEO Peter Cheese.  

Learn more about UWE Bristol's facilities and resources.

Take a Virtual Tour of the Business Management facilities and see what's on offer here for you.

Life

Accommodation

An excellent range of options for all of the Bristol campuses and the city centre.

Bristol

A stunning city for student living with all the qualities to make you want to stay.

Sports, societies and activities

There is more to your experience here than study. Choose to make the most of it and try new things.

Health and Wellbeing

We provide support in the way you need it.

Campus and facilities

Discover our campuses and the wealth of facilities provided for our students.

Careers

Careers / Further study

Bristol is home to many multinationals, small to medium sized enterprises and charities, who value our course and provide diverse post-graduate opportunities to our students.

A broad understanding of business practice, crucial skills and a focus on HRM will give you a wide choice of careers.

Our students have secured specialist roles with multinationals such as IBM, Hewlett Packard, Airbus and Caterpillar, and HR graduate training programmes in both the public and private sectors.

Get inspired

Our award-winning careers service will develop your employment potential through career coaching and find you graduate jobs, placements and global opportunities.

We can also help find local volunteering and community opportunities, provide support for entrepreneurial activity and get you access to employer events.

Visit our Employability pages to find out about careers, employers and what our students are doing six months after graduating.

Useful links

Fees

Supplementary fee information

Your overall entitlement to funding is based on how long the course is that you're registered on. Standard funding is allocated based on the standard number of years that your course lasts, plus one additional year.

You'll apply for funding each year that you study and Student Finance will take into account how long the course is in each year that you apply. So if you register for the four year course and then transfer to the three year course, the number of years you can apply for funding will change. Student Finance will reassess your funding based on how many years you have been in study, not just those years for which you received student finance.

Always seek advice before taking any action that may have implications for your funding.

Learn more about funding.

Additional costs

This refers to items you could need during your studies that aren't covered by the standard tuition fee. These could be materials, textbooks, travel, clothing, software or printing.

Learn more about costs.

Entry

Typical offers

  • Tariff points: 112
  • Contextual tariff: See our contextual offers page.
  • GCSE: Grade C/4 in English and Mathematics, or equivalent.
  • English Language Requirement: International and EU applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).

    *The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Please visit our English language requirements page.

  • A-level subjects: No specific subjects required.
  • EDEXCEL (BTEC) Diploma: No specific subjects required.

    For information on required Guided Learning Hours please see our minimum entry requirements page.

  • Access: No specific subjects required.
  • Baccalaureate IB: No specific subjects required.
  • Irish Highers: No specific subjects required.
  • T Levels: No specific subjects required.

Entry requirements

If you don't meet the entry requirements, you may be eligible for BA(Hons) Business and Human Resource Management (with Foundation Year).

International applicants

For country specific entry requirements please find your country on the country information pages. If you are an international student and do not meet the academic requirements to study this course, you can qualify by completing preparatory study at our International College.

If you are applying to study at UWE Bristol and require additional support to meet our English language requirements, you may be able to attend one of our pre-sessional English courses. Read more about our Pre-Sessional English Programme.

Direct entry

If you are interested in direct entry to Final year, please see our BA(Hons) Business and Management (Top Up) course.

Read more about entry requirements.

How to apply

Read more about undergraduate applications.

Read more about international applications and key international deadline dates.

For further information

Unistats

UWE Main Campus

Full Time