BA(Hons) Management and Leadership (with Foundation Year)

Through thematic projects, this module will help you develop the academic, practical and professional foundations needed for undergraduate study in business and law. You'll work collaboratively and independently, using academic theory and professional practice to address relevant problems and societal issues. Indicative themes include a business simulation focused on organisational processes and teamwork, and a societal issue explored through values, research, debate and persuasive writing. Along the way, you'll strengthen your project management, digital, decision-making, presentation, feedback and self-management skills while exploring areas connected with your interests.

This module will support your professional and personal development by helping you evaluate your skills, set meaningful goals and monitor your progress. You'll explore self-management, reflective thinking and writing, wellbeing, resilience, social development and networking. Indicative themes include understanding yourself through skills audits, mindset and goal setting; working in teams through group roles, dynamics, motivation and feedback; and considering your wider context through personal mission, vision, values and future plans. Reflective practice will help you learn from experience, take responsibility for your development and prepare for collaborative project work.

In this module, you'll develop a foundational understanding of accounting, finance and financial reporting, and explore how financial information supports effective business decision-making. You'll learn how to read, interpret and evaluate financial information, examining the needs of different users and the role accounting plays in a range of organisations. Topics include financial reporting, financial statements, cash flow, sources of finance, and introductory management accounting concepts. By the end of the module, you'll be able to analyse financial information, evaluate business performance and make evidence-based decisions in a variety of business contexts.

In this module, you'll be introduced to the foundations of marketing and explore the key concepts and principles that underpin effective marketing practice. You'll develop an understanding of the role of marketing within organisations and learn how businesses use marketing to understand and respond to the needs of different consumers and markets. Topics include market orientation, marketing audits, the marketing mix, and the development of marketing plans and strategies. Through a practice-based approach, you'll learn how to analyse brands and markets, apply marketing frameworks and evaluate different approaches to achieving organisational objectives.

In this module, you'll develop the quantitative and qualitative skills needed to analyse data and make informed decisions in a range of enterprise contexts. You'll explore how organisations use data to support strategy and decision-making, considering both for-profit and not-for-profit settings. Topics may include the psychology and ethics of decision-making, data quality and credibility, business analytics, risk management, and strategic concepts. Through practical activities and enterprise-focused scenarios, you'll learn how to evaluate and interpret data, use business analytics tools effectively, and develop evidence-based recommendations to support entrepreneurial decision-making.

This module introduces the professional practice strand, supporting your transition into higher education while developing your understanding of management and leadership. You'll explore key concepts, theories and practices that underpin effective management, including planning, organising, leading and motivating individuals and teams. Through real-world organisational examples, you'll examine organisational behaviour, culture, power and politics, and how people work together in teams. Alongside developing academic and professional skills, you'll build self-awareness through reflection, learning how to evaluate your strengths, set development goals and monitor your progress.

In this module, you'll develop a foundation in economic principles and explore how they shape contemporary business and management environments. You'll examine key areas of microeconomics, including theories of price, while considering how businesses operate within wider social, economic and institutional contexts. Topics may include inequality, globalisation, technological change and the impact of significant events on organisations and markets. You'll learn how to analyse contemporary business issues from different perspectives, evaluate evidence and research, and apply economic theories and concepts to real-world business and management challenges.

This module will introduce different perspectives for understanding social and organisational behaviour. You'll examine how individuals, groups, structures and wider social forces interact within organisations. Topics may include identity, culture, power, motivation, relationships, inequality and change, drawing on relevant behavioural and social theories. Through critical discussion and organisational examples, you'll learn to compare explanations, question assumptions and connect individual experiences with broader contexts. The module will develop your ability to interpret complex workplace behaviour and consider the implications for management and organisational practice.

This module explores leadership and organisational change in contemporary contexts, helping you develop an understanding of the challenges associated with leading change in organisations. You'll examine key leadership and change theories and learn how to apply them to real-world organisational situations. The module focuses on issues that may include gender, diversity, organisational culture, language and communication, technology and artificial intelligence (AI). Through the analysis of contemporary organisational contexts, you'll develop critical thinking skills and practical insights into how leaders navigate change in organisations.

This module develops the professional practice strand, focusing on management and leadership research in organisational settings. You'll build your research capabilities through a group-based enquiry project, gaining experience in project scoping, research design, data collection and analysis. Building on professional competencies developed previously, you'll explore organisation-based enquiry methods and learn how to collect, analyse and present qualitative and quantitative data. Through collaborative working and reflective practice, you'll strengthen your professional skills, enhance your critical inquiry and evidence-based problem-solving abilities, and learn how to communicate research findings appropriately for different audiences and contexts.

In this module, you'll explore the key concepts, theories and practices that underpin contemporary human resource management. You'll examine how people are managed throughout the employee lifecycle, including recruitment and selection, training, reward and performance management, and consider how these activities influence organisational performance. You'll also explore wider workplace issues such as employment relations, labour market trends and talent management. Through the application of theory to organisational case studies, you'll develop the skills to analyse human resource management challenges, evaluate possible solutions and understand how organisational context shapes effective people management practice.

In this module, you'll explore how organisations create value through effective strategy, innovation and operations management. You'll develop an understanding of how businesses design and deliver products and services, manage supply chains, and improve performance in competitive markets. Topics may include strategic analysis, innovation and business model development, operations and supply chain management, digitalisation, sustainability, continuous improvement and organisational performance. You'll learn how to apply strategic and operational concepts to real-world business challenges, evaluate performance issues, and develop informed recommendations that support organisational success in diverse and rapidly changing environments.

In this module, you'll explore the role of social value, business ethics and sustainability in contemporary organisations, while questioning the purpose of business beyond profit generation. You'll examine ethical decision-making in local, national and global contexts, considering issues such as inequality, supply chains, consumer behaviour, diversity and inclusion, environmental sustainability, and the impact of AI and big data. Through practical examples, case studies and critical reflection, you'll learn how ethical theories can be applied to organisational challenges and develop the analytical skills needed to evaluate complex social and sustainability issues.

This module deepens your understanding of leadership through psychological and sociological perspectives. You'll explore critical leadership theories and key issues that shape how leadership is understood, experienced and practised. Topics may include followership, psychoanalytic approaches, relational leadership, and psychological and sociological perspectives on leadership. Through reflective practice, you'll relate leadership concepts to your own experience, developing greater self-awareness while strengthening your ability to critically analyse leadership issues through different perspectives.

This capstone module completes the professional practice strand through a Leading Change Consultancy project, bringing together learning from across the programme. Working with a business client, you'll explore the theory and practice of organisational development consultancy, examining change at organisational, group and individual levels and the relationships between them. You'll address an organisational challenge, apply relevant knowledge, develop evidence-based recommendations, and strengthen your teamwork, problem-solving and professional skills. Topics may include organisational development, change cycles, organisation design, culture change, consultancy ethics, sustainability and resilience.