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BA(Hons) Business Management and Economics (with Foundation Year)

Entry year
2025/26
Course code
NL1F
Application
UCAS
Level
Undergraduate
School
Bristol Business School
Tariff points
48
Campus
Frenchay
Duration
Four years full-time; Five years Sandwich
Delivery
Full-time; Sandwich
Programme leader
Ms Chathushka Kiriella

This course is open for applications

Introduction

Explore advanced economic principles and apply them to real business scenarios. Develop robust decision-making skills and business insights highly sought after in industry. Gain practical knowledge that drives success in today's dynamic business environment.

Why study this course?

On BA(Hons) Business Management and Economics, you’ll graduate ready to apply your economics knowledge and make informed, astute business decisions. You’ll develop excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to analyse business scenarios in depth. Your business expertise will be sought after in a range of careers, including business analysts, business managers, consultants, or economists, across various sectors.

You’ll explore a range of topics, including microeconomics, macroeconomics, strategic management, finance, marketing, and organisational behaviour. You’ll learn how economic principles influence business decision-making and organisational dynamics.

Through coursework and practical experiences, you’ll develop analytical skills, learn how to work effectively in a team, gain ethical awareness, and a global perspective.

You’ll become a critical thinker and autonomous learner, capable of analysing complex problems and proposing effective solutions. You’ll gain practical skills through case studies and projects that simulate real-world business scenarios.

Why UWE Bristol?

Everything you’ll study is the result of our work with employers and industry experts such as Hays Recruitment, Marsh, Government Economic Services, Airbus and Arup. You’ll get an excellent grounding in economics and business management and graduate with the confidence to apply economics to business decisions and communicate your ideas with professional impact.

You’ll develop a professional portfolio of work, hone your communication skills, and graduate with the practical and work-ready skills sought after by employers.

We’ll equip you with attributes critical for success in today's dynamic business world. Through innovative teaching methods, hands-on experiences, and personalised learning, you’ll become a creative problem solver with ethical integrity, resilience, digital proficiency, and robust business expertise.

You’ll receive extensive support from a broad range of services designed to help you succeed academically, personally, and in your future career.

Where can it take me?

You’ll be equipped with the skills and experience you need to pursue a career in data or business analysis, business management, consultancy, or economics in a variety of sectors.

Watch: Economics at UWE Bristol

Bristol Business School alumni and staff tell you about studying Economics at UWE Bristol, the opportunities available and the skills students take with them into the world of work.

Structure

Content

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

Year zero (foundation year)

All foundation year students in Bristol Business School study together on ‘Year Zero’ and take the below compulsory modules, which includes an introduction to university-level academic and study skills. This will ensure that you have the necessary grounding, enabling you to develop a range of perspectives and skills that will enrich your learning at Year one and beyond.

You'll study:

  • Becoming a Professional
  • Introduction to Organisations, Enterprise and Management
  • Economics and Accounting for the Real World
  • Introduction to Law in a Social, Business and Global Context.

You normally need to pass your foundation year before going into Year one.

Year one

You'll study:

  • Business Economics
  • Business Reasoning and Statistical Skills for Managers
  • Management Practices
  • Professional Knowledge: Marketing and Finance.

Year two

You'll study:

  • Evidence and Techniques for Business Consultants
  • Managerial Economics with Professional Practice
  • Managing People and Organisational Behaviour.

Plus, optional modules as follows:

  • Money, Banking and Finance or International Trade
  • Entrepreneurship and Innovation or Marketing Management.

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'll study:

  • Applied Economics and Professional Practice
  • Business Management and Economics Project
  • Sustainable Business Strategy, Operations and Innovations.

Plus, two* optional modules the amount and combination depending on credit requirement and whether you complete the sandwich year) from:

  • Behavioural Economics or Labour and Migration in the Contemporary World
  • Organisational Leadership or Sustainable Business.

*one optional module, if you complete the sandwich placement or 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'll inform you.

Learning and Teaching

Learning and teaching on this course emphasises active participation and learning by doing, supporting you to gradually become more independent in your learning as you progress through the course. Each module is inspired and informed by a learning and teaching approach that enables you to prepare for and participate in your classes and practise your skills.

You’ll prepare by engaging with suggested materials, such as pre-recorded lectures, to gain background knowledge. This will support you to participate in timetabled interactive sessions, applying your knowledge to develop your understanding and skills. Finally, you’ll practise applying your knowledge to real-world business challenges.

Learn through a mixture of lectures, tutorials and workshops, involving both individual and group work. You’ll explore a variety of course materials and activities, such as case studies, live briefs, portfolios, pitches, presentations, online exercises, and simulations. You’ll also interact with guest practitioners and speakers and undertake professional practice field visits.

See our glossary of learning and teaching terms.

Study time

In a typical week, you could expect to be timetabled with academic staff for an average of 12 hours. You’ll also engage with a range of additional academic and professional development activities, and work on practice and assessment tasks through independent self-study for 28 hours per week on average.

The balance between taught sessions and independent study hours may vary between modules and at points across the academic years. This enables both the development of new skills, concepts, and knowledge and to facilitate the space to produce assessment tasks.

Assessment

Our assessment strategy focuses on developing subject knowledge, practical skills, and professional attributes within key business environments, including your chosen area of specialism. The scaffolded structure ensures your assessments progressively challenge you as you advance through each year of the course.

You’ll be assessed through a broad range of methods, such as written assignments, presentations and posters, projects, case studies, reports, examinations and set exercises.

Throughout the course, you’ll also complete a professional practice portfolio of evidence, alongside a reflective workbook to document your own personal development. Your portfolio will demonstrate that you have developed the required professional skills and attributes for a career in business.

In your professional practice modules, you’ll be encouraged to engage in collaborative learning and contribute to group tasks as part of your assessments. These modules will include support through mentor groups to facilitate your collaborative learning.

Learn more about our assessments.

Features

Placements

We encourage you to do a 40-week paid sandwich placement after Year two, which can be in the UK or abroad. You'll be eligible for a placement with the Government Economic Service (GES), one of the biggest employers of economists in the UK.

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 £55m Bristol Business School, you'll have access to learning spaces like the Bloomberg financial trading room, where this state-of-the-art financial platform will give you a commanding view of global finance.

The Business School building features learning spaces for individual and group study, and bookable conference rooms. It's a space for students and businesses to come together, collaborate and form new partnerships.

Our specialist library and learning hub supports you with vast collections, workshops, and study skills resources.

The library and Business School offer group study spaces, access to books, press, journals, and industry databases.

Learn more about UWE Bristol's facilities and resources.

Take a personalised virtual tour of the Business Management facilities and experience what a typical day could look like here for you.

UWE Bristol Trading and Investment Society (UWETIS)

Founded in 2011, this society brings together students who want to share knowledge and interest in finance and investing.

Through the virtual money fund, members can apply financial theory and analysis in real-life settings. Members also attend lectures by industry experts, networking events and trading games.

The society has excellent connections with major banks and accountancy firms and organises regular social events and trips.

UWE Bristol Economics Society

This society is open to students with an interest in economics. Members attend subsidised field trips, networking events and talks from guest speakers, as well as regular socials.  

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

This degree is an ideal launch pad for a career in business analysis, management, marketing, personnel, strategic management and planning in either private or public sector organisations.

We have an excellent relationship with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and many of our graduates have started careers with them.

If you choose further study at UWE Bristol, you'll be ready for a master's in areas like financial management, economics, human resource management and marketing.

Our award-winning Careers Service helps you develop your employment potential through career coaching, a vacancy service for internships, placements, jobs, global opportunities, volunteering, and community activity plus support for entrepreneurial activity, and access to employer events.

Learn more about our graduate destinations.

Fees*

There is currently no published fee data for this course.

Supplementary fee information

*The UK Government has set a tuition fee cap for some integral foundation years from 1st August 2025. The tuition fee cap is £5,760 and applies to home students only. The final list of integral foundation courses which will attract the lower fee has yet to be confirmed but is expected soon.

Any tuition fee which is impacted by this change will be updated in due course.

The tuition fee for years of study after the integral foundation year will be charged at a higher level which will also be updated on the course web page (also see below update).

Please see GOV.UK for further information.

*The UK Government recently proposed that tuition fees for Home students will increase by 3.1% to £9,535 from 1st August 2025. This increase is subject to Parliamentary approval and the vote is expected to take place later this year.

Any tuition fee which is impacted by this change will be updated following approval.

Please see GOV.UK for further 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 five year course and then transfer to the four 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: 48
  • 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'll 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.
  • Welsh Baccalaureate: We accept tariff points achieved from the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales in conjunction with other Level 3 qualifications.
  • Cambridge Technical: No specific subjects required.
  • T Levels: No specific subjects required.

Entry requirements

If you exceed the entry requirements you may be eligible for BA(Hons) Business Management and Economics.

International applicants

If you are an international student your recommended route of study for this degree is through our International College, which upon successful completion to the required level and with good attendance, guarantees entry to Year one of the degree.

Read more about entry requirements.

How to apply

Read more about undergraduate applications.

For further information

Unistats

UWE Main Campus

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