BA(Hons) Business and Human Resource Management (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 will develop your professional knowledge of workforce and organisational behaviour. You'll explore introductory topics including leadership, motivation, culture, emotion, teams, power and politics, learning to apply theory to real organisational examples and examine issues from both management and employee perspectives. Alongside these subject areas, reflective practice will help you evaluate your professional capabilities and set development goals. You'll also strengthen self-management, collaborative working, wellbeing, resilience, social development and networking, building foundations for further study in business and human resource management.

This module will combine sociological and economic analysis to explore how businesses are embedded in markets, places and institutional frameworks. Topics will include, but not be limited to, microeconomics, theories of price, context, inequality, globalisation, technological change and contemporary events. You'll consider how these issues affect business environments and alter market conditions for inputs and outputs, comparing different perspectives and evaluating the supporting research. Along the way, you'll develop written and verbal communication and learn to take effective notes from academic sources.

In this module, you'll explore how human resource information systems support the employment journey and organisational performance. You'll examine different HR systems, their evolution and their strategic alignment with organisational goals. Particular attention will be given to performance management, people data and metrics used to monitor and improve outcomes. You'll consider the benefits and challenges of implementing HR technology, as well as its contribution to efficiency and effectiveness. The module will help you evaluate how HR systems, evidence and organisational context interact.

This module will examine strategic workforce planning and resourcing. You'll explore how effective planning supports organisational aims and compare hard and soft workforce-planning approaches. Topics will include the use of data to predict workforce needs, recruitment and selection, learning and talent management, and succession planning. You'll consider the benefits, limitations and costs of different resourcing techniques and learn how to combine them into integrated strategies. By applying these ideas to varied contexts, you'll develop strategically aligned and practical workforce plans.

In this module, you'll explore equality, diversity and employment relations within contemporary workplaces. You'll examine how organisations manage the employment relationship, employee voice, representation, conflict and participation, while considering legal, ethical and organisational responsibilities. Topics may include discrimination, inclusion, trade unions, workplace power and changing patterns of work. Through different perspectives and practical contexts, you'll learn to analyse inequalities, evaluate employment-relations approaches and consider how policy and practice can support fairer, more inclusive and effective working environments.

This module will develop your ability to use evidence in human resource practice. You'll learn how to identify an organisational HR issue, ask focused questions and gather relevant information from research, organisational data and professional sources. The module will help you evaluate evidence quality, analyse findings and develop practical recommendations. Through a small-scale enquiry, you'll strengthen your research planning, communication, reflection and professional judgement. You'll also consider how evidence-based approaches can improve HR decisions while responding to organisational context and stakeholder needs.

In this module, you'll explore the operational activities that support effective human resource management. You'll examine how HR services and processes are organised across the employment journey, including recruitment, onboarding, employee records, performance, reward, development and employee relations. The module may also consider policies, compliance, data, technology and service quality. You'll learn how operational decisions affect employees and organisational performance, identify opportunities for improvement and develop practical approaches that support consistent, efficient and responsible HR delivery.

This module will develop your professional capability in strategic human resource management through an applied project. You'll investigate an organisational people issue, draw on relevant evidence and theory, and develop practical recommendations for a professional audience. The work will help you connect strategic HRM with organisational priorities while strengthening research, analysis, project planning and communication skills. Through reflection on your contribution and development, you'll identify strengths and areas for improvement and build evidence of the professional knowledge and behaviours relevant to future HR practice.

This module will explore how organisations engage stakeholders and develop talent to support strategic goals. You'll examine approaches to identifying stakeholder interests, building relationships and communicating effectively, alongside methods for attracting, developing and retaining people. Topics may include talent pipelines, capability, succession, learning and performance. Through applied organisational contexts, you'll learn how to analyse competing expectations, evaluate development priorities and propose integrated approaches. The module will strengthen your strategic thinking, collaboration and ability to communicate evidence-based people recommendations.

In this module, you'll examine international human resource management through a sustainability lens. You'll explore how organisations manage people across borders while responding to environmental, social and economic responsibilities. Topics may include global workforce practices, cultural and institutional differences, ethical employment, inclusion, employee wellbeing and sustainable development. By considering the long-term effects of HR decisions on people, organisations and wider stakeholders, you'll develop the ability to evaluate international practices critically and propose responsible approaches suited to varied national and organisational contexts.