Business with Education
BSc (Hons)

About this course

About

This course will provide you with opportunities to learn from two disciplines, Business and Education. As a result, you will have opportunities to develop a range of graduate qualities which will provide you with flexible and fluid skillsets for future study and employment. In addition it provides the basis for graduates wishing to take a postgraduate programme up to doctoral level.

The programme seeks to provide the key business knowledge and skills essential for a graduate, seeking a managerial career in general business with a specialist interest in Education.

The development of relevant employability skills is at the core of the BSc Hons Business Studies with Education degree and a variety of opportunities exist within the programme and its modules, to develop such skills. These skills include, for example, Creative Thinking, Project Management, Strategic Planning, Business start-up, Problem Solving and Interpersonal skills.

All staff delivering the programme have strong links with industry and the education sector. Many have secured professional recognition with a variety of industry bodies relevant to their discipline such as Chartered Institute of Marketing, Institute of Exporters and Chartered Accountants Ireland and ACCA. In addition, all staff within the Department of Global Business and Enterprise are fellows/senior fellows of the Higher Education Academy.

Modules

Year one

Principles of Management

Year: 1

This module introduces the fundamental concepts of management and cognate topics, including the business environment, business ethics, motivation, problem solving and decision making, planning, human resource management, organisational structure, change and innovation, and operations and quality.

Students will acquire an understanding of the issues and challenges facing managers in both domestic and global environments.

Academic and Career Enhancement skills

Year: 1

The module establishes a solid foundation for students as they make the transition to become effective learners at third level. As such, the module identifies, develops and assesses a range of skills that are important for academic achievement. In this module, student learning, progression and achievement is closely monitored and supported by the module coordinator.

Principles of Economics

Year: 1

This module introduces students to the fundamental concepts and principles of economics and provides an essential underpinning for more advanced study of economics and economic issues.

Contemporary Educational Issues

Year: 1

This module provides an orientation to central educational concepts and values with the intention of providing a critical foundation for later reflection and learning.

Facilitating An Effective Learning Environment

Year: 1

This module encourages students to reflect on and assess a variety of approaches to teaching and learning in creating effective learning environments. The module offers a theoretical and practical approach to exploring the educational policies and practices that foster the key conditions for creating an effective learning environment.

Principles of Marketing

Year: 1

The module specifically provides students with understanding of the key principles and concepts of marketing to allow further learning of the strategic importance of the area in the future.

Year two

Finance for Decision Making

Year: 2

Financial decisions and their implications are an important consideration for global business'. This module will examine a range of theoretical and practical issues surrounding financial decision making. The module will provide students with an understanding of the key issues and techniques used in financial decision making with particular emphasis placed on ethical corporate governance and business ethics within the context of financial decision making.

Organisational behaviour

Year: 2

This module will introduce the fundamental concepts of Organisational Behaviour and encourage students to develop an understanding of managing and developing people in a business context. The module will examine a range of theoretical approaches that will be used to help analyse and evaluate situations and issues relevant to behaviour within organisations.

Professional Skills Development

Year: 2

This module is designed to provide students with the necessary tool kit to lead their own professional credibility, during and after their under graduate study. It will provide an interactive and experiential learning environment for students whereby they can learn about the kind of business leader they want to become and how to achieve this

Operations and Supply Chain Management

Year: 2

Operations and supply chain management is the planning, design, organization, and control of the flow of information and materials along the supply chain in order to meet customer requirements. The aim of this module is to assist students in the analysis of developments enhancing the role of operations and supply chain management, and enable them to develop and manage operational strategies to meet corporate objectives.

Industrial Educational Placement

Year: 2

The module offers students an industrial placement (usually in a school context) where they contribute to the development and delivery of the host intuition's project. Students develop their skills at communicating with both staff and learners, contribute to a learning exercise and where appropriate take a lead role in delivering learning to small groups. Students develop their reflective capabilities through a community of practice in the University's VLE. Presentational skills are also developed through the end of semester showcase event summarising the learning journey.

Learning and Teaching with Technology

Year: 2

This module is optional

This module will equip students with the skills and understanding to collaborate online with other students, focusing on the application of ICT in teaching and learning at macro and micro levels. They will be required to assess their own personal style of learning and discuss the implications for online learning. They will also develop their research and information seeking skills, as well as their written and communication skills, enabling them to present assessed work to an appropriate standard.

Physical Health and Wellbeing

Year: 2

This module is optional

The module will introduce students to an appropriate range of theory connected to physical health and well-being in the context of children and young people's education. Students will have the opportunity to explore issues through practical based workshops where the emphasis will be on applying theory to practice. Assessment will comprise of one written assignment and one individual presentation.

Year three - optional

Diploma in Professional Practice

Year: 3

This module is optional

This module provides undergraduate students with an opportunity to gain structured and professional work experience, in a work-based learning environment, as part of their planned programme of study. This experience allows students to develop, refine and reflect on their key personal and professional skills. The placement should significantly support the development of the student's employability skills, preparation for final year and enhance their employability journey.

Study Abroad

Year: 3

This module is optional

The Diploma in International Academic Studies complements and extends the student's programme of study and provides the opportunity for each student to pursue specific learning objectives by studying in a different cultural and educational environment. It is a key facilitator in support global and cultural awareness and creating graduates who are ready to embrace international career opportunities more effectively.

Year four

Inclusive Educational Practices

Year: 4

This module tackles issues of inequality and human rights abuses in education, those who have access to education and those who do not. It explores the myriad of ways education is only accessible to some and address how these barriers to education can be addressed. It explores the philosophical, historical and international contexts of these barriers and an approach to a more equal future for all.

Multicultural education and language learning

Year: 4

This module is about exploring learning and teaching in a world of increasing linguistic and cultural diversity. It focuses on practical and theoretical knowledge of supporting multicultural classrooms. It will develop initial knowledge and skills for effective support of bi/multilingual and English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners in a variety of educational settings. The module makes links between society, culture and identity; it explores theories about language acquisition, intercultural competence and bi/multilingual learning processes and evaluates school and pedagogic approaches to supporting bi/multilingual and EAL children.

Entrepreneurship and innovation

Year: 4

This module aims to equip students with a knowledge and understanding of entrepreneurial and innovation processes, and their relationship with business and economic development. It will enable students to develop the skills necessary to participate in business venturing projects. Assessment is by coursework and examination

Global Business Environment

Year: 4

This module explores the complexity of forces that make up the global economy. In particular, it aims to understand the impact of these forces on the activities of the firm, and the decisions they must take if they are to survive and prosper. The module will focus on the national, regional, and international contexts, and will aim to give students an understanding of an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous global business environment.

Leadership and Strategy

Year: 4

This module equips students with an understanding of leadership dynamics and strategic vision in organisations and the challenges associated with leading organisations through strategic change. The module will examine a range of theoretical approaches that will be used to help analyse and evaluate leadership and strategy in organisations.

Research Methods for Business

Year: 4

In the course of this module, students will develop an understanding of, and the ability to use, the core theories and techniques underpinning business research - both academic research and applied research. This will be supported by providing students with the knowledge required to utilise appropriate software for the analysis and presentation of research

Associate awards

Diploma in Professional Practice DPP

Diploma in International Academic Studies DIAS

Diploma in Professional Practice International DPPI

Attendance

Three years (four years with DPP/DIAS option).

Start dates

• September 2022

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

Knowledge and understanding are required through lectures, practical sessions, directed reading, case study work, fieldwork, seminars, tutorials, and primary and secondary data evaluation techniques. Modules are assessed by a combination of coursework and examinations or by coursework only. The assessment methods used in individual modules are specified in the module handbooks. Each module adopts its own assessment strategy and may include one or more of the following: essays; literature reviews; seminar oral presentations; seminar write-ups; class tests; research projects/dissertations and examinations.

Content

The content for each course is summarised on the relevant course page, along with an overview of the modules that make up the course.

Each course is approved by the University and meets the expectations of:

• the relevant generic national Qualification Descriptor
• the applicable Subject Benchmark Statement
• the requirements of any professional, regulatory, statutory and accrediting bodies.

Attendance and Independent Study

As part of your course induction, you will be provided with details of the organisation and management of the course, including attendance and assessment requirements - usually in the form of a timetable. For full-time courses, the precise timetable for each semester is not confirmed until close to the start date and may be subject to some change in the early weeks as all courses settle into their planned patterns. For part-time courses which require attendance on particular days and times, an expectation of the days and periods of attendance will be included in the letter of offer. A course handbook is also made available.

Courses comprise modules for which the notional effort involved is indicated by its credit rating. Each credit point represents 10 hours of student effort. Undergraduate courses typically contain 10- or 20-credit modules (more usually 20) and postgraduate course typically 15- or 30-credit modules.

The normal study load expectation for an undergraduate full-time course of study in the standard academic year is 120 credit points. This amounts to around 36-42 hours of expected teaching and learning per week, inclusive of attendance requirements for lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical work, fieldwork or other scheduled classes, private study, and assessment. Part-time study load is the same as full-time pro-rata, with each credit point representing 10 hours of student effort.

Postgraduate Master’s courses typically comprise 180 credits, taken in three semesters when studied full-time. A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) comprises 60 credits and can usually be completed on a part-time basis in one year. A 120-credit Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) can usually be completed on a part-time basis in two years.

Class contact times vary by course and type of module. Typically, for a module predominantly delivered through lectures you can expect at least 3 contact hours per week (lectures/seminars/tutorials). Laboratory classes often require a greater intensity of attendance in blocks. Some modules may combine lecture and laboratory. The precise model will depend on the course you apply for and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. Prospective students will be consulted about any significant changes.

Assessment

Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessment. The precise assessment will depend on the module and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.

Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification and the assessment timetable. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.

Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised.

Calculation of the Final Award

The class of Honours awarded in Bachelor’s degrees is usually determined by calculation of an aggregate mark based on performance across the modules at Levels 5 and 6, (which correspond to the second and third year of full-time attendance).

Level 6 modules contribute 70% of the aggregate mark and Level 5 contributes 30% to the calculation of the class of the award. Classification of integrated Master’s degrees with Honours include a Level 7 component. The calculation in this case is: 50% Level 7, 30% Level 6, 20% Level 5. At least half the Level 5 modules must be studied at the University for Level 5 to be included in the calculation of the class.

All other qualifications have an overall grade determined by results in modules from the final level of study. In Master’s degrees of more than 200 credit points the final 120 points usually determine the overall grading.

Academic profile

The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 59% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.

Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (25%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (18%) or Lecturers (57%).

We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic staff (81%) are accredited fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.

The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise. The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff. This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.

Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.

Figures correct for academic year 2019-2020.

Standard entry conditions

We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.

A level

Grades CCC

Applied General Qualifications

Overall BTEC award profile DMM (QCF)

Overall BTEC (RQF) National Extended Diploma with profile MMM

Irish Leaving Certificate

96 UCAS tariff points to include a minimum of 4 subjects at Higher Level and 1 at Ordinary Level, including English and Maths at O4/H6 or above.

Irish Leaving Certificate UCAS Equivalency

• View tariff point chart

Tariff point chart

Scottish Highers

Grades CCCCC

A minimum of grade C in Math and English is required at Intermediate Level if not studying at Higher Level.

Scottish Advanced Highers

Grades DDD

A minimum of grade C in Math and English is required at Intermediate Level if not studying at Higher Level.

International Baccalaureate

Overall profile minimum 24 points (12 at higher level) including Maths and English

Access to Higher Education (HE)

Overall profile of 55% (NI Access course)

Overall profile of 45 credits at Merit (GB Access course)

GCSE

For full-time study, you must satisfy the General Entrance Requirements for admission to a first degree course and hold a GCSE pass at Grade C or 4 or above in English Language and Mathematics (or equivalent).

Essential Skills Level 2 Communication will be accepted as equivalent to GCSE English.

Essential Skills Level 2 Numeracy will be accepted as equivalent to GCSE Maths.

English Language Requirements

English language requirements for international applicants
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.

Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.

• English language requirements
• Your country

Additional Entry Requirements

You may also meet the course entry requirements with combinations of different qualifications to the same standard as recognised by the University.

Exemptions and transferability

Most students enter Year 1. However, if you can provide evidence of previous relevant study, you may be considered for entry to later years.

Careers & opportunities

Job roles

With this degree you could become:

• Graduate Management Trainee
• Junior Manager
• Training Consultant
• Training Manager
• Education

Career options

Students who study Business with Education secure employment in several fields. Roles within the industry and commerce are natural progression routes especially those with training elements. Many graduates also pursue further study with formal educational roles such as a PGCFE.

Work placement / study abroad

You have the option to undertake a one-year work placement (in Year 3) with an industry partner leading to the award of Diploma in Professional Practice (DPP). These work placements can be at home or abroad in an organization (company, local or central government or voluntary organization), and you will work under the supervision of an Industrial Supervisor, supported by the DPP Co-ordinator and an Academic Supervisor from within the University.

In addition to this, all students on the programme will take the module EDU308 Industrial Educational Placement. This will span one semester and provide you with industry experience (one day a week) whilst you study your other modules for that semester. This can be in a formal educational context such as a school, FE college or nursery setting. However, it can also be in industry with a training or educational role such as local government, NGOs or commerce.

Apply

Applications to full-time undergraduate degrees at Ulster are made through UCAS.

Start dates

• September 2022

Contact

Admissions

Philomena Grant

T: +44 (0)28 7167 5434

E: ap.grant@ulster.ac.uk

E: admissionsmg@ulster.ac.uk

International Admissions Office

E: internationaladmissions@ulster.ac.uk

For more information visit

Ulster University Business School

Department of Global Business and Enterprise

For more information visit

• Ulster University Business School
• Department of Global Business and Enterprise

Disclaimer

1. The University endeavours to deliver courses and programmes of study in accordance with the description set out in this prospectus. The University’s prospectus is produced at the earliest possible date in order to provide maximum assistance to individuals considering applying for a course of study offered by the University. The University makes every effort to ensure that the information contained in the prospectus is accurate but it is possible that some changes will occur between the date of printing and the start of the academic year to which it relates. Please note that the University’s website is the most up-to-date source of information regarding courses and facilities and we strongly recommend that you always visit the website before making any commitments.
2. Although reasonable steps are taken to provide the programmes and services described, the University cannot guarantee the provision of any course or facility and the University may make variations to the contents or methods of delivery of courses, discontinue, merge or combine courses and introduce new courses if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Such circumstances include (but are not limited to) industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key staff, changes in legislation or government policy including changes, if any, resulting from the UK departing the European Union, withdrawal or reduction of funding or other circumstances beyond the University’s reasonable control.
3. If the University discontinues any courses, it will use its best endeavours to provide a suitable alternative course. In addition, courses may change during the course of study and in such circumstances the University will normally undertake a consultation process prior to any such changes being introduced and seek to ensure that no student is unreasonably prejudiced as a consequence of any such change.
4. The University does not accept responsibility (other than through the negligence of the University, its staff or agents), for the consequences of any modification or cancellation of any course, or part of a course, offered by the University but will take into consideration the effects on individual students and seek to minimise the impact of such effects where reasonably practicable.
5. The University cannot accept any liability for disruption to its provision of educational or other services caused by circumstances beyond its control, but the University will take all reasonable steps to minimise the resultant disruption to such services.