Get the business, management and leadership skills employers are looking for.
The success of any business depends heavily on the effectiveness of its managers. Good managers need to make the right decisions for businesses and recognise and exploit any opportunities open to it.
The BSc (Hons) Management course at Ulster is an innovative and exciting degree that puts a major emphasis on personal and skills development in relation to management and leadership.
You will learn what to do, and crucially how to do it. Designed to give you the relevant knowledge and professional skills valued in today's workplace you will learn via live consultancy projects based in real life organisations. This will not only ensure that you have the practical know how to make an impact in organisations as soon as you graduate but also will allow you to network with top organisations leading to future employment prospects.
You will study the important aspects of leadership, management and business, including strategy, marketing, finance, human resource management, operations management, entrepreneurship and personal development. You will also develop key skills beneficial to your own personal development including presenting, critical analysis, problem solving, team building, communication and decision-making.
If you want to inspire, manage and lead teams to success, have aspirations of managing global brands and businesses or want to find more efficient and new ways of working this course is for you. Join us and get ready to graduate with the skills needed to succeed in the fast-paced business environment.
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
In this section
This is a full-time course completed over three years.
You will normally complete three modules per semester, with class contact time approximately three hours per week per module. You will be expected to undertake independent study of around 10 hours per week per module and you will have on average 9-10 class contact hours per week.
Additionally, you will be expected to devote some of your study time to working with local employers on a specific issue as part of your 'live' project modules in Year 2 and Year 3.
You will attend lectures, seminars, tutorials as well as listening to talks from guest speakers from business and industry and our visiting professors, all of whom have a wealth of experience in business, management and leadership roles.
You will also be assessed using a range of techniques including written exams, presentations, debates, essays and reports.
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 (20%) or Lecturers (55%).
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) by Advanced HE - 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 2021-2022.
High quality apartment living in Belfast city centre adjacent to the university campus.
Find out more - information about accommodation
At Student Wellbeing we provide many services to help students through their time at Ulster University.
Find out more - information about student wellbeing
The Belfast campus is situated in the artistic and cultural centre of the city, the Cathedral Quarter.
Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.
Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.
In this section
Year: 1
Status: C
This module aims to provide an introduction to the study of leadership and management. Students will be provided with knowledge and gain an understanding of the internal dynamics of an organisation, and the roles and functions which managers play in ensuring that it fulfills its mission or purpose. The module is applied in nature using real businesses and real managers and leaders in the assessment and content. Throughout the module, students will also be encouraged to self-evaluate and reflect on their own management and leadership skills and competences.
Year: 1
Status: C
For organisations to perform effectively within the rapidly evolving business environment, it is essential that managers are equipped with the necessary skills to effectively solve and implement solutions to business problems. This module provides students with a hands-on and interactive learning approach to allow the students to engage with real world business problems, helping them become equipped with the necessary foundation business skills for their future career.
Year: 1
Status: C
This module provides students with the key foundational skills for their academic journey. It also develops students skills in their ability to analyse and organise quantitative data and an understanding of the core skills to communicate effectively with an emphasis on management and leadership / HRM issues.
Year: 1
Status: C
The overall aim of this module is to provide students with a knowledge and understanding of the concepts related to the financial aspects of businesses and to the economic environments in which they operate.
Year: 1
Status: C
This module helps students to develop an understanding of the relationships between business and society, exploring the ethical dimensions of global trade. Throughout the module students engage with critical inquiry, using questions as a tool to explore the concepts and issues that emerge from within the module. Students are actively encouraged to bring your own experiences as a citizen in to their discussion and inquiry. Assessment in this module comes in the form of a group debate and individual essay
Year: 1
Status: C
The purpose of this module is to provide students with an understanding of the array of issues, which must be considered in relation to marketing activities in the wider business and management context. It represents a key underpinning to subsequent management related modules within their degree programme.
Year: 2
Status: C
This module aims to provide students with an understanding of business in a digital world, and the impact and application of technologies in different organisations. On successful completion of this module students will have an in-depth knowledge of digital business; understand and apply concepts and models underlying digital business; analyse how organisations apply business technologies to improve their operations and to create competitive advantage; critically evaluate the impact of digital technologies on individuals, companies, and wider society.
Year: 2
Status: C
In the dynamic environment in which businesses operate the importance of operations improvement cannot be ignored. Customer focus through streamlining of value chains is imperative. It presents challenges in terms of how we classify, relate to and manage the internal and external chain of customers. The ability to remove costs, optimise value creation, understand the competencies, and effectively reconfigure the organisation in the context of a continuous improvement philosophy is crucial.
Year: 2
Status: C
Students will address real-world problems informed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In so doing to generate an SDG related innovative idea and explore how that idea can be taken to market such that it creates and captures value for the organization. This will require an understanding of the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship within an organizational setting and understanding of how a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship is effectively developed and successfully implemented within an organizational setting.
Year: 2
Status: C
In order to become effective managers and leaders it is essential that students are able to work with others and provide direction to achieve results. On completion of the module students will have demonstrated their ability to work effectively in a team environment and engage with organisations to apply theoretical learning by successfully delivering added value via agreed projects.
Year: 2
Status: C
This module explores the changing nature of people management and development in organisations. The impact of changes within the economy, in demographics, in legislation and advances in technology will be considered. Taking a broadly employee life-cycle approach the module covers the core functional ares of HRM to include recruitment and selection; learning and development and performance management; pay and reward; the employment relationship and employee engagement. Also the fundamentals of employment law are explored together with equality, diversity and inclusion and the employee health and well being agenda. The topics are presented via an HRM lens but the importance of their understanding for aspiring managers is emphasised.
Year: 2
Status: C
Whilst many theorists would claim that people are the most important strategic resource of any organisation, employees may not always be motivated and handled in the best possible way, due to a number of competing tensions between the objectives of organisations and the aspirations of the employee. This module takes the student on a journey through increasingly deeper approaches to conflict resolution. First, there is a detailed role-play on a representational negotiation situation, which introduces the student to distributive and integrative behaviour models. Secondly, students embark upon a detailed mediation role-play exercise, focussed on facilitative mediation that encourages the protagonists to discuss and agree their own solutions to a conflict situation. Finally, a mindfulness exercise introduces the student to the importance of self-control and mindful/emotionally intelligent responses in approaching conflict situations.
Year: 3
Status: C
The module informs and equips students to effectively respond to the corporate governance, risk management and ethical challenges organisations face today in the business environment.
Year: 3
Status: C
This module equips students with an understanding of how leadership and management is evolving in organisations, the leadership challenges associated with a turbulent and unpredictable environment, and of the strategies and techniques to ensure effective leadership and management. The module will examine a range of theoretical approaches that will be used to help analyse and evaluate leadership situations.
Year: 3
Status: C
This module will equip students with the generic perspectives and skills necessary to carry out an effective strategic analysis of any organisation and to better understand the role and importance of Business Strategy in enabling organisations to identify, evaluate and respond to the forces and influences that impact upon their ability to achieve and sustain a competitive position.
Year: 3
Status: C
This module equips students with an understanding of the pressures for change acting on organisations, the challenges associated with changing organisations, and of the strategies and techniques used to achieve organisational change. The module will examine a range of theoretical approaches that will be used to help analyse and evaluate change situations.
Year: 3
Status: C
This module is part one of the management project in which students will be provided with the opportunity for work based learning that aims to further develop employability and research skills. In previous modules and placement, students will have undertaken structured project work in local organisations, designed to develop key management and leadership competencies.
Year: 3
Status: C
This module is part two of the management project in which students will be provided with the opportunity for work based learning that aims to further develop employability and research skills
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.
In this section
The A Level requirement for this course is BCC.
QCF Pearson BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (inc. course if appropriate)/ OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 Extended Diploma(inc. course if appropriate)(2012 Suite)
Award profile of DDM
RQF Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (inc. course if appropriate)/ OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 Extended Diploma(inc. course if appropriate)(2016 Suite)
Award profile of DMM
QCF Pearson BTEC Level 3 Diploma (inc. course if appropriate) / OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 Diploma(inc. course if appropriate) (2012 Suite)
Award profile of DM plus A Level Grade B
RQF Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (inc. course if appropriate)/ OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 Diploma(inc. course if appropriate) (2016 Suite)
Award profile of DM plus A Level Grade C
QCF Pearson BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma (inc. course if appropriate) / OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 Introductory Diploma(inc. course if appropriate) (2012 Suite)
Award profile of M plus A Level Grades BC
RQF Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (inc. course if appropriate)/ OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 Extended Certificate(inc. course if appropriate)(2016 Suite)
Award profile of M plus A Level Grades BC
104 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.
The Scottish Highers requirement for this course is BCCCC.
The Scottish Advanced Highers requirement for this course is CDD
Overall International Baccalaureate profile minimum 26 points (13 at higher level).
Overall profile of 60% (120 credit Access Course) (NI Access Course). To include a 20 credit Level 2 Mathematics module, passed at 40% or successful completion of NICATS Mathematics as part of the pre-2021 Access Diploma.
Overall profile of 12 credits at distinction, 30 at merit and 3 at pass (60 credit Access Course) (GB Access Course)
GCSE Profile to include Mathematiics with a minimum Grade C.
GCSE Profile to include English Language with a minimum Grade C.
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.
There are currently no routes to join the course later than year one.
In this section
Graduates from this course are now working for:
With this degree you could become:
Graduating from this course will have attractive opportunities to practice your skills in management and leadership in a variety of roles. With such a strong skillset gained you will have opportunities to apply to a wide spectrum of jobs across the business world. Our past graduates are now in successful roles in areas such as Operations Management, Consultancy and Business Development. Some of our graduates have also successfully secured positions with the companies they worked on live projects with as part of their modules.
Past graduates have also expressed how they have significantly benefited from the skills and knowledge obtained throughout the course. As one recent graduate said: “Thanks to the department .... for all the help over the last 3 years. I've managed to gain a promotion and am now an operations manager with team managers reporting into me. I had to do a presentation as part of my interview and really believe the skills I have learned in the last 3 years really helped.”
You may also wish to proceed to postgraduate study or research in business-related areas.
Optional placement year in third year.
You receive contact with real organisations through group and individual project work. In second year, you will undertake a group project in which you will work directly with a local employer on addressing an organisational issue.
In Final Year, as part of the Management Project module, you will also undertake an individual project in which you will work with a local employer on resolving an organisational issue. Students have worked with organisations such as the Grand Opera House, Coca Cola, Oxfam and Huhtamaki. You will be fully supported throughout this module as you will have a lecturer as a mentor and supervisor throughout the whole of final year.
2024/25 Fees
Fees for entry in 2024/25 have not yet been set. See our tuition fees page for the current fees for 2023/24 entry.
Staffline Best Final Year Project Prize (presented to the student with the highest score in the final year project).
It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees.
Where a course has additional mandatory expenses (in addition to tuition fees) we make every effort to highlight them above. We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free Wi-Fi are also available on each of the campuses.
There are additional fees for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as a part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs, as well as tuition fees.
See the tuition fees on our student guide for most up to date costs.
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
"Thanks to the department .... for all the help over the last 3 years. I've managed to gain a promotion and am now an operations manager with team managers reporting into me. I had to do a presentation as part of my interview and really believe the skills I have learned in the last 3 years really helped".
"Everything in that course is relevant to today's business world and my job. I'm really seeing the benefit of the applied nature of the course as I have those skills that my employer was looking for".
