Welcome to your Business Management course

Welcome to BSc (Hons) Business Management. We are excited to meet you and embark on this academic journey together.

This course will immerse you in the world of business and management and provide you the skills and experience for your future career. You will learn the principles of business and management from subject specialists who are practitioners and also active researchers.

Some of the modules you will engage will include Foundations of management, Data and decision making, Sustainable Business Development and Innovative change management.

Your staff team

We want to make sure you know some of our team before you arrive. Hopefully this will help you recognise us and ensure you know who you can contact if you need any additional help and guidance.

Paul Dobson

Senior Lecturer

Senior Lecturer for over ten years, specialising in digital and strategic marketing. This includes Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO), inbound and outbound Marketing, social media and influencer marketing.

Paul's profile

Jon FAIRBURN

Emeritus Professor

Professor Jon Fairburn is active in teaching, research, bid writing and public engagement. He has incorporated credited work experience into geography and tourism degrees as well as the MSc Digital Marketing Management.

Jon's profile

Andrew Hanks

Senior Lecturer

Postgraduate HRM Award Leader Andy joined Staffordshire University in the summer of 2015 after spending four years at Keele University whilst he completed a PhD in Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations. Before entering academia as…

Andrew's profile

Dr Joe Hazzam

Interim Course Director

Joe is a Senior Lecturer, and course leader of the BSc digital and social media programme. Joe delivers workshops and masterclasses on social media and digital marketing strategies with 17 years of experience in strategic and digital marketing

Joe's profile

Karl Mccormack

Senior Lecturer

Karl has experience teaching on Apprenticeship and Foundation Degrees, BA accounting programmes, MBA modules. He has also taught as a subject specialist in forensic accounting, computerised accounting and management accounting.

Karl's profile

Kathryn Mitchell

Senior Lecturer

Lecturer in Digital Marketing, specialising in developing strategy in changing and disruptive environments, assessing occupational competency and using technology to increase operational efficiency. Kathryn joined Staffordshire University in 2019.

Kathryn's profile

Bharati Singh

Course Director

Bharati is the Course Leader for the MBA and undergraduate Business Management and Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship courses. She teaches across the undergraduate, postgraduate and professional programmes within the Business School.

Bharati's profile

Dr Mohammad Wasim

Senior Lecturer

Ali has industry experience in roles such as product management, brand management and operations. He joined Staffordshire University in 2017 after completing his PhD in Management. He is Deputy Award Leader for Undergraduate Business Management.

Mohammad's profile

First activity

In your first few weeks at university, as you get to know each other, the staff and familiarise yourself with the facilities you will also be engaging in some of the following modules:

Foundations Of Management

This module will draw on interdisciplinary theory and research from the field of management. Specific attention will be given to the study of organisations as social systems; the dynamics of change and survival in organisations; and the relationships between organisations and their environments. Other topics covered will include enhancing personal and organisational effectiveness, improving decision-making skills, and resolving conflicts in the workplace.

Foundations Of HRM

You will learn about the key and contemporary issues associated with managing people in the workplace. Calling upon literature and research from across the fields of Human Resource Management, Organisational Behaviour and Employment Relations, you will learn the issues affecting the motivation and engagement of employees in the modern workplace.

Introduction To Management Accounting

All those who work for, or deal with businesses need to understand accounting. This module aims to look at the nature of accounting, exploring the main concepts underpinning management accounting. The main branches of cost accounting and decision making as well as cost minimisation and revenue maximisation are explored using a blend of theory and practice. Also, how to use the metrics for ascertaining business performance and explore the different types of KPIs that help you understand the performance of your organisation or department. The module is aimed at giving you the skills and tools to measure the success of an organisation.

Marketing In The Business Environment

Marketing plays an important role in developing relationships between customers and organisations. This module will develop your knowledge and understanding of the role of marketing and key principles. This module will equip you with the knowledge to adapt to continuously changing consumer behaviour and reflect on how these principles link to your organisation.

Course delivery

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and workshops. Seminars enable you to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups. In addition, you will have meetings with an academic mentor at least twice a year.

The course will provide you with opportunities to engage with formative modules and engagement activities to help us to gauge your understanding of your subject informally before you complete the formal assessments.

There is a formal or ‘summative’ assessment at the end of each module. This includes a range of coursework assessments, written reports, presentations, and independent supervised projects.

You will often be given independent learning tasks to do on your own. They are designed to consolidate your learning and give you opportunities to complete tutorials or practice what you have learnt from your scheduled sessions. Assignments are given required support and facilitated as and when required during your term time with designated assessment support sessions run in each module.

You will be taught in our state-of-the-art learning spaces throughout your course.

In the final year you will take part in a consultancy module whereby you will develop collaborative management project with an organisation of your choice to identify an area of research beneficial to both you and the organisation. You will be involved in real-time problem solving, develop a set of recommendations based on your research findings and present those findings to the organisation.

You will also get an opportunity to engage with industry experts and gain insights from them on contemporary management trends and how to deal with related issues.

Pre-learning

The university provides academic resources such as libraries, writing centres, tutoring services, and study groups. Get to know what is available to you and take advantage of these resources to enhance your learning experience.

General advice and guidance at the start of your academic journey:

TED Talks

Movie Suggestions

  • The Last Dance
  • The Insider
  • The Gods must be crazy
  • The Negotiator
  • Capitalism: A love story
  • Deepwater Horizon
  • Erin Brockovich
  • The Social Network
  • The Internship

Book Suggestions

  • The Corporation (by Joel Bakan)
  • Confessions of an Economic Hitman (Book by John Perkins)
  • Animal Farm (George Orwell)

School Blog

We have a large selection of blogs written by both staff and students for you to browse through. They cover a wide variety of topics such as student projects, study trips, staff research, business advice and even where to go for great food in the local area.

Foundation year semester one activities

The university provides academic resources such as libraries, writing centres, tutoring services, and study groups. Get to know what is available to you and take advantage of these resources to enhance your learning experience.

On the foundation year you will cover modules such as: business performance, communication in the digital age, external business environments and managing for people and profit. You will also undertake a business simulation project.

This year will act as a steppingstone and will provide you confidence by strengthening your academic background. Beyond subject-specific knowledge, the foundation year will emphasise the development of transferable skills such as critical thinking, research, and communication, which are valuable in any academic or professional setting moving forward.

Foundation year pre-learning

The university provides academic resources such as libraries, writing centres, tutoring services, and study groups. Get to know what is available to you and take advantage of these resources to enhance your learning experience.

General advice and guidance at the start of your academic journey:

TED Talks

In his research for NASA, clinical psychologist Raphael Rose discovered that failure is key to creating resilience. He explains how leaning into trials and setbacks builds the emotional callouses that help us value what's good in life.

In this deceptively casual talk, Charles Leadbeater weaves a tight argument that innovation isn't just for professionals anymore. Passionate amateurs, using new tools, are creating products and paradigms that companies can't.

School Blog

We have a large selection of blogs written by both staff and students for you to browse through. They cover a wide variety of topics such as student projects, study trips, staff research, business advice and even where to go for great food in the local area.

Software

Software you can download before you start your course.

Download software

Groups and societies

There are multiple clubs and societies at Staffordshire University which you can get involved in.

Clubs and societies

Academic skills

Whether you're joining us from school or college, or you're returning to education after some time away, everyone can benefit from the Academic Study Skills resources provided by the University library.

The Academic Skills team is here to support you throughout your academic journey and to help you gain the skills you need to reach your full potential. They can assist with academic reading and writing skills, give advice on how best to plan assignments, and help improve your time management.

The library's Academic Skills Guides offer the key information to make studying easier and give a comprehensive guide to the learning resources and services we offer.

Staffs CampusConnect

Staffs CampusConnect is our student-led community app for new students. Connect with other people from your course, hometown or country, and even those with similar interests.

To register, please ensure you use your Applicant ID (Student Number) that you received in your offer letter, and the email address you used in your application to us.

Register for CampusConnect

Welcome website

Our welcome website will provide you the link to your new student life. It's all about how you find your place at university, including everything from how to meet friends, feel confident in doing your academic work, being a member of your Student Union and getting involved in Union Societies, Academic Societies, Sports, Volunteering or representing your peers in your School.

Part of this Welcome Week - we have an exciting program of University and course level activities planned for you for your first week in September. We are also building an extended program for you to join a series of events throughout the first half of the autumn term. Further details will be shared with you via the Welcome website and Students' Union pages over the coming weeks.

Welcome website

Campus map

Use our campus map to familiarise yourself with our campus before you arrive.

Campus map (PDF)

Check your email

Please make sure you check your personal email account regularly over the next few weeks. We will be sending you lots of information about Welcome Week.

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Facilities

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Social Inclusion

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021