Business Management and Leadership BA (Hons)

Study level: Undergraduate
HNC/HND courses
Two Business Management and Leadership students studying in a classroom

Running your own business can be challenging and rewarding. It requires a strong sense of entrepreneurship, determination and the ability to handle managerial responsibilities.

Course option

Year of entry

Location

CU Scarborough (Scarborough)

Study mode

Full-time
Sandwich

Duration

4 years sandwich
3 year - Degree
2 year - HND
1 year - HNC

UCAS codes

N20L / N20M / N20N

Start date

September 2025

The information on this page is for 2024-25 entry and should be used as guidance for 2025-26 entry. Please keep checking back on this course page to see our latest updates.


Course overview

Our Business Management and Leadership BA (Hons) course is designed to help you develop key skills, from managing people, projects and resources to strategic leadership within the UK and internationally.

Why you should study this course

The degree offers:

  • a focus on contemporary management issues, giving you the opportunity to develop a wealth of skills needed to aid progression from an operational level through to a leadership role within any organisation
  • opportunities to help you develop the required confidence, versatility and strategic thinking, coupled with elevated communication skills and a desire to succeed
  • the chance to conduct critical research with our experienced staff, learn from guest visitors and take part in invaluable practical modules.

Accreditation and professional recognition

The Business Management and Leadership BA (Hons) degree part of this course is currently accredited and recognised by the following bodies for the 2023/2024 intake1:

Chartered Management Institute Logo

Chartered Management Institute

This degree programme has been developed to allow modules to align to the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) qualification. Students who undertake the degree element of this course are provided with CMI membership for the duration of their programme and one year after graduating for free. This valuable CMI membership gives students access to resources, journals and professional insights, while putting students in the same arena as practising managers.


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What you'll study

Many areas of management and leadership, such as the development of new concepts and modern project management, require graduates to have good theoretical and practical knowledge to control, implement and evaluate new developments.

This varied degree supplies you with the skills and knowledge needed for successful entry into management. This is an applied course and recognises the multidisciplinary approach that is needed in business leadership.

Throughout your degree, you will study the details of operating markets, information technology and leadership practice, demonstrating a capability to maintain auditable records of your work.

Year one focuses on the organisational environment and decision making processes at junior management level. You’ll cover a broad range of topics, from core concepts of current management and organisational behaviour, to the fundamentals of business policy and strategy. You will also develop the necessary skills and knowledge that will prepare you for study in years two and three. Students who complete year one are eligible for a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Business Management & Leadership.

Modules

As the course progresses, you’ll be asked to build on the knowledge gained in year one to cement a solid foundation of core principles. Now that you are working to a higher level after completing the HNC, you should begin to develop a comprehensive range of skills and insights needed by operational managers to deal with complex issues. The focus of year two falls upon specialised areas such as financial management, entrepreneurship and the development of business practices. Students who successfully complete year two are eligible for a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Business Management and Leadership.

Modules

There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement can often be beneficial. Work placements2 usually occur between your second and final year of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future.

If you choose to do a work placement year, you will pay a reduced tuition fee3 of £1,250. For more information, please go to the fees and funding section. During this time, you will receive guidance from your employer or participating institution, along with your assigned academic mentor who will ensure you have the support you need to complete your placement.

Modules

At this stage, you are dealing specifically with the challenges and opportunities faced by a strategic manager. The need to continuously assess and evaluate the business landscape is of paramount importance, along with the ability to work effectively and autonomously. This final year covers strategic leadership principles, organisational design and strategic marketing. You’ll also conduct a strategic business project on a management issue that brings together key themes from across the three years of study. Students who successfully complete year three are awarded a BA (Hons) in Business Management and Leadership.

Modules

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.


How you'll learn

This course is available as a full-time three year or optional four-year sandwich course, the latter incorporating a work placement or study year in a related field2.

Our teaching methods are varied, offering a number of teaching styles to suit the needs of all our students, so in addition to lectures, we also utilise a blended learning approach, including online aspects, workshops and group work. Additional support is available via email and our online learning platform, Aula.

Progression through the modules develops knowledge and skills, including communication (written and oral), study skills, research methods, project management, presentation and career development. We will also encourage you to consider your employability and/or entrepreneurial development.

Unlike traditional institutions, there are no end of year exams. Instead, learning is assessed through coursework and phase tests, which is more reflective of our learning model.


Teaching contact hours

You can expect up to 20 hours of learning activities per week, made up of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, online classes and independent learning.

Additionally, you will be expected to undertake up to 30 hours of self-directed study, depending on the demands of individual modules.

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.

Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.


Assessment

The learning outcomes of modules, assignments and projects will be clearly stated. Your work will be marked according to how well you achieve these learning outcomes and your final feedback will refer to each outcome, as well as providing an overall percentage grade.

Assessment methods vary and include, practical class and project performance, written practical reports, project thesis, oral presentations, tutorial tasks and assessments which take place at the end of each six-week block.

Course Breakdown:

  • Coursework

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

Having studied Business, Management and Leadership, I left University with a very clear career path and well-developed understanding of management theory and practice.

Ashkan Bahgozen, Business Managament and Leadership BA (Hons), 2023
Student giving a presentation in class

Entry requirements

Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.

Entry level What we're looking for
HNC 64 UCAS tariff points. Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 / A* - C including Maths and English. Minimum two A2 levels or BTEC equivalent qualification.
HND 80 UCAS tariff points. Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 / A* - C including Maths and English. Minimum two A2 levels or BTEC equivalent qualification.
Degree 104 UCAS tariff points. Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 / A* - C including Maths and English. Minimum two A2 levels or BTEC equivalent qualification.

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Are you eligible for the CU Support Scheme?

We believe every student should have the opportunity to dream big, reach their potential and succeed, regardless of their background.

CU Support Scheme

Entry level What we're looking for
HNC 64 UCAS tariff points. Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 / A* - C including Maths and English. Minimum two A2 levels or BTEC equivalent qualification.
HND 80 UCAS tariff points. Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 / A* - C including Maths and English. Minimum two A2 levels or BTEC equivalent qualification.
Degree 104 UCAS tariff points. Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 / A* - C including Maths and English. Minimum two A2 levels or BTEC equivalent qualification.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on how to apply and travelling to and living in the UK.

CU Scarborough welcomes international students from all around the globe. If you are an international student and are interested in applying for a Foundation Year, HNC, or Degree course you can do so by completing our online application form.

Once your application form has been processed you will receive the outcome of your application via your given email address.
Please be aware you will need the following information in order to make your application:

  • All academic transcripts
  • Copies of degree/diploma certificates or work reference if employed
  • One academic reference
  • Be trained to English language proficiency level IELTS 6.0
  • Your personal statement
  • Copy of your current passport

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English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.0 (HNC - year 1/HND - year 2) or 6.5 (Degree/Top Up - year 3).

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

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Fees and funding

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man 2025/26 fees TBC*
2024/25 fees-£7,950 per year
Not available
EU 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - as UK per year with EU Support Bursary**
2025/26 fees TBC*
2024/25 fees -£16,800 per year without EU Support Bursary**
Not available
International 2025/26 fees TBC*
2024/25 fees -£16,800 per year
Not available

If you choose to study this course with a professional placement2 or study abroad year, you will need to pay a tuition fee3 of £1,250 to cover your academic support throughout your placement year.

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see the University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permits an increase in tuition fees, the university may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

We offer a range of international scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

  • Any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
  • Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.


Facilities

Our campus includes a library, IT suites, mock law court, engineering and science labs, cafe and lots of individual and group study spaces.

Next to us is Scarborough’s new leisure village. The complex includes an Olympic legacy swimming pool, sports hall, fitness suite, all weather pitches and the new Scarborough Athletic football ground.


Careers and opportunities

On successful completion of the degree course, you should be able to:

  • Demonstrate understanding and knowledge of the theoretical, analytical and practical aspects of management strategies and processes within a changing environment, to meet stakeholder interests.
  • Critically appraise theories related to the development of staff, including crucial factors in the development of people management, including ethics, culture and change.
  • Be proficient in developing international-level strategy, incorporating and considering currency, cultural and competitor risk.
  • Develop appropriate research and analysis techniques, alongside the ability to undertake reliable market research activities.
  • Operate, lead and collaborate in a team to solve problems of a practical (experimental) nature and to provide appropriate solutions.
  • Apply appropriate presentation and evaluation tools to establish the significance of research data produced. 

This degree is an applied course; it recognises the multidisciplinary approach that is needed in business management. This means you can apply this degree to any industry and into a number of positions, including but not restricted to retail manager, project management and business officers.

Where our graduates work

We focus on producing global graduates, which means our graduates can go on to work in small and large companies around the world.

CU graduates from this subject area have gone to work in several industries, such as recruitment, finance and retail, in companies such as The Immigration Service, Tesco and Transport for London.

Other CU graduates have also progressed onto further education to study a master’s in subjects such as International Business Management, International Marketing, Business and Organisation Psychology and Human Resources.


How to apply

Applications open for this course in May 2024. Full-time UK undergraduate students apply through UCAS. Otherwise, you will need to apply to CU directly. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.


If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.

International codes:
CUSCU046

International students should apply directly to CU directly. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.

How to apply

For further support for international applicants applying for an undergraduate degree view our International pages or Coventry University Group's International hub.


If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.


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