Course overview

In a fast-paced, changing and often unpredictable world, employers increasingly require innovative problem solvers, who can quickly appraise a situation and actively pursue solutions using their own initiative. This programme develops graduates who are catalysts for change in both large and small organisations or who wish to develop their own organisations. They can spot and appraise opportunities, take business ideas from inception, through development and implementation to create new products or services that add value to businesses, society and the economy.

The focus is on innovation and entrepreneurship, taking the initiative and seeing enterprise projects through to their completion. This means that you will develop a high level of knowledge, skills and experience in business development, as well as a thorough understanding of the potential benefits and challenges facing many organisations. Experience will not only be gained in the classroom, but you will also have the opportunity to undertake a real-life project for an organisation.

This course recognises that entrepreneurial knowledge, skills and behaviours (e.g. practical problem solving, opportunity spotting, project management, budgeting, communication, team work, coping with pressure and managing complexity) are highly desirable by all employees. It focuses on problem solving and action-based learning, with opportunities for you to explore your own business ideas and potential business start-up. We work closely with the University's Centre for Enterprise, local entrepreneurs, small businesses and local larger employers to ensure our course is stimulating and relevant.

We understand that students can find it difficult to choose which particular degree to study and so we have designed a common first year programme that is shared across a number of different courses. This gives you a broad-based understanding of a range of business subjects. It also allows you to transfer on to one of the other courses with the shared common first year should you find you develop an interest and career ambition in a particular subject area (see Course content Year one for further details).

Your skills will be enhanced during your placement year, which is the most involving type of work experience you can undertake during your studies.

Course content

Year one

This common first year provides you with a broad understanding of how business operates. At the end of Year one you can, should you wish (and in consultation with the Head of Undergraduate Programmes), transfer on to any of the other courses which share the same common first year (although transfer to BA (Hons) European Business is subject to the language competence you will need for the overseas study elements).

The common first year is made up of the following subject areas:

• Business Accounting
• Business Environment
• Quantitative Methods and Data Analysis
• Marketing Principles and Practice
• Managing People in Organisations
• Operations and Systems

Courses sharing the common first year:

• BA (Hons) Business and Management
• BA (Hons) Business and Human Resource Management
• BA (Hons) Economics and Management
• BA (Hons) European Business
• BA (Hons) Finance and Management
• BA (Hons) International Business
• BA (Hons) Marketing

Year two

In the second year you will study key themes and develop entrepreneurial skills and behaviours. Units include:

• Enterprise Finance Management
• Business Venturing
• Innovation Management
• Contemporary issues in Entrepreneurship

You will be setting up and running your own businesses in small teams and applying contemporary research in entrepreneurship in practice. There is also the opportunity to study an option or an elective in:

• Enterprise Systems and Processes
• Business and Employment Law
• Ecommerce

Placement year

This degree includes the opportunity to undertake a one-year placement working in a paid full-time role which offers progression and a suitable level of responsibility. You will return to your studies with contemporary business experience which will improve your ability to engage in debate and develop your strategic thinking. Our experience has shown that not only does relevant experience help you to obtain graduate employment (often within your placement company), it also improves academic achievement.

With employers now requiring graduates to have the key business competencies and experience alongside a good degree, work experience is more vital than ever. Due to its very nature a placement year is the best and most involving type of work experience you can do during your time at university. As such, a placement will help ensure you are as employable as possible upon graduation.

The Placements Office will support you during your placement search, the subsequent recruitment processes and when you have secured your placement and are working away from the University. If you’d like to know more about where our placement students are working, please click through to what our students say.

Final year

In the final year you will develop your abilities to spot and appraise opportunities and assist in the development of local enterprises in the units Strategic Management, Consultancy and Leadership and Enterprise World Futures. Our consulting unit requires you to work on a real-life problem with entrepreneurs and managers in local businesses, where you will analyse a problem and make recommendations to develop the organisation. You will also undertake a significant piece of independent study, giving you the opportunity to research business issues in further depth. You will also be able to study a range of options such as:

• Project Management and Enterprise
• Business Intelligence
• Business Ethics
• Business Improvement and Creativity
• Language

Teaching and assessment

Teaching and learning are usually undertaken in lectures supported by smaller group seminars, workshops, tutorials and practicals. A range of units are specifically based on experiential learning to encourage the development of essential work place entrepreneurial skills and behaviours. Extensive use is made of information technology and we use other teaching innovations (e.g. role play, computer simulations and work-based learning) to bring theory and practice together. Staff research and consultancy expertise also actively contribute to the relevance of the programme.

You will also encounter a range of assessment methods. Many units use a combination of formal examinations and coursework assessment. Coursework can be the analysis of topical case studies, written reports and essays, presentations and the development of practical artefacts such as small websites and business plans. The assessed work you complete from the start of the second year onwards can count towards the class of degree you will be awarded. Our assessment regulations give some opportunity to retake assessments if necessary.

The University goes to great lengths to ensure you will have an excellent learning experience. Courses are managed by teams of academic and administrative staff who work together to provide a high level of support. Each programme has a course leader who will maintain a close relationship with you throughout your studies and you will be assigned a personal tutor who will give you general support and act as the first point of contact for any problems. The University also has a range of additional support facilities such as the Academic Skills Unit, Careers and Recruitment and counselling that you can access if you need to.

Career prospects

This degree will not only demonstrate to prospective employers that you are familiar with the latest theories and practices, but that you have hands-on experience in setting up and managing projects. It is therefore a good starting point for a range of career choices.

Previous graduates have found jobs across the employment spectrum and many now hold senior management positions such as Business Development Manager, Small Business Consultant, Marketing and New Product Development Manager.

Once you graduate, you will be well equipped to make the most of the many exciting opportunities on offer by taking up a career in an established organisation or by creating and pursuing a business idea of your own. This degree will also give you the opportunity to go on to study at postgraduate level, such as the MSc Business and Management.

Facilities and features

Over the last four years, the University has substantially invested in modern facilities. You will attend lectures in the purpose-built Richmond Building, where the Business School is located. Our lecture theatres are equipped with the latest multimedia audiovisual equipment and we have a computer drop-in centre equipped with state-of-the-art computers and software.

The University Library is at the centre of academic life and is only a short walk away. Open from 8am until midnight every day during term-time, it provides a variety of information to help with study and research. The Library has also invested heavily in the purchase of electronic resources. There are thousands of electronic journals and ebooks which can be accessed across campus, from home or wherever there is an internet connection.

For international students we have a dedicated team of advisors to support you as you settle into life in Portsmouth and at the University. One of the team almost certainly has direct experience of your culture and may even speak your language.

Entry requirements

View all the entry requirements for BA (Hons) Business Enterprise Development for the academic year 2013/14 (opens in new window).