Course overview

This three or four-year course is practically focused and offers the ideal choice for would-be international business high-flyers. With a strong contemporary feel, it will enable you to relate theoretical explanations of business to the practical issues facing managers in the twenty-first century. Most of your studies will be based around real-life topics such as how to analyse and market products internationally, international human resource issues and cross-cultural impacts on how to do business.

This programme shares many of the features of a general business studies degree, but with a strong international emphasis. In the second year you will have the opportunity to study at one of our partner universities in America, Canada, West Indies, Scandinavia, France, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Hungary and China. All tuition abroad is in English.

You will then have the opportunity to spend your third year on a work placement, either abroad or in an international business role within the UK, gaining experience and putting what you have learnt into practice. The international aspect of the course continues during your final year, with the chance to study units in international marketing, international business and cross-cultural awareness.

On completion of your degree, your practical skills and familiarity with a broader international setting will greatly enhance your standing with many potential employers.

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).

Accreditation

This course is EPAS-accredited. EPAS is an international programme accreditation system operated by EFMD – the network to promote and enhance excellence in management development internationally. EPAS aims to evaluate the quality of any business and/or management programme that has an international perspective and, where of an appropriately high quality, to accredit it.

 

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) Business Enterprise Development
• BA (Hons) Economics and Management
• BA (Hons) European Business
• BA (Hons) Finance and Management
• BA (Hons) Marketing

Year two

In the first half of your second year you will study with one of our partner universities overseas. On your return to Portsmouth you will continue with the international theme of the course, studying the following units:

• Managing Business Relationships
• Innovation Management
• International Business 1

There is also the opportunity to study an additional option.

Placement year (sandwich year)

This course includes an optional year spent in industry either abroad or in an international business role in the UK. This placement enables you to return to your academic studies with contemporary business practice, ready to engage in debate and develop your strategic thinking. It is both a valuable experience in its own right and an important means for reflection on and development of class-based subjects. The Placements Office will support you in maintaining and developing business contacts, advise you of vacancies and help you prepare for interviews and other selection methods.

There have also been many examples of Portsmouth placement students going on to work full time for their placement employer after graduation.

Final year

In the final year you will study international business subjects in addition to management strategy. This combination of knowledge and experience (in an overseas location) provides an excellent background if you are aiming for a career in international business.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching and learning are usually undertaken in lectures supported by smaller group seminars, workshops, tutorials and practical sessions. Extensive use is made of information technology and other teaching innovations. 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. Examples of coursework might be the analysis of topical case studies, written reports and essays, presentations and the development of practical artefacts such as small websites or systems.

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 and subjects should this be necessary.

The University goes to great lengths to ensure all students 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 course has a course leader who will maintain a close relationship with you throughout your studies. They are also supported by a number of tutors and the University has a range of additional support facilities such as the Academic Skills Unit, Careers and Recruitment unit, and counselling that you can access if you need to.

In addition, you will be assigned a personal tutor who will give you general support and act as the first point of contact for any problems.

Career prospects

Rates of employability among Portsmouth graduates are above the national average and students leaving Portsmouth Business School courses are particularly well placed to enter a wide range of interesting and rewarding careers. Our excellent employment record bears testimony to the quality of our courses and most importantly, our students.

This degree is an excellent starting point for a range of career choices particularly in multinational organisations, and your placement year will set you ahead of other graduates when you begin looking to build your career in the business sector.

Previous graduates have gained jobs across the employment spectrum. Many now hold senior management positions. Examples include marketing executive for Wolfram Research, corporate financial specialist for Accenture Ltd, business manager for KBIC in Texas, financial consultant for KPMG, market research manager for Taylor Nelson Sofres in Cyprus, account director for UMD Media in Finland, pilot for Astraits Ltd and stock loss project manager for Excel Ltd.

Facilities and features

Over the last four years, the University has invested substantially 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.

Entry requirements

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