BA (Hons) International Trade and Business Communication
- UCAS code: LN11
- Mode of study: Full time
- Duration: 3 years
- Entry requirements 2013: For year 1 entry applicants require successful completion of 1 year of HE study plus English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 5.5 with no component score less than 5.5, or equivalent. For year 2 entry applicants require successful completion of 2 years of HE study plus English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 5.5 with no component score less than 5.5, or equivalent. For year 3 entry applicants require successful completion of 3 years of HE study plus English language proficiency at a minimum IELTS band 6.0 with no component score less than 5.5, or equivalent.
- Please see details of the range of other qualifications that will also be considered on the 'Entry Requirements' tab below. Please do contact us for advice on other qualifications that aren't listed here.
Find out more:
Tel: +44 (0)23 9284 8299
Email: humanities.admissions@port.ac.uk
Department: School of Languages and Area Studies (SLAS)
This course is only available to International applicants whose first language is not English.
Course overview
The modern economy is no longer a national, but a global one. English is increasingly a world language and job applicants with good English language skills are increasingly sought in a wide range of different jobs. Studying a subject through the medium of English in an English-speaking environment at the same time as developing your English language skills in a targeted way is probably the best way of equipping yourself for this.
This course is right for you if you:
- want to study a subject through the medium of English in an English-speaking environment
- want to develop your English language skills as well as studying about International Trade
- are interested in and aware of the importance of international trade in theory and practice and the socio-political and economic frameworks which surround these
- are interested in and open to the ways in which other cultures view the world
- want to equip yourself for the demands of the international workplace or for further study
Graduates with an understanding of international trade have an important advantage when it comes to working in the internationalised twenty-first century business environment. The BA (Hons) International Trade and Business Communication degree will equip you with:
- specialist knowledge of cultural, economic, legal and managerial factors which effect international trade
- a clear understanding of how trade operates in a global environment
- English language skills which will boost your employment prospects
Overall, the international trade and business communication programme provides you with knowledge and skills to help you succeed in the global workplace.
In the first two years (Levels one and two) we will help you to develop your understanding of factors in the international trade environment, such as culture, marketing, and business communication. In the final year (Level three) you will develop more specialist knowledge of:
- the operation of the international economy, including currency and payment issues
- physical distribution of goods and services
- the role of international trade law
- international marketing
In all three levels of the BAITE programme you will continue to develop your English language skills to IELTS level 6.5 or higher. You are likely to be taught in classes with students from a variety of countries and language backgrounds, offering you further opportunities to use and improve your English and further prepare for a career in a multinational business environment.
Your lecturers will be experts in their fields, with a wide range of specialist knowledge. International trade-related course components are taught by staff from the University of Portsmouth Business School (PBS), while the learning programmes for subjects such as English language or culture are designed and delivered by academic staff in the School of Languages and Area Studies (SLAS).
Portsmouth is a lively waterfront city. Its good transport connections mean that you can travel beyond the south coast of England and develop your knowledge of the rest of the United Kingdom and Europe while studying here.
BA (Hons) International Trade and Business Communication is a three-year programme, but students can enter at Level one, Level two or Level three (final year).
Course content
Level one (Year one)
In Level one you will study the following:
- English Language Grade 4
- Multimedia Listening
- Business Communication 1
- Introduction to International Business and Trade
- Studying at University
- Developing Research Skills
Level two (Year two)
In level two you will study the following:
- English Language Grade 5
- Business Communication 2
- Corporate Analysis and Strategies in International Context
- Marketing and Communication
- Two options from:
- Professional Communication for Business
- British Cultural Studies
- Business and Markets in a Global Environment (FHEQ5)
- Language
Level three (Year three)
In level three you will study the following:
- Project
- English Language Grade 6
- Business Communication 3
- International Marketing and Export Trade
- International Law and Economics
- One option from:
- Translation Theory and Practice
- Managing Across Cultures (FHEQ6)
- Business and Markets in a Global Environment
- Understanding Britain Today
- Intercultural Perspectives on Communication
For information about all the units of study, including optional subjects, please contact slas.enquiries@port.ac.uk. Please note that whilst a range of options will be offered, there will inevitably be some variation in the availability of individual units at any given time.
Teaching and assessment
We provide a varied, creative and stimulating learning environment. Our aim is to enable you to become an independent thinker equipped with skills that will continue to influence your experiences beyond your time at university.
Our staff are highly motivated and research active, ensuring that you are taught by enthusiastic specialists in their subjects. Many language teachers are native speakers. They will enthuse you about their specific fields of expertise, from Latin American development to German history to applied translation theory, provide advice and guide you to appropriate learning resources.
Blended learning means that through Moodle, your University interactive intranet site, you will be given opportunities to develop and support your knowledge and skills acquired via traditional class contact. Classes include general lectures and seminars (i.e. interactive teaching with small groups of students). Most of our seminar teaching is undertaken in small groups so that students acquire skills and confidence in their analytical skills and are encouraged to ask questions and develop arguments and debates.
Students are also encouraged to work in small teams analysing primary documents and debating contemporary issues so that all students learn from a range of opinions and interpretations and increase their academic abilities in a genial environment. Emphasis is placed not just on what the student can take from the seminar but what they can bring to the experience and how they interact and learn from their peers.
Classes may also take the form of hands-on skills development sessions where you learn how to access electronic resources. Language is taught using the MELISSI multimedia digital classrooms (they are much more than 'language laboratories') or via small oral practice classes with language assistants.
Our assessment methods are varied, with relatively few formal examinations. The emphasis is on continuous assessment, with assessments designed to measure the learning outcomes of your various units. Most assessment is done through submission of essays, reports, case studies, book reviews or other pieces of written work. Some units are assessed by means of projects, which can be particularly useful to build up your career profile. Some language-based tests are oral presentations to measure your progress in oral communication.
Career prospects
Your time at University of Portsmouth will help you to develop a wide range of skills in analysis, criticism and argument. Students on this degree programme have a worldview and study experience abroad, which makes them flexible, adaptable and highly employable.
During your course, you will have the opportunity to develop a range of capabilities that are valued by prospective employers. You will also have many opportunities to develop transferable key skills such as:
- communication
- research
- time management
- team working
- problem solving
- setting and monitoring your own learning objectives
These transferable skills are used in many careers across the private, public and voluntary sectors. Allied with intellectual and academic development, they will provide a sound preparation for the world of work or further study.
Career paths
This programme aims to prepare you for a wide range of employment possibilities in international business at home and abroad. The course is structured to develop a range of skills and competencies and you will thereby gain the analytical and practical skills sought by employers.
Facilities and features
You will have access to our highly qualified and experienced team of lecturers, as well as our very well resourced learning environment. We have:
- a suite of well equipped lecture theatres and seminar rooms
- multimedia digital classrooms
- IT suites, with access to over 150 computers
- editing suite and multimedia development unit
- satellite receivers providing live broadcasts in eight languages, as well as English