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Teaching Excellence Framework 2023 - Gold Award

BSc (Hons) Business

Develop a range of business skills as you prepare to confidently step into a management career with established organisations or to establish your own company. Get ready to make an impact.

Students brainstorming ideas on the whiteboard wall in the Marjon Business School

Accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI)

Apply now for this course

Full-time Part-time

Entry requirements

Three A-levels at grades CCC or above

Or BTEC triple grades MMM or above

Or Access 23-45 D/M with min 6D

Or T level P (C+)

And GCSE English Language and Maths at grade 4 or grade C or above

Applicants with other qualifications and/or experience will be considered on an individual basis

UCAS points 96

UCAS code BUS3

UCAS institution code P63

Duration Three years full-time or six years part-time

Any questions?

Contact Charley Lumley, our Applicant Support Coordinator, if you have any questions. Email applicantsupport@marjon.ac.uk and Charley will get back to you.

Contact Charley

Course Summary

Our BSc (Hons) Business degree is different because it is designed to prepare students for the reality of the business world. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for 99.9% of the business population (ONS, 2019) meaning the overwhelming majority of Business graduates will either work for a SME or run one themselves. You will learn about how SME businesses operate, what makes them successful and how you can effectively work for one or run your own. You’ll also be exposed to and compare the opportunities and challenges larger firms experience, giving you insight into a range of business contexts and environments.

Focusing on our commitment to experiencing the realities of business, your placement opportunities in the second and third year will be with a range of businesses allowing you to gain hands on practical experience and enhance your employability. If you’d prefer to explore your own business start-up, we can support this too in the third year.

We are proud that our BSc (Hons) Business degree is accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI); this is the leading body in the UK for leadership and management. You'll earn their Level 5 qualification in Management and Leadership alongside your degree, at no extra cost. You'll continue to enjoy free access to the their online events and resources for a year after you complete the course.

Our strong links with the local and regional business community enhance the practical focus of this business degree and extracurricular activities provide additional opportunities for you to develop your business knowledge, skills and capabilities. The teaching team’s work with respected bodies including Enterprise Educators UK, The Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Devon Chamber of Commerce and the Plymouth Social Enterprise Network all help our students build valuable links for a prosperous future in business.

We have like a standard business core to the programme, but then with different avenues depending on where you might want to go subsequently in your career. Now the one hand we've got the content, you know, the placements, the structure of the course, but also in terms of the process, you know, how do, how do we deliver our content? It's a, you know, it's a one site kind of campus it's all located here. It's got a really strong community spirit. You know, studying business itself is quite a good kind of option if you're not 100% sure what you might want to do. And we do have different pathways within business at Plymouth Marjon and so, you know, if you're interested in sustainability, you can kind of focus on that. If you're interested in accounting and finance, you can kind of go down that route. Business Start-Up is also an option. And if you're into kind of human resource management, like coaching and mentoring, so you can kind of stick with the traditional business route if that's what you want to do. Otherwise, you know, there are opportunities to kind of explore certain areas of business in more detail. I think it's really important that it is about theory but it's also about the application of theory. Putting that into practise and we recognise that's what students want, that's what employers want as well. So yes, it's university. Yes, you will learn the nuts and bolts of the theoretical side of how to run a business, how to conduct business, but you also be given the opportunity to put that into practise. So the reason I want to choose this course is to take the next step in my career because I currently work for the NHS, but it's just finding a way to kind of gauge that academic experience to enable me to take that step. I would say the kind of class sizes did influence me quite a lot to choose my job, and that's because smaller class sizes allowed me to have the extra attention I needed for me. I'm quite an introverted person. It just helped me to come out of my shell and yeah, talk more, get that attention. And it's also nice to be able to know my lecturers, have them know me on that personal basis. So that's really nice. I would say for me, one of the big things is the kind of community it feels like a big family in Marjon. I've enjoyed the leadership modules. That's been something that I've been very interested in, and it's all very entrepreneurial as well, which is really great if you want to start the business. I do also have a little fitness business that I do as well. So I do that kind of evenings, weekends, so that helps me in that way. I'd say definitely choose Marjon. It's a great experience It's a great community. You get the attention and support you need and it's lovely people.

Why this course at Marjon?

Accredited by CMI enabling you to graduate with an additional Level 5 diploma

Network with local, national and international businesses

Two extended business placements

Complete assessments that are creative, practical, and that prepare you for working in business

Option to start your own business in the final year

Access to a diverse network of business people and entrepreneurs

Modules for this course

Course Snapshot

“ The first year starts with an immersive module to introduce you to the key concepts of business, and you’ll have a chance to consider what you want to achieve with your degree. You will develop an understanding of enterprise and marketing strategy, and consider key concepts around people management, finance and idea development. In the second year you will learn how entrepreneurs can thrive within an organisation and learn techniques for marketing and finance in small businesses, as well as larger corporate firms. During the third year you will learn what it takes to be a great business leader, investigate the reality of running a business and look at current issues affecting business in this country and globally.”
Dr. Laura Wallis – Course Lead

1st Year

Business environment
What is an enterprise? What does it mean to be enterprising? Hear from guest speakers and local businesses, challenge conceptions, and find out what enterprise means in today's world.
Marketing
This module develops your knowledge and understanding of marketing strategy. How do organisations identify customer needs and wants, determine which target markets can best be served, and design appropriate products, services and programmes to serve these markets?
Accounting and finance
Introduction to basic concepts and techniques of Accounting and Finance. You will identify the main users of financial information, the characteristics that make accounting useful and examine how businesses are structured.
People management
A broad overview of human resource management developing your knowledge of human resource management processes and practices, for example, recruitment selection, performance management and training and development. You will also develop a range of skills including team working, conflict resolution and leadership.
Enterprise creation
During this module you will develop the art of idea formation, hone your creativity skills, and enhance your critical thinking. Start the module with 100 business ideas and finish with your top ten.
Academic, personal and professional development
In this module you will reflect upon academic personal and professional aspirations and engage in development planning to achieve these. We will look at where you want to be when you graduate and how to get you there.

2nd Year

Intrapreneurship and innovation
Perfect if you are curious about the differences between enterprise and innovation. What does it mean to be intrapreneurial within an organisation? And how does that differ from an entrepreneur?
Accounting and finance II
You will explore how accounting and finance procedures differ for small to medium sized businesses. What sources of funding might be available for your business ideas and how can you access them?
Advertising and Promotion
Examine advertising and promotion strategies of businesses ranging from SMEs to large corporate firms. Evaluate real world marketing campaigns and get hands-on with a re-design of an existing campaign.
People Management for Business
Consider the strategies used by SMEs to encourage a creative and productive workforce. What are the legislations pertinent to the human resource management processes within a small business environment? Explore and evaluate their impact for business success.
Enterprise development
Brings together all the knowledge and skills you have learnt so far to work alongside a regional business to deliver a bespoke piece of consultancy work. This could include designing a marketing campaign, organising an event or conducting a competitor analysis.
Research methods
This module will prepare for your dissertation and provide you with guidance on how to undertake an original piece of research. We will explore possible research designs and examine both qualitative and quantitative methods.The module will culminate with you producing a research poster outlining your dissertation proposal.

3rd Year

Leadership and management
What does it take to be a great leader? How does an entrepreneurial leader differ from any other type of leader? In this module you will examine leadership theory and use case studies to evaluate leadership in practice.
Business reality
On this module you can put all of the theory examined on the course into practice through either setting up and running your own business for the Semester or undertaking a placement with an employer. You will hone your presentation skills through delivering a pitch to a panel of local business people about your business ideas.
Reflective business portfolio
This module will allow you to reflect on your learning journey on the degree and produce a Business Portfolio that details your achievements so far. Identify your skills portfolio and provide evidence of your knowledge and understanding. The production of this portfolio will act as an useful addition to your C.V.
Contemporary business issues
In this module you will critically evaluate the global and national issues faced by business leaders, topics will include; sustainability, the role of government in business and how might a business create social value. The module will finish with a group presentation whereby you address a major business concern and offer your solution.
Honours project
An individual piece of research on a topic of your choice related to business and enterprise. You will collect, analyse and interpret results in the light of existing knowledge and produce an original dissertation.
Download course details

Current students say...

Hirrah Imran Kiyani

“I’m learning from experienced and supportive lecturers and I'm helped by their feedback. There is a comprehensive range of online services to support my learning. I thoroughly enjoy the way we are able to reflect on our understanding through online assessments, quizzes and by contributing to the online forum. This course has given me great motivation and confidence and it’s been noticed by my family and friends.”

Trevor Tordoff

“There are so many broad subjects within the business course that we are always learning different things. The business course at Marjon has small groups so the lecturers get to know us by name and so it feels more personal. We have a lot of different talks and can express our own opinions at lectures and seminars. If we need any guidance, we can go to the lecturers and they know who we are.”

Josh Palmer

“I have become more confident in engaging with others about the topics discussed within the class. I did not expect the course to have as much interaction as it has, there are a lot of activities designed to enhance creativity and your interpersonal skills. This course has helped me a lot to break down the different aspects of business that I did not know about before.”

This course is perfect if you’re curious about

Are entrepreneurs born or made?

How can you effectively brand your business?

Why might some employees be more creative than others?

Can you be both an innovator and an inventor?

How can you measure the social impact of an organisation?

How can businesses seize opportunities and overcome challenges?

“ The team at Marjon has developed an environment that is not only a fabulous physical space but also a learning place that draws in business, academia and students into a community that adds real value to their excellent business programmes. The Chamber is delighted to be a partner in their offering which supports the strategic priorities of the city, county and region, by both attracting the finest candidates to the area and developing the skill base of our local businesses.”
Stuart Elford - Chief Executive Officer at Devon Chamber of Commerce

What might you become?

The option to set up your own business or undertake a placement in your final year provides you with valuable experience that will stand out on your C.V.

Graduates go on to work for small to medium sized enterprises both nationally and internationally, large multinational firms or run their own businesses. Typical job opportunities for grdauates include Business Development Manager, Marketing Officer, Social Media Coordinator and Business Owner.

In association with:

EE logo

Enterprise Educators UK (EEUK)

EE work to enable excellence in enterprise education, connecting educators and practitioners so they learn from each other and are inspired to increase the scale, scope and effectiveness of their enterprise and entrepreneurship education.

CMI

The Chartered Management Institute (CMI)

CMI is the leading body in the UK for leadership and management. You'll earn their Level 5 qualification in Management and Leadership alongside your degree, at no extra cost to you and requiring no additional assessments.

How you’ll be taught and assessed?

How will you be taught?

Field trips, business simulations, employer-led projects and modules where you can start and run your own business all provide practical opportunities to test your ideas and hone your problem-solving, decision-making and leadership skills. Accreditation by the Chartered Management Institute also provides you with a range of additional teaching and learning materials specifically in the area of leadership and management.

How will you be assessed?

Assessment is diverse through coursework such as essays, business reports, group project work, consultancy projects, presentations, business simulations, and reflective portfolios, with no exams.

Laura Wallis

Dr Laura Wallis

Course leader

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Laura's professional experience working in large and small, public and private organisations means she is passionate about the diverse world of business, and the many employment opportunities graduates may face on completion of their business degree. Her academic research focusses on the drivers and barriers in small business and entrepreneurship, and she continues to explore what shapes success for small business owners and entrepreneurs through her work.

Fees and funding

Fees UK students: £9,250 per annum

Fees for International students: £12,500 per annum

This fee covers your tuition and access to course-specific equipment and facilities, as well associated services including access to the library, study skills support, IT support, student support and wellbeing services and membership of the Student Union. There may be additional costs by course.

Funding available for this course

Our Student Funding Advisors offer confidential and impartial advice about your funding options.

Learn more

Lecturers

Elaine Garcia

Visiting Lecturer

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Elaine has worked within the UK education sector for over 20 years and has undertaken a number of academic and professional support roles during this time including within the areas of operations, management information systems, resourcing and people management, blended learning, and project management.

She holds a PhD from the University of Plymouth and has authored over 20 publications including journal papers, conference papers and book chapters. Elaine has been an invited speaker, session chair and a reviewer for a number of conferences and journals. Her current research interests focus on the perceptions and use of AI within business and education.

Elaine currently teaches both on campus and online mainly for UK Universities but also sometimes as a visiting lecturer in Europe.

Susan Hill

Visiting Lecturer

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Susan studied Graphic Design at Arts University Plymouth and worked in London and Yorkshire as a designer before discovering a passion for Marketing. Following a number of Marketing roles predominantly in the Tourism & Leisure sector and the completion of a CIM Diploma at Marjon, Susan was head-hunted by Weststar Holidays and worked on the Board as Marketing Director alongside Deborah Meaden.

Susan is still providing Marketing and Business Consultancy and is currently working on the feasibility for a new visitor experience in Wales, a Community Farm, for the Invisible Circus and Wildworks Theatre.

Lee Norburn

Visiting Lecturer

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Lee Norburn is a Senior HEA Fellow, with an MSc in Organisational Change from Ashridge Business School. He started his career as a Lead Quality Auditor for a large public sector organisation, specialising in systems improvement, re-engineering, and ISO quality management training. He later worked with the Bulgarian Maritime Administration (BMA), supporting Bulgaria’s accession to the EU.

Through his career he has developed a passion for human centred ways of working, encouraging positive disruption within traditional organisational structures. He integrates new ways of working into all aspects of his work. As a university lecturer, he specialises in Leadership and Team dynamics, drawing on complexity sciences, systems thinking and the principles of self-managing and next stage organisations.

Dr Laura Wallis

Marjon Business Lead

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Laura’s academic background is in business and management. She is researcher and her PhD focuses on the phenomena of lifestyle entrepreneurship and lifestyle sports.

Dr Andreas Walmsley

Associate Professor

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Andreas teaches and researches with a particular emphasis on enterprise, entrepreneurship and workforce issues in the service industries. He has worked on consultancy projects for both public and private sectors including the International Labour Office, Enterprise Educators UK, International Finance Corporation and the Higher Education Academy. Andreas is co-editor research for the journal Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy and is founding member of the Tourism Workforce research group at the Icelandic Tourism Research Centre and Research Fellow at Neapolis University Pafos.

Frequently asked questions

Q1   What are the advantages of a CMI accredited course?

By studying a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) accredited course you join a network of over 140,000 members and get access to expert learning resources on top of your regular course materials. Six months after graduating 58% of graduates from CMI accredited courses are in professional roles, compared to 48% of graduates from non CMI accredited business courses (CMI, 2018).

Q2   What are the key skills that I’ll develop thanks to the CMI accreditation?

81% of students on CMI accredited courses felt they had acquired skills to manage themselves, 74% felt they had acquired skills to lead change and innovation and 73% felt they had acquired skills to develop people and capabilities (CMI, 2018).  

Q3   Do I also get a qualification from the CMI?

Yes, you receive an additional Level 5 qualification from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) when you graduate. This is at no extra cost to you and requires no additional assessments.

Q4   How is this course different from other business courses?

This course is designed to focus on the reality of today’s business world. The in class activities and assignments are all reflective of the types of work you will be doing after you graduate. There are no exams and instead assignments are practical with reports, presentations, essays and research posters. The small class sizes on this course means you can get to know your classmates and your lecturers and enjoy a personalised learning experience.  

Q5   How do the placements work?

There are two placement opportunities on the programme. The first is in the second year where you undertake 100 hours with a company. These 100 hours can be virtual or face to face, it’s all in negotiation with your placement provider. Your lecturers support you to find a placement provider in an area of your choosing, this can range from helping a company improve their social media performance, spotting funding opportunities for a start up firm or planning a launch event for a company’s new product. In the final year of the programme you can undertake a second placement that runs for the length of the Semester or you can choose to run your own business. The choice is yours. Our BSc (Hons) Business degree is about enabling you to pursue the areas you are interested in; we'll help make the placement work for you.
Business students
Business students

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