International Business Management BSc(Hons)

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Top reasons to choose this course

• Opportunity for you to study or work abroad.
• Network with other students from international universities and business schools.
• Businesses need internationally minded graduates with cross-cultural understanding and experience.
• Build skills to operate effectively in the global business environment.
• Choose option modules in subjects that interest you most and that fit your career ambitions.

Year 1 

In your first year, you will develop a comprehensive understanding of course business and management subjects.

Modules

• Business Economics

  In this module you will develop your understanding of key economic concepts by applying them to contemporary issues within the world of business and through the application of quantitative techniques. You will also gain an understanding of how political, economic and environmental factors influence the world of business.

• Financial Knowledge and Skills for Business

  This module provides you with an introduction to fundamental concepts in the fields of financial accounting, management accounting and finance. You will develop a basic understanding of an organisation’s financial position and performance through the application of appropriate analytical tools and procedures.

• Marketing Principles

  You will gain an overview of marketing as a discipline and its core concepts during this module. You will cover areas including the role and function of marketing; the external marketing environment; internal marketing analysis tools; competitor analysis and competitive marketing strategy; segmentation, targeting and positioning; pricing strategies and tactics; and branding, differentiation and key selling points.

• Organisational Behaviour and Human Resource Management

  This module will introduce you to a range of concepts, principles and theories that have been adopted within the study of organisational behaviour and human resource management and will give you an insight into how people are managed and organised in the workplace. You will develop an understanding of the relationship between the internal and external environment and the role that employees play in designing and achieving organisational goals.

• International Business Project

  You will create an international communications/promotional plan incorporating a digital presence in an international context. Using project software and information technology, you’ll integrate key skills and formative learning outcomes from other first year modules as well as project management skills. You will develop your understanding of culture, market dynamics, financial structures, human resources and how to reach potential international customers by exploring these with regard to your own business ideas.

• Academic and Professional Skills

  This module will provide you with the basic skills and strategies needed to study successfully at undergraduate level and help you develop the attributes that contribute to employability. You’ll also gain the practical professional skills to confidently use spreadsheet software to present financial information and as an analytical tool.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. If you apply to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through Student View.

Year 2

From your second year, core modules will develop your international perspective, while option modules allow you to tailor the course to your interests or career aspirations. 

Modules

Core modules

• International Business Analysis

  This is your opportunity to apply both macro and microeconomic analysis to a related set of case studies. You will start by analysing an industry at a global level, move onto looking at macroeconomic data for a country that is key to that industry, and then apply microeconomic analysis to a company within that industry.

• Managing Digital Transformation

  On this module you will explore the impact of digital transformation in the context of business management. You’ll cover the evolution of information systems, the role of AI in business and different digital business models. You will examine ethical and social considerations, including data privacy and the digital divide, and the relationship between technology and inequality. Finally, you’ll look at future trends in digital business, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. 

• Working Across Cultures

  This module explores the challenges, potential traps and opportunities when working across cultures. You will develop an understanding of how culture impacts on work-based relationships and organisational performance and will identify differences in multicultural behaviours and belief systems which impact on workplace practice and human relations.

• Cross-cultural Research

  Cross-cultural Research will help prepare you for your final year project, year abroad or placement year. You will further develop your research skills and cross-cultural awareness by exploring the role and nature of research in academic and professional environments. Areas covered may include conducting a preliminary literature review; designing a research project; methodology and methods; ethical considerations; and presenting research findings.

Options*

• Leadership

  Study the changing nature of leadership in the business world and acquire leadership skills needed for HR managerial roles in organisations. In this module, you will develop an understanding of the relevance of the internal and external environment and be able to apply relevant theories to understand leadership.

• Creativity in Enterprise

  In this module you will explore the concepts and tools related to creativity in a business environment. You’ll also develop your research skills and ability to work in teams and enhance your personal development. A series of workshops will introduce a variety of tools, behaviours and strategies for problem-solving and creativity. These will help you develop an entrepreneurial approach to business and personal career development.

• Economic Theory and Applications

  This module provides you with a firm grounding in key concepts in economics and their real-world applications with an emphasis on the importance of history, institutions and policy in economic analysis. You will become familiar with economic methods of analysis and develop a foundation of economics knowledge that will support your final-year studies.

• Money, Exchange Rates and Trade

  The module will help you to develop your understanding of monetary economics and its relationship with the exchange rate and international trade. Through this, you will further develop your appreciation of trading blocks, currency unions and commercial policy, and their impact on international finance and trade.

• Digital Marketing and Analytics

  This module will introduce you to digital marketing technologies to help develop your knowledge of the design, implementation and evaluation of digital marketing strategies. You’ll examine theoretical frameworks and models which are relevant to digital marketing practice and explore the development of supporting technologies for digital marketing.

• Personal Financial Planning

  This module is an exploration of the principles of personal financial planning and investment, integrating theory and practice. You’ll gain knowledge and understanding of the interlinked relationships between the various components which encompass personal finance matters. This includes an analysis of various generic products, incorporating the inherent elements of risk and taxation, and the techniques and stages of personal financial planning. 

• Design and Innovation

  This module explores the relationship between innovation and design through familiar products and services. You will be introduced to the central concepts, theories and tools of design and innovation and think about their role in meeting the challenges of contemporary design-led product development. You’ll look at how design and innovation ideas have evolved over time, focusing on the key objects that best show their importance in contemporary practice.

• Applied Business Analytics

  This module will help you to develop an analytic mindset and equip you with basic data literacy that is useful for the business environment. You will look at methodologies, algorithms and challenges related to analysing and presenting business data alongside applying data analysis to support decision-making across business functions and industries.

• Marketing Ethics and Responsibility

  This module takes you on a journey through the responsible marketing literature, theory, concepts, current challenges and roles and responsibilities of marketing managers in the UK and across the world. You will apply theory to practice, preparing you to become an ethical, socially responsible marketer of the future. You will examine ethical issues across a variety of markets and consider how to balance ethical performance with profitability.

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Study abroad

The option of a year abroad following year 2 offers an excellent opportunity to gain international contacts and an advantage in the job market. You can choose to study with our partner institutions in the following countries:

USA

• Clarkson University  – New York State
• Grand Valley State University – Michigan

Canada

• University of Ottawa – Ottawa
• Dalhousie University – Halifax

Europe

• EDHEC Business School – Lille and Nice, France

• Hochschule Mainz University of Applied Sciences) – Mainz, Germany

• Universidad CEU San Pablo – Madrid, Spain

• Università degli Studi di Siena – Siena, Italy
• Karel De Grote University College – Antwerp, Belgium
• Copenhagen Business Academy – Copenhagen, Denmark
• University of Orebro – Orebro, Sweden
• Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences – Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Koç University – Istanbul, Turkey

While studying abroad, you may have the opportunity to undertake a work placement for part of the year or you can secure your own international placement and work abroad for the whole year. See the Work abroad tab for more details.

Check out International Business Management student Bronte as she shares her experience of spending a year in Germany.

Work abroad

If you choose the option to study abroad following year 2 (see the Study abroad tab for more info), you may be able to do a work placement for part of the year or you can secure your own international placement for the entire year.

This experience of working in a different country looks great on your CV and provides excellent networking opportunities.

Our International Business Management degree students have worked for companies worldwide, from Europe to South America.

By working abroad you will:

• apply your learning to real-life situations and challenges
• develop your existing skills and gain new ones
• explore career options, helping you think about what you don’t want to do as well as what you do
• boost your confidence, time-management and organisational skills
• make useful contacts while working in a professional environment.

Students who complete work placements tell us they come back for their final year feeling focused, organised and motivated.

Final year

During your final year, you will return to continue your business management studies with a strong strategic and international focus.

You will also have the chance to further tailor your course by researching an international issue of your choice and choosing option modules that interest you most and fit your career aspirations.

Modules

Core modules

• International Management

  The theme for this module is learning from other countries. You'll research the implications of cultural difference for international business and how it fits into the changing global environment, developing an individual research project analysing contemporary issues from alternative national perspectives.

• Strategy

  On this module you’ll focus on the strategic business management of organisations in industry. You will explore and apply techniques for the analysis, development and implementation of strategies in order to achieve business goals, spanning domestic, international, global levels and in the context of the UN’s sustainable development goals.

Options*

• International Business Report

  This module builds upon year 1 and year 2 research and international business modules.

  You'll undertake a research project based on the theory and methodologies learned on these modules and on your experiences during your studies, or of studying abroad where applicable.

• Customer Relationship Management and Services Marketing

  This module enables you to acquire a detailed understanding of approaches to services marketing including the integration of customer relationship management (CRM).  You will examine how the core principles of marketing are configured in a services context and how developing CRM as a core strategy enables organisations to focus on long-term customer relationships and loyalty.

• Marketing Across Cultures

  This module examines two key challenges facing businesses today: how to identify and develop international marketing and business opportunities; and understanding the importance of cultural differences across the globe to adapt marketing strategies and tactics for business success. You will learn about new cultures in the developed and emerging world and how to develop an international marketing plan, putting your entrepreneurial, research, creative and report-writing skills in to practice.

• Responsible Enterprise

  This module sees students from subjects across the university have the opportunity to work together on responsible enterprise solutions to live client challenges. Practical projects mean that you will learn from other students and disciplines as you share problem-solving approaches, knowledge and experience.

• Destination Marketing

  Destination marketing is vital for destinations to differentiate themselves from competitors, to develop their own distinct identity and to promote themselves as desirable and attractive places to visit. On this module you will examine traditional methods of marketing, and explore issues such as cultural representation, the branding of national and regional identities and the role of media and film in the development of perception and expectation.

• Marketing Planning and Strategy

  In this module you will use your knowledge of marketing principles to develop a strategic marketing plan. You’ll examine the stages of developing a strategic marketing plan and consider a range of operational, tactical and strategic approaches to marketing. The module follows a similar approach to that taught by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and should be taken by any student wishing to gain CIM exemptions after graduating.

• Understanding Employee Relations

  This module provides you with a general introduction to employee relations in the UK and compares these with examples from other countries. You will develop knowledge and understanding of the practical and procedural aspects of employee relations, including union recognition, grievance and discipline, employment tribunals, collective bargaining, conflict resolution and consultation.

• Organisational Change

  In this module you will develop a critical understanding of approaches that maximise the outcomes of organisational change for individuals and organisations and gain insight into change management. You’ll also look at the importance of the roles and skills in the change process for individuals, human resource management, senior and line management and leadership. 

• Consumer Psychology

  You will focus on the main concepts used in understanding consumer psychology and consumer behaviour in the marketplace during this module. You’ll look at how these are used in marketing to both understand consumers and create strategies to ethically influence their behaviour.

• Environmental Economics

  Issues surrounding the environment and natural resources are becoming increasingly mainstream in economics. This module follows the year 2 module of the same name and further explores how economic concepts, tools and policy instruments are relevant and are used to understand and manage environmental issues at business and government level.

• Financial and Capital Markets

  This module will develop your understanding of the financial system and enable you to get some experience of financial markets. You’ll have an opportunity to manage a portfolio of assets and analyse the performance of that portfolio as well as explore the investment environment.

• Small Business and Entrepreneurship

  You will develop a business idea and plan using knowledge and skills developed throughout your course during this module. Students from a range of subjects take this module, creating a multidisciplinary approach to identifying and researching a business idea and developing a realistic business plan. Part of the assessment is a Dragons’ Den style presentation of your idea to a panel of local business people.

• Ecommerce and Online Behaviour

  Many business disciplines need to design strategies that take into account online behaviour. In this module you’ll analyse and evaluate ecommerce systems and explore the role and impact of ecommerce technologies. You will look at some of the concepts used to understand online behaviour in the marketplace and examine how people behave as consumers in online settings.

• Dispute Resolution and Litigation

  During this module you will develop an understanding of the civil court procedure in England and Wales, including the nature and jurisdiction of the County Court and the High Court. You will be introduced to case analysis, mechanisms for dispute resolution, pre-trial preparations and pre-action protocols.

• Futurism for Marketers

  This module explores emerging and future directions in marketing thought and strategy. You will examine the idea that marketing needs reform and move beyond a ‘trends’ approach to think about a less concrete, more open and futuristic perspective on the marketing subject. You’ll also consider ‘what comes next’ in the development of the marketing concept and produce an article suitable for a business audience.

• Public Relations: Principles and Practice

  You will get the opportunity to work as a team on a public relations (PR) project during this module. You’ll develop account management and PR skills, focusing on the function of PR and its role in marketing and corporate communications. You’ll analyse and evaluate specialist PR functions and examine how a well-integrated PR strategy ensures that organisations can develop and maintain relationships with their stakeholders and audiences. 

• Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM)

  Supply chain management (SCM) is the handling of the entire production flow of goods or services – from raw materials to delivering the final product to the consumer. On this module you will develop a strategic understanding of SCM in a wider business context and explore how SCM objectives have expanded to include societal and environmental implications because of, for example, depleted natural resources. You’ll learn how sustainability can be a competitive advantage and explore the role of supply chains in a circular economy.

• Big Data and Business Intelligence

  Big data refers to data sets so complex they are difficult to process using conventional databases. They result from the increasing use of real-time computing in process and organisations such as web analytics, government, social media, security and healthcare. In this module you will explore how the growth of big data impacts on business opportunities and risks, and how business intelligence contributes to improved performance and forecasting

• Employee Selection and Development

  You will explore and consider how recruitment, selection, training and development contribute to the function and performance of an organisation during this module, giving specific focus to contemporary labour market issues. You will also look at the theoretical perspectives that have shaped discussion around these topics and use case studies to see how these ideas work in practice.

• Happiness: Work and Society

  During this module you will analyse the concept of happiness in work and society. You’ll consider happiness at an individual, organisational and socio-economic level, exploring topics such as positive psychology, happiness and wellbeing, nurturing happiness in the organisation, the issues and challenges of measuring happiness and wellbeing, and what makes a nation happy. 

• Retail Marketing and Distribution

  In this module you will learn about retail marketing and distribution through practical workshops with emphasis on real-life retail situations. You’ll study topics from historical development, current industry structure, trends and projected developments. You will combine theory and practice to produce a viable strategic report about the marketplace.

• Marketing Communications

  The module is an overview of key marketing communications tools, including branding, advertising, sales promotion and public relations. You will consider the main theories of marketing communications, exploring how advertising has its effect on consumers. You’ll also look at models of consumer psychology and behaviour to further understand the role of marketing communications in society.

• International Law and Socio-economic Development

  In this module you will look at the relationship between international law and development. You will get an insight into the relevant legal and socio-economic issues arising from debates on international law and development and an understanding of the role that theory, policy and practice have in international law and socio-economic development.

• Game Theory in Economics, Finance and Business

  Game theory is one of the most exciting, stimulating and promising subjects in modern microeconomics and is now also broadly applied in philosophy, sociology and political science among other fields. The module gives you the chance to apply game theory to financial and business analysis topics to deepen and widen your knowledge of economics, finance and business as an ongoing strategic game.

• International Placement Project

  This project module is an opportunity to design and execute a business project based on a real business issue, problem or opportunity (typically relating to a placement organisation). In addition, you'll reflect upon how the experiences, knowledge and skills gained during the placement have developed your management and personal skills and shaped your career plans.

• Researching Contemporary Issues in Economics

  In this module you will apply economic principles and methods to a contemporary issue that has implications for countries, businesses or individuals now and in the future. You’ll identify a specific topic to research and, using the principles and methods you’ve learned on your course, formulate research questions and hypotheses, devise a methodology and identify relevant data sources.

• Researching Contemporary Issues in Finance

  You will select a specific current issue in finance to study in depth during this module. You’ll review and analyse a wide range of published data with the aim of summarising good practice and recommending a possible solution to the problem in your final report. Issues might include finance for SMEs, bank lending, working capital management, financial risk management techniques, dividend policy and effect on the value of a company and bond markets and instruments.

• Researching Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour

  This module is an opportunity to research a contemporary human resource management or organisation behaviour issue of your choice. Through your research, you will develop and deepen your knowledge and understanding of these topics and present your findings in a final report.

• Researching Contemporary Issues for the Intelligent Enterprise

  Intelligent Enterprise is a management approach that applies technology and new service models to the challenge of improving business performance. On this module you will conduct in-depth research into issues and emerging technologies that promote the concept of an intelligent enterprise. You can either choose an existing topic to research or identify a new one. Potential topics include blockchain; cryptocurrencies; mobile gaming; digital transformation; knowledge management; marketing information systems; and e-business systems.

• Researching Contemporary Issues in Marketing

  Choosing a contemporary marketing issue of interest – for example strategic marketing theory, marketing communications, cross-cultural marketing, social media marketing or consumer behaviour – you will undertake a piece of in-depth research. This will develop your analytical and critical skills and you will use the expertise and knowledge gained during your degree to produce a report. The module is based on independent study supported by a tutor.

• Researching Contemporary Issues in Supply Chain Management

  This module is an opportunity to choose and research a contemporary supply chain, supply chain management or inventory management topic that really interests you. Current trends and issues include outsourcing, use of technologies (data analysis, IoT, cloud computing), supply chain visibility among organisations and sustainable supply chains. In producing your report, you will further develop your analysis and evaluation skills and make recommendations for improvements in business decision-making.

   

• Researching Contemporary Issues in Strategic Management

  In this module, you will choose a strategic management issue to study in-depth. You’ll review published data and present your research as a clear and concise report summarising good practice and making recommendations of a possible solution to the issue. Topics you can choose are wide-ranging, and could include the mitigation and/or adaptation of businesses or public institutions to climate change; UN sustainable development goals in businesses and public institutions; strategic management in the responsible enterprise; and strategic management and technology in a specified industry (eg, pharmaceutical, road transport, film).

• Placement Project

  This project module enables you to further develop problem solving, creative thinking, analysis and project management skills while on a placement year between year 2 and 3 of your degree. It's an opportunity to reflect on your placement role and experiences and how they contributed to your personal development, shaped your thinking about future careers and enhanced your employment prospects.

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Course leader

Dr Irina Popova

Irina is the course leader on our International Business Management BSc(Hons). 

She specialises in teaching entrepreneurship, business research methods, academic and professional skills across several of our courses. 

Irina’s PhD research focused on start-up incubation and she previously worked for the social venture incubation programme, currently known as Cambridge Social Ventures, funded by the Big Lottery Fund. 

Irina also carried out postdoctorate research on the digitalisation of management in the UK and Sweden. The study involved three public sector organisations in Cambridgeshire and their ICT-enabled transformation projects, as well as a local authority and a multinational company in Sweden. She worked with senior management in the public sector to deliver the programme. She is an NVivo trained expert and an experienced organisational ethnographer. 

Find out more about your course leader. 

Course fees

This course offers a professional placement (sandwich) year in year 3. If you choose to take this placement you will pay a reduced fee during this year. For students starting their undergraduate degree in the 2025–26 academic year, the fee for the professional placement year is £1,500 for UK students and £1,850 for international students. This fee may be subject to small increases in line with inflation.

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

• Brighton Boost – cost of living help for our new undergrad students. Find out about how we can help with your study, accommodation or travel costs and more...
• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• Read our student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf) for more on University of Brighton tuition fees.

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