Course overview

Our Business Management and Finance BSc will develop your general business knowledge and insight into the management of different organisations, with a specific focus on financial markets and institutions. The course aim is to give you a valuable set of transferable skills to boost your future employability.

Developing your professional skills

You will start your Business Management and Finance BSc by studying the core aspects of financial and management accounting such as balance sheets, budgeting and income statements. You will improve your techniques in preparing key financial statements and using IT to prepare accounting information and strengthen your essential quantitative techniques for developing models and presenting data.

You will start to look at increasing your understanding of management and how the modern business world needs individuals who can critically think about management, organisations and the people who are employed by them. Optional modules at this stage of the course include microeconomics and macroeconomics, marketing, business law, international business, human resource management, and the opportunity to learn more about managing in organisations by working with other students to find a solution to a business problem set by a multinational corporation.

In higher-level modules you will study the theory behind investing in the stock market, the factors that affect the prices of financial assets, develop your understanding of financial decision making and study risk management techniques. You will analyse human behaviour in organisations, organisational behaviour and explore the key concepts and issues in operations and quality management. You will examine business strategy and activities including a virtual business game simulation that will give you the opportunity to put the theory you've been learning on the course into practice.

Advanced optional modules give you the opportunity to continue to tailor your degree to your particular interests. These draw from other areas of business including cost and management accounting, banking, international finance, corporate governance and social responsibility and econometrics.

Gain experience using industry software

You will have access to a range of I.T. platforms during your studies on the Business Management and Finance BSc. At Keele Business School we have a dedicated Bloomberg Lab that is set up like a trading room. Bloomberg Professional Service, also known as the Terminal is software widely used in the financial industry and gives you access to economic, financial and business information. We use Bloomberg in some of our teaching, and you can also use it in your own time to acquire information to use in your studies.

There is also the opportunity to complete the Bloomberg Market Concepts, a free e-learning course available to Keele Business School students that will show future employers that you’ve enhanced your learning about the financial markets. You will also have the opportunity to gain experience and confidence in using Stata via an optional module.

Strengthening your employability

Work Placement Year*

In an increasingly competitive job market, employers are seeking to recruit employees who have high-level knowledge, skills and an understanding of the workplace. Choosing a work placement year between your second and third year, is a fantastic way to gain industry experience. It can provide a valuable insight into what working in a specific area of business is like, gives you the chance to familiarise yourself with the professional working environment and develop professional networks, and provides the opportunity to apply the theory you’ve learnt on your degree course.

*Students who require a visa to study in the UK may be able to add in a work placement depending upon the programme. The ability to add a work placement is dependent upon the UK Immigration rules at the time of the request. It may be that for some programmes students will not have the option to request a placement period to be added to their programme before they arrive in the UK and would need to apply for a new visa. There is no guarantee that a placement will be provided and that students who have a visa are subject to a number of restrictions on the type of work, including placements they can undertake.

International Year

In between years two and three of your studies you can choose to spend a year or a semester studying abroad. This exciting opportunity enables you to understand your field from different cultural perspectives and to establish international networks.

It also shows you have the personal attributes to embrace new experiences which can enhance your employability. We offer exchange opportunities with a wide variety of partner institutions.

Entrepreneurship Year

Showcase your innovative abilities and ideas to develop your business aspirations. If you’ve ever wanted to establish your own start-up or have been inspired by your studies this entrepreneurship year is an amazing opportunity to develop your own business idea. You will undertake your entrepreneurship working within Keele’s Smart Innovation Hub.

The Entrepreneurship pathway is available to UK and international students. Yet for international students, the availability of the Entrepreneurship pathway is subject due to the latest visa regulations.

Student Support

We have a robust student support system in place for our students. You will be allocated an academic mentor at the start of the course who will review your progress, meet regularly with you, and is contactable by phone and email. Academics can also provide guidance about specific course modules.

A Student Experience and Support team is based within our Faculty with a member of the team dedicated to Keele Business School. They are part of the University's student services department and work closely with teams across Keele to you can easily access the help you need.

Extra assistance is provided by our School’s Disability Liaison Officer. They provide an additional layer of support for students with disabilities and can advise on matters relating to disability including dyslexia and specific learning difficulties.

You will also have access to a mixture of advice and support services at Keele including;

• Learning Support and Academic Guidance
• Disability Services
• English Language Unit
• Student Advice at Keele (ASK)
• Student Support Services
• Occupational Health Department

Keele Students' Union also offers support through their sabbatical officers .

Societies

We have a wealth of student-led societies here at Keele which cover a diverse range of interests. Joining a society related to business is a great opportunity to continue to develop your skills away from your studies. This is another excellent way of demonstrating your genuine interest for the area and can be beneficial when it comes to applying for graduate roles. It’s also a great way to make friends and share interests with fellow students.