Business and Financial Management BA (Hons)

Gain a solid business education and gain essential skills in financial management with our BA (Hons) Business and Financial Management. Focus on the opportunities and challenges confronting businesses with specific focus on cash accounting, longevity and the relationship between good financial management and business success.

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Overview

BA (Hons) Business and Financial Management focuses on the opportunities and challenges confronting businesses with specific focus on cash accounting, longevity and the relationship between good financial management and business success. Financial management is an essential part of any successful business and the programme incorporates case studies and simulations to improve critical evaluation and decision-making skills, transferable to a range of business and finance professions.

Why us?

This course has 100% Overall Satisfaction (National Student Survey 2021)
Covers key aspects of accounting and finance within a business decision making context
Course content has been carefully designed with students and employers to enhance your employability
In the second year module "Finance and Financial Decision Making for Managers" students will have the opportunity to undertake two specialist digital financial courses provided by Sage Group PLC

Examines business and finance from a national and international perspective
Every module has a link to industry so that you can apply your learning in authentic business scenarios
Cutting-edge topics are covered such as issues around Sustainability in Business and Digital aspects of Business in the 21^st century workplace

Our partners, accreditations and networks

Course structure

With an innovative mix of experiential learning and knowledge development in terms of the role, function and influence of managers and leaders in a changing business world, the course provides you with opportunities for creative, reflexive, innovative and entrepreneurial skills development in live work environments.

Examples of experiential learning methods include live projects, placement opportunities, workplace shadowing and panel presentations.

The course features innovative teaching methods and learning by doing and reflecting. This includes problem-based learning, where you’ll work within a small team to explore issues or decide how to manage a situation. This helps you to dissect, challenge and debate issues.

Other learning techniques include company visits, guest speakers and cutting-edge e-learning technologies. These are in addition to a combination of lectures, seminars, debates, tutorials and workshops.

Assessment methods include: Narrative reports, e-portfolios, consultancy projects, negotiated assessments, case studies, reflective statements, audio journals, posters, digital storyboards, blogs, podcasts and YouTube videos.

Year 1 (national level 4):

Business Organisations and Society (30 credits)

Take an in-depth look at the influence of digital technology on ways of working. Put a specific focus on ‘Place’ and Society in an international, national and local context. Develop a global perspective on the influence of technologies on working practices and employee behaviour considering historical, ethical, cultural and societal trends.

Business Management Skills Development (30 credits)

Develop a selection of transferable employability skills through a diverse range of experiences. Examine the importance of developing your own professional identity. Place this identity in the context of changing, challenging and dynamic organisations.

Understanding Markets and Marketing (30 credits)

Gain a foundational understanding of the fundamentals of marketing. Examine global case studies and develop a broad knowledge base of markets and marketing. Explore the purpose of marketing in business and organisations.

Fundamentals of Financial Decision Making (30 credits)

Accomplish a good understanding of firm’s investment and financial decision making. Develop techniques to interpret and assimilate accounting information. Benefit from learning the fundamental knowledge of tools of financial decision making.

Some modules have prerequisites. Read more about what this means in our Help and Advice article.

Year 2 (national level 5):

Managing Self and Others (30 credits)

Examine the relevant concepts to evaluate professional behaviour and investigate this in the context of success and performance of organisations. Study some of the problems that can arise in the workplace. Analyse cause and resolution strategies to enhance performance and engagement.

Delivering Projects for Organisational Success (30 credits)

Explore some of the fundamental and contemporary components necessary to plan, assess and manage successful projects. Study this in the context of organisational operations, logistics and holistic supply chains. Develop the knowledge and skills of process and human aspects of project management in delivering organisational success.

Corporate Finance and Portfolio Valuation (30 credits)

Develop a comprehensive national and international understanding of how corporate financial decision-making impacts upon organisational success. Refine key analytical and interpretive skills within the context of evaluating investment-based portfolios. Gain a holistic understanding of key topics and concepts in corporate finance including dividend policy, financial statement analysis, sources of finance available to business, mergers and acquisitions, and portfolio analysis.

Finance and Financial Decision Making for Managers (30 credits)

Develop an understanding of how financial managers can influence the growth of their business and identify, measure, and communicate strategic decisions and performance via management accounts. Undertake two ACCA digital financial courses provided by Sage Group PLC. Gain a solid foundation in accounting and the financial skills needed for managers.

Year 3:

Applied Placement Portfolio 1 (120 credits)

Gain a strong understanding of a business including the identification and examination of an organisational issue, initiative or process. Examine areas of value to the host organisation. Develop the relevant practical knowledge and skills under the guidance and supervision of an academic mentor and host business.

Final year (national level 6):

Strategic Leadership and Collaboration (30 credits)

Establish the relevant skills and understanding related to strategic leadership and collaboration. Engage in a critical exploration of theories on the importance of, and approaches to, strategic leadership in organisations. Understand leadership strategies and their impact on organisational success, resilience and growth alongside the dynamics of personal interaction with colleagues, teams and stakeholders to create collaboration.

Managing Business Continuity and Resilience (30 credits)

Critically understand the management of a modern international business organisation. Consider issues such as crisis management and contingency planning brought about by changing market conditions. Grasp the key factors that are required for business resilience and growth.

Business Consultancy Project (30 credits)

Examine the fundamental components necessary to effectively source, design, research and disseminate business consultancy projects for small to medium sized businesses and larger companies. Incorporate an international perspective on consultancy projects. Consider that the role of a consultancy now requires a blend of both physical and virtual skills.

Financial Governance (30 credits)

Establish an understanding of specific competencies in Financial Governance. Acquire the essential knowledge of these competencies through study and engagement in relevant financial governance topics. Develop an understanding of the theories, methods and techniques relevant to this field and how to apply such knowledge to real-world scenarios.

More about BA (Hons) Business and Financial Management at Sunderland

Discover more articles

You can access free Wi-Fi throughout the University campus, so you can work from anywhere. If you don't want to carry a laptop around, just use one of the University’s PCs or Macs. We have hundreds of computers for you to use in the Murray Library, St Peter's Library, and the David Goldman Informatics Centre. If you ever have any technical problems, just ask the friendly helpdesk team.
IT provision
The St Peter’s Library contains over 31,000 books related to business, economics, management, human resources, marketing, strategy and tourism.

Added to this, you’ll benefit from a wide range of journals and periodicals in the St Peter’s Library, many of them in an online format. To help you make the most of the wealth of resources, there’s a full-time librarian who is dedicated to the Business and Tourism sections.

Further resources are available at the main Murray Library, which has a total of over 430,000 books with many more available through the inter-library loan service.
Library Services - business and tourism
Map and directions

Facilities

You'll be based at The Reg Vardy Centre, on the Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s. It’s a modern building with great views of the River Wear, and just a few minutes’ walk from the coast.

Entry requirements

Our typical offer is:

Qualification	Minimum grade
High School Diploma along with one of the following at the required grade: SAT I and SAT II, ACT or Advanced Placement	GPA 3.0 or above and: Sat score of 1100/1600 from SATs AP (Grades 3+ in at least 2 subjects) ACT (score of 26+)

If you don't meet our standard entry requirements, you can take one of the foundation pathways at our partners ONCAMPUS Sunderland. Find out more information and whether your course is eligible on our ONCAMPUS page.

If your qualification is not listed above, please contact the Student Administration team at studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk for further advice.

If English is not your first language, please see our English language requirements.

Is your qualification not displaying here? For international qualifications, search our full list of international entry requirements for this course.

Fees and finance

The annual, full-time fee for this course is:

£9,250 if you are from the UK/Europe*
£14,000 if you are an international student

*European Union (EU), EEA (European Economic Area), and Swiss nationals who do not qualify for the EU Settlement Scheme are classed as international, however, for 23/24 admission you will receive a European student fee scholarship and will pay the home tuition fee rate for the duration of your studies. The discounted fee will be reflected in your offer letter. Learn more in our Help and Advice article.

Take a look at the Your Finances section to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

Students graduating at the Stadium of Light

Career ready

Our students graduate with sought-after skills and knowledge across all areas of business and management. You'll understand how businesses create success, how to manage business operations, how to make informed decisions, and how to lead change in organisations. In addition, CIPD-accredited qualifications can significantly enhance your career opportunities.

The employability focussed curriculum of the course has been designed in collaboration with a range of employers including: CDC Wealth Management, Caterpillar, Nissan, Network Rail, NCC, NHS, Enterprise Rent a Car, Uplift LP, Sedgefield SSP CIC, Castle Howard and NRL.

Paid placements

The faculty-based employability team will support you in securing an optional paid work placement to further enhance your employability between your second and final year. It effectively becomes a third year of a four-year course, and you’ll earn an average salary of £14,000-£18,000 a year depending on your location.

Placements are an excellent opportunity to put your learning into practice and understand the context for your new knowledge. The contacts made during placements can also be valuable for future job offers.

Student Business Society

The University supports student-led initiatives that help you gain practical experience of management. The Business Student Society organises events and guest speakers, as well as attending tours of various companies. With its professional approach, it’s a great way to put into practice the lessons about how to make organisations function effectively. There is something for every student who is studying a subject related to business.

Guest speakers

Our regular programme of guest speakers from industry allows you to listen to people who are already in the type of management position that you may one day hold. Recent speakers include Maurice Duffy, CEO of Global Blackswan, Mike Johnson, CEO of Castrol and Executive Vice President of BP, Uday K. Dholakia, Senior Partner of Global Consulting, Neil Stephenson, CEO of ONYX, James Ramsbotham, CEO of the North East Chamber of Commerce, as well as other representatives from a number of our region’s largest employers.

Top-up route

A top-up entry option is available to those who have already successfully completed a Higher National Diploma (HND) or Foundation Degree and wish to progress onto the final year of the honours degree course. Topping up your existing HND or Foundation Degree will take one year of full-time study and may open up future career options to you depending on your chosen career path.

Contact us to find out how you can get credit for your previous learning and top-up your qualification to a range of degrees.

Meet the students

The University of Sunderland has helped me to thrive from day one.

Ashley Liddle
The support services are exceptional & there is a real focus on giving you all you need to succeed.

Cailean Carvalho
My internship gave me the chance to learn and grow in a real-life business environment.

Kate Rutherford
Sunderland offers a friendly environment, student culture and welcoming staff.

Mark Biott

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Contact

Contact the Student Helpline for further information about studying at the University of Sunderland:

0191 515 3000

student.helpline@sunderland.ac.uk

View Programme Specifications for the Faculty of Business, Law and Tourism.

Page last updated: 16 March 2023

We aim to provide clear, accurate and timely information to prospective and current students. We continuously review and enhance course content in consultation with our students and the information provided on our website is the latest available. If you have received an offer from us to start a course, we will communicate any important changes to you in writing. We will always seek to ensure that our prospective students are fully aware of the basis on which they are accepting an offer.

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