International Business and Management BSc

The study of international business is more important than ever. Technological, political and economic developments mean that daily business transactions can be conducted on a global scale, and international managers have added advantages in the employment market.

What you’ll learn

Aston Business School’s International Business and Management BSc will equip you with a solid understanding of strategic management in international business. Discover how differences in culture can influence the way we do business and understand how to operate in challenging environments abroad, both through theoretical knowledge and practical experience.

This degree has been developed in response to demand by alumni and our own advisory panel of international employers. It offers a core strategic management focus within an international business context. You will gain a solid foundation in your first year across a breadth of business topics before shaping your second and final years to concentrate your study on chosen specialisms.

Real-world experience

You will undertake an overseas placement, which can be taught in English, and you can also study a language at any level, from beginner to advanced, alongside your degree.

This means you’ll graduate with a range of transferable business and management skills, as well as international specialism, overseas experience, and a number of professional exemptions depending on the focus you’ve developed during your degree.

Professional accreditations

Aston Business School graduates can claim exemptions from the examinations of a number of professional bodies. These are dependent upon the options you have followed.

Accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) for the purpose of exemptions from some professional examinations.

Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) for the purpose of exemptions from some professional examinations.

This programme may also lead to accreditation or exemptions from the following professional bodies:

• ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)
• CII (Chartered Insurance Institute)
• CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing)
• CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants).

With our BSc International Business and Management degree accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), Aston University gives students the opportunity to gain marketing professional qualifications highly sought after by employers alongside their academic studies, thus ensuring that we are equipping students with the best opportunities for a successful marketing career.

Accreditation is a stamp of quality and prestige for a business school and its programmes. Aston is proud to be among 1% of business schools worldwide with triple accreditation. 

Two undergraduate degrees

This course offers an Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway option, meaning you could study overseas at one of our partner institutions during your placement year and graduate with two undergraduate degrees for the price of one. Find out more here.

International students

Information for international applicants

International students

Aston University is a diverse, close community and welcomes international students. Students from over 120 different countries chose to study with us every year. Based in the centre of Birmingham, Aston is not only a great place to study, it’s also a great place to live.

Aston’s professional work placements can improve your chance of securing a graduate job. Placements give you experience, confidence and opportunities and, as an Aston student, you’ll be better prepared for your future career. One of the great things about Aston is our focus on employability. Our close links with businesses, industries and professions make this possible.

For more information on applying as an international student, visit our webpage: www.aston.ac.uk/international/students-applying

 

Post-study work visa

Graduate Immigration Route

Aston University welcomed the creation of a new Graduate Immigration Route which enables international students to remain in the UK for two years after you complete your studies to find work. This new post-study work visa applies to international students completing full-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Find out more information about the Graduate Immigration Route.

Foundation programme

Choosing to start your Aston journey with our foundation programme in business will help you develop specialist knowledge to ensure that you are fully prepared to study your chosen undergraduate course. During your foundation year, you’ll have excellent support from academics while group projects will give you the chance to meet new people, make new friends and build a network of peers who will share your university journey. We also have a Learning Development Centre that can provide additional support and offer pre-sessional English language programmes.

For International Students intending to do a foundation year, visit ONCAMPUS

Modules

You will study a range of topics, designed to give you a solid foundation for your business degree. For the second and final years you are asked to select two subject areas on which to concentrate your study. At least one of these must be International Management or International Communications for Business.

Year 1

Your first year will include studies in International Perspectives to provide a strong foundation for your second and final years.  Although this degree does not include any language modules in your first year, you have the option to include a language from scratch or at an advanced level within this year as an extra-curricular option free of charge.

• Introductory Accounting for Business
• Introduction to Organisational Behaviour
• International Perspectives in Organisations 
• Law for Business  
• Introduction to Marketing Management 
• Principles of Operations Management
• Foundations of Business Analytics
• An Introduction to Business Economics 

Year 2

From the second year onwards, this degree offers a great deal of flexibility for you to begin tailoring your degree. In the second and final year you will specialise in two areas of management, these are:

• International Business and Emerging Market Economies 
• Introduction to Intercultural Communication 
• Business, Government & Society
• Virtual Business Simulation 

Students must also select one of the following finance modules:

• Strategic Finance
• Corporate Financial Management
• Communications for Business modules: 
• Language at Work 
• Critical Reflection on Language Learning 
   

Students can then select their remaining credits from a range of different business areas.

*Availability of any optional modules will be subject to staff availability and a minimum number of students who express an interest in studying the optional modules.

Year 3

You will spend this year in professional placement or you may choose to take up an international study opportunity at one of our partner institutions. This year is compulsory for all UK students. For International Business and Management students work placements must normally take place outside of the UK.

See placement year section or find out more about the Aston placement year.

Final Year 

During your final year you will continue to study your specialist area(s) in addition to the core module below:

• Advanced Topics in International Business 

Students must select one of the following International Business modules:

• International Finance
• International Marketing
• International Operations

You must select one of the following Integrating modules: 

• Effective Management Consultancy 1
• Effective Management Consultancy 2 
• Implementing Business Decisions 
• Knowledge at Work 

You must also select one of the following Strategy modules: 

• Strategic Management
• Strategic HRM 
• Marketing Strategy 
• Operations Strategy 

You can then select your remaining credits from the following Communication for Business modules or specialist areas:  

• Leadership and Management Communication 
• Advanced Leadership and Management Communication 
• Accounting and Finance
• Business Analytics
• Business Psychology
• Business Economics
• Information Systems
• Law
• Marketing
• Operations Management
• Sociology of Work and Business 

*Availability of any optional modules will be subject to staff availability and a minimum number of students who express an interest in studying the optional modules.

4 year with integrated placement year / 3 year course without integrated placement year option only available for non-UK/EU students

UCAS Code: NNC2

Typical offers:

A Levels

BBB – standard offer

BBC (with EPQ or Core maths minimum grade B)

BBC (contextual offer)*

*For details on our Aston Ready contextual offer scheme, please see here. 

IB

31 points overall in the IB diploma with 5,5,5 at HL. 

BTEC, Access & other

BTEC Extended Diploma DDD.

BTEC Extended Diploma DDM – (contextual offer)*

We accept the QAA-recognised Access Diploma which must consist of 45 credits at Level 3. You must obtain a minimum of 30 distinction and the rest must be at merit or distinction. Please note that we do not accept the English and Maths components within the Access qualification and you must meet the GCSE entry requirement.

The University also accepts the BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate/BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma and BTEC Level 3 National Diploma/BTEC Level 3 Diploma for entry onto degree programmes, provided that they are studied in combination with other qualifications that are equivalent to three full A2 Levels.

*For details on our Aston Ready contextual offer scheme, please see here. 

T Levels

The following T levels are accepted qualifications for this course:

• T-Level - Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction Grade D
• T-Level - Digital Production, Design and Production Grade D
• T-Level – Education and Childcare Grade D
• T-Level – Onsite Construction Grade D
• T-Level – Building Services Engineering for Construction Grade D
• T-Level – Digital Business Services Grade D
• T-Level – Digital Support Services Grade D
• T-Level – Health Grade D
• T-Level – Healthcare Science Grade D
• T-Level – Science Grade D

GCSEs

5 GCSE grades A*/9 – C/4 to include:

GCSE Maths – grade C/4

GCSE English Language OR English Literature– grade C/4

Please note that General Studies does not contribute towards the UCAS points requirement but is welcomed as an additional qualification.

Our Admissions Policy

View our Admissions Policy.

Whilst the grades listed here are our entry requirements, we understand that predicted grades are only an estimate. We will therefore consider applicants with predicted grades that fall below these entry requirements if the application is of a high standard (however, initial offers will not be lower than stated above).

Entry onto our Foundation Year maybe offered as an alternative to the degree course if lower entry grades are achieved.

*For details on our Aston Ready contextual offer scheme, please see here.

The information contained on this website details the typical entry requirements for this course for the most commonly offered qualifications. Applicants with alternative qualifications may wish to enquire with the relevant admissions teams prior to application whether or not their qualifications are deemed acceptable. For less commonly encountered qualifications this will be judged on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the academic admissions tutor.

International students

Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of an English language qualification. Find out more about our English language requirements.

For more information about qualifications view our Aston in your country webpage.

Aston University provides a range of opportunities for international students to join our community and study on our campus. A key part of our strategy is our relationships with teaching partners, providing multiple pathways to Aston. Find out more.

Our close links to industry and our focus on delivering practical business experiences provide a blend of learning and teaching experience to equip you for your future career.

Learning and teaching

As an international business and management student at Aston, you will experience our innovative approach to teaching, which combines a range of methods including lectures, seminars, tutorials, group working and case studies, as well as both individual and group presentations.

You’ll also collaborate with guest speakers on live projects, and hear talks from students on placements as well as alumni.

Traditional teaching is enhanced by our virtual learning environment that is used to host a range of electronic supporting materials. For example, all business students undertake the Business Game module and compete in teams as part of a computer simulation exercise, culminating in a presentation to a panel of internal employers.

Aston University has subscriptions to both the Financial Times and The Economist, which you can benefit from whilst studying here.

Assessment

You will undertake a mix of coursework and examinations.

Students who are made an offer will receive a detailed programme specification which forms part of our terms and conditions.

Personal development

Our International Business and Management degree is designed to give you a range of transferable and practical skills to succeed within your chosen career. We make extensive use of group working and presentations to prepare you for the reality of working life. This experience will develop your teamworking and negotiation skills.

The integrated placement year gives you the genuine, practical work experience that is invaluable in developing an appreciation of issues such as office politics, which cannot be replicated in the lecture room.

Placement year

The Aston placement year forms an integral part of your educational journey and is compulsory for all home students. International/EU students can request permission to opt out of the placement year, but we strongly recommend that it is completed where possible. 

Find out more about the Aston placement year.

Our four year course with an integrated placement during the third year gives you the chance to put theory into practice, gain relevant work experience, and develop professional and transferable skills.  

You will be studying at one of our carefully selected French, German or Spanish - speaking partner institutions (if studying a modern language to an advanced level) or at one of English-speaking institutions around the world. You may alternatively apply to organisations to undertake a professional international work placement in an English, French, Spanish or German-speaking environment depending on your language competency.  Students applying for professional international work placements are supported by the placements office.

We have a dedicated Employer Team within our Careers and Placements department who have links with local, national, and international organisations and advertise vacancies to students through an online platform exclusively for Aston students and graduates.  

Aston University was recognised as the 'Best University Placement Service'.

The Careers and Placements team at Aston University won the 'Best University Placement Service' category at the National Undergraduate Employability (NUE) Awards 2022. This was achieved by launching Virtual Employability Festivals and recognising the power of peer-to-peer communication by pairing 500 students looking for placements with 500 students who had completed placements.

The United Kingdom government has confirmed that European Union (EU), other European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss nationals commencing academic courses in England from August 2021 will no longer be charged the same tuition rates as Home students.

Further information

Tuition fees for students are reviewed annually and may increase in subsequent years in line with inflation linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI) to take account of the University’s increased costs of delivering the Programme. Any such increase shall always be in accordance with the law. When undertaking a placement year a placement year fee applies.

More information on fees and funding

Scholarships

At Aston University we are committed to supporting the most talented and hardworking students to achieve their potential by providing a range of scholarships to help lower tuition and living costs. Find out more about our scholarships here.

Our international business and management graduates are in high demand. A wide range of organisations are in need of managers who understand the human side of enterprise with an international perspective.

You will graduate with a BSc in International Business and Management as well as a number of exemptions from professional examinations, plus a year’s worth of industry experience.

Recent graduates

Recent graduates are now working both in the UK and overseas in roles including:

• Training and Communications Manager
• Assistant Brand Manager
• Associate Consultant
• Central Operations Executive
• Digital Marketing Analyst
• Operations Analyst
• Insurance Analyser.

Graduates have gone on to work at organisations such as Ernst and Young (EY), Accenture, HSBC UK, Lloyds Bank, Muller Dairy, Next Retail and Vodafone.

"I chose to study at Aston as the placement year was compulsory. I believed that experience in the working environment was extremely relevant for a business degree and the requirement of the placement year showed Aston’s expertise in the area. My placement challenged me in different ways and provided me with the technical and interpersonal skills required for future careers. It enabled me to apply what I had learnt at university and see how they function in a professional environment."

Rebecca Zafar
Audit Trainee at KPMG

Why study international business and management at Aston University?

You’ll get a good foundation of business knowledge as well as an international specialism, and you can shape your degree to focus on specific areas in your second and fourth year. This means you can develop accredited career paths in your chosen area, plus benefit from an integrated placement year overseas and choose to study a language for free alongside your degree.

Is a placement useful for international business and management?

Whether you want to work in a strategic management position overseas or for an organisation in the UK with a global outlook, your integrated placement year will help demonstrate to employers that you are able to transfer your knowledge to a real-world environment. A placement also helps you to understand the type of career you may want to establish once you graduate. It helps you put the learning from your lectures into practice and develop skills that you can’t replicate by studying alone.

What kind of jobs does a degree in international business and management lead to?

You will gain strategic management skills and a specialism in international business, plus a breadth of experiences and year in industry.  All of this is appealing for an organisation where you need to have a culturally sensitive outlook, ability to work with teams around the world (both in person and virtually), as well as a high level of understanding of the global forces that impact business decision-making.

Our graduates have gone on to work in roles including Training and Communications Manager, Assistant Brand Manager, Associate Consultant, Central Operations Executive, Digital Marketing Analyst, Operations Analyst and Insurance Analyser at organisations such as Ernst and Young (EY), Accenture, HSBC UK, Lloyds Bank, Muller Dairy, Next Retail and Vodafone.

Why Aston Business School?

Aston Business School is part of the top 1 per cent of business schools globally to have triple accreditation from AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS. We are also recognised for the quality of our teaching. We are ranked first in the UK for Value Added by Guardian University Guide 2020, comparing our students’ entry grades with their final degree result. All of this demonstrates our commitment to your learning experience and the skills you develop and demonstrate as part of your course.

What is the Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway at Aston Business School?

You can deepen your learning and stand out from other graduates whilst gaining a fantastic learning experience overseas. The Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway is similar to an exchange programme. During your placement year, you’ll follow a curriculum that sets you on track for our partner institution’s degree award. This means, if successful, you will graduate with two undergraduate degrees. Find out more here.

Why should international students choose Aston University?

Aston University is a diverse, close community and welcomes international students on many of our undergraduate programmes. Students from over 120 different countries chose to study with us every year.  Based in the centre of Birmingham, Aston is not only a great place to study, it’s also a great place to live.

Aston’s professional work placements can improve your chance of securing a graduate job. Placements give you experience, confidence and opportunities and as an Aston student, you’ll be better prepared for your future career. One of the great things about Aston is our focus on employability, and our close links with businesses, industries and professions make this possible

Choosing to start your Aston journey with our foundation programme in business will help you develop specialist knowledge to ensure that you are fully prepared to study your chosen undergraduate course.