By Andreea Ionescu
The syllabus for BA Business Management covers a wide range of topics and most importantly, it gives you the chance to tailor your degree to suit your career preferences. It offers a broad scope of knowledge and skills with the opportunity to specialise later in the course, starting with eight core modules in the first year and ending with only one core module in the final year.
As it is important to get a grasp of each topic (i.e. maths, accounting, economics,
marketing etc), the first year includes a range of modules. Without basic knowledge in all core business sides, it is very difficult to become a valuable professional for either a company or for your own enterprise. These modules are constructed as an introductory stage to business management and possible pathways in your career.
Moving on to the second year, the flexibility of choosing your modules tailored to your preferences increases. The core syllabus includes Organisational Behaviour, Business Strategy, Operations Management and Essentials of Marketing. Beside these modules you are able to choose from a very wide range of optional modules (eight run by SUMS and other unrestricted modules from across the university, such as foreign language modules).
To give you an example of the benefit of tailoring your degree I will describe my journey at SUMS. In the first year, as an international student, I wasn’t familiar with the British curriculum and how the course was delivered. Getting an insight in every topic has helped me to familiarize myself with the British and international business environments. As I developed academic knowledge in these various topics, I have realized I really enjoy studying business strategy.
In my second year, although the Business Strategy module is challenging, with the teaching methods and help from my lecturer and tutor, I have managed to score 80 marks.
Continuing in my final year, I have tailored my range of modules to match my interest in strategy and in internalisation, by choosing Strategy Practice, International Business and International Marketing.
I believe that the possibility to tailor my degree around my interests and professional goals has helped me to gain high grades and to greatly enjoy my degree. As a result of this amazing benefit I will be continuing in education to do my Masters.