BA (Hons) Business Management and Geography (with Foundation Year)

In this module, you’ll be actively engaged with the study of Business and Management, through exploring essential characteristics of organisations in a global context, while assessing the role of management within this. You’ll explore the functions of business and the impact of the external environment on business choices. You’ll also use a variety of media including simulation and published accounts of decisions being enacted by businesses and managers today.

This will equip you with the core concepts required to analyse and research business and management issues. You’ll also develop your academic and employability skills, such as critical thinking, evidenced based decision-making and collaboration.

In this module you will start to develop the personal and professional skills and mindsets to help you transition into your studies and life at Oxford Brookes. Through this module you will join and help build a student community and together you will review and understand the key topics required for you all to become critical thinkers and to thrive as independent learners.

In this module, you’ll be introduced to the techniques most widely used in human and physical geographical research, including:

• mapping
• surveying
• observational recording
• focus groups, interviews and questionnaires.

Although the module is largely theoretical, in preparation for the year 2 module ‘Advanced Research Skills for Geographers’, you’ll also undertake local field-based exercises, designed to demonstrate the techniques in action. You’ll be involved in tasks such as:

• making detailed, empirical geographical observations using widely employed geographical equipment
• locating and exploring geographical databases and archives
• using basic digital mapping programmes to investigate the physical and human environment.

Immerse yourself in the latest discoveries of both human and physical geography. This module will introduce you to the foundational core principles, theories, debates, and methods for exploring the intertwined relationships between human societies and the Earth's environmental systems.

In this module, you'll be guided on your journey as you transition into university life, developing a deeper fundamental understanding of geography gained across your first year of study. You'll be invited to explore your own motivations, aspirations, strengths and strategies for success, resulting in a personal plan of action to maximise the opportunities in and beyond the curriculum.

In doing so, you'll uncover a greater level of self-belief and resilience in your ability to succeed. In addition, your confidence will grow in core attributes, competencies, technologies and skills (ACTs) associated with your geography programme and future world of work. You'll engage in real-world geographical issues across human and physical environments, applying spatial thinking and field-based enquiry to understand the dynamic connections between people, place and planet.

You'll be introduced to the techniques that are utilised in physical geographical research, such as mapping, surveying, field and laboratory analysisorientation, and observational recording

You'll engage with and carry exrcises that involve:

• Map reading
• Surveying techniques
• Chemical analysis of soils/sediments
• Digital landscape interpretation
• Content analysis
• Working with secondary data
• Referencing, and academic writing style.

To give you an understanding of the complex and dynamic challenges of contemporary global labour markets, you’ll explore contemporary issues about work, employment and global labour markets throughout this module. You’ll also investigate the changing nature and organisation of work, inequalities at work, migration and labour mobility, identity at work, and the digital economy. These issues will be examined using a variety of institutional, organisational and individual theoretical perspectives.

From exploring post-industrial work and society within different institutional contexts, you’ll gain a key understanding of issues of diversity and inclusion at work, while gaining the intellectual skills required to critically research and review literature.

This module will help you develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for making effective career decisions and managing your future career development, including transitions into graduate employment, self-employment or further study (including professional training courses) whether in the UK or overseas. In the context of the Business School commitment to responsible management education (PRME), this module will support you in taking an informed and critical view of the current and future world of work and consider your future role and responsibility, not only to yourself but also to others. This module will raise your awareness of the services and support offered by the Careers Service and OBBS WAVES (Work and Voluntary Employment) team. The aim is to encourage you to further develop your career by engaging in placements, internships, volunteering and other extracurricular activities offered by the University.

In this module, you’ll delve into the social issues and opportunities associated with international business, and the challenges associated with a dynamic business environment. To develop your understanding of globalisation, you’ll be provided with a thorough overview of current affairs. You’ll also explore international business, while considering issues of sustainability and equality.

By completing this module, you’ll be able to assess the management and operational environment in which international business operates, while also developing the ability to analyse specific international business, innovation and sustainability strategies pursued by firms (MNCs, SMEs, NGOs).

You’ll look at the environmental sustainability challenges facing society and businesses. You’ll discuss key environmental issues such as:

• global warming
• pollution
• biodiversity loss
• freshwater depletion.

You'll also look at the role of business in causing, as well as responding to, such issues.

You’ll explore macro (economic, policy, governance) as well as micro (organisational and individual) perspectives. You’ll also be introduced to a variety of stakeholder perspectives and frameworks for evaluating business responses. Through the module you’ll develop your key competencies for sustainability that are endorsed by UNESCO (2017) and the QAA/Advance HE (2021). The competencies are:

• systems thinking
• anticipatory thinking
• normative competency
• strategic thinking
• collaborative competency
• critical thinking
• self-awareness
• integrated problem-solving competency.

This module is designed to provide practical guidance and support in undertaking a placement search, preparing for the placement experience, and succeeding in the modern workplace. Throughout the module, you will develop critical self-awareness and personal literacy skills, enabling you to self-reflect on your own strengths and weaknesses and target your placement search effectively. Additionally, you will also explore methods of effective and targeted placement search, increasing your chances of securing a placement.

In summary, this module is an essential component of your employability journey. By integrating with co-curricular activities, the module provides a holistic approach to employability, ensuring that students have a broad range of skills and experiences to draw upon in their future careers.

You'll look at the development, application and realities of different research methods in the social sciences. You'll equip yourself with the understanding and skills required to analyse research methods, design, processes and research outcomes. You'll study the methods that social scientists use to gather and analyse ‘data’ or evidence, and evaluate and compare these methods. You'll study the ways that research methods are applied in practice, by drawing upon existing examples of research in social sciences.

You'll also learn how to design their own research project, in preparation for your third-year extended project work. In so doing you'll carefully explore what is appropriate and achievable for your undergraduate research project.

In Cities: Geographies of the Urban Experience, you will be introduced to urban geography. Throughout the module, you will explore a range of ways in which cities shape, and are shaped by people. From the modern architectural movement, to protest and public space, you will learn about the central role that cities play in politics and everyday life. Central to the module is understanding the ways in which inequality is built into urban life, and what we can do to challenge it.

In this module, you’ll gain an understanding of The Earth as a global system. You’ll consider it in terms of spheres: the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere, each interacting in different scales of time and space.

You’ll gain core information you need to succeed in physical geography, as you understand how these spheres underpin the character and behaviour of the global system that we observe. You’ll explore each of these spheres in detail, gaining a whole picture of the global system. To do this you will engage with a range of disciplines, including:

• geology
• hydrology
• micro and macro ecology
• atmospheric chemistry
• physics
• computer modelling.

What are the connections between place and power? This module introduces you to political geography and geopolitics. You’ll look at both historical and ongoing debates to enable you to understand the spatial and material relations of political power, including territory, borders, mobility, security, nations, nationalism, sovereignty and environmental politics. You’ll interrogate and challenge common assumptions about geopolitics and explore geographical ideas in the light of current events, emphasising the relevance and real-world application of political geographical thought.

In this module, you’ll consider the different exchange rate regimes, both in theory and in practice. You’ll also explore theory of international trade, the costs and benefits of protectionism, and national and international measures to encourage competition. You’ll also be able to understand how to prevent anti-competitive behaviour and their rationale, and study the international organisations that control and regulate free trade.

You’ll be able to analyse international data from a variety of sources, and explain international trade patterns including trading blocks and the role of MNCs and FDI.

You will start to build your project management experience and apply a design thinking framework to identify, develop and refine an idea. You will be working in teams and have the opportunity to work on a problem and apply a design thinking approach which is integrated with the workshop. You will take part in a series of workshops, building on previous learning. You will apply your knowledge and understanding of project management to a specific challenge. This will help you to develop your practical problem solving skills, improving your collaboration skills and communication skills.

The module covers various non-profit organisations such as charities and social enterprises, and emphasises the unique aspects of the third sector, which relies heavily on a volunteer workforce. By taking this module, you will gain valuable insights into the day-to-day operations of non-profits and learn how to address strategic issues that these organisations face. Additionally, the module will help you develop both conceptual and practical skills that are essential for non-profit placements, independent study modules, or dissertations.

Overall, you will have a broad understanding of the third sector, its similarities and differences from the private and public sectors, and the opportunities and challenges that come with working in the non-profit sector. By acquiring this knowledge, you can pursue a career in non-profit organisations or become an informed citizen who can contribute to the sector in various ways.

On this placement, you will be able to access a 40-52 week work-based learning or placement opportunity to help develop your employability and enterprise skills. You will gain first-hand knowledge and experience of making applications to, and working in, a placement role. You will set your own work-based targets and reflect upon your progress in the role you have on your placement. Halfway through your placement, you will make a presentation to your line manager and placement tutor which summarises your gained knowledge on your placement and the tasks you have/will complete in your placement role.

This is an opportunity for you to study Business topics abroad in order to experience a different national, educational and business culture and to build on your knowledge, understanding, skills and competencies you have acquired during the earlier part of your course. This will help you to develop those skills to a higher level and to acquire new skills. All the topics studied will be relevant to your degree.

You will undertake an international study exchange at a university outside the UK, arranged by the University’s exchanges office. This international study exchange lasts for one academic year and is taken after the conclusion of your second year of studies (Level 5).

This 24-week placement is your opportunity to develop your employability and enterprise skills, within the UK or Europe. You will gain first-hand knowledge and experience of making applications to, and working in, a placement role. You will set your work-based targets and reflect upon your success in your placement role. At the end of the placement, you will make a presentation to your line manager and placement tutor which summarises the knowledge and skills you have developed on your placement.

This module aims to begin to develop Pre-Master’s students’ academic reading, research and critical thinking skills in preparation for postgraduate study and to support the development of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) literacy skills.

The three main purposes of the module are to:

1. begin to develop academic reading skills to prepare for postgraduate study in the UK
2. to begin to develop skills in locating, evaluating and using appropriate sources with appropriate citation, and
3. to begin to develop the skill of responding critically to the content and context of reading.

Why should businesses be socially responsible? Why is it our responsibility to make sure others don’t suffer as we make money? In this module, you’ll dive into the different corporate regimes which ensure that we hold businesses to account for their actions. .

You'll explore the concept of business strategy and its application in disrupted business environments. It focuses on understanding the challenges and opportunities presented by disruptive forces and how organisations can develop robust strategies to navigate uncertain futures. You'll examine various aspects of business strategy, including:

• innovation
• digital transformation
• scenario planning
• and sustainability.

You'll analyse case studies, engage in strategic thinking exercises, and develop your essential practical skills to formulate and be able to implement strategies in disrupted business environments.

Build your knowledge of the theory and practice of career management. You will demonstrate critical insight into your own knowledge, skills and experience and consider how this might allow you to manage your post-graduation career. You will also apply these ideas as you develop and run a learning activity for others.

What will cities look like in fifty years? What did thinkers from the mid-nineteenth century to today propose about how to reconstruct and manage urban life? From global warming to ageing populations, you'll examine the trends that are shaping the cities of the future, and gain key analytical skills as you consider how cities might best adapt to these challenges. As with the Year 2 Cities module, we’ll focus on urban society as much as on city form, regarding people and place as inseparable.

This module is designed to address our changing world that is facing social and environmental challenges. You’ll develop the capacity to make ethically defensible decisions as members of business organisations and of society in general. You’ll analyse and evaluate the ethical propositions of others. And you’ll evaluate the ethics of different systemic models of production, distribution and exchange.Upon completing this module you will be able to evaluate and apply ethical reasoning to local and global business dilemmas and economic systems, and you’ll be able to evaluate the significance of a range of western and non-western ethical perspectives.

The module aims to develop critical thinking in evaluating the application of change management theory and normative practices to challenges taking place in organisations and wider society. The literature used in the module draws on a breadth of sources including the mainstream and contemporary literature on change management. It aims to increase personal reflexivity and self-awareness.

After completing this module, you will have an understanding of the nature of change and key theories, frameworks, principles and practices relevant for the management and leadership of change. You'll be able to evaluate critically the actions taken by those leading change. You will be better prepared to lead and manage change in your own managerial careers and have an increased awareness of your own potential for ongoing personal development in leading and managing change.

This module closely examines the complex history, contested present and potential futures of one of the most important and consequential geographic devices in today’s world: borders. You'll trace the historical development of territorial and sovereign practices that have led to the concept of borders as we know them today. You'll address debates about the continuing relevance of borders in today’s world, and you'll look ahead to the future of borders as they intersect with pressing concerns such as climate change, migration and identitarian movements.

You will develop a broad understanding of climate science. By examining evidence from a range of observation, process, modelled and paleoclimate data.

You will explore how the chemical and physical changes. Which is often driven by human activity and has global and regional impacts. You'll also look at how this leads to informing the climate policy-making process.

The module covers a multi-disciplinary approach to contemporary issues in entrepreneurship allowing you to develop a well-rounded skill set. Throughout the module, you will learn from experts in the field and gain practical insights into entrepreneurship. You will have the opportunity to engage in practical learning, including research and working within a community of like-minded individuals, enhancing your personal and professional growth. Moreover, emphasis is placed on interaction within a research community, providing you with valuable teamwork and communication skills.

Overall, this module offers you a unique learning experience that combines academic rigour with practical insights, giving you a competitive edge in the job market while developing essential research and self-development skills.

You'll explore socially and environmentally responsible approaches to organisational leadership in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) environment. You'll be equipped to develop your own innovative leadership approaches based on an understanding of individual and global values, and you'll have opportunities to build on this understanding and create positive impact.

The module is underpinned by the United Nations Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The module is geared towards employability and career management. Through carbon literacy training accredited by The Carbon Literacy Project, it will equip you with the ‘green’ and ‘socially just’ knowledge for responsible leadership, layered with the skills to notice and build interconnections across organisational roles and functions.

In this module, you’ll explore the changing relationship between anthropology, and international development (the idea that different countries have different levels of development). You’ll gain a strong grounding in international development. You’ll gain key analytical skills as you dive into debates on the relationship between anthropology and development. You’ll explore key issues for anthropologists working in international development, including:

• gender relations
• environmental issues
• health
• youth
• religion.

You’ll compare ideas and practices in international development. You’ll look at approaches to social policy, inequality and well-being in the UK. And you disrupt the lines we draw between North and South, developed and underdeveloped, or advanced and emerging economies and societies.

The Independent Study Module gives you the opportunity to explore a legal topic in greater depth, working closely with an academic whose research interests align with your chosen area. It allows you to investigate issues that go beyond the taught curriculum and develop expertise in a subject that reflects your interests and future ambitions.

You'll build advanced research, analysis and academic writing skills as you engage with legal scholarship, case law and contemporary debates. Students on our named pathways complete their project within their area of specialism, providing an opportunity to deepen their knowledge and showcase their expertise.

Whether you're considering postgraduate study, legal practice or another professional path, the module enables you to pursue an area you're passionate about while developing the independent learning skills valued by employers and researchers alike.

This module is compulsory if studying one of the named pathways.

In this module, you'll develop and utilise your research skills and take a deep dive into topics encountered in other elements of the programme through an extended project. You'll either work on a community project or a research dissertation. If you're studying a joint-honours course, you'll have the opportunity to undertake a discipline-specific project or an interdisciplinary project.