Digital and Business Skills
Business Management with Finance
Salford Business School
Full-time
With placement
Three year
Four year
September 2023
In a nutshell
Studying BSc Business Management with Finance at the University of Salford gives you an understanding of the challenges faced by governments and organisations worldwide, as well as the skills and knowledge to work in a high-level business or managerial career. This industry-led course combines theory with professional experience, through business simulations, live projects and professional placements.
This course is taught at our green Peel Park campus close to Manchester city centre with a wide range of dedicated flexible study spaces and resources to support your learning.
"Salford Business School helped give me the foundation I needed to go into a job as well as help build my confidence as a person. When I graduated I knew exactly where I wanted to be! " - Nilima Begum, BSc Business Studies with Financial Management (previous title) Alumna
BE INDUSTRY READY
You will learn to use the key tools used by the professionals: training in Minitab, Excel and Sage is embedded in your learning. In addition, specific modules focus on your professional development so that you graduate with the necessary skills to take the first steps in your career.
Our business management with finance course is dual accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), the UK's only chartered professional body dedicated to upholding the highest standards in management and leadership. Working closely with industry partners, we've ensured that the programme remains highly practical, career-focused, and industry-informed, preparing you for a successful management career. We also take pride in collaborating with our student panel, ensuring that our teaching remains relevant, inclusive, and respectful to all.
You'll also have access to a wide range of opportunities that help you develop your real-world skills, such as live projects, paid work placements and study abroad schemes. The programme allows you the chance to spend your second year studying on an international exchange with one of our global partner institutions in Europe, the US or the rest of the world.
Our goal is to prepare you for a fulfilling life and professional career. Along the way, you’ll learn to be curious, adaptable and confident, ready to meet the digital, ethical and sustainability challenges of the 21st century.
How will we - together - achieve this?
Find out about our commitment to our students.
Want to find out more about our business management courses? Sign up to an Open Day, attend a campus tour or explore our home virtually. Our supportive course enquiries team can also help you with any general questions you may have.
You will:
- Study in a dynamic environment and learn practical management skills from business simulations and live projects.
- Build the business experience required for a range of general management positions.
- Develop the key skills that employers look for, such as project planning, team work and self-presentation.
options available
students accepted
This is for you if...
You are eager to develop sought-after skills through work placements, study abroad schemes, and real-world learning
Your want to build a thriving career in a pivotal business sector, opening doors across various industries
You have a head for numbers and are looking for a highly practical and career-focused business education
All about the course
CAREER FOCUSSED, HANDS ON LEARNING
Employability is at the core of every programme offered at Salford Business School. This means the modules included on BSc (Hons) Business Management with Finance have been developed to meet the current needs of employers.
- In your first year, you will start to develop an understanding of how organisations work, looking at key business and finance concepts, developing the skills needed for responsible leadership and understanding how to think strategically. You will be learning by doing through working on exciting and innovative business simulations or real-world projects.
- The second year is all about exploring more specialised theories and learning skills that will be transferable across multiple business functions. With core and optional modules, you can start to shape your own learning. The Professional Development module is designed for you to practise the skills you need – CV writing, being interviewed, assessment centres - to apply for and get a placement year and, ultimately, your dream job on graduation.
- By your final year, you are becoming a professional, developing the skills needed for the finance sector and understanding how to think strategically. Core modules increase your in depth knowledge and continue your career development while the optional modules allow you to specialise in your areas of interest.
Throughout the programme, your decision-making and critical thinking skills will be improved through the integration of real-world examples.
BUILD YOUR CV
As a Salford Business School student, you'll have access to opportunities that enhance your practical experience, employability, and entrepreneurial skills:
- Optional paid work placement year in your chosen field and internship opportunities
- Mock interviews, assessment centers, and networking sessions
- Utilisation of virtual reality body-swap technology to practice interview skills, allowing you to review and learn from the experience
- Engage in live projects with industry, tackle business challenges, and utilise business simulation sessions
- Benefit from Launch @Salford, our dedicated incubation center for startups, supported by experts
WORK PLACEMENTS / STUDY ABROAD
We strongly encourage you to develop your personal skills and your confidence by taking a year-long work placement in your third year and/or studying abroad for a term or a year.
- A work placement really enhances your CV and shows future employers that you can apply the skills, knowledge and understanding you have learned. You will not pay fees to the University and will earn a salary for the work that you do. Read about Ruksana Akter's experience on work placement at Salford City Council.
- Find out more about the range of International Opportunities such as Erasmus, Turing Scheme and International study exchanges.
LAUNCH@SALFORD
Interested in starting your own business? At Salford Business School we value entrepreneurial minds and aim to provide the support and resources needed for anyone wishing to build on a great business idea. Launch@ Salford is the incubation centre for business start ups providing a reception area, hot desk office space, private meeting rooms – and a networking lounge where you can grab a coffee and make those business connections. Launch@Salford also provides specialist support in the runnings of a start-up as well as opportunities to receive financial support
Find out more, register for one of our Open Days
The Digital and Business Skills module introduces a range of digital tools for academia and the workplace. Important business skills such as management, collaboration and teamwork are fundamental to the module. Regular engagement with online platforms provides tasks to improve digital competency. Also, cocreation work presents self-reflection and confidence building opportunities. Gaining the inspiring digital enterprise award (iDEA), completing LinkedIn learning assessments for Microsoft software applications, and completing collaborative video creation tasks will increase your digital and business skills as you progress towards the completion of this module. Digital Business is here to stay, so it is vital to improve these 21st century skills.
Understanding Organisations
This module provides you with an introduction to the key functions of business and is an opportunity to see how they work. You will get an understanding of functions including people management, accounting, marketing and operations, and how they underpin business success. This is illustrated through the lens of some of the successful businesses from across the Greater Manchester region that Salford Business School work with: we will look at a range of businesses including startups, family businesses and large scale enterprises and multinationals from different industry sectors. It is a first opportunity to see what makes businesses tick and will help you think about your future learning and employment journeys.
Financial Crises and Symptoms
This module will cover topics such as birth of the money (and credit) and bank, historical development of financial markets, evolution of financial exchanges and regulations. This module will equip you with knowledge about how current financial systems and principles were formed based on historical financial crises and their impact on development of financial systems, principles and regulations. By completing this module, students will have a practical vision towards finance and required skills in this field.
Data Analysis for Business
Using data effectively is central to business success and this module will provide a grounding in the key skills you will need to understand and use data. You will develop an understanding of the concepts required for the use and interpretation of the quantitative methods used to analyse business data. You will practice your essential Excel skills and learn to use Minitab, a statistical software package used by companies to spot trends, solve problems and use data to gain insight.
This module prepares you for more advanced studies dealing with quantitative analysis in business and economics.
The Future of Business
What are the opportunities for business in the future? Starting with a grounding in the business context you will gain an understanding of economics and the digital environment, including the role of the digital economy. We will explore some of the key challenges that are on the horizon such as the impact of massive digitisation and industry 4.0, inclusive growth, food security and the climate emergency, and look at the opportunities for business to provide responsible and sustainable solutions
Business Finance in Practice
This module is all about practical experience: using a business simulation tool you will have a chance to get into the heart of an organisation. Working in a group you will see what it is like to be the decision makers regarding all things finance and influence the success of your business. This is hands on learning which will teach you the fundamental principles of a specific organisational function relevant to your pathway area.
Professional Development
This module will enable you to plan and carry out appropriate professional development activities to increase your employability and performance. These include self-presentation, professional networking, project planning and implementation, team working, influencing and multimedia communication. You will gain all the necessary experience required to take advantage of global employment opportunities.
Watch this video to hear what students say about the module.
Financial Markets and Institutions
In this module, you learn the general concepts of financial markets and institutions. You will see the difference between primary and secondary markets and learn about markets for different products. Whilst studying this module, you will also look at various economic Indicators and their influence on the markets. After completing this module, you will have a much stronger background of financial markets and be ready to go to the next stage in the specialization. This module is designed to help students with very little or no finance background to learn the basics of financial markets and institutions.
Project Management
During this module we take a detailed look at various aspects of Project Management through a variety of means such as lectures and practical seminars informed by research and industrial collaborations. We will focus on theoretical approaches, tools and techniques of planning and controlling projects.
We will discuss project management as an important and integral part of a business whether this is product or service based.
Live Project in Finance
This module is a chance to get hands on experience inside a real organisation. Working in teams, reflecting your future working environment, you will help one of our partner organisations develop a solution to a current finance problem. This is a chance to apply people, project and time management in practice and to see how your solutions can apply in practice. Our employers tell us that experience of live briefs is important to them, and this is your chance to apply the knowledge you have gained on the course in that context.
International Finance
The International Finance module prepares students for a career in an international environment by broadening your economic and financial knowledge and helping to develop the skills required to manage international financial databases.
Business Intelligence and Dashboards
Students will be introduced to a variety of methods of analysis for management decision making, which will be practiced on real data sets aligned to students’ named degree titles. Formative assessment will be set for practice, with timely feedback given to aid learning and personal development.
The decision making techniques introduced in the module can be applied to a wide range of settings, such as interpreting market performance, forecasting growth, make or buy decisions, optimisation of scarce resources etc.
10 credit modules
In the first term, you have the opportunity to choose a short (10 credit) module in an area you might be interested in or that you've never tried before. Alternatively, you can secure a short work placement and get credit for it in your results. Choose one from the options below:
Applied Econometrics
This module aims to equip you with the analytical skills required to handle and analyse business, financial and economic data using basic econometric methods, including simple and multiple linear regression models, inference and hypothesis testing. As part of this module, you will get hands-on experience with the Data Analysis Toolkit within Excel and the Econometric/Statistical software package Stata. You will also undertake an applied empirical project where you are expected to demonstrate your understanding of data analysis and econometric methods.
The Digital Workplace
The digital workplace is here to stay. This module helps you gain an understanding of the application of digital technologies in organisations. You will develop a critical awareness of the relationship between people and the workplaces of the future. You will also explore the issues around implementing a digital strategy.
Business Accounting
You will be introduced to some fundamentals of basic financial and management accounting, learning to understand the content of financial statements and the accountancy practices required to prepare these statements. You will learn to analyse and interpret financial statements and use the data to make informed management decisions. With cost (and its impact on profit) a key factor in an organisation’s success, you will learn to communicate financial information both in writing and speaking.
Legal Aspects of Business
On this module, you will learn about some of the key aspects of law and how these impact upon business. You will be introduced to the outline of the English Legal System, Contract Law, Employment Law and Company Law. You will develop a critical understanding of legal issues that may arise in business situations and be able to use your knowledge of the law in relevant business practices.
Contemporary Issues in International Marketing
On this short module, you'll look at the issues affecting current marketing in a global setting and the impact this has on the wider business environment. You'll look at different marketing niches from a social, economic and environmental perspective, considering the importance of minority group affiliations associated with Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+, social inclusion, ethics, sustainability and the marketing-savvy green consumer. You'll also gain an understanding of the ethical, moral and legal requirements that managers must appreciate when engaging in international marketing activities.
Internship
A short internship, whether paid or unpaid, is invaluable for you to develop and demonstrate your skills in the real-world. This modules allows you to gain credits for work you do that is relevant to your degree and contributes to your employability. The Business School will provide support and guidance when you are looking for internship opportunities. This may be done during the summer period between the end of level 4 and the start of level 5 but other opportunities may be possible provided the relevant amount of work-based learning is undertaken. During term time, you will work on a reflective report to demonstrate what you learned during the internship.
Professional Experience Year
At the end of year 2, you may choose to undertake either a paid placement or study abroad for a year. If you choose to study abroad you will spend your academic year at one of our partner universities, enhancing your language skills and international business knowledge
All of our BSc students can apply for a one-year professional placement, which takes place between your second and last years of study. This is an excellent opportunity to take advantage of and over the last five years, 90% of Salford Business School undergraduates taking a one-year placement secured a 2:1 or 1st class Honours degree. We will help you find out about vacancies and make the right connections with high profile employers through regular events and presentations. Here is just a small selection of the companies our students have enjoyed placements with so far: NatWest, Barclays and the Cooperative Bank; BP, Esso and Shell; IBM, Hewlett Packard and Compaq; Ford, Vauxhall, Jaguar and Nissan; Marks & Spencer, Selfridges and Sainsbury’s; Eli Lilly, Glaxo and ICI; Fujitsu, Marriott and Virgin.
Business Ethics and Sustainability
This module equips you with an appreciation and in-depth understanding of the implications of Business Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability within national and international organisations. This module will also develop your knowledge with respect to the importance of the balance between shareholders, stakeholders and the purpose and values of the organisation. It will explore the roles of social and technological innovation in global ethical organisations in order to prepare you for future employability.
Business Finance
In Business Finance, concepts such as raising capital, capital markets and the capital structure of firms will be explored. You will evaluate the processes of mergers and takeovers and analyse the risks in international finance.
Leadership and Management in Finance
This module will help you to develop your leadership skills and prepare you for your future career. You will explore theory, behaviour, people management and leadership within an organisational context, apply this to the finance sector This is an opportunity to develop the skills you have gained in the early part of your degree and apply them to prepare you for the responsible and authentic leadership that future business requires.
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Employers tell us that they are looking for employees with an entrepreneurial mindset. Or perhaps you're thinking of setting up your own business.
In this module you have the opportunity to undertake an enterprise project for an internal or external sponsor on a topic of common interest. Alternatively, you can use this opportunity to undertake in-depth research for your own project, for example, a business plan if you are wanting to start up a company after you graduate. The nature of the project will be negotiated by yourself, the module leader and the sponsoring company.
Strategic Management
You will acquire an organisation-wide perspective through exploring strategy techniques and processes within the global environment. The module prepares you for a career in business and management and develops the next generation of managers. It allows you to apply the knowledge and understanding of strategy to a variety of real-word organisations and helps student’s ability to deploy accurately established techniques of analysis and enquiry, some of which are at the forefront of strategic research and practice.
Students who successfully complete the Professional Development module (studied in 2nd year) and the Strategic Management module, can apply for membership of the Institute of Leadership and Management.
Innovation in Financial Services OR Dissertation
10 credit modules
This is a further opportunity for you to choose a short (10 credit) module in an area you might be interested in or that you've never tried before. Alternatively, you can secure a short work placement and get credit for it in your results. Choose one from the options below:
Technology Innovation
Technology innovation is concerned with developing your awareness and understanding of the use of digital technologies and their role in digital transformation. We will examine contemporary issues in this area and explore the impact that digital technology had had on business and will have in the future. On completion, you will have a critical awareness of the digital industry and have considered the application of technology to business problems. This module links with and is supported by Launch@ Salford, the University’s incubation centre.
Big Data Analytics
Modern businesses derive significant insight from applying advanced analytical techniques to massive volumes of data. In the module, you will learn a range of established Big Data and analytics techniques and the value they provide to organisations. On successful completion of the module, you will not only be able to collect and analyse data to underpin business decisions but also be able to apply them within the business context, looking at strategy, business goals and organisational competitive advantage.
Climate Change and Sustainability in Business
Climate change is a fundamental stressor which erodes past development and threatens future developments in vital areas of the well-being of humans. The sustainable use of energy is important in the 21st century due to our dependence on energy for transportation, business and heating which is the main factor behind climate change and the key to its solution. Therefore, energy and climate change are inextricably linked. The import of this module is to provide you with a background on issues pertaining to climate change from a multidisciplinary lens. You will study the science and policy of climate change, international climate finance, energy policy, business and sustainability and environmental policy.
Investment Management
Information Security Management
The aim of this module is to understand the management and protection of digital information across various technologies. The module also concerns managing data security risk, cybersecurity risk, data policy in contemporary digital technologies, the strategic aspects of information security management and digital forensics and the legal, ethical ad professional concerns in data security.
Internship
A short internship, whether paid or unpaid, is invaluable for you to develop and demonstrate your skills in the real-world. This modules allows you to gain credits for work you do that is relevant to your degree and contributes to your employability. The Business School will provide support and guidance when you are looking for internship opportunities. This may be done during the summer period between the end of level 5 and the start of level 6 but other opportunities may be possible provided the relevant amount of work-based learning is undertaken. During term time, you will work on a reflective report to demonstrate what you learned during the internship.
Please note that it may not be possible to deliver the full list of options every year as this will depend on factors such as how many students choose a particular option. Exact modules may also vary in order to keep content current. When accepting your offer of a place to study on this programme, you should be aware that not all optional modules will be running each year. Your tutor will be able to advise you as to the available options on or before the start of the programme. Whilst the University tries to ensure that you are able to undertake your preferred options, it cannot guarantee this.
At the beating heart of it
Based at our picturesque Peel Park campus, just a five-minute journey from central Manchester, Salford Business School sits at the heart of Greater Manchester's thriving business and digital sectors, with close links and a campus at MediaCity.
Our student space on the sixth floor of the Maxwell Building offers dedicated areas for collaborative and independent study and break-out spaces like our student kitchen. Additionally, here you can find our in-school progression and careers teams to support your journey.
CMI dual accredited
Our business management programmes are dual accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), the professional body dedicated to promoting the highest standards in management and leadership. You will receive complimentary CMI student membership and benefits throughout your degree.
When you graduate, you will also receive a CMI Level 5 Diploma in Management and Leadership. This qualification signifies your expertise in leadership and management, equipping you with comprehensive knowledge for success across various management areas.
Dedicated support
Our in-school Student Progression Assistants ensure a smooth journey throughout your course. For non-course matters, our university-wide support service, askUS, is on hand to assist across a range of topics.
Our Careers and Employability team, along with in-school advisors, support your career journey with one-on-one appointments, drop-ins, industry events, networking opportunities, and more. Interested in starting a business? Our start-up incubator, Launch @Salford, offers expert insight and support.
A global community
As a hub for knowledge exchange within the local business community, our collaborations benefit students, businesses, and the community. We aim to equip you with the skills to thrive in life and your career, fostering curiosity, adaptability, and confidence to tackle 21st-century challenges.
Our goal is to prepare you for future career success. Along the way, you’ll learn to be curious, adaptable and confident, ready to meet the digital, ethical and sustainability challenges of the 21st century.
Business In Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester’s dynamic business and digital sectors play host to over 290,000 enterprises, providing you with rich real-world learning opportunities and industry-informed teaching.
Our diverse business collaborations - from start-ups to leading multinationals - drive local and global productivity and growth, positioning Greater Manchester as an internationally renowned business and digital hub.
What about after uni?
FURTHER STUDY
A postgraduate degree is a great option if you want to take your knowledge and skills to the next level. Salford graduates and alumni also receive significant fee discounts. Learn about our postgraduate courses.
EMPLOYMENT
The aim of this course is to provide you with the skills, knowledge and experience you need so that you have good job opportunities after you graduate. We have used our close links with industry partners to make sure the programme is highly practical, career-focused and industry-informed so you are ready for a successful career within business and finance. We are proud to work with our student panel to ensure our teaching is relevant, inclusive and respectful for all.
Whether it’s financial management, systems analysis, purchasing or banking, many of our graduates go on to enjoy successful and rewarding careers in high-level careers. American Express, BBC, Citibank, Ladbrokes, Numerica and KPMG are just a few of the organisations our alumni are bringing their ambition and ideas to.
We asked our industry contacts what they look for when employing graduates. Here’s some of the advice they gave:
“Soft skills – the communication, the listening, the team working - are really, really key. Graduates need to demonstrate how they’ve acquired some soft skills whether that’s been undertaking a project or demonstrating time management.” - Vivine Cameron, Education Partnerships Executive, The Chartered Insurance Institute
Career Links
The University of Salford grew out of the institutes of the late 19th century that provided a talented, technically proficient and professional workforce to support the UK’s rapidly growing industries. In the 21st century, this still holds strong. Whilst industry has changed significantly, the need for industry-focussed education is equally relevant today.
As a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) accredited business school, we teach the skills that employers need, and as a result, our graduates enjoy excellent international career prospects.
The curriculum across our undergraduate courses balances academic teaching and professional experience, allowing you to apply theory in practice in a way that has been proven to produce highly employable, articulate business professionals who have forged the contacts that will help develop their future careers.
What you need to know
This course isn’t suitable for international students. If you are an international student and interested in studying a foundation year, please visit our International Foundation Year course page.
APPLICANT PROFILE
This course offers excellent scope for any student wanting to start a career in management, finance, marketing and a variety of other different business areas. Knowledge and expertise in finance and business are highly sought after by employers across a wide variety of sectors. This course will appeal to a range of applicants and there is no need to have studied these subjects before to be successful.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
All of our courses are taught and assessed in English, so as an applicant you must meet our minimum English language entry requirements. If you are an international student and not from a majority English-speaking country, you will need IELTS 6 with no element below 5.5.
We also accept a range of other English language qualifications. If you do not have the English language requirements, you could take the Pre-Sessional English course, or the International Foundation Year to gain entry onto this degree.
GCSE
Maths and English at grade C or grade 4 and above (or equivalent).
You must fulfil our GCSE entry requirements as well as one of the requirements listed below.
UCAS Tariff points
104 - 112 UCAS Tariff points
A level
BCC - BBC with a minimum of two A2 passes
BTEC National Diploma
DMM
T levels
Pass (C in Core subject) or Merit
If applying to start from September 2024, you will need a Merit.
Access to HE
104 - 112 UCAS Tariff points– Pass with a minimum of 45 credits at Level 3 and 15 at Level 2
Scottish Highers
104 - 112 UCAS Tariff points with a minimum of two Advanced Highers
Irish Leaving Certificate
104 - 112 UCAS Tariff points with a minimum of two A2 passes
International Baccalaureate
30 points for International Baccalaureate Diploma
European Baccalaureate
Pass Diploma with 60% or above
International Students
We accept qualifications from all around the world. Find your country to see a full list of entry requirements. If you do not meet the entry requirements, you could take the International Foundation Year to gain entry onto this degree.
Salford Alternative Entry Scheme (SAES)
We welcome applications from students who may not meet the stated entry criteria but who can demonstrate their ability to pursue the course successfully. Once we have received your application we will assess it and recommend it for SAES if you are an eligible candidate.
There are two different routes through the Salford Alternative Entry Scheme and applicants will be directed to the one appropriate for their course. Assessment will either be through a review of prior learning or through a formal test.
How much?
EU fees
For entry in the 20/21 academic year, EU students will be charged the Home rate in the fees table below. From September 2021 onwards, EU students will be charged the International fee shown in the table.
Type of study | Year | Fees |
---|---|---|
Full-time home | 2023/24 | £9,250per year |
Full-time international | 2023/24 | £15,120per year |
Full-time home | 2024/25 | £9,250per year |
Full-time international | 2024/25 | £15,720per year |
Additional costs
You should also consider further costs which may include books, stationery, printing, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits.
Scholarships for international students
If you are a high-achieving international student, you may be eligible for one of our scholarships. Explore our international scholarships.
All set? Let's apply
Still have some questions? Register for one of our Open Days or contact us:
By email: enquiries@salford.ac.uk
By phone: +44 (0) 161 295 4545
Enrolment dates
UCAS information
Course ID N1N3
Institution S03