Business, management and marketing studies
Study of organisations - finance, accounting, marketing, human resource management, and administrative functions.
The skills you gain on a business course will mean you are well placed to get a job in the City.
What will I learn?
Degrees in business and management are among the most popular among students. Fortunately, universities have sought to match demand with plenty of courses.
These degrees focus on how organisations operate - what they do, their styles of management and their business strategies. Marketing degrees look more closely at understanding consumer behaviour – from understanding the psychology of advertising, to developing a grasp of how the economic climate impacts particular sectors.
There is a diverse range of courses, each with a different emphasis or specialism. For example, some courses will lean more towards commerce or retail, while others will focus on tourism or international business. The common threads of any business degree, however, tend to be looking at finance, marketing and human resource management.
Some business courses will have a more defined vocational element to them, so you'll be working in a team to create a company and market a product before you've finished looking at your reading list. Other courses will make work placements a compulsory part of the degree. Most universities will boast of having good links with business, which means visiting lecturers and the chance to build contacts.
Big business is no longer just about making money and ruthless takeovers, however. Companies are trying to improve their ethical and environmental standing, so expect to see relevant course modules popping up in the prospectus.
What skills will I gain?
As well as an understanding of how things work in business and management, by the time you graduate you should be able to demonstrate an understanding of markets, finance, managing people, operations, information systems, policy and strategy.
You probably won't be afraid of standing up in front of the class to present your ideas or argue your point around the negotiating table.
With group work a key part of many courses, you will have built up your teamwork and leadership skills, and be able to demonstrate your ability to consider all things related to establishing your own business and marketing a product.
You should also have an understanding of the ethical implications of business operations. If your work focuses on retail, you should be able to debate issues surrounding fair trade, for example.
A key part of managing others is the ability to relate to them and understand their needs, all skills you should be developing during your degree.
What job can I get?
A popular subject among students will inevitably mean tougher competition for jobs. And because it's not as specialist a field as architecture or medicine, say, you may find yourself up against graduates with history or economics degrees who decide in their final year that they want a career in business.
That said, the nature of your business courses and the practical experience that you've gained will mean you are well placed to get a job in the City or in one of the top companies that recruit graduates for their annual programmes. These graduate schemes should give you a good general grounding in business and the chance to focus on a particular area, such as human resources, or finance or marketing.
What will look good on the CV?
· Evidence of effective problem-solving and decision-making.
· Self-awareness and sensitivity in relation to business and management issues.
· The ability to address issues at international level.
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