BA (Hons) Business and Finance

Level One

Contemporary Business Analysis

Students are introduced to a range of economic concepts and basic analytical techniques.

Upon successful completion students are able to:

• Explain the workings of the price mechanism, the labour market and various forms of market failure
• Explain the relationship between the firm's costs, revenues, prices and outputs within various market structures
• Analyse the interaction between entrepreneur, the firm and its external environment
• Analyse the inter-relationships between government and key macro-economic indicators
• Understand the links between the internal and external economy and how this impacts on the firm and its external environment.

Business Planning and Forecasting

This introduces some quantitative techniques fundamental to analysis, planning and forecasting in business. It promotes a critical awareness and understanding of some of the processes, techniques and technology by which numerical information can be collected and communicated. Students practise the systematic use of appropriate industry-standard computer technology for the acquisition, analysis and presentation of data (for example, Excel or SPSS).

Introduction to Business Law

This serves as an introduction to the English legal system and English contract law. The module is designed to give students a basic understanding of contract issues in England and will enable students to appreciate when a legally binding agreement comes into existence, the obligations involved and the consequences of breaking such agreements.

Introduction to Accountancy and Finance

Students are introduced to the nature and mechanics of financial information. This encourages a critical reflection upon the construction and uses of such information. Both management and financial accounting are considered. Students examine the role of financial information for possible users and explore the different, often conflicting needs of these groups.

Organisational Behaviour: Evolving Perspectives of Management

A number of competing and contrasting perspectives of past and present thinking on management are explored. In considering the changing and evolving roles of management and managers, the module acknowledges that the study of organisational behaviour is multi-disciplinary and draws in particular from psychology, social psychology, sociology, economics and political science.

Principles of Marketing

This provides an introduction to the theory and practice of marketing. Students are familiarised with key concepts and issues of marketing, giving them a thorough grasp of marketing decisions and what factors affect them. Learning is somewhat directive and progressively students are required to become more independent in their work. There are two different assessment types: individual essay writing and a group presentation.

Level Two

Operations Management

This module responds to the need for students to understand the issues surrounding the management of resources and operations.

The module sets these issues in the context of:

• Understanding organisations as 'systems' seeking to remain viable within their environments
• The notion of 'operations management' as the act of aligning processes and systems to deliver an overall strategy and its marketing objectives, in both the service and the manufacturing environments.

Marketing in Practice

This module considers the key influences on marketing, helping students to understand the issues involved in making marketing-mix decisions. The relevance of competition to marketing decisions, the implementation of marketing in the organisation and selected applications of marketing are also considered. A key theme of the module is the understanding and relevance of the concept of competitive advantage.

Critical Human Resource Management: Managing Diversity

This module engages critically with diversity and equality issues in contemporary organisations. Evaluation of current organisational strategies to promote and manage equality and diversity are key elements of this module. Critical examination of the role of "social justice" and "competitive business" are also incorporated. Social, ethical and philosophical dimensions of diversity in terms of gender, age, race, sexuality and disability will be explored, along with their practical implications

Contemporary Issues in Business

This module explores a range of issues that emphasise the increasingly international business environment. These issues are underpinned by appropriate theory so that students can explain and analyse them using appropriate conceptual tools. For operational efficiency, the module is split into two elements. The first focuses on the international business environment and the second on domestic contemporary issues.

Financial Management

The purpose of this module is to introduce students to the role of the financial manager. The module focuses on the key issues surrounding investment, financing and distribution decisions, specifically:

• The identification and evaluation of investment opportunities in the context of shareholder wealth maximisation
• Appraisal techniques used in the evaluation of investment opportunities
• Issues of risk evaluation and determination in the identification, selection and evaluation of investment opportunities
• The principal financial products available to government, companies and individuals
• The markets in which these financial products are traded.

Level Three

Work Placement Year (Optional)

Level Four

Strategic Management

Strategic Management draws upon and integrates a range of business disciplines in examining both theory and practice. In so doing, it bridges the gap between discrete functionalist perspectives and the broader issues involved in general management activity. The module examines the overall challenges, issues and solutions, which are associated with the running of modern organisations.

Business Project Management (Elective, Choose One)

Business project management is considered an important management philosophy for how organisations manage changing business environments. All projects have to be managed to a successful conclusion, which relies on complex and important decisions being made through phases of planning, monitoring and controlling. The module focuses on the issues of planning, organisational, procedural, systematic and financial management in order to create a project management structure for a modern business context.

Entrepreneurship (Elective, Choose One)

The entrepreneurship route has been designed so that students are prepared to pursue careers as owner/managers and contemporary business managers, and understand the issues of modern entrepreneurial activities in contemporary environments. Students also examine the general principles of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial activity, within a variety of settings.

Global Marketing (Elective, Choose One)

The aim of this module is to equip students with a range of skills enabling them to think strategically in the context of the global business world. It considers the strategic marketing implications for companies operating in a rapidly changing and dynamic global business environment. The module addresses how organisations create and maintain a viable position within the business world, seeking to examine what underpins successful marketing strategies and their practice.

Internet and E-Commerce (Elective, Choose One)

This module explores the way in which organisations can take advantage of Internet technologies to develop new ways of doing business and add value to their commercial activities. The module develops students' understanding of electronic commerce (E-Commerce), enhances their competencies in business analysis and introduces them to the practical skills of website development. The module will equip students to make significant contributions to the exploitation of E-Commerce in organisations.

Managing (Elective, Choose One)

This module adopts a praxis approach to managing. The complexity of the relationship between knowledge, theories and action is explored. The module sets out to identify and deconstruct constructed beliefs on managing and provides students with the skills they need to understand and respond to the challenges it poses.

Marketing Communications (Elective, Choose One)

The module places marketing communications in the context of business and marketing strategies, and the development of marketing communications objectives that are based on this context. Theories of information processing and buyer behaviour are explored and applied in the development of communication plans. Particular emphasis is placed on elements of the communications mix, media selection and evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of communications.

Personnel Management (Elective, Choose One)

A major focus of this unit is to locate the personnel function in the organisational context. The unit explores and examines strategic as well as operational aspects of the function in the light of the contemporary business environment and social context. The practices associated with personnel e.g., recruitment and selection, appraisal, training, reward systems etc., are examined within what constitutes 'good practice' and more significantly the issues of implementation are explored and addressed.

Venture Creation (Elective, Choose One)

This module enables students to develop their understanding of the business environment within both a rural and urban context. This helps them to understand differences within the academic context of starting a new venture and the practicalities that affect the level of success.

Advanced Financial Management

This module introduces the more complex areas of financial management. It is designed to familiarise students with the major theoretical developments and practices in the areas of corporate finance and risk management. Students are encouraged to develop critical thinking about the advantages and disadvantages of diverse practices in the areas of corporate finance and risk management.

Personal Financial Planning

Personal financial planning is the process whereby individuals can determine whether or not they can meet their financial objectives through proper management of their financial resources. This module demonstrates and explores the application of a range of techniques used to help achieve this aim.

Students are encouraged to develop independence in their thinking and managing their own time within a framework of direction and support offered by teaching staff. Throughout the course, students are sensitised to issues of codes of professional conduct and ethical behaviour.

Most modules include some lectures. These are designed to inspire and motivate students, introduce them to particular topics and give an overview of current issues and debates within the discipline. Some are given by visiting practitioners who provide 'live' case material and offer students industry contacts and careers advice. In addition to tutor-directed seminars, students are encouraged to form their own learning and support groupings.

Our approach is one of collaboration between staff and students. Emphasis is put on using the student group as a resource for learning. In seminars, which typically involve numbers of fewer than 20, students are able to articulate their own thoughts and clarify ideas through discussion with others. A variety of learning methods used including in-class group exercises, discussions, presentations, evaluation of sample material, and case study analysis. Student participation is encouraged from the start and set as the norm for the rest of the course. Students are expected to prepare prescribed material for seminars as well as generally keep abreast of current developments in their discipline.

A wide range of assessment strategies are used both to facilitate the testing of a wide range of learning outcomes and to reflect the student’s varying learning styles. It also believes that the students benefit from the opportunity to undertake more, and earlier, formative assessment, especially in their Level One studies.

Students are expected to move in a continuous process from a dependent learning state to one of independence. At the end of the degree course, it is expected that students will be much more autonomous and reflexive individuals equipped with a set of skills which will enable them to operate successfully in society and the world of work.

Lincoln Business School is based in the David Chiddick building alongside Lincoln Law School.

The building was completely refurbished in 2010 and provides students with teaching and learning space including lecture theatres, workshop rooms, an IT/language lab and a mooting chamber, along with places to meet and eat with friends and staff.

The building provides high quality spaces for teaching and group learning and is the perfect setting for successful Business School students to learn and develop.

The aim of all the courses in the Business School is to produce independent, enquiring, knowledgeable graduates who enjoy learning, are enterprising, employable, self-aware, able to take career and other opportunities in life, and able to make a positive contribution to society.

All courses run by Lincoln Business School offer students work placement opportunities. These fall within two broad categories:

• A short placement of up to 12 weeks. This is designed to fit in the break between the second and final years of the degree course
• A full year (academic year) of work placement, funded by full-time paid employment. This is designed to last between 40 and 46 weeks.

Each student’s experience can include one of these types, and preferably also other work experience such as relevant casual work, voluntary or social enterprise activity or leadership within student clubs and societies.

The Business and Finance course combines intellectual rigor with personal development.

It provides an academic grounding in topics such as finance, both for the organisation and for the individual, as well as organisational behaviour, operations, marketing and strategy.

Our aim is to enable the personal development of each individual student and this is a key focus of the course.

Students will gain a sound grasp of the principles of both business and finance. The course will provide students with an critical understanding of the financial environment in which they will be working. It will also provide students with a solid grounding in all aspects of business leading to a critical awareness of business issues.

Thus, the course provides fully rounded business graduates with a strong finance specialism.

Our graduates are sought after by employers and go on to careers in financial management, advertising, marketing, e-business, human resource management, project management and general management in regional, national and international settings.

Inquisitiveness, energy, interest and commitment.

No specific skills are required, although an interest and curiosity about the world of business and finance is valued.

The course is contemporary and practical and involves a good deal of participation and problem-based learning.

Students need 260 UCAS points to gain entry onto this course (2012 entry). These should be from at least two full A-Levels, preferably three (or equivalent). They will also need at least five GCSE’s Grade A-C which must include English Language and Maths.

We encourage applications from mature students and we will give special individual consideration to those who are in this category and do not have the standard entry requirements.

Students whose first language is not English will also need British Council IELTS band 6.0 or above or equivalent.

2012 Entry	UK/EU	International
Full-time	£9000	£10499
Part-time	£75 per credit point	£88 per credit point
Placement (optional)	Exempt	Exempt
Assessment Only	£38 per credit point	£44 per credit point

 

2013 Entry	UK/EU	International
Full-time	£9000	£11130
Part-time	£75 per credit point	£93 per credit point
Placement (optional)	Exempt	Exempt
Assessment Only	£38 per credit point	£47 per credit point

For further information and funding your study please see our Fees & Funding pages.

Fees and Funding