International Business Management BSc (Hons)

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.

Course Overview

This course aims to:

  • prepare you for global business careers in a variety of industries
  • provide you with opportunities to develop skills essential to succeeding in a global business environment
  • take a collaborative approach to address global challenges, for the betterment of society.

Why you should study this course

The course offers you the chance to:

  • identify, analyse and solve complex or ambiguous international business problems through active collaboration and the application of suitable methodologies to provide ethically based and culturally embedded solutions to global challenges.
  • evidence and focus on understanding environmental forces that affect the dynamic and changing nature of international business trends, global trade, international strategy and organisational management to exhibit global citizenship attributes.
  • critically address country and market differences to explore both emerging trends and the challenges faced by organisations that operate internationally and transnationally, in order to make strategic choices.
  • benefit from real-world teaching and learning – with the chance to work on live case studies with access to industry speakers and put theory into practice.
  • international focus – not only will you study how international businesses operate, trade and expand into new markets, but you can also expect to immerse yourself in the international business arena throughout your degree. We also aim to provide you with the chance to take part in Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) projects with peers and professionals from around the world.

If you choose to start this course in January you will study exactly the same course but over a slightly shorter timescale in Year 1. This is ideal if you missed the September start, want to transfer from a different university or course or just need a bit more time to prepare for life at university.

What you will study

FOUNDATION YEAR IN BUSINESS

Start date: 15 September 2026

Fall semester:

  • Development of Academic Language & Skills 
  • Business Communications 

Spring semester:

  • Success in Academic Language & Skills 
  • Management Skills 
  • Marketing for Business 

In addition to the Foundation Year modules, students at Coventry University Kazakhstan will also need to complete the following modules as mandated by Kazakhstan regulations:

  • Kazakh language 
  • History of Kazakhstan (in English) 

FOUNDATION YEAR IN BUSINESS - January Intake

Start date: 12 January 2027

This is ideal if you missed the September start or want to transfer from a different university.

Spring semester:

  • Success in Academic Language & Skills
  • Business Communications 
  • Management Skills
  • Marketing for Business 

In addition to the Foundation Year modules, students at Coventry University Kazakhstan will also need to complete the following modules as mandated by Kazakhstan regulations: 

  • Kazakh language 
  • History of Kazakhstan (in English) 

During your Foundation Year, you will study alongside students who are pursuing related degrees. This offers you the chance to establish connections and form friendships with a diverse group of people who share similar interests and aspirations.

This course has a common first year.

The common first year enables you to work alongside students doing similar courses to you, to widen your knowledge and exposure to other subject areas and professions. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other students, so you can share your insights and experience which will help you to develop and learn.

If you discover an interest in a specific subject you have studied, upon successful completion of your first year, you could swap degrees with another course in your common first year (subject to meeting progression requirements).

Modules
Marketing, Digital and Social Media- 30 credits

This module aims to develop your knowledge and understanding of the fundamental concepts in marketing, including digital and social media. Develop an understanding of the role of marketing within an organisation, and the influence of factors in the external environment on marketing decisions including ethics, social responsibility and sustainability. Also develop an understanding of key marketing theories, approaches and strategies related to areas such as buyer behaviour, segmentation, targeting and positioning, branding, digital and social media marketing.

Compulsory

People and Organisations- 30 credits

This module aims to provide a holistic view of management and organisation theories and practices, exploring how people interact with each other in the workplace and the role that leaders and managers play in the organisation. Organisational culture, structure and type are examined to consider the impact they have on human behaviour, interactions and organisational outcomes. Examine the role of people management practices and how this affects individual behaviour in the workplace. By introducing concepts such as motivation, engagement and commitment, the module will explore how people work together as a team, and how leaders and managers can understand emotional and psychological responses to work.

Compulsory

Analytics for Decision-Making- 30 credits

Whether qualitative or quantitative, financial or non-financial, data is everywhere and plays a crucial role in informing decision-making. This module introduces the fundamental concepts and principles of business finance and data analytics, and how they can be applied to measure and analyse organisational and functional performance, and support decision-making. Data analytics is a skill set that is becoming increasingly important for finding actionable insights from data and guiding strategic business decisions. This module is designed to help deepen your analytical mindset, develop your understanding of financial information, and prepare you to use relevant financial management and data analytic tools, techniques, and methods to assist the decision-making process both in the short and long terms.

Compulsory

Responsible Management, Sustainability and Entrepreneurship – 30 credits

This module aims to enable you to engage critically with sustainability and entrepreneurship in the context of management theory and practice. Explore the relationships between organisations and societies and the impact of significant societal change on different types of organisations. Drawing on UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), examine how organisations respond by altering their practices through innovation and entrepreneurial activities. Ethical business practices and sustainability are further explored, requiring you to reflect on your approaches to ideation in creating social and organisational value.

Compulsory

In year two, you will continue to develop the skills and knowledge you’ve learnt. We do this by embedding the following four principles into the curriculum and developing your:

  • Technical skills – digital fluency, backed with the right academic knowledge
  • Study skills – to be an adaptive, independent and proactive learner
  • Professional skills – to have the behavior and abilities to succeed in your career
  • Global awareness – the beliefs and abilities to be a resilient, confident and motivated global citizen
Modules
Research and Insight – 30 credits

This module aims to develop your understanding of how well-designed investigations and research work. Develop your understanding of the research process, including literature review, research methodology and methods, data collection and analysis. This module provides you with the foundation for future research activity and the ability to design research to meet specific research objectives. Develop insight and the ability to understand and critique investigations and research undertaken by others. You will also have the opportunity to evaluate how conclusions are reached and analyse the methods used to get to those conclusions.

Compulsory

Data Driven Resource Management – 30 credits

This module considers how organisations can use their resources in the best possible way to reach their goals sustainably, while also reducing waste, and improving efficiency and effectiveness. Develop an understanding of the allocation of internal resources, including finance, people and talent, production, knowledge and IT resources. Learn how to account and budget for organisational costs and income: this will also entail developing techniques for providing analysis and communication of business performance data to assist management decision-making.

Compulsory

Global Operations and Supply Chain – 30 credits

This module aims to provide you with an insight into the relationship between the economy, society and the environment within the context of global operations and supply chain. This module will cover management principles, processes and wider global environmental context within which contemporary supply chains operate. This module should help you understand how supply chain management affects an organisation's success and why it matters, especially in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Compulsory

Trade and Innovation in a Global Context – 30 credits

Gain the knowledge and skills to evaluate key issues affecting worldwide trade and the impact on exporting firms. Examine trade patterns, economic and legal parameters, policies, technology and innovation. Organisations trading internationally are subject to dynamic and continuous change and must innovate to respond in a manner that is sustainable and responsible. In this module, analyse how trade innovation is delivered through change management.

Compulsory

The final year aims to prepare you for professional practice or higher education by consolidating your knowledge and skills from years one and two. You could also work on a large final project in an area of your interest, with the support of a mentor.

Modules
Applied Project – 30 credits

This module provides you with the opportunity to apply your knowledge and skills to a real-world business issue. You may choose to undertake a research project, a consultancy-style investigation, or a management simulation. Through critical engagement with academic and industry literature, data analysis and reflective inquiry, develop evidence-based insights and propose realistic, practical recommendations. This module encourages independent thinking, problem-solving and analytical capabilities.

Compulsory

Design Thinking and Project Management – 30 credits

This module focuses on project management in an organisational setting, developing your understanding and application of the methodologies, stages, tools and techniques required for project initiation, planning, execution, control and termination. Design thinking approaches will be applied to project management to help develop your soft and technical skills. These skills should help you understand the concept of project management, where projects come from, business case development and the selection process. You should learn how to apply this knowledge to various contexts, gaining the skills to lead and work on a variety of projects. The importance of project management scheduling skills, quality, estimating standards, as well as risks and stakeholders' management is emphasised within this module.

Compulsory

One Planet Marketing – 30 credits

Explore key aspects of global marketing, including the international marketing environment, social, ethical and cultural influences on buyer behaviour. This module also considers international marketing strategy options available to organisations, including market entry methods and the use and implementation of the marketing mix. Examine the international marketing mix and the extent to which international marketing communications, pricing, product and service strategies should be standardised or adapted to meet customer needs for sustainable competitive advantage.

Compulsory

International Business Strategy and Governance – 30 credits

This module will introduce you to the ideas and tools used to understand how businesses plan and are managed, especially in an international context. Gain the knowledge, skills and competencies to interpret and develop an international business strategy. Assess governance frameworks and leadership practices underpinning the business structure that drives the strategic plan.

Compulsory

Project Management

This module focuses on project management in the business environment, enhancing your understanding and equipping you with both soft and technical skills, designed to help you understand the concept of project management, where projects come from, business case development and the selection process, with application to various contexts, harnessing the skills to lead and work on a variety of projects.

The importance of project management scheduling skills, quality, estimating standards, as well as risks and stakeholders' management is emphasized within this module.

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students.

How You'll Learn

This course aims to offer a variety of teaching and learning methods to keep your experience dynamic and varied. Teaching methods may include:
  • lectures with associated seminars
  • workshops, incorporating case studies, problem-centered learning, practical exercises, surgeries, the use of electronic business resources and databases
  • business simulations

Teaching contact hours

As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 20 credit module requires a total of 200 hours study. This is made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.

Teaching hours:

Teaching hours vary each semester, year of study and due to module selection. During your first year you can expect 15-18 teaching hours each week. You will also have the option to attend optional sessions including time with a personal tutor or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.

Guided and Independent study:

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You’ll be digging deeper into topics, review what you’ve learned and complete assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress through your studies, you’ll spend more time in independent study.

Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.
 
Assessment methods may include:
  • phase tests
  • essays
  • group work
  • presentations
  • reports
  • projects
  • coursework
  • exams
  • individual assignments.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

Careers and opportunities

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

  • evidence a well-developed knowledge of the broad areas of business and management, the detailed relationships between these and their application in a range of intercultural contexts.
  • identify, analyse, and critically assess organisational issues in an international and community context using appropriate models or techniques and effectively communicate relevant innovative and creative solutions in order to influence decision-making.
  • demonstrate the ability to act as an independent learner as well as the ability to play a full role when working and /or learning in teams.
  • act entrepreneurially to generate, analyse, develop and communicate innovative ideas and deliver successful outcomes.
  • identify, analyse, and solve complex or ambiguous international business problems through active collaboration and the application of suitable methodologies to provide ethically based and culturally embedded solutions to global challenges.
  • evidence and focus on understanding environmental forces that affect the dynamic and changing nature of international business trends, global trade, international strategy, and organisational management to exhibit global citizenship attributes.
  • critically address country/market differences and explore emerging trends and the challenges faced by organisations that operate internationally and transnationally to make strategic choices.
  • critically analyse and reflect on issues around sustainability, social responsibility, responsible leadership, and ethics, drawing on informed research sources, and critically evaluate the role of individuals and organisations in behaving responsibly.

The university's Talent Team provides a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your potential future career options.

Where our graduates work

Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for companies such as CISCO, NHS, Leoni, Hyatt, Jaguar Landover, HSBC, Enterprise Car and eBay.