International Business Management BSc(Hons)

International requirements and visas

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visas and immigration advice

Top reasons to choose this course

• Opportunity for you to study or work abroad.
• Network with other students from international universities and business schools.
• Businesses need internationally minded graduates with cross-cultural understanding and experience.
• Build skills to operate effectively in the global business environment.
• Choose option modules in subjects that interest you most and that fit your career ambitions.

Year 1 

In your first year, you will develop a comprehensive understanding of course business and management subjects.

Modules

• Business Economics

  In this module you will develop your understanding of key economic concepts by applying them to contemporary issues within the world of business and through the application of quantitative techniques. You will also gain an understanding of how political, economic and environmental factors influence the world of business.

• Financial Knowledge and Skills for Business

  This module provides you with an introduction to fundamental concepts in the fields of financial accounting, management accounting, and finance. You will develop a basic understanding of an organisation’s financial position and performance through the application of appropriate analytical tools and procedures.

• Marketing Principles

  This module introduces the role and function of marketing within organisational frameworks. You'll develop an understanding of basic qualitative and quantitative tools available for analysing and interpreting the marketing environment.

• Organisational Behaviour and Human Resource Management

  This module will introduce you to a range of concepts, principles and theories that have been adopted within the study of organisational behaviour and human resource management.

  This module will provide you with a grounding for understanding how people are managed and organised in the workplace.

• International Business Project

  In this module you will create an international communications/promotional plan incorporating a digital presence in an international context.

  Using project software and information technology, you will integrate key skills and formative learning outcomes from other first year modules and project management skills.

  Your understanding of culture, market dynamics, financial structures, human resources and how to reach potential international customers will develop through application to your own business ideas.

• Academic and Professional Skills

  This module will provide you with the underpinning skills and strategies required to study successfully at undergraduate level as well as developing attributes that contribute to employability. You'll also gain the practical professional skills to confidently use spreadsheet software to present financial information and as an analytical tool.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. If you apply to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through Student View.

Year 2

From your second year, core modules will develop your international perspective, while option modules allow you to tailor the course to your interests or career aspirations. 

Modules

Core modules

• International Business Analysis

  This is your opportunity to apply both macro and microeconomic analysis to a related set of case studies. You'll start by analysing an industry at a global level, move onto looking at macroeconomic data for a country that is key to that industry, and then apply microeconomic analysis to a company within that industry.

• Managing Digital Transformation

  On this module you'll explore the impact of digital transformation in the context of business management. You'll cover the evolution of information systems, the role of AI in business, and different digital business models. Ethical and social considerations, including data privacy and the digital divide, are examined, alongside the relationship between technology and inequality. Finally, you'll look at future trends in digital business, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. 

• Working Across Cultures

  This module explores the challenges, potential traps and opportunities when working across cultures. You will develop an understanding of how culture impacts on work-based relationships and organisational performance and will identify differences in multicultural behaviours and belief systems which impact on workplace practice and human relations.

• Cross-cultural Research

  Cross-cultural Research is preparation for your final year project, year abroad or placement year. You'll further develop your research skills and cross-cultural awareness by exploring the role and nature of research in academic and professional environments.

Options*

• Leadership

  Study the changing nature of leadership in the business world and acquire leadership skills needed for HR managerial roles in organisations. You'll develop an understanding of the relevance of the internal and external environment, and be able to apply relevant theories to understand leadership.

• Creativity in Enterprise

  The module lets you explore the concepts and tools related to creativity in a business environment. You'll also develop your research skills and ability to work in teams and enhance your personal development.

• Working in the Voluntary Sector

  Explore your personal values and aspirations while undertaking a 30-hour placement with a local charity or community organisation. The work experience is an opportunity to apply and develop business knowledge and skills in a real-world, not-for-profit context, alongside looking great on your CV and maybe even inspiring ideas for your future career direction.

• Economic Theory and Applications

  This module provides a firm grounding in key concepts in economics and their real-world applications. The importance of history, institutions and policy in economic analysis is emphasised. You'll become familiar with economic methods of analysis and develop a foundation of economics knowledge that will support your final year studies.

• Money, Exchange Rates and Trade

  The module will help you to develop your understanding of monetary economics and its relationship with the exchange rate and international trade. Through this you'll further develop your appreciation of trading blocks, currency unions and commercial policy, and their impact on international finance and trade.

• Digital Marketing and Analytics

  This module introduces students to digital marketing technologies helping you to develop your knowledge of the design, implementation and evaluation of digital marketing strategies. You'll examine theoretical frameworks and models which are relevant to digital marketing practice, and explore  development of supporting technologies for digital marketing.

• Gamification: Using Game Design Principles in Business

  Gamification is the use of game elements, mechanics and techniques in non-game situations. On this module you will consider how game design principles can be used effectively in business contexts including human resources, marketing and administration.

• Personal Financial Planning

  This module is an exploration of the principles of personal financial planning and investment, integrating theory and practice. You'll gain knowledge and understanding of the relationships between the parts of personal finance including an analysis of various generic products, and incorporating the inherent elements of risk and taxation and the techniques and stages of personal financial planning.

• Design and Innovation

  This module explores the relationship between innovation and design through familiar products and services. You'll be introduced to the central concepts, theories and tools of design and innovation and think about their role in meeting the challenges of contemporary design-led product development. You'll look at how design and innovation ideas have evolved over time, focusing on the key objects that best show their importance in contemporary practice.

• Applied Business Analytics

  This module will help you to develop an analytic mindset and equip you with basic data literacy that is useful for the business environment. You'll look at methodologies, algorithms and challenges related to analysing and presenting business data alongside applying data analysis to support decision-making across business functions and industries.

• Marketing Ethics and Responsibility

  The module takes you on a journey through the responsible marketing literature, theory, concepts, current challenges and roles and responsibilities of marketing managers in the UK and across the world. You will apply theory to practice, preparing you to become an ethical, socially responsible marketer of the future. You will examine ethical issues across a variety of markets and consider how to balance ethical performance with profitability.

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Year abroad

The option of a year abroad offers an excellent opportunity to gain international contacts and an advantage in the job market. You can choose to study with the partner institutions in the following countries:

USA

• Clarkson University  – New York State, USA
• Grand Valley State University – Michigan, USA

Canada

• University of Ottawa – Ottawa, Canada

France

• EDHEC Business School – Lille and Nice, France

Germany

• Hochschule Mainz – Mainz, Germany

Spain

• Universidad San Pablo CEU – Madrid, Spain*

Italy

• Universita degli Studi di Siena – Siena, Italy

More European countries

• Karel De Grote University College – Antwerp, Belgium
• University of National and World Economy – Sofia, Bulgaria
• Copenhagen Business Academy – Copenhagen, Denmark
• University of Orebro – Orebro, Sweden
• Hogeschool van Amsterdam (Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences) – Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• Koç University– Istanbul, Turkey

While studying abroad, you may have the opportunity to undertake a work placement for part of the year.

Alternatively, you can secure your own international work placement for the duration of the third year abroad. Our students have worked for companies worldwide, from Europe to South America.

This experience of working in a different country looks great on your CV and provides excellent networking opportunities.

Check out International Business student Matt Boucher's blog about his year in Italy.

* You must study in the local language at these universities. At all other universities, you have the option to study in English.

Final year

During your final year, you will return to continue your business management studies with a strong strategic and international focus.

You will also have the chance to further tailor your course by researching an international issue of your choice and choosing option modules that interest you most and that fit your career aspirations.

Modules

Core modules

• International Management

  The theme for this module is learning from other countries. You'll research the implications of cultural difference for international business and how it fits into the changing global environment, developing an individual research project analysing contemporary issues from alternative national perspectives.

• Strategy

  On this module you'll focus on the strategic business management of organisations in industry. You'll explore and apply techniques for the analysis, development and implementation of strategies in order to achieve business goals – spanning domestic, international, global levels and in the context of the UN’s sustainable development goals.

Options*

• International Placement Report

  This project module is an opportunity to design and execute a business project based on a real business issue, problem or opportunity (typically relating to a placement organisation). In addition, you'll reflect upon how the experiences, knowledge and skills gained during the placement have developed your management and personal skills and shaped your career plans.

• Small Business and Entrepreneurship

  On this module you'll develop a business idea and plan using knowledge and skills developed throughout your course. Students from a range of subjects take this module, creating a multidisciplinary approach to identifying and researching a business idea and developing a realistic business plan. Part of the assessment is a Dragons’ Den style presentation of your idea to a panel of local business people.

• Environmental Economics

  Issues surrounding the environment and natural resources are becoming increasingly mainstream in economics. This module follows the year 2 module of the same name and further explores how economic concepts, tools and policy instruments are relevant and are used to understand and manage environmental issues at business and government-level.

   

• Financial and Capital Markets

  The module develops your understanding of the financial system and allows you to get some experience of financial markets. You'll have an opportunity to manage a portfolio of assets and to analyse the performance of that portfolio as well as the investment environment.

• Political Economy in Europe

  Building on some aspects of the year 2 module International Business Analysis, this module is an opportunity to explore the dynamics of the political economy in Europe, focusing on the European Union.You will gain an appreciation of the complexities of change and develop your ability to critically assess the implications.

• Understanding Employee Relations

  This module develops your general understanding of employee relations in the UK together with your ability to critically compare and contrast this with those of other countries. You'll also develop an appreciation of the practice of employer relations, with a clear focus upon that experienced in the UK.

• Organisational Change

  This module enables you to critically analyse the processes of individual and organisational change. You'll develop a critical understanding of approaches that maximise the outcomes of organisational change for individuals and organisations, alongside gaining insight into change management. You'll also understand the importance of the roles and skills in the change process for individuals, human resource management, senior and line management, and leadership. 

• International Human Resource Management

  This module helps you to develop an understanding of the way in which international organisations manage their human resources across different countries. You'll research the meaning and implications of international and comparative HRM linking your understanding of established theory with your research finding, and present your work in a report.

• Ecommerce and Online Behaviour

  Many business disciplines need to design strategies that take account of online behaviour. In this module you'll analyse and evaluate ecommerce systems. You'll explore the role and impact of ecommerce technologies, some of the concepts used to understand online behaviour in the marketplace, and how people behave as consumers in online settings.

   

• Marketing Planning and Strategy

  In this module you'll use your knowledge of marketing principles to develop a strategic marketing plan. You will examine the stages of developing a strategic marketing plan and consider a range of operational, tactical and strategic approaches to marketing. The module follows a similar approach to that taught by the CIM and should be taken by any student wishing to gain CIM exemptions after graduating.

• Customer Relationship Management and Services Marketing

  This module enables you to acquire a detailed understanding of approaches to services marketing including the integration of customer relationship management (CRM).  You will examine how the core principles of marketing are configured in a services context and how developing CRM as a core strategy enables organisations to focus on long-term customer relationships and loyalty.

• Consumer Psychology

  On this module you'll focus on the main concepts used in understanding consumer psychology and consumer behaviour in the marketplace. You'll consider how these are used in marketing to both understand consumers and create strategies to ethically influence their behaviour.

• Marketing Across Cultures

  This module examines two key challenges facing businesses today – how to identify and develop international marketing and business opportunities, and understanding the importance of cultural differences across the globe to adapt marketing strategies and tactics for business success. You'll learn about new cultures in the developed and emerging world and how to develop an international marketing plan, putting your entrepreneurial, research, creative and report writing skills in to practice.

• Responsible Enterprise

  On this module students from subjects across the university have the opportunity to work together on responsible enterprise solutions to live client challenges. Practical projects mean that you'll learn from other students and disciplines as you share problem-solving approaches, knowledge and experience.

• Destination Marketing

  Destination marketing is vital for destinations to differentiate themselves from competitors, to develop their own distinct identity and to promote themselves as desirable and attractive places to visit. On this module you will examine traditional methods of marketing, and explore issues such as cultural representation, the branding of national and regional identities and the role of media and film in the development of perception and expectation.

• International Law and Socio-economic Development

  In this module you will look at the relationship between international law and development. You will get an insight into the relevant legal and socio-economic issues arising from debates on international law and development and an understanding of the role that theory, policy and practice have in international law and socio-economic development.

• The Digital Economy

  The role of digital technology is increasingly important in the way that the global economy works. New technologies and algorithms are changing how wealth is created, governed or even defined. This module brings together your understanding of the role of information communication technologies, with knowledge and information of the understanding of growth in the economy.

• Game Theory in Economics, Finance and Business

  This module introduces game theory, one of the most exciting, stimulating and promising subjects in modern microeconomics, which is now also broadly applied in philosophy, sociology, and political science among other fields. You'll apply game theory to financial and business analysis topics to deepen and widen your knowledge of economics, finance and business as an ongoing strategic game.

• Employee Selection and Development

  On this module you'll explore and consider how recruitment, selection, training and development contribute to the function and performance of an organisation, with specific focus on contemporary labour market issues.

• Happiness: Work and Society

  This module is an opportunity to analyse the concept of happiness in work and society. You'll consider happiness at an individual, organisational and socio-economic level, exploring topics such as positive psychology, happiness and wellbeing, nurturing happiness in the organisation, the issues and challenges of measuring happiness and wellbeing, and what makes a nation happy. 

• Dispute Resolution and Litigation

  On this module you will develop an understanding of the civil court procedure in England and Wales, including the nature and jurisdiction of the County Court and the High Court. You'll be introduced to case analysis, mechanisms for dispute resolution, pre-trial preparations and pre-action protocols.

• Retail Marketing and Distribution

  The module introduces retail marketing and distribution through practical workshops with emphasis on real retailer situations. You'll study topics from historical development, current industry structure, trends and projected developments. You will balance theory and practice to produce a viable strategic report about the marketplace.

• Marketing Communications

  The module is an overview of the key marketing communications tools including branding, advertising, sales promotion and public relations. You'll consider the key theories of marketing communications, exploring how advertising has its effect on consumers. You'll also explore models of consumer psychology and behaviour  to further understand the role of marketing communications in society.

• Futurism for Marketers

  This module explores emerging and future directions in marketing thought and strategy. You'll examine the notion that marketing needs reform and move beyond a ‘trends’ approach to think about a less concrete, more open and futuristic perspective on the marketing subject. You'll also consider ‘what comes next’ in the development of the marketing concept and produce an article suitable for a business audience.

• Public Relations: Principles and Practice

  This module is an opportunity to work as a team on a public relations (PR) project. You'll develop your account management and PR skills, focusing on the function of PR and its role in marketing and corporate communications. You'll analyse and evaluate specialist PR functions and examine how a well-integrated PR strategy ensures that organisations can develop and maintain relationships with their stakeholders and audiences. 

• Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM)

  Supply chain management (SCM) is the handling of the entire production flow of a good or service — from raw materials to delivering the final product to the consumer. On this module you'll develop a strategic understanding of SCM in a wider business context, and explore how SCM objectives have expanded to include societal and environmental implications because of, for example, depleted natural resources. You'll learn how sustainability can be a competitive advantage and explore the role of supply chains in a circular economy.

• Big Data and Business Intelligence

  Big data refers to data sets so complex they are difficult to process using conventional databases. They result from the increasing use of real-time computing in process and organisations such as web analytics, government, social media, security and healthcare. In this module you'll explore how the growth of big data impacts on business opportunities and risks, and how business intelligence contributes to improved performance and forecasting

• Researching Contemporary Issues in Economics

  In this module you will apply economic principles and methods to a contemporary issue that has implications for countries, businesses or individuals in the present and in the future. You'll identify a specific topic to research, and, using the principles and methods that you've learned on your course, formulate the research questions and hypotheses, devise a methodology and identify relevant data sources.

• Researching Contemporary Issues in Finance

  Choose a specific current issue in finance to study in depth. You'll review and analyse a wide range of published data with the aim of summarising good practice and recommending a possible solution to the problem in your final report. 

• Researching Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour

  This module is an opportunity to research a contemporary human resource management or organisation behaviour issue of your choice. Through your research, you'll develop and deepen your knowledge and understanding of these topics and present your findings in a final report.

• Researching Contemporary Issues for the Intelligent Enterprise

  Intelligent Enterprise is a management approach that applies technology and new service models to the challenge of improving business performance. On this module you will conduct in-depth research into issues and emerging technologies that promote the concept of an intelligent enterprise. You'll choose a topic to research, either from a wide range or identify a new one in this dynamic field.

• Researching Contemporary Issues in Marketing

  The module is an opportunity to study a contemporary marketing issue of your choosing. You'll undertake a piece of in-depth research, further developing your analytical and critical skills and using the skills and knowledge gained on your degree to produce a report. The module is based on independent study supported by a tutor.

• Researching Contemporary Issues in Supply Chain Management

  This module is an opportunity to choose and research a contemporary supply chain, supply chain management or inventory management topic that really interests you. Current trends and issues include outsourcing, use of technologies (data analysis, IoT, cloud computing), supply chain visibility among organisations and sustainable supply chains. In producing your report, you'll further develop your analysis and evaluation skills, and make recommendations for improvements  in business decision making.

   

• Researching Contemporary Issues in Strategic Management

  The module is an opportunity to choose a strategic management issue to study in-depth. You'll review published data, and present your research as a clear and concise report summarising good practice and making recommendations of a possible solution to the issue. Topics you can choose are wide-ranging, and could include how businesses are adapting to climate change, strategic management in the responsible enterprise, strategic management issues of business and public policy, risk, performance, or innovation and creativity in product or process. 

   

   

   

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Course leader

Dr Irina Popova

Irina is the course leader on our International Business Management BSc(Hons). 

She specialises in teaching entrepreneurship, business research methods, academic and professional skills across several of our courses. 

Irina's PhD research focused on start-up incubation and she previously worked for the social venture incubation programme, currently known as Cambridge Social Ventures. The programme was funded by the Big Lottery Fund. 

Irina also carried out postdoctorate research on the digitalisation of management in the UK and Sweden. The study involved three public sector organisations in Cambridgeshire and their ICT enabled transformation projects, as well as a local authority and a multinational company in Sweden. She worked with senior management in the public sector to deliver the programme. She is an NVivo trained expert and an experienced organisational ethnographer. 

Find out more about your course leader. 

Course fees

If you choose to take the professional placement (sandwich) year offered on this course, you will pay a reduced fee during this year. Our fee for the professional placement year is £1,500 for UK students and £1,850 for international students. This fee may be subject to small increases in line with inflation.

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

• Brighton Boost – cost of living help for our new undergrad students. Find out about how we can help with your study, accommodation or travel costs and more...
• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• Read our student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf) for more on University of Brighton tuition fees.

Campus where this course is taught

Accommodation

Local area

Maps

Support and wellbeing

Sport at Brighton