Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Business and International Relations

at Aston University United Kingdom

If your ambition is to help shape the future development of towns and cities, our Construction Project Management course will set you on the right path.

What you’ll learn
During the course of the programme you will gain the necessary skills to develop a challenging and fulfilling career in the construction industry. You will gain technical knowledge around materials and building processes as well as specialist modules including health, safety and environmental management. 
 
After your first year, your studies will centre on the construction process as well as learning about management, economics, logistics, finance and decision-making, all of which are required by professional construction and project managers. 

Our Construction Project Management programme, part of the civil engineering and infrastructure cluster here at Aston, examines the societal, economic and operational issues related to the construction industry. The particular focus is on developing the skills and experience you need to deliver high quality construction projects safely, on time and on budget. 
 
These skills are in high demand and you’ll be able to effectively and confidently contribute to the future development of our built environment. 

Understand some of the biggest debates in society and gain an in-depth knowledge of social processes, organizational dynamics, and inter-group relationships that could make a difference to society in a range of careers.

What you’ll learn
Sociology at Aston is about real-life experiences and how they relate to bigger social problems. We explore the social constraints we encounter in our everyday lives and how they are reinforced by class, race, religion, and gender. To understand how these issues perpetuate existing inequalities and unequal life chances, we analyze what impact official politics has on such processes, how politics is intertwined with the profit-making aims pursued by big corporations and how their combined interests dominate our social imaginations. We assess public policy responses and where they are problematic.

Our teaching is informed by our research. When learning about contemporary topics such as inequality, racism, health, migration, sexuality, identity, education, the media, crime, and climate change, you will be taught by experts in these fields. Our teaching is constantly updated in light of our research findings.

The course will help you enhance the skills required for assessing, developing and critically evaluating entrepreneurial strategies. You will develop the ability to make strategic decisions by advancing your understanding and application of how business analytics methods can support interventions in the decision-making process of organisations. 

You’ll learn about intellectual property, emerging economies, international entrepreneurship and understand how to develop and deliver entrepreneurial strategies in a range of settings.

You’ll also develop the skills to use statistical techniques to communicate key information, how to use decision models, data mining, web and performance analytics, all of which will build on your analytical skills and ability to problem solve. You’ll get hands-on experience using specialist software and experience in using a range of data sets.

With skills, knowledge and experience in logistics and the workings of the supply chain, you’ll be ready to launch an exciting career in an industry where your skills are in high demand.
Have you ever thought about how events like Glastonbury or the Olympic Games happen and all the people involved to make them a success?

Without people working in logistics, these events simply wouldn’t happen, as all the goods and products need to be produced and transported to the right place at the right time. Our course will show you how logistics and supply chains are crucial to our world and give you the skills to work with partners and suppliers, streamlining business operations and increasing access to international markets.

What you’ll learn
During your time at Aston, you’ll develop a thorough understanding of supply chain management and logistics, and everything that happens to ensure that companies can satisfy their customers' needs and wants.

You’ll develop the techniques used to make these processes work effectively, in order to meet strategic objectives such as minimum cost, maximum service level and shorter cycle times.

You’ll learn how to use the software tools and packages that are used in logistics businesses across the country, building your analytical and supply chain design skills. Our programme focuses on practical, real-life applications to develop a range of key employability skills including problem-solving, good communication with others, data analysis and organisation skills. All these skills are highly transferable, regardless of the career path you choose on graduation.

Mathematics offers a principled, logical, and quantitative perspective of the world around us. From mathematical modelling of air flow and epidemic spreading, through medical diagnosis and power-grid control to investment banking and self-driving cars – mathematics is fundamental to many cutting-edge technologies. Graduates with these skills are in high demand across many sectors of industry and our course equips you the

What you’ll learn
Our program is designed to create graduates with a strong mathematical background oriented towards knowledge and technical skills in demand by the job market.

In your first and second years, you will build a solid foundation of mathematical knowledge by learning core mathematical topics, such as Algebra, Analysis, Calculus, Differential Equations, Geometry, and Probability, amongst others. You will also be developing abilities for problem-solving and real-world applications of that knowledge. For instance:

In Probability and Statistics, you will be introduced to the elementary theory of probability and statistics and learn to apply that knowledge using Microsoft Excel to statistically analyze real-world data sets and draw relevant and practical conclusions.

Numerical Algorithms and Programming will provide you with an essential understanding of core concepts in programming, focussing on mathematics applications. You will learn how to formulate algorithms to execute methods and how to implement generic algorithms from a description.

Our four year course, integrated with a placement year, will develop your IT knowledge and give you the skills needed to provide businesses with consultative support, strategic direction and technological insight. There is also an option to gain a double degree (two degrees for the price of one).

This degree will develop your understanding of the management and communication of information, as well as the human, managerial and technical considerations.

You will learn the role that information technology plays in modern business environments and societies, and how technology can be the key to solving some of their biggest challenges.

What you’ll learn
This course will provide you with theoretical knowledge and skills, including analysis and problem-solving, which can be applied to a broad range of career paths.

You will learn the relationship between technical knowledge and human design, the complex role of IT in business, and how technology can be used to drive competitive advantage. 

In your first year you will develop a general knowledge of business theories as well as computing and IT. Your second year is focused on building your IT and computing skills. This will help you as you apply for placement opportunities in your third year.

When you study economics at Aston, you will be looking at some of the most challenging and controversial issues facing society today, including the gender pay gap and how human behaviour is linked to global warming.

What you’ll learn
You will learn about economic theories and build on your analytical and mathematical skills in order to understand how economics is used to solve a breadth of issues in business and wider society.

You’ll learn about the principles of micro and macroeconomics, mathematics and statistics in economics, econometrics and competition policy, as well select modules to tailor your learning to your areas of interest.

Through case studies, real-world examples and challenges, you’ll explore economics in an applied context and your placement year gives you an opportunity to develop your employability skills. 

Digital electronics and computer systems are significant in commerce, industry and the home, and have an ever increasing impact on the way we work and live. To gain the competitive edge over its global rivals, British industry and commerce needs trained computer systems engineers with skills in both hardware and software who can assess, harness and influence the growth of information technology.

Our Electrical and Electronic Engineering MEng course is designed to stretch our top students and includes a 12 month industrial placement. It gives you the opportunity to study electronics and computer science more deeply than at BEng level while also gaining valuable industry experience.

Our courses are developed in collaboration with a wide range of industry sectors to give a broad but relevant degree so teaching won’t just be standard lectures and you’ll be encouraged to discover how science fiction becomes fact. Designing your own products and working with cutting-edge equipment will be a core part of the course. The design of this innovative course emphasises ‘doing’ as well as ‘knowing’, helping you to develop essential practical, intellectual, business and communication skills. This ‘real world’ approach, combined with the beneficial experience you will gain during your placement, will give you a clear competitive edge in the search for graduate employment.

What you’ll learn
The first two years of the MEng are taught alongside the BEng degree and you’ll gain a solid grounding in software engineering and computing systems, complemented by engineering expertise in digital electronics and telecommunications. To build a bridge between hardware and software specialists you’ll study computing and electronics with single honours students from the electronic engineering and computer science subject groups.

In the second and final year, you’ll be able to choose options that enable you to specialise in preparation for your future career. These options include digital system design, telecommunications systems, optoelectronics and signal processing.

Civil engineering?is the professional practice of designing and developing infrastructure projects, which includes planning, budgeting, surveying and construction management. Part of the civil engineering and infrastructure cluster here at Aston, this course examines the societal, economic and operational issues related to construction. There’s a high demand for graduates with these skills. With more than two million people currently employed in the construction sector across the UK, and the industry continuing to grow, this demand is increasing. This course aims to address a key skills gap. It’s designed to be contemporary and innovative, meeting the needs of industry.

As you’ll be learning and living in the middle of Britain’s second city, you’ll also gain invaluable, real-life experience of the challenges and opportunities faced by the people and organisations responsible for constructing our built environment.

What you’ll learn
The core subjects at the heart of the degree – structures, materials, geotechnics, transport, infrastructure, engineering and construction management – will equip you with key expertise and enhance your employability.

During the course you will study a wide range of subjects, beginning with the fundamentals of civil engineering, including construction materials, mechanics and mathematical skills.

You will spend a year in industry as part of the course before completing your studies in year four with a research project and a design project as well as the opportunity to specialise in either transport, infrastructure, engineering or construction management.

The skills you will gain are in high demand and, as a graduate, you will be able to contribute to the ongoing development of the built environment in which we live and work.

Understanding business from an international perspective has never been more important. You will develop business-critical expertise to understand issues from cultural differences to political influence – and how they impact organisational success.

What you’ll learn
Aston Business School’s International Business and Management BSc will equip you with a solid understanding of strategic management in international business. Discover how differences in culture can influence the way we do business and understand how to operate in challenging environments abroad, both through theoretical knowledge and practical experience.

This degree has been developed in response to demand by alumni and our own advisory panel of international employers. It offers a core strategic management focus within an international business context. You will gain a solid foundation in your first year across a breadth of business topics before shaping your second and final years to concentrate your study on chosen specialisms.