Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Economics and Politics (with integrated placement year)

at Aston University United Kingdom

Study business alongside international relations to learn more about contemporary issues in global politics, with an integrated placement year to give your career prospects a real boost.

What you’ll learn
As a business student at Aston, you’ll study the theories, principles, and underlying concepts of management and develop a strong understanding of business models and processes. You’ll examine how strategic decision-making within organizations takes place, and develop the ability to recognize and analyze the economic, technical, financial, social, and organizational parameters within which modern managers make decisions, providing you with a solid starting point for your future career.

On the international relations strand of the course, you’ll get an introduction to the international state system and to the structure and purpose of international organizations, such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization (WHO), and NATO. You will develop a knowledge and understanding of the nature between states and also of the roles played by international institutions, other intergovernmental organizations, multinational corporations, and NGOs.

Important strengths of the course include its focus on key contemporary issues in international relations and policy, such as security and the globalization of the international political economy. It is strongly geared towards increasing your employability, therefore designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills relevant to careers involving international partnerships in the public, private and voluntary sectors.

Studying Biomedical Engineering at Aston University, Birmingham will place you at the forefront of delivering great solutions for solving some of the world’s biggest medical problems. 

Bridging the gap between health, medicine, and engineering, studying biomedical engineering at Aston University gives you the hands-on skills, knowledge, and experience to help create the healthcare practices of tomorrow.

As a biomedical engineer, you will have the skills, flexibility, and knowledge to be involved in a wide number of activities such as developing innovative devices and delivering expert services directly to patients.

Enhance your learning with an MEng year
Our optional integrated MEng year allows you further to develop your knowledge and skills. You’ll spend the year completing an internship, work placement, or in an employment setting while studying master's level modules via distance learning.

Students are responsible for gaining their own internship, work placement, or employment, with the support of the University careers service. An average mark of at least 50% needs to have been achieved in the third year of the program to enter the MEng (you can convert to this program at any time during the BEng).

If you answered yes and would like to gain the knowledge and experience you need for a career in product design, alongside a range of marketing, management and business skills, this course could be for you.

Our design courses are stimulating, relevant, challenging and rewarding and you’ll benefit from practical, hands-on experience throughout your course. We work with a number of practicing designers so you’ll have the opportunity to work on live projects, ensuring your products are technically and commercially feasible, while also being environmentally responsible.

This course will ensure you develop a range of industry-ready skills, preparing you for whatever future you have in mind, whether that’s in-house design or setting up your own business.

What you’ll learn

In the first year you’ll get a grounding in product design principles and an understanding of how design can affect the profitability of a business.

In the second and final year you will take a common core of design modules to support your projects, integrating your design specialism with the core aspects of product design. You’ll also continue to develop skills that are relevant to your future career, whichever path you choose to take, including presentations and team working. Your final year will culminate in the opportunity to showcase your project work at the Aston Inspired final year design show.

We teach using a hands-on framework called CDIO - Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate – supported by 50 of the world’s top technical institutions. This enables you to apply real-world skills as you learn, enabling you to maximise your learning. You’ll do your learning in our state-of-the-art facilities, which include advanced 3D printing facilitates and a dedicated design studio with specialist equipment designed just for you.

Unlock even more career opportunities with the MEng Chemical Engineering, an extended, broader-based qualification with four years of academic study.

You could improve the quality of many lives through the products and materials you design and develop as a chemical engineer.

You will learn how to ensure the safe and profitable production of the chemicals and materials required to create products such as clothing, food, medicine, transport and home entertainment systems.

Chemical engineering is a challenging and fascinating profession with extensive career opportunities. With a masters in chemical engineering you will combine a detailed knowledge of chemistry with an understanding of engineering principles in order to design, construct and operate chemical process plants.

What you’ll learn

Our course is designed to develop your engineering skills, in the context of a firm grounding in chemistry. To ensure this, you’ll share your first year with chemists, giving you a good grounding in the subject before gaining a deeper insight into the industrial processes. Subjects you’ll cover include process design, health and safety, biological chemistry, biomaterials, inorganic materials and polymer synthesis.

The MEng builds on the BEng course and is enhanced by additional subjects including process synthesis, advanced management, bioenergy, and a major research project.

Our MEng is a challenging and demanding course which will enable you to progress more readily after graduation to Chartered Engineer (CEng) status which, in turn, equips you to aim for the highest levels in industry.

You have the option to spend a year on placement in industry after your second academic year. Many students find this experience extremely beneficial in terms of their personal development as well as their academic performance and development as an engineer.

Get a head start in business and examine the major issues facing governments across the world, from terrorism to climate change, with an inter-disciplinary Business and Politics BSc degree course from Aston University.

What you’ll learn
You’ll study the theories, principles, and underlying concepts of the main functions of management and develop a strong understanding of business models and processes. You’ll examine how strategic decision-making within organizations takes place, and develop the ability to recognize and analyze the economic, technical, financial, social, and organizational parameters within which modern managers make decisions, providing you with a solid starting point for your future career.

On the politics strand of the course, you will have the unique opportunity to explore political topics going beyond the UK and Europe, covering North America, South Asia, China, Japan, or the emerging global powers. You will not only study the traditional subjects of the discipline, such as security, political economy, or democratization but also have the chance to delve into ethics, sports, gender, protest, or religion.

A unique combination of strategy, management consulting, and international business, our MSc Strategy and International Business can kick-start your career.
This course will equip you with the skills to analyze companies’ strategic situations and develop practical strategic solutions for complex commercial problems. You’ll learn the vital role middle managers play in implementing strategy and how you can make strategy work in practice.

This course, which combines electronic engineering and computer science knowledge and experience, will enable you to be skilled in digital electronics, a highly sought after skill set in the current employment market. 

What you’ll learn
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 specialist options in preparation for your future career. These options include digital system design, telecommunications systems, optoelectronics and signal processing. In your final year you’ll undertake an in-depth project, based on your area of specialism.

We place particular emphasis on encouraging the development of essential professional skills, including communication and the ability to work as part of a team.

You’ll have access to an extensive network of computer facilities throughout your course, including high performance PCs for industrial standard ECAD, Unix workstations and a large number of embedded processors for lab work. These resources are complemented by specialist electronics, telecommunications and networked laboratories and research facilities.

What you’ll learn
In the first year, you’ll get a grounding in product design principles and an understanding of how design can affect the profitability of a business.

In the second and final year, you will take a common core of design modules to support your projects, integrating your design specialism with the core aspects of product design. You’ll also continue to develop skills that are relevant to your future career, whichever path you choose to take, including presentations and team working. Your final year will culminate in the opportunity to showcase your project work at the Aston Inspired final year design show.

We teach using a hands-on framework called CDIO - Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate – supported by 50 of the world’s top technical institutions. This enables you to apply real-world skills as you learn, enabling you to maximize your learning. You’ll do your learning in our state-of-the-art facilities, which include advanced 3D printing facilitates and a dedicated design studio with specialist equipment designed just for you.

We’ll support you to find a paid, professional placement of direct relevance to your studies. This placement will give you invaluable practical experience in a real work environment and will further enhance your career prospects.

You’ll also have the opportunity to network with employers and showcase your work as part of the Mechanical Engineering and Design Industry Club, where you’ll be given opportunities to meet employers.

Chemists and chemical engineers make products that we use in our everyday life, from vitamin C to chocolate, from creams to packaging, and from fuels to washing powders.  

You will study how to ensure the safe, sustainable and profitable production of chemicals and materials that will not only improve people’s quality of life but also contribute towards a better future for our planet.  

This programme is academically the same as the BSc (Hons) Chemistry but, as an applied chemist, you will undertake a final year research project under the supervision of one of our academic staff.?  
 
We cater for the needs of ‘pure’ chemists and provide the opportunity to explore the industrial, pharmaceutical, technological and commercial dimensions of chemistry. Business and other specialist topics are built into our courses enabling you to develop valuable management skills.

 What you’ll learn 

You’ll share your first year with chemical engineers, to ensure you have a good grounding in the subject before gaining a deeper insight into the industrial processes. 
 
Areas including sustainability and health and safety will be key to your learning, while more scientific and advanced modules will give you the technical skills you need for your career.  
 
You have the option to spend a year on placement in the

Develop a breadth of business knowledge including the functions of management and science of decision-making. Whether you want a career at the forefront of a global operation, start-up, or not-for-profit organization, this degree could be for you.

What you’ll learn
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 particular specialisms. You can gain professional accreditations and exemptions in many of these career paths and you’ll also undertake a placement year to put your learning into practice.