Bachelor of Science in Computing with Business Management (with integrated Foundation)

at University of Buckingham United Kingdom

This cutting-edge programme is unique to Buckingham. A course with wide appeal, it is aimed at anyone who has an interest in biography or in researching and writing a biography for themselves. The varied mix of backgrounds and interests that students bring to the course, the experience and commitment of the programme director and the friendly small-group setting allow a lively, enjoyable and intellectually rigorous exchange of ideas. Graduates have gone on to publish their own books, and to win prizes. Some have embarked on further research for the PhD in Biography.

When it was founded in 1996, the Biography MA was the first of its kind. Since then Life Writing has become part of the postgraduate menu, but the Buckingham course has kept its distinctive edge. Unlike most Life Writing degrees, it is not linked to Creative Writing, and there is a strong emphasis on research and historical biography. The programme is consistently rated ‘excellent’ by external examiners and inspectors.

Course structure

Students have a choice between following the taught MA or opting for the MA by Research. The taught MA gives an opportunity to produce written term papers on a variety of topics as well as a dissertation of up to 20,000 words. Students accepted for the MA by Research are required to produce written work which includes an extended dissertation of up to 40,000 words. All students produce coursework for the Research  Methods module: an annotated bibliography and a short biography, with supporting material, produced according to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography format.

Guest seminars on the course are led by leading biographers, critics, publishers and agents. Teachers and speakers on the course have included Andrew Motion, Kathryn Hughes, Frances Wilson, Frances Spalding, Caroline Dawnay, Andrew Lownie, Miranda Seymour, Anne Wroe, Angela Thirlwell, David Lough and Ophelia Field.

A BSc Computing degree looks at the computing and communications technologies lie at the heart of modern society. They include hardware, software, networks, tools, telecommunications equipment and required standards that provide the technological framework on which the delivery of information services is based. The IT industry is reporting a widening gap in software skills while hard technology is developing and diversifying fast.

The overall aim of this intensive programme is to enable all students to develop their potential so that they can apply what they have learnt to deal with computational problems and develop solutions in a real-world environment. Through studying this programme, students learn how to specify, design, develop and operate efficient and innovative computer-based systems and gain up-to-date knowledge of the relevant computing technologies at an advanced level within a shorter space of time.

Launched in January 2006, our BSc Business Enterprise BBE is the first undergraduate Venture Creation Programme (VCP) at a university anywhere in the world. This means students are required to start and run a business as part of their degree, this is not your typical degree programme as this programme is split between real-world application and theoretical knowledge.

The BSc Business Enterprise (BBE) Programme will interest you if you want to:

• Start and develop your own new business at the same time as studying for an honours degree.
• Make a positive contribution to the strategic development of a family business or other small or medium enterprise.
• Develop an entrepreneurial or “can do” approach to life to enhance your future career anywhere.

Students pitching to the Buckingham AngelsThis course provides the opportunity for you to ‘pitch’ for ‘seed-corn’ capital of up to £5,000, enabling you to start and run your own business as an integral part of your honours degree.  We offer a range of business subjects that will help you to establish your business and develop your qualities of entrepreneurship, management and innovation.

In the first semester, you will learn how to create an effective business plan. This will form the basis of your ‘pitch’ to obtain your ‘seed-corn’ capital from our investment panel ‘Buckingham Angels’.

During the following 18 months, you will be establishing and ‘growing’ the business, at the same time as developing your academic knowledge in-depth across the range of business subjects needed to obtain an honours degree in Business Enterprise.

The BSc in Business Management 3-year programme will benefit those individuals who wish to study an undergraduate degree but have non-standard academic qualifications.

Year one will follow the Foundation Pathway programme and introduce students to key concepts and study skills. In years two and three students will build on these skills and enhance their knowledge, understanding and practice in core subjects. Throughout the three years, a student will be equipped with the skills to reach their potential in academic studies.

Foundation courses bridge the gap between your current qualifications and the knowledge and skills required for the undergraduate programme you want to do. Even if you have not yet achieved the necessary academic qualifications or your English language is not yet at the required standard, we will help you to identify your needs and develop a learning programme to meet them in Year 1, enabling you to progress on to the full degree. Our unique condensed timetabling at Buckingham allows you to complete your foundation and undergraduate programmes in just three years. This means a faster – and smoother transition into university study in a supportive and stimulating learning environment.

Why study this course?

The BSc in Business Management aims to equip graduates with analytical and decision-making skills relevant to career development in the wider business context.

Business organisations do not exist in isolation and much of the early part of your study is focused on understanding the various external driving forces for change and the internal responses necessary for a business to survive and prosper. The programme provides a blend of theoretical and practical study, never losing sight of employers’ requirements and students’ career aspirations.

At no point in recent history has there been such an exciting time to study the dynamics of business and its role in the global environment. The programme is designed to develop skills in solving business problems that are transferable organisationally and internationally across business environments. Business Management is a broad-based, live subject. Practical and real-life projects and case studies are introduced to enhance your learning experience while equipping you to meet the needs of, and manage within, today’s dynamic business world.

Our new flagship MBA programme takes advantage of Buckingham’s unique student-centred pedagogical approach, to give you an unparalleled opportunity to work closely with expert-faculty to develop considerable specialised and general business knowledge. It will help you achieve a more rewarding career and lucrative lifestyle.

On the programme you will:

• Develop knowledge and understanding of organisations, their management and the changing internal and external contexts in which they operate.
• Build knowledge and understanding of the complexity of business management in order to improve the effectiveness of decision-making in organisations.
• Develop as managers who can contribute a balanced outlook which incorporates an understanding of the economic, environmental, social and ethical concerns in the context of managing organisations.
• Develop enduring skills and an appreciation that these skills can be enhanced and developed through life-long learning.
• Develop the necessary knowledge and skills to improve your employability in an increasingly competitive environment.

Modules are designed to enhance your employability by developing your capacity to make high-quality decisions, undertake organizational analysis, lead others and communicate effectively. In particular, the MBA project provides you with the opportunity to develop, but also demonstrate your business acumen through a significant piece of original organizational research or consultancy-style project work.

The BSc Psychology with Spanish first-year covers two Psychology modules per term and the third module from another department (for breadth). In the second year, it concentrates on Psychology alone, studying the same modules as the Psychology major students, together with several new more specialised modules.

This popular and exciting degree programme offers an excellent basis for anyone wishing to go into a psychology-related career.

A foreign language is always an excellent skill to have, and the BSc Psychology with Spanish is great study option for anyone interested in psychology who wants the opportunity of learning another language to a high level.

Recent corporate scandals across the world have drawn attention to the importance of accountancy and finance. BSc Accounting and Finance 2-year degree programmes are designed to meet the demands of the 21st Century, but which still teach the underlying skills, make it an exciting time to be studying accounting and finance at Buckingham.

The flagship BSc Accounting and Finance degree programme (previously known as BSc Accounting and Financial Management) provides an academically rigorous study of the principal accounting and finance disciplines. It also has a strong vocational orientation, providing significant exemptions from the examinations of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (ACCA) and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). The combination of a fast-track two-year programme and the number of exemptions attained makes Buckingham Business School a very attractive option to the Accounting and Finance student.

LLB Law degree allows our students to become confident, competent lawyers, able to practise almost anywhere in the world after just two years (eight or nine terms) of study.

With an English ‘qualifying law degree’ from Buckingham you will be recognised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (formerly the Law Society) and the Bar Standards Board as qualified to be exempt from the academic stage of training for entry into the legal profession. Every LLB programme at Buckingham (whether single honours or combined honours) provides our graduates with this qualification.

We can usually accommodate the additional requirements needed to practise in some countries and if you are an overseas student we are happy to discuss exactly what subjects you must take in order to qualify for your jurisdiction.

During your study for the Buckingham LLB Law you will become proficient in written and oral presentation, perfect your research techniques and learn to solve problems in a logical and structured way.

BA Modern Languages  will develop your linguistic competence in both French and Spanish and gain an in-depth knowledge and understanding of their cultures, communities and societies.

Languages are taught at Intermediate Level (stages 3-6) and Advanced Level (stages 5–8). Students will also have the opportunity to undertake a dissertation project and/or, subject to availability, an external work placement in France and/or Spain.

Upon completion students will have a range of transferable skills directly relating to employability, as well as developing their communication, critical and analytical skills. It is designed for students who wish to work in a range of careers or pursue further studies within an international context or related to international institutions.

 Modern Languages ( BA) Flexible Honours
Make your degree as unique as you! If you choose BA Modern Languages (Flexible Honours) you’ll have the freedom to tailor your Modern Languages degree to reflect your interests and passions by combining it with a wide range of other subjects taught here at the University. This means that when you graduate you will have a highly personalised degree that will suit you and your aspirations perfectly.

If you choose Flexible Honours you have the freedom to select up to a third of your modules from the whole range of what is taught at the University. This means you can mix and match lots of different subjects ?with Modern Languages. At every stage, your Personal Tutor will be on hand to advise and guide your choices.

BSc Psychology with French gives you the skill of another language which is a great advantage to have excellent. The BSc Psychology with French course is a great option  for anyone interested in psychology who wants the opportunity of learning the french language to a high level. See our course Psychology pages for further information on what the Psychology part of the degree will cover.