Foundation Degree Business, Enterprise and Management

Interested in joining the growing business sector? During the last five years there have been a number of changes in the business environment and, even despite the pandemic, the business population continues to increase. Small and medium-sized businesses account for 99.9% of the business population (5.5 million businesses), with an estimated 5.5 million small businesses at the start of 2021 (Federation of Small Businesses, 2022).

Higher level skills in enterprise and management are widely looked for across all sectors and industries, with higher skilled manager roles in demand (WYCA, 2021). You could be one of those highly skilled managers employers are looking for by gaining the skills and competencies they need through this foundation degree.

This course will equip you with the core management skills, complex problem-solving skills, and operational skills needed in successful business. Future business is shaped by the importance of sustainability, ethics, further globalisation, and the increase in the introduction of disruptive technologies, all of which you will learn about in this foundation degree.

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About the course

This foundation degree will equip you with the skills and knowledge needed if you are wishing to pursue a career in the business sector including such areas as operations, finance, marketing, production, manufacturing, and human resources, progress into a business management role or to help you in setting up your own business.

This foundation degree will equip you with the appropriate skills required in business management including;

Knowledge of how businesses operate
Understanding of management and business impact on economies
A contemporary understanding of the core business and management disciplines, principles, theory and good practice

You will develop knowledge and skills relating to entrepreneurship, innovation and enterprise skills that support businesses to be competitive in a fast moving and multi-channel world. You will have opportunities to engage with employers, analysing and evaluating real life business problems in order to propose solutions. Further, you will develop your communication skills in order to be able to communicate effectively in all business settings, and become a self-disciplined, reflective and independent learner and practitioner. The understanding and skills you develop will enable you to work in an interdisciplinary and diverse business environment.

This course is validated by Luminate Education Group

Fee

£7,950 Full Time or £3,975 Part Time (per academic year)

Location

University Centre

Start Date

18th September 2023

Duration

2 years full-time | 2 years part-time

Course Code

UCAS Course Code: N200 Institution code: L21

Study Mode

Full-time | Part-time

National Student Survey results 2022

The teaching on my course

83%

Learning opportunities

83%

Academic support

97%

Organisation and management

81%

Learning community

83%

Student voice

96%

What you learn

Modules may include:

Year 1 (Level 4)

Academic Toolkit (20 credits)

Through studying this module you will develop an understanding of the importance of LinkedIn profiles, digital badging and communication. You will gain a range of skills such as analytical, critical, research and application techniques, as well as academic skills such as academic writing, referencing and summarising. You will utilise reflective models and techniques to ensure that you are a highly effective reflective practitioner.

An Introduction to Marketing and Data Analytics (20 credits)

Data analytics is hugely important to any business as it helps to optimise performance. Through studying this module you will develop an understanding of the needs of consumers based on data analysis, allowing you to identify key market qualitative and quantitative statistics which will enable you to inform your future marketing campaigns, considering key forces and influences.

Understanding Organisational and Consumer Behaviours (20 credits)

You will acquire knowledge and understanding of the external and internal influences on an organisation and its environment. You will be provided with an essential understanding of the consumer and their buying behaviours and how the business environment can adapt and change to meet the needs of the consumer.

Business Enterprise and Planning Skills (20 credits)

Studying this module will equip you with the knowledge and understanding of business success and failure and encourage creativity and innovation. It will enable you to write effective business plans and understand the legal formations of businesses.

Finance for Business (20 credits)

You will be equipped with the skills and knowledge of the importance of cash flow in organisations. An understanding of forecast planning and budgeting as well as investment opportunities and creating end of year accounts.

People Management (20 credits)

Through studying this module you will develop understanding of the essential skills and knowledge required for effective People Management as well as understand the legal, social and ethical aspects of managing diverse teams and workforces.

Year 2 (Level 5)

Business Research Project (20 credits)

You will develop the essential skills required in research projects, from looking for an initial problem, through to researching and using creative and critical thinking skills to implement a solution. You will acquire a good understanding of the different methodologies used in research projects as well as secondary qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques.

Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship (20 credits)

Whilst studying this module you will understand the skills required in creativity and innovation to become successful entrepreneurs. It will allow you to explore your own creativity and apply this to real life scenarios.

Project Management (20 credits)

Completing this module will help you to develop knowledge in project planning, lifecycles and evaluation and apply principles, theories and methodologies associated with project managing a project plan.

Contemporary Theories and Concepts of Leadership and Management (20 credits)

You will explore the theories and models of leadership and management to optimise team and individual performance as well as analysing the theories and concepts of emotional intelligence and resistance to change.

Fundamentals of Globalisation and Business Sustainability (20 credits)

Studying this module will equip you with the fundamental knowledge of organisational sustainability and responsibility. It will allow you to explore the expanding global opportunities organisations have in reaching untapped and emerging markets.

Legal Aspects of Management and Business Ownership (20 credits)

This module will give you the knowledge and understanding of an organisation’s legal responsibilities and obligations. It will allow you to explore and analyse legislation in relation to business ownership and management.

Benefits/ Skills you will develop

Employability is a key focus of the programme, and as such much time is devoted to the development of practical, professional and key transferable skills.

This foundation degree has established links with the National Careers Service, representatives of which attend periodically as guest speakers and facilitate employability workshops. You will be introduced to a number of opportunities with employers including the Department for Transport where opportunities for work experience in the Westminster office is available, as well as work experience with employers such as KPMG. The course offers relationships with local employers and business mentorship programmes such as the GenIE bootcamp. Close relationships with small and medium enterprises in the West Yorkshire area are a focus of the programme to ensure you gain a real business perspective of problems that require timely solutions. This will ensure that you are prepared for a career as an entrepreneur or middle to senior management positions. Recently, the department has also developed links with the Skills for Growth team from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

Smaller class sizes than a traditional university gives a more personable feel to the course and allows for closer tutor/student relationships to ensure your time on the course is tailored to your specific learning needs.

Assessment

A range of assessment methods will be used throughout the foundation degree in Business, Enterprise and Management qualification as excellent oral and written communication skills are vital in any sector. Presentations (group and individual) and peer debates will be used as assessment methods as well as written reports/case studies and open book assessments. It is important to understand how the theories and concepts put forward relate to current organisations and carry out assessments using methods relevant to the sector. Assessments have been developed to ensure that there is a mixture of methods in each module. This is to ensure that you have the best opportunity to showcase a range of skills that are required in business, enterprise and management.

A key focus has been on team and group work within the assessment strategy which reflects the top skill required from graduates by employees according to studies carried out by the Chartered Management Institute.

Where is the course delivered

The course is delivered at the University Centre Campus which is situated on the outskirts of Leeds city centre making the campus easily accessible by bus/train/motorway networks. The award adopts the approach to student learning support as identified below:.

A robust communications system functions to give students access to lecturers and management; this includes e-mail, the VLE and Google Applications.
All necessary information about the programme is provided by means of the student handbook, module handbooks and the VLE.
Opportunity for tutorials and personal development planning. This is implemented in the first semester and continued throughout the year of study.
You will have access to the Academic Skills Tutor within the department, with the objective of improving Academic Skills and offering support and advice.
There is an extensive range of learning resources in the Library, supported by specialist staff that provide bespoke study skills sessions or students.
The University Centre provides an extensive range of services for students, including support for those with special and additional learning needs or in receipt of Disability Support Allowance (DSA)
You will be allocated a Chromebook in the first year of the foundation degree.

Entry requirements

A typical offer is likely to consist of:

A Levels: 2xD grades

BTEC Level 3 Diploma or Extended Diploma:MP, MPP grade

Access to HE Diploma:Overall pass with 60 credits, with 24 credits to be at a Merit

T Levels: Pass (D or E on the Core)

GCSE English (desirable): English Language Grade C or above is desirable (grade 4 for those sitting their GCSE from 2017 onwards). Key Skills Level 2, Functional Skills Level 2 and the Certificate in Adult Literacy are accepted in place of GCSEs.

IELTS: IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any component.

International qualifications:International qualifications will be assessed against these criteria

Mature applicants: University Centre Leeds welcomes applications from mature* applicants who may not have met the academic criteria, but who can demonstrate a wealth of experience in their chosen field. Candidates in this category and otherwise are likely to be interviewed to assess their suitability for the course and may be asked to provide a portfolio of evidence to support their application.

*21 years and over at the start of the course

RPL claims: The course structure actively supports claims for Recognition of Prior Certified Learning (RPCL) or Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL).

Part Time courses: Students for part time study are required to hold a full level 3 qualification or the equivalent experience in a relevant subject and will need to be working in the sector. 

What’s next

Once you have completed the foundation degree in Business, Enterprise and Management, there are options for you to progress onto the Business, Enterprise and Management top-up year where you will be awarded a full BA(Hons) degree. There is also the opportunity to progress onto the Leadership and Management top-up degree BA(Hons). Alternatively, you will have gained some of the skills required to become a successful entrepreneur in your chosen sector and/or lower to middle management positions such as:

Team leader/supervisor
Business adviser
Business analyst
Business development manager
Data analyst
Management consultant
Project manager
Risk manager
Stockbroker
Supply chain manager

Programme Specification

Course Handbook

Leeds City College Regulations

Staff Profiles

Student Testimonies/ Case Studies