Which degree is for me? Undergraduate Business Management💼

Copied to clipboard

We know choosing a degree is not always easy, it can seem like a huge decision to make so early on in life which can dictate your future career.

That’s why we’ve launched a new series on our student and graduate blog programme – ‘Which degree is for me?’.

To help you decide which undergraduate degree is right for you, a different graduate and student will be sharing their insight into their degree subject, from the entry requirements, what to expect, study tips and what graduate jobs you can go into.

The next of our ‘Which Degree is for me’ series comes from Sharandeep Bhogal, a Business Management graduate from the University of Nottingham. If you’re thinking about studying business management at university, check out her top tips for how to decide if the course is for you and what to expect from this degree.

If you’d like to write for our student and graduate blog programme and gain valuable copy-writing experience, get in touch below:

Why study Business Management? ?

A Business Management undergraduate degree has many great benefits, here are some of the reasons why you should consider studying Business Management:

One of the many benefits of a Business Management degree is the transferable skills you can gain.

Business Management degrees cover a wide range of modules covering many aspects of business, these skills are great for any future business job, no matter what you want to specialise in.

You’ll also build a skill set to be able to respond to challenges and current developments in business and society, giving you the tools to make informed managerial decisions and make valuable managers to companies.

Some of the essential business management skills you will develop are:

  • Critical and strategic thinking
  • Communication
  • Problem-solving
  • Organisation
  • Presenting
  • Reporting
  • Leadership
  • Project management

 

Or, if you’ve ever wanted to start up your own business and be your own boss, studying Business Management will give you the core elements and entrepreneurial skills to start your own business.

Or, if you’re not certain about what future career you want yet, a business management degree is an excellent choice.

You’ll gain a broad and diverse knowledge of many different aspects of business, meaning during your degree as you complete certain modules, you’ll gain more of an understanding as to what you want to specialise in.

If you need help deciding what graduate career is right for you, take our career test for graduates!

Another advantage of studying Business Management is that the graduate roles you can enter into after your degree are some of the best-paid graduate jobs.

Whilst this shouldn’t be your only reason to choose to study Business Management, it is an additional bonus.

If you’re wondering ‘what are the best paid graduate jobs’, check out our blog for a breakdown of the best-paid graduate roles!

Is a Business Management degree right for me? 💭

Business Management at university isn’t for everyone, here are some questions to ask yourself to determine if you should study a Business Management undergraduate degree:

Am I interested in all aspects of Business?

A Business Management degree will take you through multiple areas of a business, such as Operations Management, Marketing, Project Management and Accountancy to name a few. You will need to have an interest in learning about the full 360 of how a business works.

Do I consider myself a leader and want to go into future managerial roles?

Whilst there are many other career paths you can follow from a Business Management degree, one of the most popular and easier careers to transition into, are Business Manager roles. If in your future career you’d love to lead teams, manage people and take on responsibility, then an undergraduate Business Management degree is a great option for you.

Do I want to spend a year working in the industry?

Most Business Management degrees will offer you a placement year, or year in industry. This is a great opportunity to get hands on experience working in a company and learning more about different aspects of how a business runs.

Entry requirements for Business Management degree

Entry requirements are dependent on your University choice, but usually, you will need at least a grade C in English and Mathematics.

A lot of Universities allow various types of qualifications to study their course instead of A-levels such as a BTEC or an International Baccalaureate.

If you’re thinking about applying to university, visit our blog for tips and guidance for how to get into university.

 

Types of Business Management degree

There are various types of degree’s that specialise in Business, each dependent on the University you are applying to. Here are some of the courses that Business is taught under:

  • International Business
  • Business Management
  • Business Administration
  • Accountancy
  • Industrial Economics

However, if you wish to mainly focus on just Business, then Business Management, Business Administration and International Business are your best choices.

It’s also worth researching the types of jobs you can get with a business degree (scroll down!) before you make a decision on which course is right for you.

With many of these courses you may be able to study abroad, study a language as a joint course with these degrees or even work abroad in your placement year.

If you’re considering studying abroad, check out our student-written blog for how to get the most out of studying abroad.

 

Duration of a Business Management degree

A Business Management course is usually three to four years long depending on if you take a placement year or a year abroad.

Taking a placement year has many advantages, especially to Business management undergraduate degrees.

For example, spending a year in industry and learning more about other aspects of business can help you realise what modules you would like to specialise in during your final year, and even help you decide a dissertation topic.

Moreover, a placement year is a great way to gain many valuable workplace skills that will be a great addition to your graduate CV, all helping you when it comes to applying to graduate jobs and graduate schemes.

For more of the advantages of taking a placement year, visit our guest blog to find out all about placement years, from what they are and how to find one.

 

What to expect each year of Business Management degree for a four-year course

 

  • Year one – Usually does not count to your final qualification it is like an introductory year to your course but use this to practise what exam techniques you should use in your upcoming years.
  • Year two – You usually do not get to pick these modules a lot are compulsory which is why it is important to check out which modules are dependent on the University because this will count towards your degree. For instance, if you know you are more creative than numerically minded it is better to pick a course that specialises more in these types of modules second year. Yet personal tutors and your lecturers are there to support you throughout the process.
  • Year three – Placement Year where you get the opportunity to work for a company in a business related role. Or you may have the option to spend a year learning business abroad at a different University.
  • Year four – Final year modules which usually you can pick yourself based on your favourite modules. This is where usually majority of your grade counts dependent on the University grading system. You will also most likely have to write a dissertation.

*(if you do not choose a course with a placement year then this would be a three-year course: so, you would exclude year three on this list)

 

Business Management essay and exams

When researching your course this is an important factor to consider, as some universities may offer courses with more group work and coursework-based modules, whilst some may focus on more exam-based modules.

Have a think about where your skills lie and where you’ve performed best academically in the past, you want to do as best as you can during your degree, so be tactical and choose a course at a university where you will be able to do this.

Business study tips

  • A Business degree is dependent on how much work you put in and a lot of Universities will expect you to manage your time with a balance of lectures and spare reading.

    The reading time is important to understand further what the lectures are about- so be sure to make time for all your additional reading as this will help you out when it comes to exams and essays.

  • If you are unsure about a certain topic, always ask your lecturers for help and at most universities, you can book an appointment time with your module leader to discuss topics you are unsure of further.

  • When it comes to exams, a great tip is to use past papers. These are often supplied through your University portal and they can help you to understand time management and exam techniques.

  • Often with Business Management degress, there is a lot fo group work involved. One of my top tips is to go to any society socials, try to make friends with some people on your course as this will help you feel more settled and confident when it comes to group work. You will be spending a lot of time with the people on your course, so it’s useful to make the effort and make some good friends on your course.

Business Management degree jobs

As Business Management covers such a wide array of business aspects, Business graduates are very attractive to employers.

Here are some of the sectors you can go into with a Business Management undergraduate degree:

  • Retail or bank manager working on HR modules
  • Sustainability manager with sustainability modules such as working with the UN sustainability goals.
  • Supply chain sector with business operations modules
  • Opening your own business!
  • Social Media manager
  • Recruitment consultant in robotics especially if you specialise in AI modules

If you’re currently looking for Business graduate jobs, make sure to check out the latest grad jobs in business.

 

What further qualifications can you do after a business degree?

There is a wide range of qualifications you can gain after your undergraduate degree, completing these can improve your job prospects, and some graduate jobs may require certain courses.

Here are some of the further qualifications you can take:

  • CIMA- for management.
  • ACA and ACCA- for Accountancy sectors.
  • CIPD- specialising in HR.
  • Further education through Post-Graduate or a master’s degree.

 


 

A Business Management degree is a fantastic opportunity to learn about multiple different areas of business, to prepare you for the working world and to be able to specialise in a field after you’ve graduated.

I hope this guide gives you more insight into a Business Management undergraduate degree, and best of luck with your applications!

Was this post useful?