Get degree ideas using our A level explorer tool

studentstudents, parents, grandparentsgb, united kingdombusiness and management studies

Business and management studies courses

Business and management degrees are a popular option with students, but they actually come in all different shapes and sizes. More theoretical courses cover economics, politics and sociology, while others focus more on the skills and practices you'll need to carry out specific management and business functions - including accounting, finance, marketing, logistics and human resources. You might also find options such as entrepreneurship, sustainability, international business and event planning thrown in for good measure.

Studying business and management studies at university

Example course modules

  • Skills for employment
  • Organisational behaviour in practice
  • Consumer behaviour
  • Using finance in business
  • Managerial economics
  • Quantitative methods in information management
  • Financial reporting
  • Environmental sustainability
  • Creativity in enterprise
  • Strategic marketing

Teaching hours / week

Average for this subject

9
Low
12
Hours
16
High
5
14
Hours

Average for all subjects

The time you'll spend in lectures and seminars each week will vary from university to university, so use this as a guide.

More on studying and contact hours at uni

Who studies this subject

  • Female : 46%
    Male : 54%
  • Mature : 56%
    School leaver : 44%
  • Full-time : 76%
    Part-time : 24%

What students say about business and management studies

What you need to get on a course

Subjects you need

A-levels (or equivalent) usually required

  • None (occasionally maths for management degrees)

Useful to have

  • Business studies
  • Economics
  • Mathematics

Application checklist

Here's a guide to what to expect from the application process - also check individual university entry requirements, as these may differ.

  • January application
  • October application
  • Personal statement
  • Portfolio
  • Interview
  • Entry test
  • Work experience
  • Audition

Personal statement advice

Your personal statement is a core part of your university application, and getting it just right takes time. Before you start work on yours, take a look at our five quick tips on writing a personal statement. We'll help you past that writer's block!

Career prospects

Sources: HECSU & KIS
With one in 23 grads studying business studies, it's one of the most popular degree choices and very few jobs are completely out of reach for a good business studies graduate. They are most likely to go into jobs in finance, management or marketing, so the stats have been hit slightly because the finance industry hasn’t been in the best of health in the economic downturn. But thousands of graduates from this subject go into professional jobs every year, and average starting salaries are very slightly above the average for all subjects. Management degrees are also popular. It's not a surprise to hear that a lot of graduates from the subject went into management, and remember that, for this degree, a lot of the jobs are in London. But management graduates tried their hands at all sorts of different jobs last year – not just those within the finance industry, but also community work, IT, marketing and PR and even surveying. This is a flexible degree that can fit graduates for all sorts of work.
Professional and accrediting bodies:

Six months after graduating

Typical graduate job areas
  • Sales, marketing and related associate professionals

Longer term career paths

Jobs where this degree is useful

  • IT business analyst
  • Market researcher
  • Human resources officer

Other real-life job examples

  • Chartered accountant
  • Management consultant
  • Retail manager

What employers like about this subject

The most popular subjects studied at degree level are business and management. There are many subject-specific skills you can develop on these degrees including an understanding of finance, markets, business policy, business operations and effective customer interaction. A business and management student will also learn a number of useful transferable skills in numeracy, communication, problem-solving, decision-making, and critical thinking. Business and management graduates are usually found working for finance organisations and related industries, but they can also be found in almost every other industry.