International Trade and Business Communication (Top-up)
University of Portsmouth
UCAS Code: LN21 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
GCSE/National 4/National 5
3 GCSEs at grade C or above to include Mathematics/3 GCSEs at grade 4 or above to include Mathematics.
About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
**Overview**
If English isn't your first language and you want to build a career in global trade, this BA (Hons) International Trade and Business Communication top-up degree is a great choice.
You'll study all things business in an English-speaking environment alongside native and non-native speakers, learning how people use conversational, formal and business English in preparation for the fast-paced world of international trade. You can do this undergraduate degree in 1 or 2 years, depending on your level of previous study and your ability to write and speak English.
After the course, you'll have the English language skills and international trade understanding to succeed in a range of careers in the global marketplace, in areas such as business management, export and/or import finance, international market research and marketing.
**Improve your English in 3 ways:**
- dedicated English language classes to improve your vocabulary and grammar
- business communications classes where you'll practise presentations, interviews and writing for business
- living and working with both UK and international students and experiencing life in a welcoming UK city
**Other course highlights**
- Explore the theory and practice of international trade, the ways different cultures view the global marketplace, and the economic, legal and managerial factors that affect how business is done around the world
- Be fully supported by your tutors and our dedicated global team, and join a community with more than 5,000 international and EU students from 150 different countries
- Earn a full BA (Hons) degree in International Trade and Business Communications in just 1 or 2 years
**Careers and opportunities**
The globalisation of trade has transformed the world economy. Today, approximately one fourth of total global production is exported (Our World in Data).
As a result, those with a knowledge of international trade and the factors that impact it are highly sought-after by a wide range of employers.
And, as English continues to be the world's language for trade, there's strong demand for graduates with both business and English language skills. This gives you many career options after the course.
**What areas can you work in with an international trade and business communication (top-up) degree?**
This course gives you the skills for careers in areas such as:
- international trade
- export and/or import finance
- export and/or import coordination
- product management
- market research
- marketing
- retail and leisure
You could also go on to further study at postgraduate level or start your own business with help and support from the University.
Modules
Year 1
Core modules include:
- Business Communication 2
- English Language Grade 5
- Introduction to International Business and Economics
- Marketing and Communication
- Professional Communication in a Global Workplace
Optional modules include:
- British Culture
- Corporate Analysis and Strategies in an International Environment
- Modern Foreign Language (Institution-wide Language Programme)
- Professional Experience
Year 2
Core modules include:
- Business Communication 3
- English Language Grade 6
- International Marketing and Export Trade
- International Trade: Payments and Law
- Project
Optional units include:
- Business and Markets in a Global Environment
- Intercultural Perspectives on Communication
- Managing Across Cultures
- Practical Translation (Chinese)
- Professional Experience
- Understanding Britain Today
- Written Discourse in the Workplace
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry. If a module doesn't run, we'll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
University of Portsmouth
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Business studies
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
English language
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Business studies
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
The number of business studies graduates fell significantly last year after a long period of increase. But there were still more than 14,000 degrees awarded and this is the third most popular subject for new graduates. Because so many graduates get business studies degrees, you can find them everywhere in the economy, and very few jobs are completely out of reach for a good business studies graduate. Around 40% go into jobs in finance, sales, recruitment, management (particularly retail) or marketing. There is also a small (but well paid) group who take their technical skills into computing and IT. Thousands of graduates from this subject go into professional jobs every year, and average starting salaries are above the average for all subjects and particularly healthy in London where they top £25k. Graduates with good degree grades in business studies are much more likely to get good jobs, so don’t be complacent, and keep a close eye on your grades.
English language
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Business studies
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£22k
£27k
£34k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
English language
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£18k
£22k
£26k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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