BSc (Hons) Business Management (Retail) with foundation year
Course Overview
Business management qualifications open doors and are considered essential whether you want to pursue a career in business or achieve higher levels of responsibility in your current work.Our BSc (Hons) in Business Management (Retail) with foundation year offers a firm grounding in an essential range of contemporary business management subjects combined with the opportunity to focus your studies in the final year.
The foundation year is the first year of this four-year degree, offering an excellent grounding in the fundamentals of business and management alongside study skills development. It's designed to prepare you for degree-level study.
By studying core modules that are common between all our BSc (Hons) Business Management programmes, you'll be exposed to key concepts in areas such as company law, leadership and people management, marketing, strategic management, information systems and big data, project management, finance, innovation and enterprise. This solid foundation will support your advanced studies in specialist areas, including retail operations, global consumer behaviour and digital marketing strategy.
Developing your employability is a key focus of this dynamic and flexible programme. Real-life case studies, guest speakers and industry visits are designed to help you to understand the business environment and the needs of employers in local, national and international contexts. We'll support you in developing sought-after skills such as communication, data analysis, time management, teamwork, and problem-solving.
We also aim to help you develop lifelong learning skills so that you can take ownership of your professional development for the future, maximising your potential for success.
Highlights
- Our team of highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic business management lecturers offer teaching sessions and academic support, ensuring you can access help and advice when you need it.
- This course is part of our BSc (Hons) Business Management suite of degrees. All students study the same modules during the first three years of this four-year degree to gain an in-depth knowledge of the major business disciplines. At the honours level, you can follow the specialist pathway in retail, transfer to one of our other specialist pathways in marketing, finance, people management or supply chain management, or follow the core business management route.
- Face-to-face sessions are offered by our team of highly experienced and enthusiastic lecturers.
- The London Academic Centre and Regent College London offer excellent IT facilities, as well as WiFi and well-appointed teaching, learning and study areas.
Key Features
- We use small group and tutorial teaching, so you have the opportunity to benefit from the excellent support offered by our teaching staff.
- We regularly invite guest speakers who hold senior positions in industry and practice, enabling you to benefit from their knowledge and advice.
- Course materials are available online, allowing you to prepare work at home and make the most of the highly interactive in-class tuition.
- Contemporary research findings are woven into our teaching. We offer a robust academic underpinning to your studies of business management.
- Our dedicated team will support you as you develop critical thinking and research skills and apply these during your final year dissertation.
- Free Pre-sessional English classes are available if you need support to improve your English language skills to meet the English language requirements for your chosen course.
- You'll benefit from dedicated student and academic support during your time at our London Academic Centre.
- We offer Success, Character, Opportunity and Progress Enhancement (SCOPE) sessions that are designed to support your growth and enable you to develop wider thinking across your curriculum.
- You'll be able to take advantage of our Thinking into Character (TiC) suite of educational programmes that focus on helping you to think bigger, aim higher and achieve your dreams.
- A link tutor provides academic communication between our London Academic Centre at Regent College London and the University of Bolton's academic school so that the experience you receive as an off-campus student is equivalent to that of an on-campus student.
- As an off-campus student, you'll also have access to the support of the University's dedicated off-campus team and resources, to help make you truly feel part of the institution.
- You'll also have access to the University's e-learning resources, an extensive e-library and the support of University librarians.
Entry Requirements
- Any subjects are acceptable at Level 3.
- You should also have five GCSEs at grade C or above or grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent), including English Language. If you didn't study GCSEs or don't have the required grade in English Language, please contact us for details of other acceptable qualifications.
- We'll be happy to consider your application if you have non-traditional qualifications and relevant experience or a suitable portfolio of work that we deem a reasonable substitute for the qualifications we typically accept for this course.
- Every application will be considered on its individual merits.
- You’ll be required to attend an interview and/or provide a portfolio of work.
- If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 5.0 with no less than 4.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details. Where we think you’ll benefit from English language tuition, we’ll support you to improve your English language skills as part of your foundation year. This will help you to succeed at degree level.
- Please visit www.rcl.ac.uk to find out more about our London Academic Centre and Regent College London.
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
Career Opportunities
Our BSc (Hons) Business Management (Retail) with foundation year course is designed to provide a broad understanding of business functions in the business and commercial world, along with the opportunity to develop expertise in the specific area of retail.
The course offers you a route into general management and the specialist area of retail, so you can tailor your skills and knowledge to pursue your chosen career. Areas such as business supply chain management, enterprise, finance, law, marketing and people management will also be open to you.
In addition to nurturing academic and sector-specific knowledge, the programme supports your development of key employability skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving and data analysis. Overall, the course aims to give you an essential appreciation of the skills needed to thrive and adapt in the changing world of work.
What can I do with this qualification?
Graduates with specialist retail knowledge underpinned by a broader understanding of how businesses and managers operate have a competitive advantage when entering employment or self-employment. As a graduate of this course, you'll be equipped to enter a wide range of business and management roles in the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Retail-specific expertise and knowledge of the operational and staffing concerns relevant in a retail environment are valuable for roles where you advise organisations on retailing matters. You might also pursue a career as a manager within the retailing sector. Alternatively, you'll be well placed to embark on careers in areas such as marketing, human resource management, finance, customer service management, advertising, merchandising, logistics and supply chain management and accountancy.
You may choose to undertake further study to develop your expertise in a particular area. A wide range of postgraduate and professional development courses are available in areas such as human resources, marketing, finance, law, computing and international business management. Studying for an MBA is also another option.
Alternative career options
Graduates can also use the qualification as a stepping stone into a range of other careers, bearing in mind that some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. Some possibilities include:
- Hotel and leisure management
- Public relations
- Financial management
- Information systems
- Market research analysis
- Product management
- Health policy and information
- Purchasing
- Teaching and education
- Media (TV, film, online, newspaper, magazine)
- Self-employment
- Banking
- Auditing and quality assurance
- Project management
- Risk and insurance
Fees & Funding
Home/EU Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
International Fees
International applications are not possible for this course
As an international student you are not allowed to study this course because of the restrictions on your visa.
We offer a wide range of full-time courses in lots of different subjects, many of our courses start in September and January. If you would like to see what courses are available please visit our Course Search.
Bursaries
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2025-26 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
How to apply
Home Applicants
Course application details are unavailable at present
International Applicants
Course application details are unavailable at present
Partner Organisation Applicants
Option currently unavailable.
Teaching & Assessment
Lectures introduce the core course content, while seminars explore subjects in greater detail. Tutorials allow you to ask questions, ensuring you understand the topics covered in the lectures and seminars. We use case studies and practical scenarios to help you learn to apply academic theory to real-life practical scenarios, allowing you to gain insights into contemporary practice in a working business environment. We'll also expect you to undertake considerable guided independent study; for instance, library research and background reading, preparing for seminar and tutorial activities, and working on assignments.
Furthermore, we'll expect you to adopt work-based learning as part of your employment or during a work experience placement.
Guest lectures and presentations by various visiting speakers from relevant employment areas offer you the chance to develop your knowledge and understanding further.
Regarding assessment, you can expect time-constrained exams, essays, reports, presentations, and portfolios. These contribute to your final module mark and allow you to demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes.
We also use other assessment forms to help you learn, provide feedback, and inform your development. These do not, however, count towards your final module mark.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
- Academic Language and Skills 1
- Academic Language and Skills 2
- Academic Skills and PDP
- Business In Practice
- Further Academic Skills
- World of Work
- Applied Business Finance
- Practical Digital Marketing
- Professional and Academic Skills Development
- Financial Decision Making in Business
- Business Environment
- Contemporary Issues in Marketing
- Information Systems and Big Data Analysis
- People and Performance
- Leadership, Management and Organisational Culture
- Business Management and Career Development
- Project Management
- Enterprise, Innovation and Creativity
- Business Case Study Analysis
- Business Project
- Dissertation
- Strategic Management
- E Commerce and Contemporary Marketing Practice
- Global Consumer Behaviour
- Retail Management
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 0 | Coursework 70% Practical exams 22% Written exams 8% |
| Level 1 | Coursework 42% Practical exams 32% Written exams 26% |
| Level 2 | Coursework 67% Practical exams 25% Written exams 8% |
| Level 3 | Coursework 66% Practical exams 15% Written exams 19% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 0 | Guided independent study 55% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 45% |
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 66% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 34% |
| Level 2 | Guided independent study 66% Placement/study abroad 17% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 17% |
| Level 3 | Guided independent study 77% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 23% |
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
