Business Management BA

Course overview

Learn how to manage, strategize and communicate like a leader, as you strive towards success in business.

Today’s business leaders need a wealth of skills to ensure their organisation flourishes against a challenging market, with economic uncertainty, supply chain disruptions, and workforce shortages pressuring even the sturdiest corporations.

This course empowers you to take businesses through these issues and beyond.

You’ll learn at our highly ranked Leeds University Business School, as you develop core principles in business management, including how to start and run your own business and measure business performance. You’ll also develop the practical knowledge that top employers are looking for.

Plus, optional modules and specific pathways are available for you to further shape your learning according to your career interests.

By the end of your course, you’ll have the analytical, strategic and leadership skills to lead businesses effectively.

During my studies, I found a passion for sustainability and business ethics, an area which I knew very little about, and am now writing my dissertation about it!

Isaac Crawford, BA Management

Why study at Leeds

• Your course, your choice: Tailor your programme with topics ranging from digital information management to innovation and technology and management consulting.
• Find your path: Choose your career pathway in key business disciplines like consulting, enterprise and analytics.
• Leaders in Residence events: Engage in discussion and debates with business leaders, where you can develop your networking skills and practical knowledge while gaining insight into a range of career paths.
• Supported learning: 91% of students surveyed said “teaching staff have supported my learning well.” (Discover Uni survey)
• Unique experiences: Choose to take a year in industry to gain valuable practical experience or immerse yourself in a new culture by spending a year studying abroad.
• Professional development: The optional Contemporary Management Consulting module gives you the opportunity to gain the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Level 5 Certificate in Professional Consulting.

Accreditation

Leeds University Business School has triple accreditation from three leading bodies:

• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• Association of MBAs (AMBA)
• European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS)

Course details and modules

Our degrees have a modular structure. This means that the theoretical and applied content within our compulsory modules provide you with the core knowledge and skills that you need. 

Alongside these compulsory modules, you’ll also have the opportunity to shape your course through optional, pathway and discovery modules. They’re a great way to tailor your study around your interests or career aspirations and help you stand out in a competitive graduate job market. 

• Optional modules are related to the field of business management enabling you to deepen your knowledge and skills within this area.  
• Pathways are optional modules themed around key business disciplines, designed to complement your core knowledge and skills in business management and broaden your expertise. You can choose to study modules from up to two pathways during each year, with the opportunity to continue, choose a different pathway* or return your focus to business management optional modules as you progress between years. 
• Discovery modules give you opportunities to expand your intellectual horizons outside your subject area. They are categorised into Discovery Themes ranging from arts to sciences, and from theory to practice.  

Whether you choose optional, pathway or discovery modules, you’ll be shaping your course to suit your personal interests and career aspirations. In all years, you will be able to choose from a selection of modules that reflect the research interests and expertise of staff at Leeds. 

*Subject to prerequisites in year 1 and/or year 2.

Year 1

Compulsory modules in your first year will cover the broad foundations of management. You’ll build knowledge of organisational behaviour and accounting to understand the contemporary business environment. You’ll also learn about the theory and practice of setting up a business and explore your own potential as a manager. You’ll have the opportunity to explore management issues in more depth through your choice of optional business management modules or you can choose to study other subjects available via discovery modules from the wider University. 

Year 2

In your second year you’ll study the fundamentals of marketing and how to manage people and operations effectively. Through compulsory modules you will develop your research and analytical skills and learn to understand the importance of research, digital information management and corporate social responsibility in business decision-making. You can also continue to develop your personal leadership skills and learn how to demonstrate these to potential employers.

Optional business management modules will allow you to focus on specialist areas including organisational behaviour and business analytics. You’ll also have the opportunity to study pathway modules exploring topics such as intelligent and digital technologies, enterprise and innovation and ethics and sustainability. A choice of discovery modules will also be offered. 

Final year

When you reach your final year, you’ll further develop your management skills with compulsory modules in innovation, strategic management, and leadership. Through your choice of optional business management modules, you could explore topics such as decision making, managing global value chains and international business management. You’ll also have the option to continue to study topics via pathway modules in areas such as analytics, consulting, enterprise and innovation, ethics and sustainability, and intelligent and digital technologies. You’ll also have a choice to select discovery modules.

If you choose to study the optional Contemporary Management Consulting module, you’ll have the chance to register with the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), and if you successfully complete the module, you’ll gain the CMI Level 5 Certificate in Professional Consulting.

The course culminates with your dissertation, an independently researched project that you submit in your final year, allowing you to apply your research and analysis skills to a management topic of your choice.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Business Management BA in the course catalogue

Year 1

Compulsory modules

• Exploring Your Potential (20 credits)
• Accounting for Managers (10 credits)
• The Contemporary Business Environment (20 credits)
• Organisational Behaviour (20 credits)
• Starting Your Own Business (10 credits)

Optional modules

• Introduction to Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (10 credits)
• Understanding Social Enterprise (10 credits)
• Principles of International Business (20 credits)
• Business and Society: Organisation Theory (10 credits)
• Business and Society: Social Theory (10 credits)
• Business Analytics 1 (10 credits)
• Economics for Management (20 credits)

Year 2

Compulsory modules

• How Managers Make Decisions (10 credits)
• Marketing (20 credits)
• Management Research and Analysis (20 credits)
• Corporate Social Responsibility (10 credits)
• Managing Operations, Supply Chains and Digital Technologies (20 credits)

Optional modules

• From Study to Work (10 credits)
• Skills for Management Professionals (10 credits)
• Advanced Management Decision Making (10 credits)
• Business and the Legal Environment (20 credits)
• Organisational Behaviour in Practice (10 credits)
• Business Analytics in a Global World (10 credits)
• Experiencing the World of Work (10 credits)

Pathway modules

Analytics pathway

• Visualising and Analysing Data Effectively (10 credits)

Consulting pathway

• Evidence Based Consultancy (10 credits)

Enterprise and Innovation pathway

• Leading and Managing Small Businesses (10 credits)
• Entrepreneurship in Theory and Practice (10 credits)
• Managing Innovation in Business (10 credits)
• New Enterprise Planning (20 credits)

Ethics and Sustainability pathway

• Sustainability in Business (10 credits)

Intelligent and Digital Technologies Pathway

• Optimisation and AI for Business (10 credits)

Year 3

Compulsory modules

• Strategic Management (20 credits)
• Dissertation/Project in Management (40 credits)
• Leadership in Organisations (10 credits)
• Innovation Thinking and Practice (10 credits)

Optional modules

• International Marketing (10 credits)
• Advertising and Promotional Management (10 credits)
• International Business Management (20 credits)
• Marketing Strategy (20 credits)
• Current Issues in Decision Making (20 credits)
• Managing Global Value Chains (10 credits)
• Managing Innovation and Technology (20 credits)
• Behavioural Science in the Contemporary Workplace (10 credits)
• Strategic Human Resource Management (20 credits)

Pathway modules

Analytics pathway

• Data Analytics for Business (20 credits)
• People Analytics: Strategy and Practice (20 credits)

Consulting pathway

• Enterprise Consultancy (20 credits)
• Contemporary Management Consulting (20 credits)

Enterprise and Innovation pathway

• Critical Perspective in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (20 credits)

Ethics and Sustainability pathway

• Diversity Management (20 credits)
• Business Ethics (20 credits)
• Sustainable Business Futures: Policy and Practice (20 credits)
• Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (10 credits)

Intelligent and Digital Technologies pathway

• Managing Social Media and Digital Work (20 credits)
• Managing Innovation and Technology (20 credits)

Learning and teaching

You’ll be taught using a range of methods including lectures, tutorials, seminars and workshops. The rest of your time will be spent in independent learning, which allows you to develop your skills in research and analysis. Our Virtual Learning Environment will help to support your studies: it’s a central place where you can find all the information and resources for the School, your course and modules.

Shape your learning with pathways

The pathways on this programme allow you to tailor your course to your specific interests or professional aspirations. Most pathways start from year 2, once you have established the foundations of your subject. You can take pathway modules in particular areas and follow them through to your final year. This unique level of personalisation and self-direction provides you with flexibility to meet your career goals while helping you stand out from the crowd when you graduate.

Choose from the following pathways: 

• Analytics
• Consulting
• Enterprise and Innovation
• Ethics and Sustainability
• Intelligent and Digital Technologies

Course highlights

• Choose to take an optional year in industry to gain valuable practical experience, or immerse yourself in a new culture by spending a year studying in a different country at one of our many partner universities across the world.
• Prepare for success in your future career by learning directly from leaders at guest lectures and events, designed to develop your understanding of how managers apply theory to overcome real business problems.
• Take part in discussion and debates with business leaders at our Leaders in Residence events, an annual highlight of your first and second year. Develop your networking skills and practical knowledge while gaining insight into a range of career paths.
• Receive exemptions on CIM professional qualifications upon graduation, thanks to our CIM accreditation, giving you a head start for a career in marketing.

Supporting your personal development

Throughout your studies, you'll benefit from the support of your Academic Personal Tutor who will work in partnership with you to maximise your personal and professional development.

You’ll also have access to support from the Business School’s Employability and Opportunity team who will help you explore opportunities to develop your professional network and gain work experience.

Programme team

On this course, you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

We use a variety of assessment methods to help you develop a range of transferable skills that you’ll need in professional life. These are likely to include coursework, exams, oral presentations, group reports and dissertations.

Specialist facilities

At Leeds University Business School, you’ll have access to specialist facilities including state-of-the-art lecture theatres, collaborative learning and teaching spaces with the latest interactive technology and modern study spaces with dedicated computer clusters. Read more about our Business School facilities.

Explore more of our facilities through our 360 virtual experience.

Entry requirements

A-level: AAA

GCSE: 5 GCSEs at grade C/4 or higher including Mathematics grade B/5 and English Language grade B/6 or equivalent, or an appropriate English language qualification.* *If you have a B/6 in GCSE English Literature we will accept a Grade B/5 or C/4 in GCSE English Language.

Other course specific tests:

Read more about UK and Republic of Ireland accepted qualifications for this course.

Alternative qualification

Alternative entry

We’re committed to identifying the best possible applicants, regardless of personal circumstances or background.

Access to Leeds is a contextual admissions scheme which accepts applications from individuals who might be from low income households, in the first generation of their immediate family to apply to higher education, or have had their studies disrupted.

If you live in a neighbourhood where there is low participation in higher education, we may be able to give priority to your application.

Find out more about Access to Leeds and contextual admissions.

Business Studies with Foundation Year

This course is designed for students whose backgrounds mean they are less likely to attend university (also known as widening participation backgrounds) and who do not currently meet admissions criteria for direct entry to a degree.

This course will give you the opportunity to be taught by academic staff and provides intensive support to enable your development of academic skills and knowledge. On successful completion of your foundation year, you will progress to your chosen degree course. Find out more about the Business Studies with Foundation Year.

Typical Access to Leeds offer

A level: ABB

GCSE: 5 GCSEs at grade C/4 or higher including Mathematics grade B/5 and English Language or English Literature grade C/4

Access to Leeds: Pass

Alternative Entry Scheme for Mature Students

If you are a mature applicant (over 21) and you don’t have the required A Levels or GCSE English and maths qualifications, you can complete our Alternative Entry Scheme (subject to meeting the eligibility criteria for the scheme). As part of this, you may be asked to take tests in English and maths and to write an essay.

Contact the Lifelong Learning Centre for more information. lifelonglearning@leeds.ac.uk

International

We accept a range of international equivalent qualifications. Read more about International Entry Requirements for Leeds University Business School on our Entry Requirements page.

International Foundation Year

International students who do not meet the academic requirements for undergraduate study may be able to study the University of Leeds International Foundation Year. This gives you the opportunity to study on campus, be taught by University of Leeds academics and progress onto a wide range of Leeds undergraduate courses. Find out more about International Foundation Year programmes.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English
If you're an international student and you don't meet the English language requirements for this programme, you may be able to study our undergraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

Fees

UK: £9,790

International: £28,750 (per year)

The amount of tuition fees you pay is based on whether you are classified as a home (UK) or international student. Find out how we assess your fee status.   

Tuition fees for UK students 
Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2026/27 are £9,790. 

Subsequent years 
The UK government sets the maximum tuition fee caps that universities can charge UK students. This means your tuition fee in future academic years will reflect any changes set by the government.   

The government has confirmed that the fee for 2027/28 will be £10,050. 

From 2028/29 onwards, tuition fees are likely to increase annually, at least in line with inflation, and may rise further if the government increases the fee cap.   

Tuition fees for international students 
The international fee applies for each year of full-time study and will remain the same for the duration of your course.    

Read more about tuition fees.

Tuition fees for a study abroad or work placement year
If you take a study abroad or work placement year, you’ll pay a reduced tuition fee during this period. For more information, see Study abroad and work placement tuition fees and loans.

Additional cost information

All students who choose to take the final year optional module Contemporary Management Consulting will have the opportunity to register with the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). By paying this fee you will be registered with the CMI and if you successfully complete the module you will receive the CMI Level 5 Certificate in Professional Consulting.

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There is help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more in our Undergraduate funding overview.

Scholarships are also available to help fund your degree. Find out more and check your eligibility below:

• Scholarships for International students
• Scholarships for UK students
• Your subject area may also offer scholarships

Applying

Apply to this course through UCAS. Check the deadline for applications on the UCAS website.

The deadline for international students to apply to Leeds University Business School courses is 30 June.

Courses at Leeds University Business School receive a high volume of applications relative to the places available and this means that we cannot extend an offer to all applicants. We look for enthusiastic and talented students who have the potential to succeed in their studies and contribute to our community and make our offer decisions based on an overall review of your application. This includes predicted or achieved grades as well as the breadth of knowledge demonstrated through qualifications, the personal statement, extra-curricular and work experience, and contextual information.

Please see our How to Apply page, under “Application decisions” for details.

International applicants

International students apply through UCAS in the same way as UK students. Our network of international representatives can help you with your application. If you’re unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

University of Leeds Admissions Policy 2026

This course is taught by

Leeds University Business School

Contact us

Leeds University Business School Course Enquiries Office

Email: lubsugadmissions@leeds.ac.uk

Career opportunities

This general course aims to provide you with a broad understanding of key functions within business management.

If you choose a specialist pathway, you can refine your knowledge and skills within a more focused area, such as analytics, consulting, enterprise and innovation, ethics and sustainability and intelligent and digital technologies. You’ll then be able to demonstrate your commitment and skill in a particular management area to potential employers.

Where this degree could take you

Many graduates from our business management courses have used this flexible degree as a pathway into a wide range of career choices, such as:

• human resources manager
• consultant roles
• advertising executive
• business and solution analyst
• purchasing manager
• brand management trainee
• business process specialist

Careers support

At Leeds, we help you to prepare for your future from day one.

Our Careers Service has the global expertise and sector-spanning industry partnerships that, combined, go way beyond simply helping you get a job. They provide you with the resources you need to upskill and achieve the future you aspire towards – even in the face of lightning-paced change.

• Dedicated Employability Team – meet with our qualified careers consultants and specialist employability and placements officers, on hand to help you choose the right path and develop the skills to get there. They can support with CV and cover letter writing, LinkedIn profile building, mock interviews and navigating AI: get confident with tailored advice and techniques.
• Employability and networking events – get involved in a full range of events, including careers fairs and specialist industry talks with employers who are actively recruiting. You’ll also benefit from mentoring and a supportive careers community, helping you make connections, build your network, and shape your journey as a future professional.
• Skills training – we embed transferable skills training in all our programmes to support your transition to the workplace. Gain expertise employers value, such as communication, problem-solving and research and data analysis.
• MyCareer system —– access a dedicated portal where you can book careers appointments, view helpful resources and browse vacancies and events. Access digital tools, including LinkedIn support, video‑interview preparation, plus global job market and visa guidance. We also offer pre‑arrival support to help you prepare for career planning in the UK and make the most of your time with us.
• Exclusive opportunities – bring your enterprise to market with our award-winning business advice service, Spark. Apply for vacancies only available to our students. And hone your skills further with Leeds University Union, home to volunteering opportunities and over 300 clubs and societies.

Study abroad and work placements

Study abroad

Studying abroad is a unique opportunity to explore the world, whilst gaining invaluable skills and experience that could enhance your future employability and career prospects too.

From Europe to Asia, the USA to Australasia, we have many University partners worldwide you can apply to, spanning across some of the most popular destinations for students.

This programme offers you the option to spend time abroad as an extra academic year and will extend your studies by 12 months.

Once you’ve successfully completed your year abroad, you'll be awarded the ‘international’ variant in your degree title upon completion which demonstrates your added experience to future employers.

Work placements

Make connections, practice skills and build future confidence in your future with an industrial placement year as part of your course. 

A work placement can be a great investment in your future: 

• Choose from 100+ organisations in the UK and overseas. 
• Build industry contacts within your chosen field. 
• Be in direct contact with potential employers thanks to our close industry links.  
• Advance your experience and skills by putting course teachings into practice. 
• Gain invaluable insight into working as a professional in your chosen industry. 
• Improve your employability. 
• All placements sourced by the University are paid positions 
• We also offer shorter-term placement opportunities. 

Our Employability Team are here to help you every step of the way. They run several placement sessions to answer your questions, discuss available opportunities and support you with CV writing and interview preparation. 

If you decide to undertake a placement year, your period of study will be extended by 12 months.  

If your application is successful, during placement, you'll be supported by an industrial supervisor from within the company, plus an academic supervisor who will keep in touch throughout. 

On successful completion of your placement year, you'll be awarded the ‘industrial’ variant in your degree title to demonstrate your added experience to future employers. 

Students in our Faculty have recently completed placements at: 

• AXA Investment Managers
• The Walt Disney Company
• Grant Thornton UK
• Allianz
• HSBC
• Deloitte
• Accenture
• UBS

We can’t guarantee a work placement. The job market is competitive – and there may be competition for the placement you want. You’ll have to apply the same way you would for any job post, with your CV and, if successful, attend an interview with the organisation. That said, we encourage everyone to apply.