About International Business BA (hons) in University of Northampton

Our International Business BA (Hons) is a distinctive course based on foreign travel and cultural immersion that will develop your knowledge and understanding of how business operates across national borders and will give you the skills needed to work, manage and lead effectively in an international or ethnically diverse business context. If you have a keen interest in international business as well as current affairs then this is the right course for you.

We will support you to achieve your career and study ambitions, which is why if you complete our Employability Plus Gold programme or Changemaker Gold certificate alongside your studies and if you haven’t secured full-time employment 12 months after graduating* we will secure a three – six month paid internship for you, or support you into postgraduate study.

*with a 2:2 degree classification or higher

Course Details

This undergraduate course recognises the ethnocentric nature of management theory and practice and embraces an understanding of business activity and communications, both within different cultures and across cultures. You will be exposed to other cultures and will have the opportunity to analyse current cross-cultural issues, as well as the chance to develop your cultural intelligence, cross-cultural communication, management and leadership skills.

If you choose to study International Business you will benefit from several foreign trips (a total of five weeks away over the first two years) with our experienced teaching team, who are themselves from a variety of cultures and have many years of international experience living and working abroad. This opportunity will provide you with a greater understanding of the subject by having the chance to apply your learning to real-life experiences whilst travelling abroad.

The course will also equip you with the core knowledge and skills in people, operational information, technology and supply chain management as well as international marketing, finance and accounting, all within an international context. You will focus on business practices, primarily in Europe and Asia, with tools and techniques that can be applied worldwide.

Our teaching style challenges you to think critically, and to see business from a broad integrated perspective rather than a narrow functional one. It focuses on the essential essence of business – getting things done through other people on time and within budget. You will be expected to regularly read and engage with articles from the quality business press such as Financial Times and The Economist, as well as other recommended material to be able to get the most from your seminar discussions and understand the context in which international business operates.

International Study Trips

Throughout your course you will attend both optional and mandatory study trips abroad. The European and Asian trips are immersive experiences and offer opportunities for deep levels of reflection about different business and cultures which is of considerable value to employers. The foreign travel programme includes class sessions from local faculties for local country knowledge, company visits and plenty of activity and leisure time with local students, providing you with the chance to make valuable contacts globally.

The Faculty of Business and Law will pay for flights and accommodation (bed and breakfast) for the two main trips – a total budget of approximately £2,000 per person. You will need to pay for your own in-country expenses, with a recommended budget of £20-25/day in Europe and £10-15 in Asia to cover lunch and evening meal as well as the costs of local activities and ground transportation.

The first five-day trip to Belgium and Germany is at your expense and will cost around £270 each, plus personal spending money for five days. Again £20-25/day is recommended.

Methods of Learning

For this course taught study would be a combination of lectures, seminars and workshops, usually for 12 hours class time per week, although this may drop in later years of the programme. In addition we recommend that you spend at least 18-24 hours per week in self-directed study time.

Once you have graduated from this course you can choose to progress onto a full-time, part-time or distance learning postgraduate course. This will enable you to focus your studies in a specialist area or gain a general management qualification such as the MBA.

Assessments

A variety of assessment methods will be used – from business reports, individual and team projects and student-led seminars, essays, case study analyses and examinations. Many modules also use multi-choice tests and portfolio style assessments.

Scholarships

EU and International Scholarships

We’re committed to offering the opportunity to study in the UK to the best and brightest students from around the world.

Sir Thomas White Scholarship

The Sir Thomas White scholarship will support and acknowledge an academically gifted student, with the proviso that the selection panel is confident that there is…

TD Lewis Scholarship

The T D Lewis Scholarship provides both undergraduate and postgraduate students with financial awards of up to £1,000.  This scholarship is awarded on educational excellence…

The Chancellor's Fund

The Chancellor’s Fund is a bi-annual fund providing students with awards of between £100 and £1,000. You must be a current student to apply.  The…

Wilson Endowment Scholarship

The Wilson Endowment Scholarship provides a £1,500 scholarship to undergraduate students from the Northamptonshire area. The endowed scholarship was donated in memory of Mr Lynn Wilson,…

Entry Requirements

Standard entry requirements apply. A typical offer would be BCC at A Level or DMM at BTEC. We welcome international applications and applications from students with work experience in international business.

For more more information on how to make an application, please visit our How to Apply page.

If you are an International student and would like information on making an application, please see our How to Apply page.

Foundation Study Framework Entry Requirements

Admission to this foundation course is normally DEE at A Level or MPP at BTEC. However, we would also like to hear from you if you have professional or industry experience instead, a range of other qualifications or self-developed subject knowledge that relates to the course.

English Language Requirements

All International and EU students applying for a course with us must meet the following minimum English language requirements:

• IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with a minimum of 5.5 in all bands
  for study at undergraduate level.

For information regarding English language requirements at the University, please see our IELTS page.

University of Northampton Highlights

University of Northampton Average Tuition Fees And Other Expenses

For all the prospective candidates for the institute, an estimated cost of living in the UK is as cpmipield below.

University of Northampton Tuition Fee

The tuition fee varies from one course to another. Following are some of the popular courses along with the tuition cost:

University of Northampton Undergraduate Courses 

University of Northampton Graduate Courses 

University of Northampton Cost of Attendance

Basic list of expenses apart from tuition fee are as follows:

University of Northampton Application Process

Basic Admission Requirements

1. Certified transcripts of high school/college/university
2. One reference required
3. Statement of Purpose depicting the interest of the applicant in the chosen course
4. MBA applicants must also have a proof of work experience
5. Arts and design applicant must also submit their portfolio 

The outcomes of the English proficiency tests taken by all of the international applicants. IELTS, TOEFL iBT, and Pearson PTE are acceptable tests. The minimal IELTS scores needed to get admitted are as follows:

Additional Requirements

1. An overseas student who has been accepted must pay the GBP 5,000 deposit fee before the university would issue them a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies).
2. Other documents for the visa application process are:

• Passport
• UK visa history form
• Proof of financial support