Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Business and International Relations (with integrated placement year)

at Aston University United Kingdom

Our four year course, integrated with a placement year, will develop your IT knowledge and give you the skills needed to provide businesses with consultative support, strategic direction and technological insight. There is also an option to gain a double degree (two degrees for the price of one).

This degree will develop your understanding of the management and communication of information, as well as the human, managerial and technical considerations.

You will learn the role that information technology plays in modern business environments and societies, and how technology can be the key to solving some of their biggest challenges.

What you’ll learn
This course will provide you with theoretical knowledge and skills, including analysis and problem-solving, which can be applied to a broad range of career paths.

You will learn the relationship between technical knowledge and human design, the complex role of IT in business, and how technology can be used to drive competitive advantage. 

In your first year you will develop a general knowledge of business theories as well as computing and IT. Your second year is focused on building your IT and computing skills. This will help you as you apply for placement opportunities in your third year.

As diseases emerge and evolve, medicine needs new, and innovative ways of combating them to save people’s lives.

Through an increased understanding of stem cells, scientists are discovering new treatments to repair diseased and damaged organs and curing numerous health conditions and diseases. From exploring transplantation to cell regeneration, stem cell research really is the future of medicine.

By studying Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicines MSc at Aston, you’ll discover more about how the use of stem cells in regenerative medicine and drug discovery is one of the most crucial areas of research today.  You will gain the skills, insight, and experience to be an indispensable asset to public or private organizations working at the forefront of medical research

Mechanical engineers help to solve some of the world’s trickiest problems and we’ll equip you with the tools you need to craft fantastic work and transform your ideas into reality in a wide array of industries. This Mechanical Engineering masters course aims to develop the performance prediction skills that are required in modern engineering environments, especially design, estimation and optimisation processes. This course takes the BEng and develops it to a full masters programme, meeting all the academic requirements for Chartered Engineer status.

Our programmes introduce a full range of core engineering science modules coupled to practical projects, ensuring a highly integrated and industry-relevant degree programme.

This masters degree is either four years full-time, or five years if you choose to take a year in industry, building your employability skills and establishing a professional network as you progress.

What you’ll learn
In your first year you’ll develop a fundamental understanding of mechanical engineering, through classes in engineering, science and maths. You’ll also be working on major projects, partnering with colleagues, staff and engineers from industry to develop real solutions to live problems.

During your second year you’ll begin to develop the skills and technical knowledge you need to become a professional engineer. Then, in your third year, you’ll undertake a major project, involving design, experimental or analytical work which can be tailored to suit your own interests, or aligned to your target vocation.

If you choose to take a year in industry in year three, we’ll support you to find a paid, professional placement of direct relevance to your studies. This placement will give you invaluable practical experience in a real work environment and will further enhance your career prospects.

Study the MA in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and Translation Studies at Aston University to pursue a career in teaching English to speakers of other languages and gain additional expertise in translation theory and practice to give your career a head start.

What you’ll learn
The core TESOL modules cover the practical and theoretical background to TESOL/English Language Teaching (ELT), helping you to foster a principled approach to pedagogic practice. You will study how the English language works and put your learning into practice with real classroom teaching. Through English teaching, you will develop a deeper understanding of the key principles of classroom activities and will be able to evaluate different approaches to teaching and learning.

On the Translation Studies strand of the degree, you will study the translation industry in-depth and gain a thorough understanding of translation theories and strategies so that you are able to take on an informed, critical approach to translation practice. You will also become familiar with the most popular and cutting-edge computer-assisted translation tools in the market, including translation memories, machine translation, and localization tools, and develop expertise in multilingual specialized translation. You will also have the opportunity to work towards SDL Trados certification (the world's leading translation software solution).

With strong demand for accounting and financial skills in the job market, our MSc Accounting and Finance will set you up for a rewarding career. The program will bring you up to speed with the fundamentals of accountancy and business finance, and develop an advanced understanding of the practical skills needed for graduate roles in the financial sector.

You’ll get the opportunity to engage with a Business Project or Dissertation. This is a substantial piece of work designed to provide you with the opportunity to analyze a business problem and practically apply the knowledge and skills developed during the course.

With strong demand for accounting and financial skills in job marketing, our MSc Accounting and Finance can set you up for a rewarding career.

On this stimulating and varied course, you’ll learn about the practical and strategic application of financial and management accounting information, business finance, as well as how corporations report on and engage with sustainability issues.

You’ll master key theories and concepts of economics and finance, and gain quantitative skills that are in high demand in the global job market. Developed in collaboration with industry practitioners, this course will equip you for a range of career paths including one within the financial sector.

This course will provide you with the tools for a variety of financial positions in a range of organizations, from blue-chip companies to not-for-profit groups.

You’ll enjoy a stimulating range of teaching methods including lectures, seminars, simulations, and lab sessions. You will use advanced statistical software packages and have access to Datastream, a global financial and macroeconomics data platform, to enhance your practical skills.

There is also the opportunity to develop other practical business skills, such as writing business plans, and country and market reports. You’ll be able to benefit from visits of guest speakers who are leading industry experts in the field of economics and finance.

The BSc Human Resources and Business Management course draws on psychology, human resources and general management theory to develop insight into the world of work, preparing students with key skills in communication, negotiation and effective decision-making.

What you’ll learn
During your studies you will have the opportunity to gain real-world experience through your placement. You will develop a deeper understanding of psychological mechanisms that play a role in decision-making and team work, as well as how leaders can strategically bring about change processes, and why individual employees play an important role in organisational productivity. Your placement will also help you to develop key skills in decision-making, negotiation and communicating effectively.

In the first year, you will develop an understanding of the historical context within which work has developed and changed in the last century. This will equip you with an appreciation of how information technology and globalisation have altered business structures. You will also develop knowledge of key elements of business management such as economics, marketing, law and accounting.

The second year shifts focus to a deeper understanding of the issues around individual attitudes and behaviours. You will study modules on ‘Creativity in Organisations’ and the ‘Psychology of Work’, alongside continuing to develop knowledge of the wider business management issues through modules including ‘Employee Resourcing’ and ‘Digital Marketing’. In addition, you will develop skills such as data analysis, contributing to your decision-making and negotiation acumen.

At the end of your second year you begin your placement year, where you will have an opportunity to practice and apply the knowledge and skills you have so far developed.

The final year brings all of your learning together with a study of strategy and management, where the combination of human resources and business management takes focus through modules such as ‘Strategic HR and Leadership’.

You will develop specialised knowledge of employment law and the skills to use evidence to make persuasive arguments. You will draw on your placement experiences to make sense of critical HR issues like productivity, work engagement, burnout and stress at work. All this will prepare you to start either a specialised career in HR or a more general management role within organisations across a range of different sectors. On successful completion of your degree you will be able to apply for Associate CIPD membership.

All organizations and businesses need people who can problem-solve, plan and manage. With a combination of maths and the management and leadership skills needed in business, you’ll be in high demand.

What you’ll learn
The programme combines economics, finance and business-oriented modules with applied maths modules, preparing you for a high-level career in the private or public sectors.

Our joint honours programme enables you to choose a combination of maths and economics modules in your second and final years and will ensure your learning experience is exciting and relevant for tomorrow’s challenges. You’ll also have the opportunity to develop key employability skills including communication, presentation and report writing. On this course, you spend your third year in a paid professional placement of direct relevance to your studies. This placement will give you invaluable practical experience in a real work environment and further enhance your career prospects. Both Schools have strong links with major employers ranging from the biggest communication companies to the pharmaceutical industry.

Study the Translating for Business and International Institutions MA course at Aston University to prepare for an exciting professional career in the global language industry and succeed in the translation market at an international level.

What you’ll learn
You will study the translation industry in-depth and gain a thorough understanding of translation theories and strategies so that you are able to take on an informed, critical approach to translation practice.

You will develop your technical skills and will become familiar with the most popular and cutting-edge computer-assisted translation tools in the market, including translation memories, machine translation, and localization tools, and develop expertise in multilingual specialized translation. You will also have the opportunity to work towards SDL Trados certification (the world's leading translation software solution).

You will gain language-independent translation principles to tackle the translation of highly specialized texts, as well as learning about text types and their relation to translation, terminology, and specialized language. The practical translation modules have a clear focus on translation for business, while the specialized translation modules will help you develop and improve the competencies that will allow you to produce high-quality translations in English.