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

at Aston University United Kingdom

Study the BSc (Hons) International Relations and Sociology degree course at Aston University to get a fascinating insight into the political and sociological challenges facing our society in the 21st century, giving you a great springboard for your future career.

What you’ll learn
On this programme, you’ll explore the major political and social issues faced by governments across the world. You will develop a knowledge and understanding of the international state system, the structure and purpose of international organisations and the roles played by international institutions, other intergovernmental organisations, multinational corporations and NGOs. Important strengths of the programme include its focus on key contemporary issues in international relations and policy, such as global economic change and the environment as well as international comparisons of government policies.

On the sociology strand of the course, you’ll gain an in-depth understanding of social processes, organisational dynamics and inter-group relationships. We explore the social constraints we encounter in our everyday lives and how they are reinforced by class, race, religion and gender. To understand how these issues perpetuate existing inequalities and unequal life chances, we analyse how politics is intertwined with the profit-making aims pursued by big corporations and how their combined interests dominate our social imaginations. When learning about contemporary topics such as inequality, racism, health, migration, sexuality, identity, education, the media, crime and climate change, you will be taught by experts in these fields.

Sociology will equip you with the knowledge and analytical skills that will enable you to think critically and work independently. This includes how to design a research project, collect empirical data, handle complex datasets (e.g., through applying coding techniques) and, most importantly, develop an advanced analytical mindset. This training will be essential for your final-year dissertation during which you will carry out your own individual research project. This experience will provide you with a skillset that is highly desired in a wide range of industries and areas of work.

Prepare for a fast-paced career in financial services. Develop a balanced understanding across finance, economics, accounting and management to help you thrive, whether you’re interested in a career in investment banking, training and research, or working with start-ups.

What you’ll learn
You will unpack many aspects of finance and management throughout the course, from capital markets and derivatives, through to asset pricing and international finance. You’ll also develop excellent financial literature skills, from interpreting small scale to large financial data and apply these to real-world company performance questions.

As well as class-based learning, students on our BSc Finance will enjoy study trips such as the recent visit to the London Stock Exchange. Given the global demand for graduates with finance degrees, you can also study a language alongside your degree as well as explore our study abroad opportunities and double degree route.

Study Pharmacokinetics MSc at Aston University, Birmingham to develop the technical skills needed for an exciting career within either the pharmaceutical industry or clinical sciences, applying the principles of in-vitro and in-silico pharmacokinetics to allow improved dosing of drugs to different populations of patients within clinical trials or clinics.

Pharmacokinetics is vital to ensuring the safety of the clinical drugs we use to treat a huge range of illnesses and diseases.

It explores what happens to a drug when it enters the body, by examining how it is absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and eliminated. It is a vital step in the process of drug delivery, and key to making sure drugs are safe and effective.

Get a head start in business and examine the major issues facing governments across the world, from terrorism to climate change, with an inter-disciplinary Business and Politics BSc degree course from Aston University.

What you’ll learn
You’ll study the theories, principles, and underlying concepts of the main functions of management and develop a strong understanding of business models and processes. You’ll examine how strategic decision-making within organizations takes place, and develop the ability to recognize and analyze the economic, technical, financial, social, and organizational parameters within which modern managers make decisions, providing you with a solid starting point for your future career.

On the politics strand of the course, you will have the unique opportunity to explore political topics going beyond the UK and Europe, covering North America, South Asia, China, Japan, or the emerging global powers. You will not only study the traditional subjects of the discipline, such as security, political economy, or democratization but also have the chance to delve into ethics, sports, gender, protest, or religion.

Understanding business from an international perspective has never been more important. You will develop business-critical expertise to understand issues from cultural differences to political influence – and how they impact organisational success.

What you’ll learn
Aston Business School’s International Business and Management BSc will equip you with a solid understanding of strategic management in international business. Discover how differences in culture can influence the way we do business and understand how to operate in challenging environments abroad, both through theoretical knowledge and practical experience.

This degree has been developed in response to demand by alumni and our own advisory panel of international employers. It offers a core strategic management focus within an international business context. You will gain a solid foundation in your first year across a breadth of business topics before shaping your second and final years to concentrate your study on chosen specialisms.

Gain specialist training and transferable research skills with our specialised MSc Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience at Aston University, Birmingham. Benefit from access to leading researchers and state-of-the-art facilities within the Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment and School of Psychology.

Cognitive and affective neuroscience studies the biological processes that underpin how human beings think, reason and process their emotional experience. 

The MSc Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience at Aston, provides a unique dual emphasis, providing specialist training at the brain-behaviour interface, as well as on generic and transferable research and communication skills for augmenting your career aspirations and professional development.

What you’ll learn 

Through the course, you will develop a comprehensive understanding of scientific principles, learn how to test and critically evaluate concepts and use engineering analysis and computational methods to assess the likely success of their application. 
 
You’ll also gain an understanding of business strategy and operations, developing your project management skills, and learning how to manage risks and work effectively as part of a team.  
 
CDIO - Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate: This is the innovative and hands-on teaching framework on which our curriculum is based, empowering you with the ability to apply your skills to real-world situations and take your learning to the next level. 

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.

If you answered yes and would like to gain the knowledge and experience you need for a career in product design, alongside a range of marketing, management and business skills, this course could be for you.

Our design courses are stimulating, relevant, challenging and rewarding and you’ll benefit from practical, hands-on experience throughout your course. We work with a number of practicing designers so you’ll have the opportunity to work on live projects, ensuring your products are technically and commercially feasible, while also being environmentally responsible.

This course will ensure you develop a range of industry-ready skills, preparing you for whatever future you have in mind, whether that’s in-house design or setting up your own business.

What you’ll learn

In the first year you’ll get a grounding in product design principles and an understanding of how design can affect the profitability of a business.

In the second and final year you will take a common core of design modules to support your projects, integrating your design specialism with the core aspects of product design. You’ll also continue to develop skills that are relevant to your future career, whichever path you choose to take, including presentations and team working. Your final year will culminate in the opportunity to showcase your project work at the Aston Inspired final year design show.

We teach using a hands-on framework called CDIO - Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate – supported by 50 of the world’s top technical institutions. This enables you to apply real-world skills as you learn, enabling you to maximise your learning. You’ll do your learning in our state-of-the-art facilities, which include advanced 3D printing facilitates and a dedicated design studio with specialist equipment designed just for you.