Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Product Design and Technology

at Aston University United Kingdom

This course will equip you with the analytical ability and skills required to understand and assess the business environment, whilst gaining the knowledge and understanding of the strategic role that leadership can make within a wider organizational context.

The MSc Strategy and Leadership will develop your understanding and application of core theories in strategy, and you will learn how to apply the knowledge and skills required for assessing and developing business strategies and operations.

This course will also develop your knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories relating to leadership within organizations. It will teach you how to apply the strategic role that leadership can make within a wider organizational context.

There has never been a time where so much data has been available in conjunction with the tools to make the most of it. These tools constitute the field of data science. There has also never been a time with so many global challenges to tackle, from the shortage of resource and the impact we have on the environment to the strive to automate and optimise a variety of systems such as transport, energy, health and communication. There are almost limitless opportunities to use these tools in the various domains and applications for making real impact on industry, society and policy making.

This course is for you if you want to use your mathematical and numerical skills to embark on a career in data science and its application. During the course you will develop the necessary analytical and computational skills alongside an informed and critical appreciation of scientific and industrial developments in data.

What you’ll learn 

You will gain a thorough grounding in the fundamental concepts of data analytics to understand the data lifecycle, including problem formulation, data collection and cleaning, exploratory data analysis and visualisation, statistical inference and decision making. Additionally, you will have the chance to apply your knowledge in a research project on a subject of your choice.

You will be trained in a wide range of modern data science and analytics methods in the MSc in Data Analytics programme including the following modules:

Statistical Machine Learning, where you will be able to develop simple, but practical, statistical models for complex real-world data. The models can be used to automate decision making and predictions, such as detecting diseases or deciphering signals.

Algorithmic and Computational Mathematics that focuses on the in-depth study of key general algorithms, with their numerical implementation, which are the heart of data processing and modelling. This includes approximation techniques, interpolation, sampling, etc. that are practiced with hands-on coding.

Data Science Programming will teach you the use of Python and R for data analysis in scientific computing. You will learn how to use Python libraries such as: (i) NumPy and Pandas, for performing complex numerical analysis tasks; (ii) Scikit Learn, to build machine learning models; (iii) Matplotlib and R for 2D data visualisations and (iv) PyTorch, to develop deep learning applications.

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.

This course will enable you to formulate, evaluate and select from alternative strategies and develop associated strategic decision-making skills in a marketing context. You’ll develop the knowledge required for initiating and managing innovation-based business strategies.

The MSc Marketing and Entrepreneurship will develop your understanding and application of core theories in marketing. You’ll learn how to undertake and apply marketing analyses using appropriate marketing theories and techniques, which will allow you to make appropriate strategic and operational marketing decisions.

The course will also develop your knowledge of theories, principles, and practices of management. It will teach you how to apply this understanding to entrepreneurial business models and processes in both national and international contexts.

This course aims to provide a program of study that meets your needs if you are a local, national or international student, enabling you to learn by the exchange of experience as well as formal academic study. It is designed for recent graduates and those already in employment.

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.

Think you know about chemical engineering? Join our course here at Aston to learn how chemical engineers shape the world and get ready for a career in this exciting industry.

What you’ll learn
This course is designed to develop your engineering skills, in the context of a firm grounding in chemistry.?To ensure this, you will share your first year with chemists, giving you a good grounding in the subject before gaining a deeper insight into the industrial processes.

In later years you will specialize at a more advanced level in the core engineering topics as well as studying business, management, and sustainability, designed to further develop your problem-solving skills.?There will also be a focus on computer modeling skills with a strong emphasis on process simulation.

You have the option to spend a year on placement in the industry in your third year.?Many students take advantage of this option and find the experience extremely beneficial both for their development as an engineer and their final year performance.

What you'll learn

Through an integrated approach of Multi-/Inter-disciplinary, Real-World Problem-Based Learning and collaboration with our industrial partners and network, this course will enable engineers to innovate and bring forward more holistic solutions that meet human needs while protecting our natural resources, by equipping students with the necessary tools and skills in critical thinking, communication, team working, leadership, research, project management, and innovation that are required to produce globally-minded and socially aware engineers that are future agents of change, furnished with attitudes of service to engineering a sustainable world.

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 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.

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).