• Undergraduate

Business Studies with Foundation Year BA (Hons)

Overview

Overview

Our Business Studies with Foundation Year course begins by equipping you with the skills and knowledge required for undergraduate study.

What is a Foundation Year?

It's an academic year spent building your skills in good academic practices while experiencing all the aspects of student life. After which, you will be ready to progress seamlessly to your chosen degree.

Our foundation year course is particularly suited to you if:

  • you do not have the relevant qualifications
  • you are returning to study and need to build up your skills and/or confidence

At the end of an academic year spent focusing on a range of subjects designed to underpin your future study you will be ready for your BA (Hons) Business Studies degree.

Why choose Ruskin College?

  • Ruskin has a remarkable history of political engagement and trade union activism as well as a longstanding reputation for excellence in social science studies.
  • We put you first. Our teaching is designed for you: your ambitions and your needs. You will study in a supportive learning environment with a small learning group approach that really focuses on you.
  • Career-focused courses. Course content is designed to give you the skills that employers are looking for and are delivered by lecturers with industry experience and connections.
  • Ruskin College is part of the University of West London (UWL) which is ranked as best university for Student Experience and Teaching Quality in the UK in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 and 30th university in the UK in The Guardian University Guide 2025. You will benefit from access to UWL student support services throughout your time at Ruskin College.

This course is also being offered at our partner institute, the University of West London. See BA (Hons) Business Studies with Foundation Year at UWL.

Please note that a £2000 Path to Success bursary is available to all UK foundation year students, which is non-repayable.

Students enjoy a class at Ruskin College

Select your desired study option, then pick a start date to see relevant course information:

Study options:
We may offer some of our courses via different study options. All currently available options are listed here.

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If your desired start date is not available, try selecting a different study option.

Why study Business Studies with Foundation Year with us?

Why study Business Studies with Foundation Year with us?

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What our students say…

The Business School is full of enthusiastic teachers who are ever willing to help, guide, and mentor. The amount of personal support I received from my teachers is remarkable. I have been guided and motivated throughout my degree and I am a much polished, skilled, and confident individual now.

Mubashar Rehan*
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Course detail & modules

Course detail & modules

Foundation Year

The course begins with Foundation Year which is tailor-made to help you succeed in a range of degree programmes. The curriculum has been designed to be taught in nurturing, small classes with individual support to help you get the most out of your studies and prepare you to study your chosen degree programme.

Upon completing your Foundation Year you will progress on to the main body of the degree.

BA (Hons) Business Studies with Foundation Year

This internationally respected BA Business Studies course has been designed to develop your practical skills as well as your knowledge of essential business concepts.

Your studies will give you a rounded understanding of the varied requirements of running a business. You will cover topics including:

  • human resource management
  • finance and accounting
  • marketing
  • operations management
  • ICT

We have strong links with major professional institutes, including the Chartered Institute of Marketing, the Institute of Direct Marketing and the Chartered Institute of Personnel. These links help us to evolve and advance your course content so that you will graduate with current knowledge of business issues.

We use a range of effective teaching methods, including:  

  • lectures to introduce new concepts, models and theories
  • task-based learning to develop your problem-solving skills and help you to relate theory to practice
  • group work to encourage you to share ideas and experiences discussion and reflection to encourage inquiry
  • seminar support, available through group and individual tutorials by arranged appointment
  • Blackboard, the University's online learning platform

Each member of staff brings a wealth of employment experience and knowledge into the classroom, helping you to translate theory into practice.

Compulsory modules

Compulsory modules

  • Professional Skills

    In this module, you will learn to outline academic writing skills and presentation skills, show effectively working with others towards the completion of a task (teamwork skills), present skills in oral and written communication in the business environment, as well as duplicate the importance of business etiquette and the importance of rules and values in an organisation.

  • Principles of Management

    This module has been designed to give you a basic understanding of organisations with emphasis on conceptual and interpersonal skills, an overview of the challenges that arise for managers in organisational settings, and to provide you with an introduction to the concepts and theories that can be useful in facilitating effectiveness.

  • Management in Practice

    In this module, you will develop job-specific knowledge and techniques needed to proficiently perform work tasks. You will also practise and improve the ability to work well with other people individually and in a group. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to practise taking a managerial approach to thinking and conceptualising about abstract and complex situations.

  • Analysis of Real World Issues

    The aim of this module is to enable you to critically evaluate the challenges faced by organisations in today’s perplexing business environment nationally and internationally. Furthermore, this module will allow you to critically examine the type, nature and gravity of those challenges and create an organisation which is flexible and fluid to adopt to those challenges.

  • Introduction to Business Finance

    In this module, you will learn to identify different accounting terminology and distinguish between different users of financial statements, identify and apply accounting concepts and principles.  you will also have to classify non-current, current assets, non-current liabilities, current liabilities, and capital. In addition, you will have to prepare a simple statement of financial position, and apply accounting concepts to income statement.

  • Employability Skills

    In this module, you will develop the personal and professional skills to prepare you for the world of work and understanding the concept of employability; reflecting on your career journey; and developing an active LinkedIn profile. The module will link closely with the other modules delivered during the semester and will help you to prepare for your future career and grasp core business theory.

Compulsory modules

  • Marketing Theory and Practice

    In this module, you will learn to evaluate and discuss marketing terminologies, principles, classifications, theories/concepts and orientations. You will have to assess the macro and microenvironment in which the marketing manager operates in, applying marketing theories (PESTLE, SWOT and Porter's Five Forces) to given scenarios. As well as reviewing the type of information required for marketing decision-making through marketing research and marketing information systems.

  • Advanced Presentation and Communication Skills

    In this module, you will be able to explore how to communicate in a professional environment both verbally and in writing and will deliver enhanced skills in public speaking and presenting.

  • Business Negotiations in Practice

    In this module, you will have to examine the effect of the external environment and firm related factors on the negotiation process.

  • Organisational Behaviour

    On this module you will gain critical knowledge of how organisations work, and how individuals and groups affect organisational success or failure. You will explore the emerging workplace realities of self-leadership, networks, knowledge management and virtual teams, as well as organisational learning and working within culturally diverse work-place communities.

  • Leadership and Teams

    In this module, you will have the opportunity to review the skills required to develop high performance working teams in the current business context. You will also explore the theories and models of group dynamics, communication, motivation, diversity, etc. Additionally, you will have to consider their implications for leadership in a team environment.

  • Group Business Development Applied Project

    In this module, you will have the opportunity to work in groups and identify and develop a business projects for an organisation. Furthermore, this module is also aimed at understanding the groups dynamics and how to work in group by eliminating conflicts and work towards a common goal.

Compulsory modules

  • Career Strategy and Planning (CSP)

    This module will give you the opportunity to apply professional career management skills designed to assist you in actively planning and preparing for your future careers.

  • Business Sustainability and Social Responsibility in Practice

    In this module, you will critically analyse the drivers of enterprise and wealth creation from the perspective of their ethical implications. You will also investigate changing approaches and attitudes to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Additionally, you will have to critically evaluate frameworks for the discussion of business ethical issues and the use of tools for managing business ethics.

  • Strategic Management

    In this module, you will learn to explain the basic concepts, principles and practices associated with strategic management process. You will also critically analyse the internal business environment to determine strength and weaknesses and inform strategic management decisions for a given organisation using appropriate frameworks. Additionally, you will be able to critically analyse the external business environment to determine opportunities and threats and inform strategic management decisions for a given organisation using appropriate frameworks.

  • Theory of Innovation

    In this module, you will have the opportunity to analyse frameworks and concepts that underpin emerging themes in Innovation, while critically analyse national and global conditions for innovation in different countries. You will also learn to appraise alternative innovative methods for the growth of a business.

  • Creative Problem Solving in Business

    In this module, you will learn to evaluate and assess an organisation's relative position internally and externally by applying range of tools and techniques. Additionally, you will learn to critically analyse the current problems and issues faced by the organisation in terms of financial, legal, technological and economic environment.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

72 UCAS points required from level 3 qualifications

These can include, but are not limited to;

  • A Levels at grades B,C (if you have two A Levels) or grades D, D, D (if you have three), or above

  • BTEC Level 3 qualifications

  • Access to HE Diploma

  • T Levels

Mature applicants (aged 21+)

If you do not hold the qualifications listed but have relevant work experience, you are welcome to apply. Your application will be considered on an individual basis.

Fees & funding

Fees & funding

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The fee above is the cost per year of your course.

You will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year.

Government regulation does affect tuition fees and the fees listed for courses starting in the 2024/25 academic year are subject to change.

 

Funding your studies

You may be eligible for a student loan to cover the cost of tuition fees, or a maintenance loan. Additional funding is available to some types of students, such as those with dependants and disabled students.

Bursaries and scholarships

If you've completed an access course at Ruskin and want to progress to study a degree course, we offer funding support through the Ruskin College Progression Bursary or Ruskin College Alumni Bursary.

Sanctuary Scholarship

We also offer the The Sanctuary Scholarship to support students who are seeking sanctuary in the UK to study for an undergraduate degree course at Ruskin College.

Path to Success Bursary

If you are a UK student joining a foundation year course with Ruskin, you will receive a £2000 Path to Success bursary to support your studies. This is not a loan and does not need to be repaid. You will receive £500 per year subject to your attendance, engagement and progression through your studies. 

Information about fees and funding
Teaching staff

Teaching staff

Study & career progression

Study & career progression

5 notebooks stacked on top of each other

A Business Studies degree can open the door to many exciting and rewarding careers. Some of the fields our graduates tend to move into include:

  • personnel management
  • marketing
  • business research
  • finance
  • sales
  • sales promotion
  • retail management. Popular careers for our graduates include:
  • junior manager
  • salesperson
  • administration
  • market researcher
  • human resources assistant
  • data analyst
  • marketing assistant.

Alternatively, you could develop a related specialism or explore a new area on one of our postgraduate courses.

How to apply

How to apply

Important notes for applicants

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National Student Survey 2022 - UWL was ranked as number 1 for student satisfaction based on the average of all scores in the survey.

Student quotes - Ruskin College is part of the University of West London group, student quotes are from students studying on the same or similar course within the group.