• Undergraduate

International Business Management with Foundation Year BA (Hons)

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Overview

Overview

Why study at the University of West London?
  • Ranked 30th university in the UK - The Guardian University Guide 2025
  • Number 1 London university for overall student satisfaction - National Student Survey 2024**
  • Best university for Student Experience and Teaching Quality in the UK - The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024

Prepare for a rewarding career in international business with this hands-on BA (Hons) International Business Management degree.

The course is designed to give you real-world knowledge of the contemporary business landscape. You will learn essential business functions within an international context and how culture influences international management.

Our teaching is informed by current research and global practices, while our highly qualified, experienced staff will support your personal and professional development.

We maintain links with major professional institutes to ensure the course remains current and to open up potential opportunities for students.

Foundation Year 

The foundation year course is designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to continue onto your Honours degree. You will study a range of subjects that will underpin your future study and also gain valuable experience of university life, with full access to campus facilities. Successful completion of the year allows you to progress straight onto Level 4 of this course. Please note that a £2000 Path to Success bursary is available to all UK foundation year students, which is non-repayable.

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

Study options:
We support flexible study by offering some of our courses part-time or via distance learning. To give you real world experience before you graduate, we also offer some courses with a placement or internship. All available options are listed here. Your choices may affect some details of your course, such as the duration and cost per year. Please re-check the details on this page if you change your selection.
Without Foundation Year
Duration: 3 years

Start date:

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

Why study International Business Management with Foundation Year with us?

Why study International Business Management with Foundation Year with us?

A collage of students

What our students say…

I chose to study at UWL because of its multicultural diversity of students from all over the world. Tutors are very supportive and they have professional experience in the discipline and provide a range of support in group work and individually.

Gregory
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Course detail & modules

Course detail & modules

This course has been developed in partnership with local business organisations in both the public and private sectors. It is designed to help you meet the current challenges you will face in the complex and dynamic world of international business management.

You will combine academic learning with practical experience. Our staff have decades of combined business, industry and academic knowledge. Their main expertise is in functional areas of business such as:

  • human resource management (HRM)
  • business operations
  • accounting and finance
  • marketing
  • strategic management
  • business ethics
  • enterprise

This diversity of teaching expertise will help you to develop your own skills and to understand how to apply those skills effectively across business disciplines.

We use a range of teaching methods so that you can get the most benefit from your learning experience. During lectures, you will be introduced to new concepts, models and theories, while practical sessions will help you understand how the theory works in reality. You will learn through a mix of:

  • task-based learning to develop problem-solving skills
  • group work to encourage communication and experience sharing
  • discussion and reflection to encourage inquiry, application and analysis, and experimentation
  • group and individual tutorials by appointment, to support your learning in seminar
  • online platforms

Our decades of experience have also helped us to build links with professional bodies including the:

  • Chartered Institute of Marketing
  • Institute of Direct Marketing
  • Chartered Institute of Personnel
Foundation year

There are many reasons for joining a foundation year course; you may not have the exact subjects or grades at A level to meet the entry requirements, you may have been living abroad or want to change direction with your career. Whatever your starting point, the foundation year offers a firm grounding in the skills and knowledge that you will need to get the most from your studies and thrive at University. Successful completion of the foundation year allows you to progress straight onto Level 4 of this course.

Compulsory modules

  • Introduction to Business

    During this module you will gain a basic knowledge and understanding of business organisations and the way they operate in the UK economy.

  • Recording of Business Transactions

  • Personalised Learning

    The Personalised Learning module is intended to equip you with the study skills needed to successfully progress onto level 4, the first year of undergraduate study. Tutor group sessions are an integral part of the module, where you will consolidate your learning and frame it in the context of your subject area. The module will focus on various aspects of study skills, such as those skills related to reading and writing, learning approaches, problem-solving techniques, critical thinking, researching, referencing, plagiarism, legal research and time management.

  • Data Handling and ICT

    You will develop skills and confidence in the use and application of numerical data and analysis. 

    You will also prepare, present and process data using business software.

  • Managing People and Systems

    In the course of this management module you will explore people management within business structures and how they lead to the fulfilment of business goals.

    You will learn about recruitment, different personalities, team dynamics, people assessment systems and understand basic theories of motivation and leadership.

  • Study Skills for Success

    This module will enable you to read critically, present an argument, and distinguish between the quality and suitability of materials. It will prepare you to use and evaluate a range of evidence sources throughout your degree.

Compulsory modules

  • 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.

  • 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. 

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

Compulsory modules

  • International Trade

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • International Business

    On this module you will critically examine the major issues faced by companies engaged in identifying and developing their overseas operations, including economics, politics, finance, marketing, human resource management and operations management. You will also explore how the international economic and political environment influences company policies.

  • Cross Cultural Management

  • Current Issues Analysis

Assessment

Compulsory modules

  • Introduction to Business

    During this module you will gain a basic knowledge and understanding of business organisations and the way they operate in the UK economy.

  • Recording of Business Transactions

  • Personalised Learning

    The Personalised Learning module is intended to equip you with the study skills needed to successfully progress onto level 4, the first year of undergraduate study. Tutor group sessions are an integral part of the module, where you will consolidate your learning and frame it in the context of your subject area. The module will focus on various aspects of study skills, such as those skills related to reading and writing, learning approaches, problem-solving techniques, critical thinking, researching, referencing, plagiarism, legal research and time management.

  • Data Handling and ICT

    You will develop skills and confidence in the use and application of numerical data and analysis. 

    You will also prepare, present and process data using business software.

  • Managing People and Systems

    In the course of this management module you will explore people management within business structures and how they lead to the fulfilment of business goals.

    You will learn about recruitment, different personalities, team dynamics, people assessment systems and understand basic theories of motivation and leadership.

  • Study Skills for Success

    This module will enable you to read critically, present an argument, and distinguish between the quality and suitability of materials. It will prepare you to use and evaluate a range of evidence sources throughout your degree.

Assessment

Compulsory modules

  • Professional Skills for Business and Finance

    During this module you will learn how to become more critical, evaluative, self-aware, self-confident, skilled, and capable in the use of information and resources. You will also discover how to improve your ability to make sense of new information and improve your skills in questioning, data-gathering, reasoning, drawing valid conclusions, and spotting bad arguments.

  • Introduction to Human Resource Management (HRM)

    In this module you will cover the different approaches that can be taken to the management of human resources in a variety of business settings. You will discuss the nature of human resource management. Functional aspects of managing people will be used to illustrate how economic, legal and technical factors can influence managerial behaviour. 

  • Researching Business Data

    During this module you will study the collection, analysis and interpretation of business data, helping you learn how to make sense of numbers in order to arrive at meaningful conclusions and informed decisions. You will be provided with a range of research and analytical methods for gathering primary and published data, summarising data, measuring change and measuring association.

  • Business Accounting

    In this module you will look at business accounting, which is broken down into two areas; financial accounting and management accounting. Financial accounting is concerned with recording the day to day activities of a business and producing periodic summaries. Management accounting covers the supply of accounting information to internal management to plan and control business activities. During this module you will produce final accounts for an organisation and interpret them. At this foundation stage you will also cover areas such as cost classification, break even analysis and preparing cash budgets.

  • Principles of Marketing

    On this module you'll study the products that customers want and ways to inform customers of product benefits and convenient locations for sale. Through this you will come to understand the value of keeping customers happy and of doing so more effectively than the competition.

  • Information, Communications and Technology (ICT)

    During this module you will be introduced to information systems and technology that can help businesses to gain competitive advantage by collecting, organising and using information in an efficient way. You will also have the opportunity to develop your skills and knowledge of commonly used software applications.

Assessment

Compulsory modules

  • Business Economics

    On this module you will learn how to develop greater understanding and awareness of how a business operates, particularly from an economic perspective. You will also develop the ability to use a range of skills to diagnose and solve problems.

  • Enterprise and Business Development

    You will evaluate the skills and approaches the entrepreneur brings to the process of value creation and the factors that encourage the move to entrepreneurship.

    You will understand how to locate, analyse and evaluate sources of information related to the development of a business plan which demonstrates the commercial viability of a proposed business start-up.

  • Managing Business Operations

    On this practical module you will learn about the processes that produce or deliver goods and services. You will explore issues such as designing processes, making decisions about location, layout and capacity management, managing the supply chain, and managing quality.

  • Research Methods

  • Cross Cultural Management

  • Business Ethics

    During this module you will deepen your understanding of current debates on the conduct of business in a challenging global environment. Using different ethical theories, you will analyse the implications of creating and sustaining an ethical approach to entrepreneurial activities, as well as approaches to the management of business ethics.

Assessment

Compulsory modules

  • 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.

  • International Trade, Finance and Investment

    During this module you will develop an in-depth understanding of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), trade agreements and trade investment.

  • Research Methods

  • Final Project (Dissertation)

  • International Business

    On this module you will critically examine the major issues faced by companies engaged in identifying and developing their overseas operations, including economics, politics, finance, marketing, human resource management and operations management. You will also explore how the international economic and political environment influences company policies.

  • Managing Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

    This module will help you to gain an insight into the nature of SMEs and the people who run them. You will engage in a consultancy-type project in which you will evaluate a small business and develop a growth or development strategy for them.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

72 UCAS points required from level 3 qualifications

These can include:

  • A-Levels at grades B and C (if you have two A-Levels) or grades D, D and D (if you have three), or above
  • BTEC Extended Diploma with Merit, Merit, Pass
  • Access to HE Diploma
  • T-Levels

You also need GCSE English and Maths (grade 9 – 4 / A* - C) or Level 2 equivalents.

Looking for BA (Hons) International Business Management without Foundation Year?

View course
Whether you are changing career or don't have the exact subjects and grades required for this course, you might want to choose this course with a foundation year. This will give you an extra year's study to prepare you for the standard degree programme, where you can go on to graduate with a full Honours degree. Follow the link to see full details of the course with foundation year.

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.

Looking for BA (Hons) International Business Management without Foundation Year?

View course
Whether you are changing career or don't have the exact subjects and grades required for this course, you might want to choose this course with a foundation year. This will give you an extra year's study to prepare you for the standard degree programme, where you can go on to graduate with a full Honours degree. Follow the link to see full details of the course with foundation year.
5.5 IELTS or above

You need to meet our English language requirement - a minimum of IELTS 5.5 for each of the four individual components (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening). Visit our English language requirements page for information on other English language tests we accept.

You also need academic qualifications at the same level as UK applicants. In some countries where teaching is in English, we may accept local qualifications. Check for local equivalents. 

We offer pre-sessional English language courses if you do not meet these requirements.

Find out more about our English Language courses.

Looking for BA (Hons) International Business Management without Foundation Year?

View course
Whether you are changing career or don't have the exact subjects and grades required for this course, you might want to choose this course with a foundation year. This will give you an extra year's study to prepare you for the standard degree programme, where you can go on to graduate with a full Honours degree. Follow the link to see full details of the course with foundation year.

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.

Looking for BA (Hons) International Business Management without Foundation Year?

View course
Whether you are changing career or don't have the exact subjects and grades required for this course, you might want to choose this course with a foundation year. This will give you an extra year's study to prepare you for the standard degree programme, where you can go on to graduate with a full Honours degree. Follow the link to see full details of the course with foundation year.
Fees & funding

Fees & funding

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September 2025 tuition fees


Foundation Year 1 - full-time UK (Home) student: £5,760, full-time international student: £16,250

Year 2 onwards (subject to change) - currently full-time UK (Home) student: £9,250, full-time international student: £16,250 

Please note:

  • Fees for the 2026/27 academic year and onwards may be subject to Government regulation and change.
  • Tuition fees are charged for each year of your course. If your course runs for two years or more, you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year.
  • If your course runs for less than two years, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.
  • If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

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.

Foundation year bursary

If you are a UK student joining a foundation year course with UWL, 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. 

To find out more, explore our Undergraduate scholarships and bursaries page.

Funding your studies
{{ formatCurrencyValue(currentVariantData.field_p_cv_int_main_fee.name) }} per year*

September 2025 tuition fees


Foundation Year 1 - full-time UK (Home) student: £5,760, full-time international student: £16,250

Year 2 onwards (subject to change) - currently full-time UK (Home) student: £9,250, full-time international student: £16,250 

Please note:

  • Fees for the 2026/27 academic year and onwards may be subject to Government regulation and change.
  • Tuition fees are charged for each year of your course. If your course runs for two years or more, you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year.
  • If your course runs for less than two years, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.
  • If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

International students - funding your studies

We offer scholarships for international students including International Ambassador Scholarships. 

Further information about funding and financial support for international students is available from the UK Council for International Student Affairs.

 

Financial support for international students
Teaching staff

Teaching staff

Vytas Vaiksnoras

Vytas Vaiksnoras

  • Worked in Higher Education for 10 years
  • Worked in Construction Project Management
  • Worked in International Logistics

Delivered wide variety of the modules in business both undergraduate and postgraduate levels: Business Operations, Researching Business Bata, Global Sustainable Operations, Business Statistics and Forecasting, International Political Economy, Critical Inquiry into Sector Analysis, Research Methods, Data Science Insights for Decision Making.

  • Worked in Higher Education for 10 years
  • Worked in Construction Project Management
  • Worked in International Logistics

Delivered wide variety of the modules in business both undergraduate and postgraduate levels: Business Operations, Researching Business Bata, Global Sustainable Operations, Business Statistics and Forecasting, International Political Economy, Critical Inquiry into Sector Analysis, Research Methods, Data Science Insights for Decision Making.

Study & career progression

Study & career progression

A woman demonstrating something to employees using a starboard

International business management jobs and careers can be found in a broad range of interesting areas, in the UK and abroad, including:

  • personnel management
  • marketing
  • business research
  • finance
  • sales
  • sales promotion
  • retail management.

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

How to apply

How to apply

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Important notes for applicants

Disclaimer

*Modern universities - defined as higher education institutions that were granted university status in, and subsequent to, 1992.

**The National Student Survey 2023 and 2024 - Average of answers to all questions by registered student population. Excludes specialist institutions.

Testimonials - our students or former students provided all of our testimonials - often a student from the course but sometimes another student. For example, the testimonial often comes from another UWL student when the course is new.

Optional modules - where optional modules are offered they will run subject to staff availability and viable student numbers opting to take the module.

Videos - all videos on our course pages were accurate at the time of filming. In some cases a new Course Leader has joined the University since the video was filmed.

Availability of placements - if you choose a course with placement/internship route we would like to advise you that if a placement/internship opportunity does not arise when you are expected to undertake the placement then the University will automatically transfer you to the non-internship route, this is to ensure you are still successful in being awarded a degree.