Business Information Technology with Foundation Year

This module will introduce you to key concepts of business and management, looking at what business is (and isn’t). You will be encouraged to draw on real-life examples found in the businesses you use in your every day life. You will develop an understanding of the key functions used within contemporary businesses and learn about the tools and techniques used in business for analysis and planning. 

This module looks at what’s involved in starting up a sustainable business. You will discover what is needed for long term business success. We’ll look at financing and funding, business formation, planning, business ethics and sustainability along with other core aspects of start-ups. You will work closely with industry partners to gain insight into the world of start-ups. If you are interested in starting a business, this module will really help you to discover what is involved. You also gain key knowledge which your degree will build upon.  

This module will explain the importance and key elements of digital business. You will explore how digital business ideas drive technology choices and how those technologies support the development of the business.  

Academic and Personal Skills is delivered with your future in mind. This module takes you through how to get to grips with the technology you need to succeed, as well as using the library, how to reference and how to produce the different styles of academic writing.

It also helps you to develop yourself; you will create a CV, learn how to write a cover letter and find out what your learning style is. The module has guest speakers who share their expert knowledge and experience with you.  All the skills covered in this module will help you to succeed in your chosen degree.

This module is studied in term 2 of the foundation year and brings together everything that you have learnt so far on the foundation year. This is your opportunity to put your knowledge into practice. You will work as part of a team to develop a business idea; you will work through the process of setting up the business. As a team you will pitch your idea to a panel to gain investment in your start-up. You will then start the business and create an event with the profits being donated to a local charity of your choice. Whatever your chosen business discipline this module will give you the opportunity to demonstrate and develop your skills. 

The module aims to acquire and develop an understanding of the employability skills required to succeed in your chosen industry. This is a practical module which will help you create and develop a professional CV and will develop your understanding of the recruitment and selection process. You will learn essential life-long skills to help you succeed in job applications whether they are for part-time work whilst you are a student or for your future graduate career.

The Digital and Business Skills module introduces a range of digital tools for academia and the workplace. Important business skills such as management, collaboration and teamwork are fundamental to the module. Regular engagement with online platforms provides tasks to improve digital competency. Also, co creation work presents self-reflection and confidence building opportunities. Gaining the inspiring digital enterprise award (iDEA), completing LinkedIn learning assessments for Microsoft software applications, and completing collaborative video creation tasks will increase your digital and business skills as you progress towards the completion of this module. Digital Business is here to stay, so it is vital to improve these 21st century skills.

This module provides you with an introduction to the key functions of business and is an opportunity to see how they work. You will get an understanding of functions including people management, accounting, marketing and operations, and how they underpin business success. This is illustrated through the lens of some of the successful businesses from across the Greater Manchester region that Salford Business School work with: we will look at a range of businesses including startups, family businesses and large scale enterprises and multinationals from different industry sectors. It is a first opportunity to see what makes businesses tick and will help you think about your future learning and employment journeys.

The Business Information System module will take technology infrastructures as its central theme and introduce you to the organisational infrastructure through an Information Systems perspective so developing an understanding of the concepts, principles and underlying technologies of the management and application of data, information and knowledge. The aim is to peel back the screen and understand how data and information is managed, stored and flows in and out of systems. During this module, you will learn to understand and appreciate the partnership between Information Systems and Business Intelligence, in providing answers for business leaders in a changing environment of emerging technologies and increasing volumes of data.  There is a further important factor that we want students to be aware of – and that is how technology disrupts and shapes commerce and society.

What are the opportunities for business in the future? Starting with a grounding in the business context you will gain an understanding of economics and the digital environment, including the role of the digital economy. We will explore some of the key challenges that are on the horizon such as the impact of massive digitisation and industry 4.0, inclusive growth, food security and the climate emergency, and look at the opportunities for business to provide responsible and sustainable solutions

This module is designed to provide you with  practical experience of key aspects of business intelligence and innovative problem-solving. You will work with peers to use business intelligence to define and propose solutions to a real business problem. This will use the University as Industry Partner, providing students with the opportunity to engage with the institution and providing the university with innovative solutions to relevant problem areas. The module embeds group working skills in an experiential approach, providing the opportunity to gain experience of defining, planning and delivering a project, boosting your employability.

Using data effectively is central to business success and this module will provide a grounding in the key skills you will need to understand and use data. You will develop an understanding of the concepts required for the use and interpretation of the quantitative methods used to analyse business data. You will practice your essential Excel skills and learn to use Minitab, a statistical software package used by companies to spot trends, solve problems and use data to gain insight.

This module prepares you for more advanced studies dealing with quantitative analysis in business and economics.

This module will enable you to plan and carry out appropriate professional development activities to increase your employability and performance. These include self-presentation, professional networking, project planning and implementation, team working, influencing and multimedia communication. You will gain all the necessary experience required to take advantage of global employment opportunities. 

 

So much of our everyday life is dependent upon web technology and the people who are developing and maintaining the digital solutions that we all use. Web based solutions need to be developed, but this requires many different skills such as researching, designing, developing, implementing, and testing of applications, to deliver professional, reliable, on-cost and on-time solutions. This module guides students toward acquiring a well-rounded foundation of skills in the design and development of web applications necessary for a career in the management of Business Information Technology. Web Application Development (WAD) focusses on platform-independent and browser-independent languages such as HTML, JavaScript and CSS and other core technologies used in the building of most websites.  In this unit, you will learn how to use these technologies to develop responsive business and e-commerce websites. Designed with employability in mind, this module will align its learning objectives with skills required within digital agencies and for freelance development work.

Mobile App Development module will equip you with theoretical and practical knowledge for the needs of mobile app design, development and management in the modern business world. The supportive teaching team guide students through well-structure lectures and tutorials to understand app project management, mobile UI & UX, front-end and back-end design.  The module also involves guest lectures from mobile app industry and all assessments are based on a live project, which varies every year to address different industrial sectors. It is a practical module, encouraging you to demonstrate innovative thought and produce business consultancy report in mobile technology field, and to build app digital portfolio (i.e. app wireframe, prototype and user journeys) to improve employability.

This module provides hands-on experience inside a real organisation. Working in teams, reflecting your future working environment, you will work on a current business problem for one of our partner organisations. Students will apply people, project and time management in practice and develop innovative solutions which will support the organisations in their future practice, enhancing your future employability.

In this module you will be introduced to a variety of methods of analysis for management decision-making, which will be practiced on real social media data sets. Formative assessment will be set for practice, with timely feedback given to aid learning and personal development.

The decision-making techniques introduced in the module can be applied to a wide range of settings, such as interpreting market performance, forecasting growth, make or buy decisions and optimisation of resources. 

During this module we take a detailed look at various aspects of Project Management through a variety of means such as lectures and practical seminars informed by research and industrial collaborations. We will focus on theoretical approaches, tools and techniques of planning and controlling projects.

We will discuss project management as an important and integral part of a business whether this is product or service based.

The digital workplace is here to stay. This module helps you gain an understanding of the application of digital technologies in organisations. You will develop a critical awareness of the relationship between people and the workplaces of the future. You will also explore the issues around implementing a digital strategy.

A short internship, whether paid or unpaid, is invaluable for you to develop and demonstrate your skills in the real-world. This module allows you to gain credits for work you do that is relevant to your degree and contributes to your employability. The Business School will provide support and guidance when you are looking for internship opportunities. This may be done during the summer period between the end of level 4 and the start of level 5, but other opportunities may be possible provided the relevant amount of work-based learning is undertaken. During term time, you will work on a reflective report to demonstrate what you learned during the internship.

On this short module, you'll look at the issues affecting current marketing in a global setting and the impact this has on the wider business environment. You'll look at different marketing niches from a social, economic and environmental perspective, considering the importance of minority group affiliations associated with Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+, social inclusion, ethics, sustainability and the marketing-savvy green consumer. You'll also gain an understanding of the ethical, moral and legal requirements that managers must appreciate when engaging in international marketing activities.

This module aims to equip you with the analytical skills required to handle and analyse business, financial and economic data using basic econometric methods, including simple and multiple linear regression models, inference and hypothesis testing. As part of this module, you will get hands-on experience with the Data Analysis Toolkit within Excel and the Econometric/Statistical software package Stata. You will also undertake an applied empirical project where you are expected to demonstrate your understanding of data analysis and econometric methods.

Students will be introduced to a variety of methods of analysis to inform decision-making which will be practised on real data sets to support a new business venture as part of the Young Enterprise programme. Formative assessment will be set, with timely feedback given to aid learning and personal development.

The decision making techniques introduced in the module can be applied to a wide range of settings, such as interpreting market performance, forecasting growth, make or buy decisions, optimisations of scarce resources, marketing planning etc.

You will be introduced to some fundamentals of basic financial and management accounting, learning to understand the content of financial statements and the accountancy practices required to prepare these statements. You will learn to analyse and interpret financial statements and use the data to make informed management decisions. With cost (and its impact on profit) a key factor in an organisation’s success, you will learn to communicate financial information both in writing and speaking.

On this module, you will learn about some of the key aspects of law and how these impact upon business. You will be introduced to the outline of the English Legal System, Contract Law, Employment Law and Company Law. You will develop a critical understanding of legal issues that may arise in business situations and be able to use your knowledge of the law in relevant business practices.

Being able to communicate effectively with your key markets and target audiences is an important part of business success. This module gives you an effective introduction to the key aspects of marketing communications theory and practice.

You will design and develop an efficient integrated marketing communications plan and strategy, and study key topics including: advertising, public relations, direct marketing, sales promotion, personal selling, point-of-purchase and e-communications.

All students can apply for a one-year professional placement, which takes place between your second and last years of study.

This is an excellent opportunity to take advantage of and we will help you find out about vacancies and make the right connections with high profile employers through regular events and presentations.

Here is just a small selection of the companies our students have enjoyed placements with so far: NatWest, Barclays and the Cooperative Bank; BP, Esso and Shell; IBM, Hewlett Packard and Compaq; Ford, Vauxhall, Jaguar and Nissan; Marks & Spencer, Selfridges and Sainsbury’s; Eli Lilly, Glaxo and ICI; Fujitsu, Marriott and Virgin.

This module equips you with an appreciation and in-depth understanding of the implications of Business Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability within national and international organisations. This module will also develop your knowledge with respect to the importance of the balance between shareholders, stakeholders and the purpose and values of the organisation. It will explore the roles of social and technological innovation in global ethical organisations in order to prepare you for future employability.

Employers tell us that they are looking for employees with an entrepreneurial mindset.  Or perhaps you're thinking of setting up your own business.

In this module you have the opportunity to undertake an enterprise project for an internal or external sponsor on a topic of common interest.  Alternatively, you can use this opportunity to undertake in-depth research for your own project, for example, a business plan if you are wanting to start up a company after you graduate. The nature of the project will be negotiated by yourself, the module leader and the sponsoring company. 

Working with the digital industry, we explore careers, innovation and digital transformation to allow you to evaluate your next steps, find new opportunities and identify an audience to create a digital portfolio aimed at seizing these opportunities and reaching their goals. Exploring career options to create a plan for an innovative digital portfolio through appropriate channels, content and data. This is a hands-on module which allows students to create a website and social media channels and content and to optimise them, providing you with a competitive advantage when you graduate. The module is suitable for technical or less technical students.

Business IT project is designed to allow you to scope, define, design and implement a practical technology project. It provides the opportunity for you  to research and analyse current practice and explore innovations in a Business IT related field of their choosing. All students will work under the guidance of an advisor to complete an in-depth piece of work and produce a business proposal and prototype, together with a scholarly and critical report which documents their research and prototype design. This practical module encourages you to demonstrate innovative problem solving, apply knowledge from across the programme, and contribute to their digital portfolio to enhance employability.

This module will provide a detailed understanding of business strategy, so that you acquire an organisation-wide perspective through exploring strategy techniques and processes within the global environment. You will draw together your knowledge from across the programme, and apply this to real world organisational problems, deploying accurately established techniques of analysis and enquiry, some of which are at the forefront of strategic research and practice. The module prepares you for a career in business and management, developing the next generation of managers, and you will work on industry problems drawn from your pathway specialism.

This module offers a unique in-depth knowledge and understanding of the key practical and theoretical aspects of leadership and management in contemporary organisations. There is a focus on specific individual leaders, leadership styles and traits and offers an insight into how leaders operate in an organisational context. The module also explores personal leadership, the development of leadership and how leadership occurs at all levels. Practically the module invites you to reflect on your own leadership development and application in order to enhance employability.

This module enables you to explore your own leadership styles and traits and how these impact on the management of people.

If you choose the dissertation, you will identify and focus on a specialist area of research related to an aspect of your degree programme. Through this module, you will carry out a substantial piece of independent research and produce a scholarly and critical dissertation as a result. As well as being a great way to prepare you for postgraduate study, your dissertation can also support your CV and be presented to potential employers as evidence of your analytical and research skills.

You can choose between this and the Business Entrepreneurial Simulation Project option.

In this module, you will work as part of a team in an online business simulation. Acting as the management team in a competitive business environment, you will solve business problems and learn about the relationships between different areas of business. This modules gives you a chance to test your entrepreneurship, business planning and your ability to manage change in an uncertain environment.

You can choose between this and the dissertation option