Business with Human Resource Management 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. 

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 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.  

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.

This module introduces the distinct contribution that Human Resource Management (HRM) policy and practice makes to both employee and organisation performance and success. By looking at different companies working in the UK, you will grow your knowledge and understanding of the role of HRM in the wider organisational context.  Using “real life” examples, you'll develop an understanding of the inter-relationship between the dynamic nature of social relationships within a range of organisations, the broader external environment, and the effective management of employees and employment relations.

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.

On this module you will have the opportunity to develop your knowledge, understanding and skills connected with culture and communications within organisations. You will develop your soft skills and your understanding of the wider context and the role and importance of culture and communication within an organisation.  The module adopts a holistic view of communication to ensure that you develop your skills in terms of communication at all levels both inside and outside the organisation. The module concentrates on the use of technology and looks specifically at social media as a communication tool. 

In this module you will be introduced to a variety of data analysis methods, which will be practiced on real world data sets. Regular formative assessment will be set for practice, with timely feedback given to aid learning and personal development.

You will have an opportunity to formulate your own research questions before analysing data to draw reasonable conclusions. The module will predominantly utilise real data and include a mixture of computer-based questions, calculations, interpretation and drawing conclusions.

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 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. 

 

This module aims to offer you a holistic view of the Human Resource Management function and an introduction to managing and coordinating its key functions. It also establishes the aims and objectives of HR departments in contemporary organisations.

Analysing and understanding data is at the heart of business decision making. In this module you will build on the data analysis skills that you learned in your first year and get practical experience of using data to inform HR management decisions. You will work with data types specific to the HRM pathway, helping you to develop the skills you will need for your future career.

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 scarce resources.

The purpose of the module is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the employment relationship and how it is regulated and contested within a variety of contrasting organisations (business, public and voluntary) in both a UK and international comparative context. We will examine the roles, interests and objectives of the different actors involved (government, employers, managers, employees, trade unions, and the state), and the interpersonal and organisational processes and outcomes. You will develop your understanding of interrelationships between the dynamic nature of employment relations, the broader external context (local, national and global), and the effective management of human resources and employment relations.

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.

You will gain an appreciation of how Employment Law is formulated, identifying those aspects of Employment Law that impact critically upon business practice. These include employment status, the employment contract and health and safety as well as discrimination, discipline and dismissal, and trade union matters. You will look at those aspects of Employment Law which provide the legal framework for employment relationships and regulate the working environment and develop the ability to apply the rules of Employment Law to solve problems in business practice.  

This module gives you the opportunity to choose and carry out a piece of independent research within your chosen field of HRM. By learning to use the information available to you, you will enhance your research skills, selecting appropriate research methods to explore an HR-related topic in depth. By the time you complete the module, you will be able to prepare and present a viable and realistic business case for improvement based on sound work-based research and an understanding of what is considered good practice.  

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.

On this module, you will learn to apply the theories relating to employee engagement in organisational settings. You will explore critical arguments and theory in relation to employee engagement strategies.  The module also introduces the principles of and applications for high-performance working (HPW).  You will learn to apply broad knowledge of pay and reward systems to the strategic plans of organisations. Finally you will explore and critically analyse the appropriateness of variations in pay and reward systems in UK organisations.

This module will help you to develop your leadership skills and prepare you for your future career. You will explore theory, behaviour, people management and leadership within an HRM context.This is an opportunity to develop the skills you have gained in the early part of your degree and apply them to prepare you for the responsible and authentic leadership that future business requires.

Building on what you have learned in previous years, you will expand your knowledge and understanding of resourcing and talent management within an organisation. You will investigate developments in resourcing and talent planning within the business environment, developing your ability to evaluate and adopt a strategic approach to HRM policy and practice. We'll look at contemporary topics and challenges for organisations wishing to manage their employee talent pool in the internal and external labour markets. You will also develop the critical knowledge of how to manage dismissal, redundancy and retirement effectively and lawfully.

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. 

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 Business with HRM 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. Working on industry problems drawn from HRM situations, you will prepare for a career in HR management.