Studying with us is all about choice and the freedom to shape a degree that’s perfect for you and your career. Even if you’re not quite sure which direction you want to head in, don’t worry, our degrees draw from an integrated first year, which means that you can change to an alternative course after your first year with us.
A degree in Business is a “solid, career-related, salary-boosting option” and it is perhaps no surprise that the positive employment prospects with this degree make it one of the most popular subjects for first degree students. Business graduates are more likely to attract higher than average salaries and stand a greater chance of getting a job in the most popular sectors for graduate employment such as Media, Investment Banking, Marketing, Accountancy, Consultancy.
Advertising is the most influential source of creative ideas in popular culture and the UK is considered a world centre for advertising. Advertising is an exciting, fun, young and growing industry. Nearly half of all staff are under the age of 30, and the number of people employed in advertising (including graduate trainees) has risen steadily since 1993. This together with the fact that ‘media’ is the most preferred sector in which graduates wish to work means that competition for jobs is high, and employers seek graduates who are highly motivated, determined and suitably prepared for the fast-paced and challenging real world of advertising.
It is widely recognised that people are an organisation’s most valuable asset. It is people that make management decisions and work together to produce economic and personal wealth. In many types of business, people are also the most costly resource. Individual working patterns are changing as more people work from home, build portfolio careers, undertake further training, take sabbaticals, work flexible hours or are on short term fixed contracts. Organisations also face new challenges as the internet enables the smallest company to operate internationally and compete against multinationals, and as emerging economies challenge established ones. For these reasons, companies invest in recruiting, training, developing and retaining the best people for the job. However, managing and motivating people in organisations goes beyond simple recruitment and retention. It involves complicated challenges including the management of rewards, employee development, conflict, and change and supporting effective employee relations – a particular challenge in times of economic downturn. People are different and have individual needs, as do the organisations for which they work. Thus, organisations need graduates with an understanding of HRM and the skills to help them guide, support and manage this crucial business function.
As a successful, thriving and dynamic institute at one of the country’s fastest growing universities, we offer a learning environment that’s truly inspiring and supportive. As a student of Worcester Business School you have the opportunity to choose a programme of study that’s best suited to your individual needs and career aspirations.
A degree with the University of Worcester Business School is both practical and relevant to today’s business environment and will equip you with the necessary skills to excel in your chosen profession. Our lecturers have extensive business experience. Many are active practitioners or consultants to local, national and international organisations.
Worcester Business School’s student-centred approach and friendly atmosphere means you’ll be part of a supportive community. We have a wide portfolio of business, management and computing courses and all are available on a full- or part-time basis. Many students also find that they’re eligible for our generous financial support packages, making study with us more affordable.
Our first-class teaching is influenced by cutting-edge applied research and professional consultancy, ensuring that the best and latest developments in commerce and the public sector are incorporated into our courses.
Join Worcester Business School and you’ll be studying at one of the UK’s most supportive universities. Our new £15 million Business School development at the centre of Worcester’s commercial district shows we are an ambitious institution with an exciting future ahead. I look forward to welcoming you in person.
Mark Richardson BSc (Hons) MPhil MA FCIM
Head of Worcester Business School
At Worcester Business School, you’ll discover an inspirational place to study with outstanding teaching, incredible support and a highly flexible curriculum that you can shape to meet your career aspirations.
Developing professionals
Our goal is to develop the next generation of highly skilled, informed and creative professionals, highly sought after in today’s competitive business environment. Organisations need graduates who can make an immediate impact, and our courses are designed to help you do just that.
We believe passionately in the ability of students to go far and are deeply committed to providing a stimulating and nurturing learning environment. With us, you’ll develop your ability to define goals, inspire people, make important business decisions and respond creatively to change. We’ll empower you to recognise your own unique skills and abilities, so you can maximise both your academic and employment potential. It’s an approach which has resulted in our students ranking us fifth out of over a hundred university Business Schools for personal development.
Friendly, supportive and experienced academics
Our academic staff specialise in a wide range of areas and many are practising professionals. More importantly, our students tell us that actually what they value most is that staff are friendly, accessible and supportive.
What our students say
“ The lecturers have been very helpful. They always make time to help you in your studies.”
Paul Evans, graduated 2009
Our academics are not only involved in outstanding research and teaching, some are also expert advisors to private and public sector organisations. At Worcester Business School, you’ll have the exciting opportunity to meet and work with real business managers and develop your entrepreneurial skills with those who have been there and done it.
We have many partnerships with industry and public services and staff continue to develop our reputation through successful innovation and technology transfer. As you would expect, we have links with leading professional organisations, including the Association of Business Schools, the British Computer Society, the Chartered Institute of Management, the Chartered Institute of Marketing, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, the Institute of Public Relations, the Institute of Financial Accountants and many more.
World-class research informs our teaching and is led by Professor Howard Cox and our cutting-edge research centre – the Centre for People @ Work, which has excellent links with both public and private sector organisations and leads the influential SPHERE (Shared Police and Higher Education Research and Enterprise) partnership with West Mercia Constabulary.
Get your career off to a flying start...
A degree from Worcester Business School prepares you for a career in today’s demanding world of business, management and computing. Degrees in these subjects give you a vocational award recognised by employers and they significantly improve your chances of getting a career even in the most popular of sectors.
...launch your own business...
Got a great idea? Want to be your own boss? Then studying for a degree with us may inspire you to start your own business. Learn the skills and confidence to think creatively, manage people and operations and write a business plan. You can take part in many of the enterprise events at the University and become a member of the student-run Worcester Innovators Network. Our team recently won through to the international final of the Entrepreneurs Open Challenge – coming second overall and winning an advertising challenge run by Orange.
...or take your studies further
Taking your studies further can give you a greater edge and a much deeper understanding of a particular area. Many of our students choose to carry on their studies through a taught masters or research degree. Our wide range of MSc degrees builds on the skills you develop at undergraduate level. For more about postgraduate study, visit www.worcester.ac.uk or email study@worc.ac.uk to order a prospectus.
What our students say
“ Having studied Business Management for three years, I can honestly say that the lecturers are outstanding in terms of their knowledge, support and guidance, and provided me with a stimulating, varied and challenging course. Choosing Worcester to continue into postgraduate education was the easiest decision I’ve had to make.”
Paul Raynes, graduated 2007
“ The Business School has a wide diversity of staff with different backgrounds and specialities, greatly enhancing my learning experience. The one-to-one interaction with lecturers is first class and the School really has students’ best interests at heart.”
Matt Leavesley, graduated 2007
New City Campus
With University applications up 100% over the past five years, we’re investing heavily to expand and improve our facilities.
Central to this is our stunning new £120m second campus in the city centre, just a short walk or cycle from St John’s. We’re proud to say that Worcester Business School will be central to this new development, offering state-of-the-art facilities such as on-campus business incubation units for budding entrepreneurs, a ground-breaking £60m combined University and public library, and some of the best student accommodation in the country.
The City Campus will have a phased opening from September 2009 and the development will represent the biggest step forward in teaching space facilities in our history as we aim to shape the future of higher education in Britain.
This beautifully designed and sustainable campus will include:
- A centrepiece University Square for students, residents and visitors
- The restoration of handsome historic buildings
- A range of sustainable environmental benefits
- Innovative business incubator facilities as well as public galleries
- Residences for up to 400 students, all designed for disabled access
- A well-being centre, complete with gym, small indoor running track alongside therapy and treatment rooms
Our degrees in Business have been designed to meet employers’ needs so they have a real world focus obtained via practical assessments, working for live clients, engaging with business practitioners and practising the skills organisations need to succeed in today’s business environment. You will learn how to become an excellent and persuasive communicator; to think creatively and analytically; to make logical decisions; to interpret and use management information; to manage time, projects and resources; to work effectively as a member of a team with the ability to lead and inspire others; to be self-reliant; to use initiative and to champion an ethical and socially-responsible approach to business. You will have the opportunity to enhance these skills by taking a paid year in work after your second year of study, and to study overseas at one of our partner universities in the USA, Europe or Australia. You will be taught by international scholars who have real business experience – many of our staff act as consultants to local businesses, multinational corporations, governments or have run their own business. You will become part of a staff and study community in a thriving multidisciplinary Business School which prides itself on its international networks and multicultural links.
Worcester Business School’s degrees in Advertising have been written by advertising practitioners to focus on the practical management of advertising from both the client and agency perspectives. This means that you do not need a design or creative background. Our degrees seek to inspire, to generate enthusiasm and confidence so that you can enter a modern business world driven by media and technology innovation and change. You will explore psychological, operational and strategic aspects of advertising, branding and corporate identity. You will be encouraged to discover your own areas of greatest potential via an applied (real world) learning experience with hands-on practical assignments. Your degree will help you develop the skills that will help you to ‘make it’ in a competitive and popular industry. You will develop a genuine passion for advertising; become an expert communicator capable of working effectively as a team player and able to cope with time pressures. You will also develop skills in analytical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, client relations, leadership, organisation, prioritisation and self-reliance.
Worcester Business School’s specialist degrees in HRM explore the management of a diverse workforce and of individual and corporate behaviours and cultures within a local, national and international context. You will consider the interrelationship of HRM with other key business functions. HR specialists need to support people working in different functional areas, so the opportunity to study HRM and a specialist area is especially relevant to understanding how HR practitioners work. You will also have the opportunity to take a year in paid work during your degree, so that you can gain valuable insights into the real world of work, add value to your CV and kickstart an exciting career as a business professional.
A year’s business placement gives you valuable, hands-on professional experience that develops your skills and is highly valued by graduate employers. It could also give you a valuable reference after graduation. When it comes to finding a placement, we’ll help you with everything from CV preparation to interview techniques.
You can choose to take a placement year and convert your degree to a 4-year sandwich degree with any of our full-time Single Honours awards. You will be able to apply to spend your placement year at any organisation of your choice, including a large number of well-known organisations across a wide range of industry sectors who offer placements annually, including IBM, Marks and Spencer, Intel, The Audit Commission, Microsoft, Kraft, The House of Commons, NHS, Lidl, Waitrose and many others. Employers often use placements to assess a candidate’s suitability for future employment. Indeed around 80% of placement providers recruit students with the primary intention of taking them on in permanent positions.
Is a placement year worthwhile?
The initial motivation to take a placement year is likely to be to improve your curriculum vitae – to offer something different so that you stand out from the crowd after your graduation. In a very competitive job market, you are much more likely to find full-time work after graduation if you already have some experience. You are also very likely to be able to stay on with your placement employer – typically around 70%* of placement students are offered graduate jobs by their placement companies.
You will also benefit financially. Your placement will be paid, you will pay only half the tuition fees during your placement year and remain council tax exempt, which means that you begin to pay off debt and/or save for your final year.
There are other supplementary benefits of placement. You will become more responsible, self-disciplined, more of a team player, develop real-world understanding of a particular industry or sector, and a range of performance enhancing skills that employers value. You will also have the chance to ‘dip a toe into the water’ and experience day-today work in an industry to see if this is what you want to do.
When will I do my placement?
You will take your year in industry after your second year of study and then return to University for a final (fourth) year. You will return with more confidence and maturity and there is evidence that placement experience, when fed back into final year studies, can result in better grades, provide inspiration for your final year project and enhance your degree result.
What help will I get with my placement?
During your second year, support is given in securing a placement. Workshops help with identifying placement goals, placement search, application and interview skills. You will also visit the National Work Placements Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham, where you will be able to talk to employers and representatives from more than 40 participating organisations. When you are out on placement, you will continue to receive support and be a part of the Business School. You will receive email communications and visits from a Business School tutor; you will have opportunities to exchange experiences with other students on placement and you will spend a midplacement day back at University to discuss arrangements for your final year.
*Source: ASET (the professional body for placement and employability staff).
“Before my placement started, the workshops really supported my application process, including reviewing my CV, giving me great advice, interview practice (which definitely increased my presentation skills and confidence before real employers) and, last but not least, details of placement vacancies”
Mei Zhang (2006-2010)
The world wide web means that even the smallest organisation can compete and communicate across the globe alongside major global organisations, so, as you would expect, all of our degrees embed the theme of globalisation throughout the curriculum. You will routinely work with case studies of organisations – large and small – entering or operating within the world of global trade. You will engage with international perspectives, whichever business specialism you choose to follow, so, for example you will consider international accounting standards, the growth of multinationals, the development of global brands, global governance, the challenges of international marketing, liberalisation of labour markets, Japanese management practices, etc.
There are additional ways in which you can experience your global education:
An exchange semester abroad
You can choose to spend a semester (half year) during your second year at one of our many partner universities in the USA, Europe or Australia. You will be taught in English, and the Business School’s exchange tutor will help you to choose modules which are relevant to your degree. You will only need to pass the modules at your exchange university, so the grades will not affect your final results. Students who take up exchanges have a really great time, but also boost their social confidence, enhance their attractiveness to employers and score higher marks in their final degrees. There are no extra fees to pay to study abroad. Further details are available from the International Centre on 01905 855146 or at internat@worc.ac.uk
An intercultural student experience
During your studies, you will have the opportunity to study alongside students from all over the world. Some will start the course in Year One (especially from Scandinavia), some will be here for an exchange semester (especially from the USA), some will join in the second or final year. The International Office hosts parties and groups of students often get together to put on themed entertainment and cuisine, such as at Chinese New Year.
A taste of foreign culture
As a result of our links with overseas universities, you will have the opportunity to take part in intercultural projects. For example, some of our students have joined business, technical and humanities students from Germany, Sweden, Spain, the UK and Hungary to spend two weeks on a remote island off Ireland to explore the dimensions of culture in a growing European Union.
International scholars
You will be taught by international scholars who have taught, researched and practised in other countries. Many of our staff have worked in international companies across the world including the UK, Europe, Asia and the USA. Others have been/are consultants to foreign companies and governments, including advising on international communications policies.
“Worcester is very beautiful and I wanted a place where I would feel at home. The University of Worcester is ideal. On the campus you have everything you need”
Thato Stimela, international student
Following a return to Sweden to complete the double degree between the universities of Worcester and Halmstad and then a masters degree, Karl worked for two and a half years as an auditor at KPMG and then moved on to become an analyst at Ernst & Young. Karl thoroughly enjoyed his time at Worcester and describes it as “the best institution I have attended”.
Karl Johansson, graduated 2002
Ben has set up his own web design business. Initially following graduation Ben worked at McDonald’s to supplement his income. He progressed onto their graduate management programme and gained skills in ‘business management’ and ‘managing people’. He also became involved in the development of their in-house employee website, the UK intranet and a recruitment website. Ben’s new role in IT training has rekindled his interest in learning and he has applied to study a PGCE in IT Secondary commencing in September 2007, continuing the family tradition.
Ben Botfield, graduated 2003
Andrew now works at a small business in Hereford, as the Network Controller, after obtaining a 2:1 in Information Technology in 2003. He says “I really believe my degree has given me a good stepping stone in my job, and I am using parts that I learnt in the degree most days.”
Andrew Hodgson, graduated 2003
Nick worked as a temporary member of staff at a local prison whilst studying. After graduating he secured permanent employment there as the IT Manager. His main duty is as liaison between the prison, its IT suppliers and the wider Prison Service. In 2007 he was responsible, as the site Project Manager, for refreshing the establishment’s network. This involved the replacement of two file servers, three hundred computers and seventy-five printers. He is also the Information Manager for the prison which involves the design of communication strategies to ensure that the majority of staff are kept informed.
Nick Stephens, graduated 2004
Matt is working in London as a Marketing Manager for a company that is trying to revolutionise the transport network. He says “skills that I acquired through my academic studies have helped me prepare for the demands of this particular career. Time management, organisation, ability to research and knowledge from my course are all transferable to the daily operations of my profession.”
Matt Leavesley, graduated 2007
Johan returned to his native country of Sweden to study for a postgraduate degree. He says “I can’t believe how well prepared I am for this, the work I produce compared with people from all over Europe and Sweden is better. Going back to Sweden has made me understand how much I really learned at Worcester because I’m able to compare it with students from other schools.”
Johan Larsson, graduated 2008
Shortly after graduating, Larissa won the NIACE* Outstanding Adult Learner of the Year for the South East award which was presented by the Princess Royal. Following a two-month placement with Hampshire Fire and Rescue researching in Community Risk Intelligence, she secured a summer internship with the Department of Communities and Government helping out with policy development, the Government’s new ‘Race’ Equality strategy. NIACE has also asked her to undertake some training/advocacy work for them.
Larissa Burnett, graduated 2008
* National Institute of Adult Learners
3-year full-time or 4-year sandwich course
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Worcester Business School Undergraduate Prospectus