Bachelor of Science (BSc)

BSc Management

  • Duration: 3 years
  • Year of entry: 2025
  • UCAS course code: N201 / Institution code: M20
  • Key features:
  • Study with a language
  • Scholarships available

Full entry requirementsHow to apply

Fees and funding

Fees

Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2025 will be £9,535 per annum (subject to Parliamentary approval). Tuition fees for international students will be £31,500 per annum. For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.

Additional expenses

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

The Manchester Bursary is available to UK students registered on an undergraduate degree course at Alliance MBS who have had a full financial assessment carried out by Student Finance England. 

In addition, Alliance MBS will award a range of Social Responsibility Scholarships to UK and international/EU students.

These awards are worth £2,000 per year across three years of study. You must achieve AAA at A-level (or equivalent qualification) and be able to demonstrate a significant contribution and commitment to social responsibility.

The School will also award a number of International Stellar Scholarships to international students achieving AAA at A-level (or equivalent qualification). Applicants who exceed AAA and/or have supplementary qualifications (such as EPQ) will receive additional consideration.

Additional eligibility criteria apply - please see our scholarship pages for full details.

Course unit details:
Academic and Career Development

Course unit fact file
Unit code BMAN10780
Credit rating 10
Unit level Level 1
Teaching period(s) Full year
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

The course is designed to empower students to become independent, self-regulating learners by equipping them with essential academic, wellbeing, and professional skills. This course supports their transition into university life, fosters personal and professional growth, and prepares them for career opportunities during and beyond their time at university.

 

This blended learning course combines self-directed online resources with face-to-face activities, including group seminars and individual meetings. It encourages students to develop academic and professional competencies while becoming more aware of their unique strengths and value in today’s competitive work environment.

 

The course  is structured into three key areas:

Academic skills: Focused on developing the foundational knowledge and skills necessary for academic success, including writing, critical thinking, working with sources, and adhering to good academic practices.

Mental health and wellbeing: Emphasises strategies for managing stress, building resilience, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance while raising awareness of available support and resources.

Professional skills: Provides the tools and insights needed to support employability and career development, including career planning, job search strategies, and understanding corporate social responsibility.

 

By integrating these three areas, the unit prepares students for academic success, promotes wellbeing, and equips them to navigate the dynamic challenges of professional life confidently. 

Pre/co-requisites

BMAN10780 is core for BSc Mgt/Mgt Specialism, IMABS, IM and IBFE.

BMAN10780 is core for BSc Management/Management specialisms with/without Industrial/Professional Experience, BSc International Management, BSc Information Technology Management for Business with/without Industrial Experience and BSc International Business Finance and Economics with/without Industrial/Professional Experience.

Aims

The course aims to facilitate a smooth transition into university life by providing students with a comprehensive foundation in three critical areas: academic skills, mental health and wellbeing, and professional skills. This includes:

Equipping students with essential academic skills, including writing, critical thinking, and good academic practices, enabling success in studying business and management (and related subjects) at degree level.

Supporting students' mental health and wellbeing by promoting resilience, stress management, and work-life balance while fostering awareness of resources available within the university.

Preparing students for their future careers by developing professional skills, such as career planning, job search strategies, and understanding corporate social responsibility, ensuring readiness for ethical and socially responsible professional environments. 

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course unit, students should be able to:

Academic and transferable skills
•    Understand themselves, their key strengths and challenges and their preferred ways of working/learning.
•    Understand what is required to produce quality writing within an academic discipline
•    Gather and analyse information from various sources
•    Integrate data and ideas into a written assignment to develop arguments based on credible, and reputable, evidence.
•      Evaluate information and its worth to an academic argument  
•    Understand academic malpractice and how to avoid it
•    Have the confidence, and skills, to enable them to contribute to group discussions.

•    Critically reflect on individual learning, performance and behaviour and demonstrate an understanding of how to manage,  and maximise,  their development.
•    Evaluate and plan their study
•    Understand what is meant by Social Responsibility (SR) and how it relates to the University of Manchester and to contemporary organisations.
•    Understand what is understood by mental well-being and know how this can be supported and developed within the University context.
 

Syllabus

Semester 1

    Lecture 1:  Introduction to the course

    Block A – Academic skills

    Lecture 2:   The basics of academic writing

    Lecture 3:   Developing critical thinking

    Lecture 4:   Working with academic sources

    Lecture 5:   Adhering to good academic practices

    Lecture 6:   The principles of academic assessment

   Block B – Mental health and wellbeing

    Lecture 7:   Introduction to wellbeing support

    Lecture 8:   Managing stress and building resilience

    Lecture 9:   Striking the work-life balance

    Lecture 10: Equality, diversity, and inclusion

  Semester 2

    Block C – Professional skills

    Lecture 11: Introduction to career support

    Lecture 12: Looking for career opportunities  

    Lecture 13: Preparing a job application

    Lecture 14: Corporate social responsibility

    Lecture 15: Final reflections and next steps 

Teaching and learning methods

Students are required to engage with a series of asynchronous lectures. These pre-recorded lectures deliver core knowledge and theoretical foundations across academic practices, mental health and wellbeing, and career development. The asynchronous format allows students to access materials flexibly, supporting self-paced learning.

The course also integrates selected online resources, including My Learning Essentials, which provides interactive materials on academic skills, wellbeing, and professional development. Additional resources, such as videos, podcasts, blogs, and websites offer practical insights into education, work, and career planning, enhancing students’ engagement with real-world applications.

Guided support is provided through in-person sessions facilitated by students' Academic Advisors. These include:

Group seminars that encourage collaborative learning and provide opportunities for in-depth discussion of course topics.

Individual meetings, offering tailored feedback, personalised guidance, and support for academic and career-related development.

This combination of asynchronous and synchronous methods, supported by e-learning tools, ensures a comprehensive and flexible learning experience tailored to students' academic and professional needs.

Delivery pattern

   Lecture hours: 15 x 1.0-hour pre-recorded lectures (10 in Semesters 1 and 5 in Semester 2)

   Seminar hours: 4 x 1.0-hour in-person group seminars (2 in each Semester)

   Meeting hours: 2 x 0.5-hour in-person individual meetings (1 in each Semester)

   Private study: 80 hours  

   Total study hours: 100 hours 

Knowledge and understanding

Demonstrate a systematic understanding of key concepts and principles in academic practices, including writing, critical thinking, referencing, and good academic conduct, recognising their role in academic success.

Demonstrate a systematic understanding of wellbeing strategies, including time management, stress management, and available university support, recognising their impact on personal and academic balance.

Demonstrate a systematic understanding of career development concepts, including career pathways, professional conduct, and employability skills, recognising their role in shaping future opportunities.

Intellectual skills

Reflect critically on the various forms and goals of academic practices, wellbeing strategies, and career development, considering how they contribute to personal and professional growth.

Evaluate academic practices, wellbeing strategies, and career development tools as mechanisms for continuous learning and self-improvement.

Understand and appraise the roles of corporate social responsibility, equality, diversity, inclusion, and mental health awareness in fostering ethical, inclusive, and supportive environments

Practical skills

Evaluate evidence of best practices in academic work, mental health strategies, and career planning, applying these insights to improve personal approaches in these areas.

Design and deliver reflective reports that critically engage with personal learning experiences, wellbeing management, and career aspirations, articulating insights effectively.

Utilise digital tools to support independent learning and research, enhancing communication in both academic and professional contexts.

 

Transferable skills and personal qualities

Independently gather and synthesise information from diverse academic, professional, and wellbeing-focused sources, demonstrating resourcefulness in navigating digital and academic resources.

Apply critical thinking to analyse sources and effectively implement findings across academic, wellbeing, and career-related challenges.

Communicate information clearly and accessibly through professional reporting, including crafting a CV.

 

Employability skills

Analytical skills
The course equips students with critical thinking, analytical, and practical skills to support academic success, personal wellbeing, and career readiness.
Problem solving
By fostering competencies in academic writing, research, stress management, and career planning, students are prepared to excel in university and professional environments.
Other
The course enhances employability through adaptability, digital literacy, and ethical awareness, ensuring students are well-positioned for diverse and competitive career pathways.

Assessment methods

Semester 1
Assignment 1 Formative Essay plan
Assignment 1 Essay - 50% 
Semester 2
Assignment 2 Formative CV online test. The test needs to be completed and passed but is purely formative.
Assignment 2: Personal & Career Development Plan including Curriculum Vitae 50%  Divided into 2 parts, each of which is weighted at 25%. 

Feedback methods

At individual meetings and/or through Blackboard, 15 working days 

Automated through Blackboard 

Recommended reading

The course does not have a fixed reading list. Instead, each lecture provides references to a range of resources, including academic literature, practical guides, and multimedia materials, designed to deepen students' understanding of the course content. These resources are carefully curated to align with the themes of academic practices, mental health and wellbeing, and career development.

Students are encouraged to engage with these materials to enhance their knowledge, develop critical thinking skills, and apply insights to their academic and professional development. Additional support and guidance on resource use are provided through the My Learning

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 15
Seminars 4
Independent study hours
Independent study 80

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Katharine Barker Unit coordinator
Shukhrat Nasirov Unit coordinator

Additional notes

Programme Restrictions:
Core for BSc Management/Management specialisms with/without Industrial/Professional Experience, BSc International Management, BSc International Business Finance and Economics with/without Industrial/Professional Experience.

Pre-requisites: N/A
Co-requisites: N/A
Dependent courses: N/A
 

For Academic Year 2023/24

Updated: March 2023

Approved by: March UG Committee

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