BSc International Business, Finance and Economics

The course has both a UK and an international focus and it treats HRM as a blanket term to describe the employment relationship in any organization rather than focusing on HRM as a particular style of management. The course draws heavily on research analysing contemporary developments in HRM and employment, and wherever possible we draw out implications for organizations and HR policy and practice.

This course is especially suited to those who want an introduction to HRM and employment issues and are taking it as part of a degree programme where an understanding of HRM is seen as an important complement to their specialist studies. As such, it is appropriate for students from a diverse range of backgrounds.  

 

To examine at introductory level the nature and meaning of human resource management (HRM) within the context of institutional frameworks and organisational strategies.

The objectives of this course are to understand and explain:

• The changing context in which HRM takes place, highlighting the factors external and internal to the organization that shape HRM;
• The theory and practice, rhetoric and reality, of a number of HRM practices;
• The nature and diversity of approaches to HRM across organisations and sectors.

 

 

• Introduction to HRM
• Strategic HRM; rhetoric and practice  
• Recruitment and Selection
• Developing Skills and people  
• Pay and Reward
• Employee Voice  
• Flexible Work and Work Life Balance  
• Equality and Diversity 

Methods of Delivery: 10 one hour lectures and 10 one hour seminars over the duration of the course.

Total study hours: 100 hours split between lectures, workshops, reading for classes and examinations.

Private study hours: 80

• Explain how different aspects of HRM are put into practice within organisations
• Explain how institutional and contextual factors shape the nature of HRM at the organisational level
• Examine HR practices from the perspectives of employers and employees 

• To critical assess and use theoretical frameworks or literature in the analysis of social phenomena 

• Use of library, electronic and online resources 

• Demonstrate ability to independently gather, sift, synthesise and organise material from various sources (including library, electronic and online resources), and to critically evaluate its significance.

Formative Assessment:
Essay - optional formative assignment rehearsing an answer to a hypothetical exam question

Summative Assessment:
Exam (100%)

• As per school guidelines on summative written work 
• Essay is due in the middle of February and written feedback is provided 3 weeks after the deadline  

Wilkinson A, Dundon T, Redman T, eds. Contemporary Human Resource Management : Text and Cases . Sixth edition. SAGE; 2021. https://read.kortext.com

Gold M. Where’s the “human” in Human Resource Management? : Managing Work in the 21st Century . (Smith C, ed.). Bristol University Press; 2022.

Grugulis I. A Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap Book about Human Resource Management . SAGE; 2017.

Gunawardana SJ. Reframing employee voice: a case study in Sri Lanka’s export processing zones. Work, employment and society. 2014;28(3):452-468. doi:10.1177/0950017013491451

Rubery J. Change at work: feminisation, flexibilisation, fragmentation and financialisation. Ralph Darlington P, ed. Employee relations. 2015;37(6):633-644. doi:10.1108/er-04-2015-0067

Pre-requisites: None
Co-requisites: None
Dependent courses: None

Programmes to which this course unit contributes (including cross faculty/school): Available as a free choice option to students who have received prior agreement from their registering School. Option for IBFE. Not available to BSc in Management/Management (Specialism), IM, ITMB or Accounting

 

 

Tuition fees for home students will be £10,050 for the 2027/28 academic year. In England and Wales, tuition fees for home undergraduate students are subject to the Government fee cap, which the Government has announced will be £10,050 for the 2027/28 academic year.

Government policy is to increase the fee cap on an annual basis to reflect inflation (i.e. increasing costs), and the tuition fee home students pay in subsequent academic years will reflect any increases in the Government fee cap (which we will communicate to you as soon as we can in advance of the relevant academic year).

Tuition fees for international students will be £34,800 for the 2027/28 academic year. For subsequent academic years, the University reserves the right to increase the tuition fee by up to 7% each year, including to reflect rising costs associated with delivering our education and wider student experience.

For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.

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).

We know that student finance can be complicated. The links below provide further information to help guide you.

Learn more about student finance options for UK students.

Learn more about fees and finance for international students.

As an international student you may be eligible for our Global Futures Scholarships . This is open to students starting their studies in September 2027.