Business Management with Foundation Year

Business management is the study and practice of how organisations are led, structured, and made to function effectively, encompassing strategy, marketing, finance, operations, human resources, and the broader commercial and social environments in which businesses of all kinds operate. This four-year full-time degree at the University of Derby includes a foundation year, a sandwich placement year, a year abroad, and embedded work placement experience, and an entry tariff of 56 points makes it one of the most accessible business management programmes in the country.

The foundation year gives you the opportunity to strengthen your skills, knowledge, and confidence with extensive academic support before you advance to the honours degree. It is particularly valuable if you are coming from a non-traditional educational background or are considering a career change into business, and it ensures you are thoroughly prepared for the more demanding work of the degree proper. As you progress through the programme, you will develop understanding across the core functions of business, learning to analyse organisations, think strategically, and apply management principles to complex real-world challenges.

The sandwich year, year abroad, and work placements give you substantial professional and international experience that complements and enriches your academic development.

Graduates from business management programmes at Derby move into careers across management, marketing, finance, operations, human resources, and entrepreneurship in virtually every sector of the economy. Many continue to professional qualifications or postgraduate study in business, management, or a specialist area such as digital marketing, finance, or entrepreneurship.