BA (Hons)
Business Management: International Business
Degree Programme

YEAR 1

Courses

• MGT 3200 Foundations of Business

  An introductory survey course designed to introduce students to the principles and functions of a business. The various functional areas of business will be discussed, including economic systems, small business, management, human relations, marketing, accounting and finance. The course will also review the role of businesses in society and business ethics.

• MTH 3111 Functions with Applications

  This course is designed to provide students with the necessary mathematical background for calculus courses and its applications to some business and economics courses. It covers the fundamentals of real-valued functions, including polynomial, rational, exponential and logarithmic functions and introduces students to the concepts of derivative and integral calculus with its applications to specific concepts in micro- and macro-economics

• MGT 3210 World of Entrepreneurship

  The course is designed to help students explore the ‘aspirational journey’ of entrepreneurship - its history, present and future. Students will get the opportunity to understand how the discipline of entrepreneurship started, what constitutes its eco-system and why it has become the focus of advanced, emerging and developing countries simultaneously. Students will learn about the Merchant-Capitalists of the eighteenth century up to and beyond the iconic global brands which were founded during the 2008 global recession. Students will explore the reasons behind the successes and failures of businesses like Segway, Amazon, Spotify and Toyota. They will also read the lives of inspiring leaders and legendary entrepreneurs like Jack Ma, Jeff Bezos and Michael Dell who crafted the world of entrepreneurship. At the end of the course, students will be able to decipher themselves whether they wish to take the path of those who made a real difference in the world.

• MGT 3201 Foundations of Computer Applications

  This is a foundations course comprised of a broad overview of information systems and technology, as principally used in support of business processes and decision-making activities. An in-depth discussion of the relationship, between organizations and information systems is a fundamental element of the course. Topics include: computer hardware and software, operating systems, the use of excel in management practice, social issues related to information systems. The use of excel provides a common thread in the topics covered throughout the course.

• GEP 3105 Tools for Change

  In this course, students will discuss and respond to social issues in the local area through group work, reflecting on how they can become both collaborative and independent learners. They will research the context of and plan for service learning in the local area. They will learn to use a range of digital platforms for individual and group project work, focussing strongly on effective communication, including oral presentation and written reports using a range of relevant primary and secondary sources.

• GEP 3180 Research and Writing I

  This core course concentrates on developing the students’ ability to read and think critically, and to read, understand and analyse texts from a range of genres. How do you successfully negotiate a path through a sea of information and then write it up? Using essential information literacy skills to help with guided research, this course develops the ability to produce effective and appropriate academic writing across the curriculum. This is the first course in the Richmond academic research and writing sequence.

Plus one of the following:

• GEP 3150 Visual Thinking

  This course provides an interdisciplinary grounding in the practice and theory of critical visual thinking. Through theoretical frameworks such as semiotics, it explores predominantly photographic images, from across a range of cultures and contexts: the arts, politics, science, sport and technology. Through visual analysis, it considers digital forms of observation and image making, as well as building understanding by visual practice. It examines questions concerning curating, circulating and making public the images we produce. It asks: What are the values and truths hidden in images? How can the practice of image production advance our thinking around images? How, in the context of a range of disciplines, can we learn to communicate ideas visually and verbally?

• GEP 3170 Narratives of Change

  This course considers a landscape of global ideas through the lens of contemporary literature. Students will be introduced to pivotal moments of recent thought surrounding gender, race, environment and technology, exploring how literature both shapes and responds to our changing world. Students will analyse literary, political, and theoretical texts from a variety of cultures, exploring the relationship between written form, content and context particularly the ways in which social change might play out in literature. There will be the opportunity to produce both critical analysis in essay form and creative writing that responds to the texts studied.

YEAR 2

Courses

• ACC 4205 Managerial Accounting

  This course introduces students to the generation of cost data for the preparation of proper, representative financial statements, and for optimal planning and control of routine operations and long range organizational goals. It focuses on the uses of formal cost accounting systems and quantitative techniques to make managerial decisions. Topics include: direct absorption income statements, job and process costing, allocation and proration, pro-forma and capital budgeting.

• ECN 4105 Introduction to Microeconomics

  An introduction to basic economic methodology. Within a framework of supply and demand analysis, the behavior of producers and consumers is examined in the context of the efficient allocation of scarce resources in society.

• ECN 4110 Introduction to Macroeconomics

  This course introduces students to a theoretical treatment of national income and its key component parts. Macroeconomic models are used to examine policy issues and contemporary problems relating to output, income, spending and employment as well as inflation and growth.

• MGT 4100 Introduction to Management

  This course is designed to provide a foundation of knowledge on the subject of management. We discuss the functions, tasks and responsibilities of managers. The assignments, projects, and exercises are designed to, in addition to providing a deeper understanding of what management is, challenge students to hone their teamwork and business communication skills.

• MTH 4120 Probability & Statistics I

  An introductory course in probability primarily designed for business economics and psychology majors. The course coverage will include: descriptive statistics, elementary probability theory, random variables and expectations, discrete probability distributions (Binomial and Poisson distributions), continuous probability distribution (Normal distribution), linear regression analysis and correlations, elementary hypothesis testing and Chi-square tests, non-parametric methods and SPSS lab sessions targeting applications of statistical concepts to business, economics and psychology and interpretations of hardcopies. All practical work will be produced using SPSS statistical software.

• GEP 4180 Research and Writing II

  How do you train your critical research and writing skills to be effective in the academic and professional arenas? How do you design and structure an argument that is convincing? This core course focuses on the principles of good scholarship and academic practice that will be required throughout the students’ studies and in the workplace. These skills are developed throughout the course so that students may, with increasing confidence, produce well-researched writing that demonstrates critical engagement with a self-selected academic topic. This is the second course in the Richmond academic research and writing sequence.

• GEP 4105 Change in Practice

  This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to analyse London-based social and environmental needs. Students will discuss key texts related to service learning and apply a range of planning and research techniques to deliver a community-based project related to a chosen social or environmental issue. Students will use local resources when available including registered not-for-profit and community-based organizations and reflect critically on their ability to create a positive contribution to society. Students will engage in community-based service learning, with guided academic tasks and reflection.

Plus one of the following:

• COM 4100 Intercultural Communication

  Reflecting strongly the mission of the University, this course provides a theoretical and practical foundation for the degree in Communications. It provides students with a strong sense of their own complex cultural identities before moving on to teach them the theories underlying the study of International Communication. There will be opportunities for practical applications of these theories in case studies, simulations, and project work.

• DGT 4101 Introduction to Programming

  This course provides the fundamentals of object-oriented programming. This will include usage of variables, objects, classes; assignment and control through statements, loops, functions, procedures, interaction between objects and inheritance. This course may introduce any current specialists programming topics, eg. programming for mobile applications.

YEAR 3

Courses

• FNN 5200 Corporate Finance

  This course examines the financial needs of corporations and the range of mechanisms available to meet them. The key concept of the time value of money is studied and applied to several decision models in capital budgeting and investment valuation. Other basic theories of Finance examined include risk versus return, modern portfolio theory, and basic financial statement analysis. Different financial requirements are considered with some emphasis in comparing internal and external sources of funds, their relative availability, and costs. Other topics considered include capital structure and dividend policy.

• INB 5101 Foreign Trade and Investment

  This course familiarizes students with the most important practical and legal aspects of foreign trade and cross-border investment as it relates to international businesses. The first part of the course provides an introduction to the main theories of international trade for business; this includes exploring the financing, insurance, documentation, goods handling, and transportation related to export and import contracts. The second part provides a practical overview of international cross-border investment, including the different methods of establishing and funding a subsidiary abroad.

• INB 5102 International Supply Chain Management

  Developments in the political and social environment can significantly impact supply chain issues. This creates a need for business leaders of international organisations to rethink their supply chain strategies. Businesses around the world, strive to achieve competitive advantage and create value for their customers through robust and well-executed supply chains. The reliance on supply chains both domestically and internationally poses a range of challenges for managers across disparate sectors. This course is designed to help students acquire the insights, understand processes, and appreciate tools of supply chains to deliver sustainable competitive advantage.

• MKT 5200 Principles of Marketing

  Concentrates on the legal framework within which most business takes place. Topics include corporate problems of raising and maintaining capital by shares; relationships of board of directors to shareholders; respective rights and obligations; relationships of companies to third parties; control and the principle of majority rule. Examples are used of the way statute and judge-made case law has dealt with these problems.

• MGT 5400 Organisational Behaviour

  This course explores the structure and nature of organisations and the contribution that communication and human behaviour makes to organisational performance. The course will address not only macro level issues relating to the environment and context within which organisations operate, but also the micro level influences of people as individuals and groups, their motivations and operating styles. The management of people for successful organisational performance will be emphasised by considering work environmental factors that facilitate or impede organisational success.

• MGT 5415 Governance and Sustainability

  The course provides students with an understanding of the concepts and key issues of corporate governance, corporate accountability, corporate social responsibility and corporate sustainability. It informs students of key policies and corporate governance mechanisms to investigate corporate failures in order to derive good corporate governance and accountability. The course identifies key stakeholders and evaluates the role that governance plays in the management of a business.

• MGT 5200 Research Methods and Data Analysis

  This course provides an overview of how research in business and economics can be conducted. Topics covered include research philosophies, critical literature review, and quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis. This course prepares students for their Senior Projects.

Plus one of the following:

• GEP 5101 Service Learning: Digital Collaboration

  This Digital Collaboration Service-Learning course is a student community engagement course that aims to provide students from all disciplines and majors with the intellectual, professional, and personal skills that will enable them to build professional links and function well in culturally diverse communities both locally and globally, in a digital capacity. In addition to the hours of field work (typically 30 hours*), the student will also produce a critical reflective progress report of their experience (a learning log), a ‘community action’ portfolio (analytical essay), and a final oral presentation, based on their own creative project. These assessments have been designed to help the student reflect on the application of their specialist knowledge, the skills they are learning, and the benefits gained from the service-learning experience. During this service-learning course, the faculty supervisor work closely with each student to ensure that the community engagement is a successful one.This course enables students engage with organizations and communities outside of the university. Over two semesters, students will devise, plan and construct their own digital project for Charities, NGO’s and non-profit organisations via digital engagement and media networks. This course expands theories from digital global service learning, across different employment sectors, and aspects of society. It equips students to identify the ranges of opportunities for innovation and employment that digital skills offer, using digital resource and community building for physical and mental health. The course examines decolonial theories of global digital community. It is highly recommended that students have access to the use of a laptop and a smartphone for the duration of the course.

• GEP 5102 Service Learning: Leadership in a Changing World

  This is a Service Learning course that focuses on emerging forms of leadership. It aims to introduce students from all majors to the professional, intellectual and personal skills to enable them to understand different approaches to leadership and function well in culturally diverse communities globally. In addition to the hours of field work (typically 30 hours* depending on the organisation), the student will also produce a critical reflective progress report of their experience (a project log), and a portfolio of their work (potentially as an analytical essay, or a video or a Report or an oral presentation). These assessments have been designed to help the student reflect on the application of their specialist knowledge, the leadership skills they are learning, and the benefits gained from the critical experiential service-learning. It will also help them determine if their current career goals are the correct fit for them.This course enables students to engage with organizations and communities outside of the university. During the semester, students will consider topics such as negotiation and behavioral influence. They will devise, plan and carry out their own engagement project for Charities, NGO’s and non-profit organisations. This course combines design thinking and behavioural design theories with global service learning theory, across different employment sectors and aspects of society. It equips students to identify opportunities for influence, leadership and employment both in and adjacent to their field. The course is underpinned by JEDI approaches to justice, equality, diversity and inclusion across the global community.

• GEP 5103 Service Learning: Environment and Society

  This Environmental Service Learning course is a student community engagement course that aims to provide students from all disciplines and majors with the intellectual, professional, and personal skills that will enable them to build professional links and function well in culturally diverse communities globally and within an Environmental perspective. In addition to the hours of field work (typically 30 hours* depending on the organisation), the student will also produce a critical reflective progress report of their experience (a learning log), a ‘community action’ portfolio (analytical essay), and a final oral presentation. These assessments have been designed to help the student reflect on the application of their specialist knowledge, the skills they are learning, and the benefits gained from the service-learning experience. It will also to help them determine if their current career goals are the correct fit for them. During this service-learning course, the faculty supervisor will work closely with each student to ensure that the community engagement is a successful one.

• GEP 5104 Service Learning: Global Citizenship and Migration

  This course examines the theoretical, political and sociological conceptions of citizenship and their limitations. It looks at both the theoretical constructs and the concrete policies that have shaped the experience of the citizen and of the migrant. The course therefore considers the development of the nation state and the establishment of legal and social citizenship. It also examines the border as a mechanism of control and security. The course further addresses the intersection of experiences of citizenship across economic, racial and gender differences in the context of international governance as well as the globalization of economies and environmental issues. This is a Service-Learning student community engagement course that aims to provide students with the analytical and inter-personal skills to support key non-governmental and policy-making actors around the broad theme of citizenship and migration as well as to build an understanding of the needs and challenges faced by key stakeholders and local communities globally. Through consultation with key stakeholders, students will produce analytical written assessments on key questions around the theme of global citizenship and migration, they will also produce a range of work introducing them to a range of key employability skills in a range of key sectors related to citizenship, these might include: the local and global charity sector, local and national policy-making, as well as regional or international organisations. Students will be required to maintain a progress report that tracks learning and can act as a reference point for problem solving in the future.

YEAR 4

Courses

• INB 6101 International Business Environment

  This course focuses on the socio-cultural, technological, political, legal, financial, and ecological environment in which international business takes place. Equally, the course studies regional business strategies with an in-depth focus of the European Single Market as the most integrated business area. This is further complemented by the study of distinct business areas which in a non-exhaustive manner covers Japan, North America, China, and Emerging Economies.

• INB 6102 Managing the Multinational Corporation

  This is a final course for International Business students. It provides a managerial perspective into managing the structure and operations of multinational corporations (MNCs) in the global business environment. Major managerial issues are studied from the MNC’s perspective and the problems of planning and executing business strategies on a global scale are analysed. A project in International Business is required.

• MGT 6102 Sustainable Strategic Management

  Building on long established models of strategic management the course focuses on strategic analysis, planning and implementation in the light of current interest in sustainability and ESG values. Early lectures outline the basic strategic analysis models and case study analyses relate to both the firm's internal operations and the environment in which it operates. The course culminates in embedding the principles of ESG and the triple bottom line into future strategic planning.

• INB 6103 International Business Law

  The course provides an overview of the legal issues underpinning commercial transactions with a strong international component. Substantive content includes the rights and obligations of parties as a result of international contracts, for example a contractual agreement to sell and transport goods. The course also considers the legal aspects of international finance. In addition, it focuses on the study of multinational enterprises and its relevant legal framework including competition, product liability law and securities regulations. Current developments both in intellectual property and Technology Law are also included. Choice of jurisdiction, applicable law and international conflict resolution provide the procedural aspects of the course.

• MGT 6297 Senior Project in Business

  The senior project forms the culmination of a student's studies in their major. The project requires a significant level of enquiry and research. It will typically investigate a hypothesis, an issue or case on a relevant topic. The investigation ought to make use of quantitative and/or qualitative research methods. Students will be guided by their supervisor and conduct individual research work on an agreed topic. The supervisor will facilitate the process through regularly-scheduled meetings.This course is only open to seniors, ideally final semester students should take this course.

Plus one of the following:

• MKT 6104 Luxury Brand Management

  Students will gain an insight into the structure of the luxury goods market, and the impact that market change may have upon future prospects and opportunities. This course considers the nature of the luxury product and the competitive advantage that it provides to the delivery of quality, design, image and distinctiveness. The luxury brand concept and definitions are critically examined in full and the various conceptual frameworks that link the luxury brand market to the market for normal goods is explored.

• ENT 6103 Lean Startup and Design Thinking

  This course covers learnings from three leading entrepreneurial methodologies namely, Lean Startup Design Thinking and Disciplined Entrepreneurship. Students will be introduced to new concepts and principles which have been widely applied by nascent entrepreneurs across different sectors. They will also be able to critically analyse these three overarching strategies and make their own informed decisions. Students will be introduced to a range of case studies from Western and non-Western countries to expand their knowledge and develop analytical skills.

• FNN 6104 International Finance

  Taking a global perspective, the course focuses on the basics of multinational financial management from an international finance perspective. An understanding of multinational finance begins with a mastery of the principles of exchange rates—how they are determined, how they affect the prices of goods and services, and their relationship to interest rates. The course also covers foreign exchange markets, multinational accounting, foreign exchange risk, strategies and tools for managing exchange rate exposure, import and export finance, and multinational financial management.

• FNN 6106 Financial Management

  ​​The course aims to develop the knowledge and skills expected of a finance manager concerning financing, dividend policy and investment decisions. The Financial Management course aims to equip students with the skills expected from a finance manager responsible for the finance department of a business organisation.

Integrated Internship

• MGT 6901 World Internship in International Business (6 CREDITS)

  The Internship in Business Management is a student work placement that aims to provide students with the experience of working within the international business sector.Students will develop the intellectual, professional, and personal skills that will enable them to function well in a culturally diverse working environment. All internships are supervised by faculty, and all last a minimum of 6 weeks in length and are carried out full time Monday to Thursday/ Friday. Each student will also complete a series of assessments throughout the internship, such as keeping a written journal of their experience, preparing an internship portfolio, and delivering a final presentation. These assessments have been designed to help the student reflect on the skills they are learning and the benefits gained from the internship experience, and also to help them determine if their current career goals are the correct fit for them. During the internship, the staff of the Internship Office and a faculty supervisor work closely with each student to ensure that the placement is a successful one. Students’ final grades are based on several factors including, written assignments, presentation, and a report from their workplace supervisor which is taken into consideration.

• MGT 6902 Internship in International Business (6 CREDITS)

  The Internship in Business Management is a student work placement that aims to provide students with the experience of working within the business sector in London.Students will develop the intellectual, professional, and personal skills that will enable them to function well in a culturally diverse working environment. All internships are supervised by faculty, and all last a minimum of 6 weeks in length and are carried out full time Monday to Thursday/ Friday. Each student will also complete a series of assessments throughout the internship, such as keeping a written journal of their experience, preparing an internship portfolio, and delivering a final presentation. These assessments have been designed to help the student reflect on the skills they are learning and the benefits gained from the internship experience, and also to help them determine if their current career goals are the correct fit for them. During the internship, the staff of the Internship Office and a faculty supervisor work closely with each student to ensure that the placement is a successful one. Students’ final grades are based on several factors including, written assignments, presentation, and a report from their workplace supervisor which is taken into consideration.