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Undergraduate Programme Specification

BSc International Business (Major) with French

Academic Year 2021/22

A programme specification is required for any programme on which a student may be registered. All programmes of the University are subject to the University's Quality Assurance processes. All degrees are awarded by Queen's University Belfast.

Programme Title BSc International Business (Major) with French Final Award
(exit route if applicable for Postgraduate Taught Programmes)
Bachelor of Science
Programme Code IBU-BSC-MM UCAS Code N1R1 HECoS Code 100089 - Management studies - 66
100321 - French language - 34
ATAS Clearance Required No
Mode of Study Full Time
Type of Programme Major Honours Length of Programme Full Time - 4 Academic Year(s) Total Credits for Programme 480
Exit Awards available

Institute Information

Teaching Institution

Queen's University Belfast

School/Department

Queen's Business School

Quality Code
https://www.qaa.ac.uk/quality-code

Higher Education Credit Framework for England
https://www.qaa.ac.uk/quality-code/higher-education-credit-framework-for-england

Level 6

Subject Benchmark Statements
https://www.qaa.ac.uk/quality-code/subject-benchmark-statements

The Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies
https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaa/quality-code/qualifications-frameworks.pdf

Business and Management (2015)

Accreditations (PSRB)

Regulation Information

Does the Programme have any approved exemptions from the University General Regulations
(Please see General Regulations)

Yes Most UG degrees are classified as 10:30:60. All International Business with a Language degrees have University permission to be classified as follows: Stage 1 – 10% Stage 2 – 20% Placement Year – 10% Stage 3 – 60%

Programme Specific Regulations

Awards, Credits and Progression of Learning Outcomes
Examinations
Students must pass at least 320 CATS points from the taught modules of the degree programme as well as 120 CATS points for the placement programme to be awarded an Honours degree.

Stage 1
Students will be allowed to proceed from Stage 1 to Stage 2 only when they have passed all Stage 1 modules.

Stage 2
Students will be allowed to proceed from Stage 2 to placement when they have passed modules to the value of at least 80 CATS points. This must include the language module/s. All remaining modules must be attempted in the August supplementary examining period,
Students are only permitted to undertake one placement or study abroad year. This must be a minimum of nine months duration.

Placement Year
Students will be expected to undertake a placement abroad in either a business environment or a business school (or equivalent). This will be managed by the School of Management with approval formally given by the School as to the suitability of each placement. The corresponding module for this placement year (MGT3002 International Professional Development) worth 120 CATS points must be passed before students can progress to Stage 3. Thus students are expected to be in Belfast during the supplementary exam period in August in order to complete the assessment for this module.

Students with protected characteristics

Are students subject to Fitness to Practise Regulations

(Please see General Regulations)

No

Educational Aims Of Programme

Within the context of striving towards the University's vision, this degree programme aims to:

Foster a stimulating and supportive learning environment which promotes intellectual, professional and personal development

Encourage critical thinking, independent enquiry, and an international outlook

Develop students' skills base, leadership capacity and connections with practice in ways which will enhance their ability to make valuable contributions to the economy and society

Promote engagement with issues of ethics, responsibility and sustainability, and maintain respect for social and cultural differences, showing openness, fairness, and equality of opportunity in relation to selection, learning, assessment, and support

Provide students with a broad, analytical and highly integrated study of Business and Management through the study of modules focused on business management, accounting, economics and international business.

Provide students with fluency in French and knowledge of the political, social, cultural and economic environments of those countries where French is the primary language.

Through the placement year provide students with a high quality work or study experience offering them the opportunity to bridge the gap between study at university and the international business environment.

Cultivate in students a range of linguistic skills and a clear awareness of a foreign language and its application and cultural setting as a basis both for employment in the UK and overseas and for personal development.

Promote student learning in the French language, in a broad-based and structured curricula which reflect the cumulative nature of language study and integrate research and teaching.

Enable students to develop advanced linguistic skills, which are informed by general language awareness, specialist financial intercultural competence and high levels of critical thinking.

Further students' knowledge of the cultures and societies in which French is spoken, and thereby to foster a lifelong interest in the language and the French-speaking world.

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes: Cognitive Skills

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

critically evaluate information

apply logic and reasoning

pursue independent enquiry

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Cognitive skills are developed across modules and between stages. A combination of teaching methods are used to enhance these skills. Students are encouraged to evaluate information and think independently throughout their course, in lectures, small group tutorials, and interactive learning sessions.
Self-assessment and reflection are developed particularly in the placement module.

Methods of Assessment

A combination of assessment methods including assignments, presentations, class tests and examinations are used to evaluate cognitive skills. Students are awarded marks for their ability to demonstrate critical thinking and originality

Learning Outcomes: Transferable Skills

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

communicate ideas in both written and presentational forms

use ICT software effectively

work both independently and in groups

manage their own time and workloads effectively

engage with employers and practitioners

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Transferable skills development permeates teaching and learning throughout the degree programme. The teaching and learning environment is supportive of the need to assist students in developing and enhancing their communication, IT, team working and employability skills.

Methods of Assessment

Students are asked to prepare and deliver presentations, and structure and write assignments, which encourages them to improve their oral and written communication skills. These formats also give students experience of using a range of software, and allows them to advance their technical abilities. Some assessments are group based, which helps develop an awareness of how to work as a team, whilst others are individual based, which promotes time management skills.

Learning Outcomes: Knowledge & Understanding

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

appreciate the importance of internationalisation

engage with issues around ethics, responsibility and sustainability

Understand organisations, the external environment in which they operate and how they are managed:

organisations – encompassing the internal aspects, functions and processes of organisations including their diverse nature, purposes, structures, governance,

external environment – encompassing a wide range of factors, including economic, environmental, ethical, legal, political, sociological and technological, together with their effects at local, national and international levels upon the strategy, behaviour, management and sustainability of organisations

management – encompassing the various processes, procedures and practices for effective management of organisations. It includes theories, models, frameworks, tasks and roles of management together with rational analysis of other processes of decision making within organisations and in relation to the external environment.

a detailed knowledge of oral and written forms of French, and understanding of the business environment of French speaking countries.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

The degree programme follows a semi-structured curriculum based upon modules in business management, economics, and accounting, and languages. Acquisition of knowledge and understanding is through structured exposition based on lectures, tutorials, computer-based laboratory work, group work, and private study. A placement of a minimum of nine months offers practical experience of studying or working abroad and equips students with appropriate business and cultural understanding for working in an international business environment. The international dimension to various issues are included in modules throughout the course, and concerns around ethics, responsibility and sustainability are embedded when discussing topics.

Methods of Assessment

End-of-term examinations, class tests, individual and group projects, along with individual and group oral presentations are used to assess student learning. The placement component is assessed by way of tutor/placement officer visits to the work place, a mentor report, student reflective reports, a ‘portfolio of evidence’ and student presentation in French. Relevant discussion of the international and ethical aspects to any subject is also regarded as a positive.

Learning Outcomes: Subject Specific

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

Effective problem solving and decision making using appropriate quantitative and qualitative skills including identifying, formulation and solving business problems

Ability to conduct research into business and management issues, either individually or as part of a team for projects/presentations

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

As this degree is strongly related to practice there is a strong link between the development of skills and employability. Thus, business and managerial skills are further extended to incorporate competency in the language being studied along with an understanding of the business and culture of international business.

Business and managerial skills are grounded in problem solving and decision making emanating from a broad, analytical and integrative understanding of the subject area. Core elements of each level nurture this ability in students to create, evaluate and assess a range of options as well as the capacity to apply ideas and knowledge to a range of situations. In addition, across all modules where appropriate up-to-date literature, case examples and empirical evidence is integrated into the curriculum, with an important element being the ongoing development of the students’ ability to communicate, debate and critique this literature.

Methods of Assessment

Both summative and formative assessment methods are used throughout all modules.

Formative assessment takes three main forms. First, weekly discussion of key theories and academic readings to develop understanding, logical argument and critical assessment. Second, weekly homework is undertaken in many of the quantitative, numerical and computer package-based modules aimed at promoting understanding, logic and accurate calculation. Third, as part of the placement process the academic tutor, the mentor from the employing firm, along with the student assess the development of key skills developed during the placement period.

Summative assessment also takes a variety of forms. End-of-term examinations are used to gauge and assess understanding and the acquisition of knowledge. Cumulative assessment is also built into all modules to assess ongoing understanding. A variety of forms of cumulative assessment are employed, (i) practical computer based work in the statistical/accounting modules (ii) a mixture of class tests, group and individual presentations and essays.

Module Information

Stages and Modules

Module Title Module Code Level/ stage Credits

Availability

Duration Pre-requisite

Assessment

S1 S2 Core Option Coursework % Practical % Examination %
An Introduction to Economics ECO1007 1 20 YES 12 weeks N YES 40% 0% 60%
French 1 FRH1101 1 40 YES YES 24 weeks N YES 45% 20% 35%
Intermediate French FRH1111 1 40 YES YES 24 weeks N YES 45% 20% 35%
Beginners French Studies (Post GCSE Level) FRH1121 1 40 YES YES 24 weeks N YES 45% 20% 35%
Marketing MGT1013 1 20 YES 12 weeks N YES 60% 40% 0%
Global Business Environment MGT1015 1 20 YES 12 weeks N YES 100% 0% 0%
Behaviour in Organisations MGT1020 1 20 YES 12 weeks N YES 60% 40% 0%
Operations Management MGT2005 2 20 YES 12 weeks N YES 40% 0% 60%
International Business MGT2011 2 20 YES 12 weeks N YES 100% 0% 0%
Data and Statistics MGT2009 2 20 YES 12 weeks N YES 100% 0% 0%
Human Resource Management MGT2013 2 20 YES 12 weeks N YES 60% 40% 0%
French 2 FRH2101 2 40 YES YES 24 weeks N YES 45% 20% 35%
The Digital Business MGT2018 2 20 YES 12 weeks N YES 100% 0% 0%
Leading for Change MGT2019 2 20 YES 12 weeks N YES 40% 0% 60%
Placement Preparation Module MGT2020 2 0 YES YES 24 weeks N YES 0% 100% 0%
Cross Cultural Management MGT2021 2 20 YES 12 weeks N YES 100% 0% 0%
International Professional Development MGT3002 3 120 YES YES 30 weeks N YES 100% 0% 0%
Innovation Management MGT3011 4 20 YES 12 weeks N YES 100% 0% 0%
Global Strategy MGT3004 4 20 YES 12 weeks N YES 100% 0% 0%
French 3 FRH3101 4 40 YES YES 24 weeks N YES 45% 20% 35%
Consultancy Project MGT3030 4 40 YES YES 24 weeks N YES 55% 45% 0%
Business Start Up MGT3031 4 40 YES YES 24 weeks N YES 80% 20% 0%
Contemporary and Emerging Issues in Business and Management MGT3034 4 20 YES 12 weeks N YES 100% 0% 0%

Notes

The Language module option depends on the student's previous study in French FRH1101 is for those with A-Level French FRH1111 is for those with AS-level French Grade B or equivalent FRH1121 is for those who have GCSE Grade B or equivalent in any modern language