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Introduction
Why choose this course?
Overview
The Business and Law degree is run jointly by the Business School and the School of Law and Social Sciences, and taught by lecturers from both schools. You will take a combination of law and business modules on a programme designed to deliver a first rate understanding of both subjects, and in depth insights into the relationship between business and law in a commercial context. As a result, you will be equipped with the business and legal knowledge to help you build a fulfilling career across a range of roles in business and beyond. Studying this course will help you develop the ability to:
 problem solve
 make effective decisions
 analyse critically
 present persuasive arguments.
Wherever possible we make our conditional offers using the UCAS Tariff. The combination of A-level grades listed here would be just one way of achieving the UCAS Tariff points for this course.
Standard offer
UCAS Tariff Points: 112
A Level: BBC
IB Points: 30
BTEC: DMM
Contextual offer
UCAS Tariff Points: 88
A Level: CCD
IB Points: 27
BTEC: MMM
Further offer details
Applications are also welcomed for consideration from applicants with European qualifications, international qualifications or recognised foundation courses.
If you don’t achieve the required tariff points you can apply to join a foundation course or international foundation course to help to reach the required level for entry onto this degree.
Modules
Year 1
Compulsory modules
Introduction to Business and Management
This module will introduce you to the internal and external factors that both shape business and that business seeks to influence. You will initially be introduced to basic understandings on the form and functions of business organisations and their environmental context followed by discussion and application of key management understandings to authentic business scenarios. Building on factual knowledge, you’ll evaluate business and management challenges within different contexts. These challenges traverse both an internal perspective encompassing aspects of organisational purpose and the various issues that lie within.
Key academic literacies of information sourcing, referencing, academic group work as well as cognitive skills of academic argument, analysis and evaluation are emphasised throughout the module. Your employability skills are developed through an assessment centre exercise designed and orchestrated by final year students.
Contract Law
In this module, you’ll get to grips with contract law. You’ll gain a detailed understanding of the formation, operation, and termination of contracts. You’ll understand the key ideas behind contract law. You’ll develop the critical skills in legal reasoning and analysis you gained from your Legal Method modules.
You’ll enhance your legal skills, as you tackle case studies in contract law. You’ll explore:
 The purpose of contract law
 Formation of contract
 Agreement problems (such as mistake or misrepresentation)
 Terms of contract
 Exclusion causes
 Statutory control
 Breach of contract and damages.
Accounting and Financial Information
This module demonstrates the importance of accounting and finance in the context of new and small businesses. In this module you will learn how to prepare and analyse simple financial statements as well as how to apply management accounting techniques in the areas of planning, budgeting and short term decision making.
In these sessions, you’ll learn financial principles and techniques for different business situations, and apply these to a combination of both in-class mini case examples and extended case examples.
Business in Society
This module is designed to provide an introduction to the ideas of personal corporate responsibility, sustainability, diversity and criticality that will underpin your professional career. You’ll also practise argument construction and debate in order to use wider thinking.
Upon successful completion of this module, you’ll be able to critically analyse evidence, demonstrate critical awareness to the complexity of diverse global perspectives and construct an argument to an audience.
Legal Method
In this module, you’ll gain invaluable legal skills for your degree. You’ll learn to think like a lawyer, and understand:
 the sources of English law
 the structures and functions of the UK Courts
You’ll also learn:
 how to critically read and assess statute and case-law
 how to evaluate legal arguments
 how to find and use online legal information.
You’ll dive into the world of UK law. You’ll learn to find and understand legal information. And you’ll gain key skills in legal thought and argumentation.
Optional modules
Business in Society
This module is designed to provide an introduction to the ideas of personal corporate responsibility, sustainability, diversity and criticality that will underpin your professional career. You’ll also practise argument construction and debate in order to use wider thinking.
Upon successful completion of this module, you’ll be able to critically analyse evidence, demonstrate critical awareness to the complexity of diverse global perspectives and construct an argument to an audience.
Global Business Communications
This module aims to equip you to communicate effectively as managers in a global environment, highlighting the importance of intercultural exchange as central to modern business and organisational practice. The module is an introduction to the use of oral and written communication in an international context using a variety of supporting technologies and formats. It includes the opportunity to develop your digital literacies and team working skills through collaboration in virtual teams.
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to use communication and collaboration skills to achieve business objectives, engage in appropriate and effective communications in diverse groups and apply relevant theoretical frameworks to the analysis of intercultural communications.
Communication Skills for Lawyers
In this module, you’ll gain key communication skills for a successful legal career. You’ll gain excellent oral skills in advocacy. You’ll also develop valuable presentation techniques for a plea in mitigation, giving you the knowledge to succeed in your degree and work.
The Entrepreneur
This module develops your entrepreneurial mindset and skills essential for success in the modern business world. You'll explore a full range of tools and techniques for innovation, creativity, and enterprise and learn to evaluate different components for success in diverse business landscapes. A multi-faceted approach to learning, combining classroom-based lectures with practical workshops, gives you the opportunity to apply behaviours, skills, and attributes associated with entrepreneurial success in a productive learning environment. This module also focuses on academic literacies, including critical thinking, analysis, and evaluation of contested knowledge.
On successful completion of this module, you will have a strong foundation in the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to succeed in various business contexts.
Foundations of Marketing
This module provides you with an understanding of core marketing principles, including an introduction to key marketing content in the context of the micro and macro-business environments. You will gain a solid grounding in the different marketing concepts, equipping you for your further studies.
Year 2
Compulsory modules
Business Strategy for Competitive Advantage
You will develop knowledge and critical understanding of the classical principles of business strategy in exploring the question 'How should organisations compete to achieve sustainable, competitive advantage in today's global business environment?’ In answering this question, the potential of an organisation to create value through effective exploitation and development of internal resources and capabilities is examined using well-established analytical tools.
On successful completion of this module, you will be able to analyse and evaluate the relative impact of the international industrial and competitive environment on organisations and the strategic choices they face, apply decision-making criteria and weigh risks appropriately.
Tort Law for Business
You'll be introduced to issues of tort law in running a business. Also you'll look into the principles of how tort law is interwoven into the activities of running a business. Through this module you'll be able to identify the potential torts in their day to day running of a business and apply the relevant tortious principles. Also you'll be able to provide basic legal recommendations regarding the running of a business.
Company Law for Sustainability
In this module, you’ll learn how sustainability relates to corporate law. You’ll gain excellent practical knowledge for your later module, Business Governance and Human rights. This module also gives you an alternative approach to running a business, if you’ve studied Tort Law for Business.
Developing Professional Practice in Business and Law
This module will help you develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for making effective career decisions and managing your future career development, including transitions into graduate employment, self-employment or further study (including professional training courses) whether in the UK or overseas. In the context of the Business School commitment to responsible management education (PRiME), this module will support you in taking an informed and critical view of the current and future world of work and consider your future role and responsibility, not only to yourself but also to others. This module will raise your awareness of the services and support offered by the Careers Service and OBBS WAVES team. The
aim is to encourage you to further develop your career by engaging in placements, internships, volunteering and other extracurricular activities offered by the University.
Employment Law
In this module, you’ll get to grips with employment law. You’ll look at the difference between a self-employed person and an employee. You’ll analyse:
 The contract of employment
 Terms of employment
 The flexibility of the relationship between employer and employee.
You’ll then explore a wide range of employment rights, including:
 Protection against unfair dismissal
 Redundancy rights
 Discrimination protections.
Organisational Behaviour and Management
This module focuses on contemporary debates in the field of organisational studies, enhancing your ability to understand and apply organisational behaviour concepts to real-world problems. The module covers core topics, and you will distinguish between individual, group and organisational levels to analyse complex organisational issues. You will also develop an awareness of diverse perspectives, cultures, and values. Additionally, the module facilitates learning in adaptive and collaborative environments, helping you develop independent and self-motivated learning strategies.
After completing the module, you will be well-equipped with the skills and knowledge required to analyse evidence critically and stay up-to-date with the latest trends and developments in the field of organisational behaviour and management.
Placement Search and Preparation
This module is designed to provide practical guidance and support in undertaking a placement search, preparing for the placement experience, and succeeding in the modern workplace. Throughout the module, you will develop critical self-awareness and personal literacy skills, enabling you to self-reflect on your own strengths and weaknesses and target your placement search effectively. Additionally, you will also explore methods of effective and targeted placement search, increasing your chances of securing a placement.
In summary, this module is an essential component of your employability journey. By integrating with co-curricular activities, the module provides a holistic approach to employability, ensuring that students have a broad range of skills and experiences to draw upon in their future careers.
Optional modules
Applied Financial Skills
Building on from first year accounting study, this module allows you to critically evaluate the financial results of strategic and financial decisions as reported by different companies. You’ll develop desirable skills of financial analysis and management accounting to support the needs of future managers and marketing professionals.
This module will also allow you to develop the confidence to use financial information both independently, and collaboratively with financial specialists.
Independent Study
This module provides your opportunity for independent study on an approved topic that relates to your learning outcomes. It’ll be conducted under academic supervision. You’ll select a topic area relevant to your studies in consultation with academic staff and approved by the module leader. Your self directed study may involve
 action based learning
 based solely on desk research
 limited primary research
 involve a group activity in which individual students have explicit roles, responsibilities and outcomes.
Introduction to People Management
This module is designed to introduce you to the operational role and functions of people management and how it supports organisations to manage their diverse workforce in an international context. People management is an essential tool for all line managers as it provides them with the skills, knowledge and competencies that equip you to be effective in how you recruit, motivate and reward your staff. This module offers you an operational ‘toolbox’ that covers all the core, fundamental features of people management.
On successful completion of this module, you will be able to identify the essential components of viable people management policies whilst also illustrating their effectiveness and engage in appropriate and accurate communications amongst different business contexts
Enterprise and Entrepreneurship
In this module, you’ll gain a strong knowledge of enterprise, and develop a wide range of relevant entrepreneurial skills. You’ll get to know the rich variety of meanings in enterprise and entrepreneurship. You’ll learn new and innovative ways of thinking about business, increasing your ability to think creatively and effectively for your Law with Business degree. You’ll consider topics including,
 entrepreneurship
 intrapreneurship (when an employee acts like an entrepreneur within an organisation)
 Business spin-offs, including technological ones
 Social and public enterprise.
International Business Law
In this module, you’ll gain a strong understanding of International Business Law. You’ll gain key knowledge of the legal environment of business organisations throughout the world. You’ll gain excellent analytical skills as you compare and contrast these environments, and consider how they affect trading between states.
Choose one optional module from:
European Union Law
In this module, you’ll get to grips with the European Union (EU) and its foundations. You’ll dig into key areas of law, central to the EU system. And you’ll explore the political and social implications of EU Law.
You’ll examine the history of EU Law, and its key institutions:
 the European Parliament
 the Council of the European Union
 the European Commission.
You’ll then focus on Union Law, and how it relates to national law. You’ll also consider the role of the Court of Justice of the EU. You’ll explore substantive law, as you understand the internal market of the EU, including:
 free movement of people
 citizenship.
Environmental Law
How do societies react to environmental crises? How do we address environmental problems in the law? In this module, you’ll look at the relevant regulations and laws around the environment. You’ll look beyond legal cases, and consider the historical, political, ethical and technological issues of law and the environment. You’ll examine:
 anthropocentrism vs ecocentrism
 environmental rights and environmental justice
 ecology and conservation
 climate change and risk
 the ethics of environmental law.
You’ll develop key critical skills as you consider the fascinating interaction between the law, society and one of the biggest issues facing humanity - the environment.
Understanding Criminal Justice
In this module, you’ll dive into the criminal justice system, and the main issues of criminal justice. You’ll understand wider aspects of the criminal justice system and engage critically with the system’s flaws and shortcomings. You’ll gain key critical skills as you explore how well the system achieves its aims. You’ll explore specific areas such as:
 punishment
 sentencing
 crime prevention
 community safety
 policing
 youth crime
 prisons
 the criminal court system.
You’ll observe the criminal justice system, first hand. You’ll then devise a social-science experiment to test your understanding of the system you’ve studied. This means you’ll devise a hypothesis on how the criminal justice system operates, and test to see if your hypothesis was right. You’ll conduct work in prisons, police stations and the streets of Oxford, allowing you to access the real world of the criminal justice system.
Year 3 (optional placement year)
Optional modules
Optional Work Placement Year (includes a Placement Search and Preparation module in your second year)
Year 4 (or year 3 if no placement)
Compulsory modules
Interdisciplinary Case Study Analysis
This module provides you with an opportunity to critically evaluate a contemporary case from both business and legal perspectives, and you are expected to consult recent academic journals, news and business analysis reports, and contemporary legal research and practice. The module culminates with a debate, which enables you to develop and showcase your interdisciplinary thinking, develop key skills in communication, collaboration and critical self-evaluation, and focus on their future career.
The module emphasises key academic skills of critical enquiry, analysis, evaluation and synthesis as well as the development of key employability skills, including communication, collaboration and self-reflection.
Business, Governance and Human Rights
It is becoming increasingly accepted for businesses to be socially responsible. In light of this, our module provides you with the opportunity to understand current corporate structures and governance regimes, which are being used to hold businesses accountable for their activities. With a particular emphasis on human rights, you’ll explore issues such as human trafficking, child labour, discrimination, environmental degredation and abuses within global supply chains.
You’ll be equipped to evaluate the ways in which businesses are meeting their social responsibilities internationally, the capacities for businesses to have possible impacts, and strategies for development and change.
Commercial Law
In this module, you’ll get to grips with commercial law (law relating to trade and sales). You’ll dive into key topics, including:
 the nature and sources of commercial law
 how we classify transactions
 obligations of the buyer and seller
 the passing of ownership
 the passing of property (risk)
 the condition of goods
 agency and remedies.
Optional modules
Business Ethics
This module is designed to address our changing world that is facing social and environmental challenges. You’ll develop the capacity to make ethically defensible decisions as members of business organisations and of society in general. You’ll analyse and evaluate the ethical propositions of others. And, you’ll evaluate the ethics of different systemic models of production, distribution and exchange.
Upon completing this module, be able evaluate and apply ethical reasoning to local and global business dilemmas and economic systems, and you’ll be able to evaluate the significance of a range of western and non-western ethical perspectives.
Independent Study
This module gives you the chance to do research on a topic that fascinates you. You’ll work independently, with the support of our expert academic team, and will carry out work on a specific project of your choosing. You’ll gain core skills for work, including in:
 enquiry
 research
 analysis
 evaluation.
Business at the Cutting Edge
This module will equip you with the necessary skills to appreciate, understand, and cope with a fast paced, and changing business environment. Within a contextual framework of current disruptive innovations, you’ll also evaluate and challenge the norms of business models.
You’ll gain analytical skills that can be used to evaluate the impact of disruptive innovation, new technologies, modes of employment and their impact on business now and in the future. These analytical and evaluation skills can also be used to develop directed goals for career development.
Contemporary Legal Issues in Business
Through the active involvement in business and law research and community of practice, your understanding of contemporary legal issues in business will broaden. You will learn essential research and self-development skills as well as insight into your understanding of career aspirations.
You will learn to explore issues more deeply through the lens of contemporary research and debates. Your ability to critically analyse a range of contemporary legal issues involved in business and its different legal context, sectors and societies will expand.
Perspectives on International Management
This module aims to equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to manage effectively in a globalised business environment. You’ll analyse a wide range of management practices, while also evaluating theoretical frameworks and conducting research on national cultures. You will evaluate the strategic implications of culture on business operations and HRM practices, while also developing the aptitude required to manage effectively across cultures.
Benefits to you include gaining a competitive edge in the job market by expanding knowledge about managing in a globalised world and navigating cross-cultural communication challenges. You will also broaden your horizons and increase your cultural awareness and sensitivity, enhancing your ability to work effectively with individuals from different backgrounds.
Placement Learning
In this module, you'll have the opportunity to reflect critically on your competencies and develop strategies to enhance your personal and professional development through your work experience. You'll also develop critical self-reflection as a tool for personal and professional growth, while evaluating the contribution of your job role to the success of the organisation. Through work-based learning, you'll develop a range of personal competencies, evidence your progress, and apply theory to practise in assessing organisational practice and individual contribution. Additionally, you'll gain a deep understanding of the functioning of your employing organisation, including its structure, culture, and strategy.
By the end of the module, you'll be equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to critically reflect on your own personal and professional development needs, progress, and contributions to organisational success.
Equity Law
How do we prevent discrimination against race and sexual orientation in the law? In this module, you’ll focus on the Equality Act 2010, and other legislation on:
 sex
 race
 sexual orientation
 religion
 disability discrimination
 equal pay.
You’ll explore how courts interpret the Equality Act, and how it impacts the workplace. You’ll look at how it interacts with the law of the European Commission (EC), and how we might extend equality law. You’ll gain valuable critical skills for your career, as you ask:
 what difference the Equality Act has made
 who benefits (and does not benefit) from the act
 what we can do in the future to improve protection.
International Trade Law
In this module, you’ll get to grips with international trade law, and its key elements. You’ll understand international sales transactions. You’ll gain valuable key critical skills as you analyse the key treaties of international law, such as:
 the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
 the World Trade Organisation
 international commercial terms
 specific trade laws
 case histories
 dispute settlement procedures.
You’ll also explore:
 international rights in international trade
 the relationship between domestic law and international rules
 international trade agreements.
You’ll discover how these rules can (or can’t) resolve certain problems in international trade. And you’ll develop the ability to advise on international trade practices, and other rights and obligations.
Computer Law and Artificial Intelligence
The internet rules society. In a vastly digital age, lawyers really need to understand technology and the legal challenges it presents. In this module, you’ll examine the legal issues of current internet technologies and hardware. You’ll gain key technical knowledge, as you evaluate the regulatory systems of these technologies, and how they affect society. You’ll explore how digital technologies challenge copyright law. And you’ll be introduced to some of the legal issues relating to the use of artificial intelligence.
Crime and Society
In this module, you’ll explore the ways we define and measure crime. You’ll develop core critical skills as you explore theories about the causes of crime. And you’ll consider some major crimes in detail. You’ll dive into the following topics:
 crime and the media
 criminal behaviour
 crimes in action - from violent crime to white-collar crime
 critical criminology: race and gender.
You’ll think about crimes and criminality in a wider sense than simply ‘innocence’ or ‘guilt’. You’ll look at the social contexts of crimes, and what causes people to commit them.
Learning and teaching
Business and Law is a challenging but rewarding course. Teaching on this course originates from the practices employed in both the School of Law and Social Sciences and the Business School. The teaching and learning methods on this course will incorporate tasks for a variety of learning styles. These include:
 lectures, seminars and workshops
 individual presentations
 supervised independent learning
 court visit
 reflective learning
 skills sessions
 work with a wide range of practical resources, including online learning resources and legal
 databases
 multiple choice questions.
Entry Criteria
ENTRY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Home Office Share Code
For EU students only.
IF no Qualification
Please provide CV with at least 2 years of work experience, and employee reference letter.
Entry requirements
Specific entry requirements
GCSE: GCSE Mathematics (grade 4 or above), English (grade 4 or above). or equivalent qualifications.
Our standard entry requirement is three A-levels or equivalent qualifications. In some cases, courses have specific required subjects and additional GCSE requirements. In addition to A-levels, we accept a wide range of other qualifications including:
 the Welsh Baccalaureate
 the Access to Higher Education Diploma
 a BTEC National Certificate, Diploma or Extended Diploma at a good standard and in a relevant subject
 the International Baccalaureate Diploma
 the European Baccalaureate Diploma
 Scottish qualifications – five subjects in SCE with two at Higher level or one at Advanced Higher level, or three subjects in Scottish Highers or two at Advanced Higher level
 a recognised foundation course
 T-levels*.
 * T-levels are a relatively new qualification but are already included in the UCAS tariff. We welcome prospective students who are taking this qualification to apply. For some programmes with specific required subjects, particular subject areas or occupational specialisms may be required.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language then you will need to show that your English language skills are at a high enough level to succeed in your studies.
The entry requirement for your course will be expressed as an IELTS level and refers to the IELTS Academic version of this test. We are now also accepting the IELTS Indicator test, you can find out more about the test on the IELTS Indication site. The University however does accept a wide range of additional English language qualifications, which can be found below.
The university’s English language requirements in IELTS levels are as follows:
Course IELTS level
All other undergraduate courses 6.0 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
Law, Architecture, Interior Architecture, English Literature (including combined honours), English Literature and Creative Writing 6.5 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
Health and Social Care courses 6.5 or 7.0 overall with 6.5 or 7.0 in all components (see individual entries for course details)
Nutrition BSc (Hons) 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each component
Built Environment Foundation,
Computing Foundation,
Engineering Foundation 6.0 with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
International Foundation Business and Technology,
International Foundation Arts, Humanities and Law 5.5 overall with 5.5 in all skills
International Foundation Diploma 5.0 overall with 5.0 in all skills
If you need a student visa you must take an IELTS for UKVI test.
International Foundation Diploma (Extended pathway) 4.5 overall with 4.5 in all skills
If you need a student visa you must take an IELTS for UKVI test.
Assessment
ASSESSMENT METHODS
1. INTERNAL ENGLISH TEST if you don't have an English accredited certificate
2. Academic Interview
Learning and assessment
This interdisciplinary degree includes modules on business and management theory and practice, accounting, and professional practice, as well as business relevant areas of law such as contract, employment and corporate law. At the same time, you will take modules in which the interplay between business and law are explored, including tort for business, where principles of the law of tort are interwoven with the activities of running a business.
Assessment
We use a variety of assessment methods on this course. These include:
 reports and essays
 presentations
 exams
 multiple choice questions.
Career Opportunities
Students on this programme can progress to a range of careers in business or not- for-profit organisations, and will be able to demonstrate an understanding of key legal principles and practice. Employers across a range of industries place considerable value on the problem-solving and adaptability competencies that students on interdisciplinary programmes tend to develop, as a direct result of their experience learning across two disciplines.
Throughout this course, there is a strong emphasis on the links we have with industry. For instance, students will complete modules which will host a variety of guest speakers. Previous guest speakers have come from businesses such as BMW, Samsung and Glaxo Smith Kline.
You will have the opportunity to attend careers events hosted by both the School of Law and Social Sciences and the Business School.
Recent employers of Business School graduates include Caterpillar, Disney, Harley Davidson and IBM.
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