Business Studies Degrees

Business Studies Degrees are extremely popular. Therefore, choosing the right degree course at the right university will probably be the most important decision you have had to make so far – so you’ll be looking for all the best advice you can get to help you make the right choice.

Over each of the last ten years, more undergraduate students have enrolled on business studies courses than for any other type of degree. One in every eight undergraduate students in the United Kingdom is studying Business and Management degrees

So, why are business studies courses so popular? One considered view is that business graduates are more likely than others to get the job they want at the end of their courses.
Carl Gilleard, Chief Executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters, says:

Business studies graduates are seen as having very good employment prospects. They are ahead of the game because they have done well rounded degrees and picked up a lot of useful skills, as well as business knowledge, that can be applied quickly in the workplace. They are going on to a wide range of graduate jobs both in the private and public sector.”

The Association of Business Schools, which represents more than 100 leading UK business schools, conducted a survey which asked sixth formers why they wanted to go on to study business. The two most popular answers were:

• Because it will improve my job prospects and
• Because it is more interesting than most other subjects.

UK business schools offer a huge variety of courses. Some are deliberately general and offer huge scope for employment options. Many others are linked to specific disciplines such as finance, marketing, retail, travel and tourism. These degrees offer the chance to gain specific expertise in particular functions and chosen industries. Also, in most cases all students have the chance to gain first hand experience in companies and organisations in UK and around the world in the form of work placements and internships which further enhances their employability. Many students are offered jobs during such work placements once they graduate.

The latest figures available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show that over 164,000 UK undergraduate students are enrolled on Business & Management courses (12% of the total undergraduate university population).

You will no doubt have an idea of the type of business course you are looking for. Perhaps marketing, or accountancy, or travel/tourism … or one of the many others available. Or possibly you prefer a general business studies course rather than focusing on one particular area.

Location will play a big part in your choice – and so will entry requirements, so take some time in drawing up a short list of business schools which meet your requirements.
Have you thought through exactly what criteria you want to base your decision on? Is there a particular city or region of the UK in which you want to be based? How many years do you want to spend on your degree course? Are you looking for a “sandwich” course which includes a work placement? Have you got to slot the course in with other commitments or do you want to study full-time? Are you likely to achieve a particular school’s entry requirements?

Do you already know exactly the course title you want to study? Is there a particular area you want to focus on? UK business schools provide high quality information about the nature and quality of the courses and qualifications they offer. This is often supplemented by the views of previous alumni, current students and associated employers together with the particular quality assessments, kitemarks and accreditations, which they have achieved.

However, an increasing number of newspapers and specialist journals now publish league tables on universities, business schools and, for example, MBA programmes. These claim to offer authoritative and independent advice to potential students and employers, in the form of "signposts to the best provision".

It only takes a moment to realise the fundamental flaw with such league tables, which is, that they assume that the needs of all students and employers are the same. In reality, the selection of a university, business school or specific course is always a complex and highly individual decision.

For example, it may be the case that a highly positioned business school may not even offer the particular programme you are looking for, or perhaps not in mode of attendance which most suits your needs.

Also, some business schools may have the particular combination of strengths and specialisms that you are looking for, but these might not even have been included in the original league table criteria.

Business schools in the UK offer a huge range of courses to suit virtually all requirements. Take care in making the right choice for you – and you won’t be disappointed.
For more information contact the Association of Business Schools at: www.abs.org.uk

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