- UCAS Code: NN16
- Level: Undergraduate
- Starting: September 2021
- Study mode: Full Time (3 Years), Full Time (4 Years with Professional Placement), Part Time (5 Years)
- Location: City Centre
Studying with us in 2021/22
It is possible that the 2021/22 academic year may be affected by the ongoing disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Any arrangements put in place by the University for the 2021/22 academic year will be in accordance with the latest government public health advice, pandemic-related/health and safety legislation, and the terms and conditions of the student contract.
This course has recently been updated. Please download the course specification for the up to date information.
Our Human Resource Management (HRM) degree equips you with the tools you need to develop the high-performing personnel and innovative teams demanded by business.
This course teaches you about the importance of motivating and managing people within a business, showing you the link between successful performance and the people you employ.
Drawing upon all aspects of people management enables you not only to gain the building blocks of knowledge and understanding, but also a high degree of professional competence in the field of people management and development.
The course is approved by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), demonstrating the high quality provision of our course. You will keep up-to-date with the latest issues and innovations in human resources, supported by your lecturers who have experience of working with some of the biggest names in business, in manufacturing, retail, services, hospitality or management consultancy.
What's covered in the course?
You will develop your skills through involvement in real projects, field trips, contemporary methods of teaching and interactive workshops. This work-integrated approach to learning means that graduates of this course leave with real, practical experience, working for companies such as CapGemini UK, VirginMedia, CrossCountry Trains and the NHS. This course draws upon all aspects of people management, enabling you not only to build knowledge and understanding, but also a high degree of professional competence in the field of people management and development.
You will have the option to undertake a work placement to gain practical work experience within a business, ensuring you are prepared for a successful career from the moment you graduate. Also, you will be given the opportunity to work on and research real business life problems and present your solutions to the companies who would share their issues with you.
We will develop your attributes, so you’ll graduate with the potential to become a full corporate member of the CIPD.
The international focus of the course is derived through a variety of means including the student body, the teaching team and the use of international teaching materials. Moreover, students can choose to spend a year or a full semester studying their modules overseas at a partner institution.
Why Choose Us?
- This degree course is approved by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). This means that the course is as professionally relevant and up-to-date as possible, taking into account the very latest developments in the profession.
- On all of our courses you will gain a professional focus and real world experience of human resource management, ensuring you are equipped to make an immediate impact in the business world. You have the opportunity to embark on a year-long professional placement as part of your degree course.
- Everything we do starts with business so naturally we have strong links with key organisations in the local community, such as Birmingham City Council and the NHS, and accrediting bodies such as the CIPD, bringing you closer to industry professionals and providing you with key contacts.
- You’ll hear from leading industry speakers, who will offer relevant, contemporary advice and insight into the latest sector developments.
- Recognising the global scope of business, all our courses have an international focus. This is embedded throughout the curriculum, giving you the opportunity to transform your experience with us into a global one. There are a variety of exciting possibilities open to you, ranging from our successful international travel scholarships scheme, through which you can spend a summer working for a charitable organisation overseas, to one of our many overseas study exchange programmes.
- As a student on one of our undergraduate degrees, you will be able to benefit from our Graduate+ initiative. This three-year award course enables you to gain award levels for all the extra-curricular activities you undertake so that you can stand out from the crowd on graduation.
- Our enthusiastic, approachable staff, who come from all areas of Human Resource Management with some currently still practising privately, have designed every module to bring the key principles to life, with built-in employability and research skills.
- We use real life case studies and hold mock tribunals so your experience is as close as possible to industry practice.
- The course will prepare you for modern management alongside your HRM specialisation, whether you choose to work for a multinational company, the public sector or a not-for-profit organisation.
- You will study in our state-of-the-art City Centre Campus, ideally located for you to take advantage of our links to Birmingham’s business district, one of the largest in the UK.
Find out more
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Open Days
Our next Virtual Open Day is taking place on Saturday 20 March. It's the perfect opportunity to virtually tour our facilities, hear from some of our staff and get a feel of what it's like to study at BCU.
Book your place
This course is open to International students
I AM BCU
Jaspreet Singh
Jaspreet never thought he would ever get the chance to study in the UK, coming from a small village in the Punjab.
Job Roles
- HR Assistant
- HR Officer
- HR Generalist
- Training and Development Officer
- Recruitment & Selection Officer
Course Accreditations
This course is approved by:
Entry Requirements
We accept a range of qualifications, the most popular of which are detailed below.
Essential Requirements
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BBC or 112 UCAS tariff points from a maximum of 3 subjects. |
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| UK Qualification | Requirements 2021/22 | |
| GCSE |
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| Irish Leaving Certificate (Ordinary Level) |
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| Scottish National 5 |
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| Plus one of the following Level 3 (and above) Qualifications | ||
| UK Qualification | Requirements 2021/22 | |
| A level and Advanced VCE |
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| AAT Diploma in Accounting (QCF) |
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| Access to HE Diploma |
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IBO Certificate in Higher Level |
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International Baccalaureate Diploma |
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IFS / LIBF Diploma in Financial Studies |
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Irish Leaving Certificate (Highers) |
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NCFE CACHE Level 3 Applied General Certificate in Health and Social Care |
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OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma |
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OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma |
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OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma |
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Scottish Advanced Higher |
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Scottish Higher |
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T-Levels |
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Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate - Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015) |
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Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma – Core (awarded until 2016) ESW/KS Combined component |
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| Other Qualifications | ||
| If you have a qualification that is not listed in the table please refer to our full entry requirements on UCAS. Further guidance on tariff points can be found on the UCAS website. |
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Additional information for EU/International students
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Applications from international applicants with equivalent qualifications to 112 points are welcome. Please see your country page for further details on the equivalent qualifications we accept. In additional to the academic entry requirements listed above, international and EU students will also require the qualifications detailed in this table. |
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| English language requirements 2020/21 | ||
| IELTS |
6.0 overall with 5.5 minimum in all bands If you do not meet the required IELTS score, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English courses. Please note that you must have a Secure English Language Test (SELT) to study on the pre-sessional English course. More information. |
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| Other accepted qualifications | Visit our English language page | |
From A/AS Level with a minimum of 2 A Levels
Don’t meet our entry requirements?
You could apply for a foundation course or a course at our International College. These routes have lower entry requirements and act as the bridge to a full degree. To find out more, please select your status:
- UK students
- International students
Award: BA (Hons)
Starting: Sep 2021
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 3 Years
- £9,250 per year
- Apply via UCAS
- Full Time
- 4 Years with Professional Placement
- £9,250 per year
- Apply via UCAS
- Part Time
- 5 Years
- Show fees
- Year 1 (60 credits) £4,700
- Year 2 (80 credits) £6,200
- Year 3 (80 credits) £6,200
- Year 4 (80 credits) £6,200
- Year 5 (60 credits) £4,700
Fees for Part-time students
This course can be studied on a Part-time study basis. The cost per year of study is based on credit requirements for that year as shown here.
Award: BA (Hons)
Starting: Sep 2021
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 3 Years
- £13,200 per year
- Full Time
- 4 Years with Professional Placement
- £13,200 per year
If you're unable to use the online form for any reason, you can complete our PDF application form and equal opportunities PDF form instead. The University reserves the right to increase fees in line with inflation based on the Retail Prices Index or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament up to a maximum of five per cent.
Guidance for UK students
UK students applying for most undergraduate degree courses in the UK will need to apply through UCAS.
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is a UK organisation responsible for managing applications to university and college.
Applying through UCAS
Register with UCAS
Login to UCAS
Complete your details
Select your course
Write a personal statement
Get a reference
Pay your application fee
Send UCAS your application
International students
There are three ways to apply:
1) Direct to the University
You will need to complete our International Application Form and Equal Opportunities Form, and submit them together with scan copies of your original academic transcripts and certificates.
2) Through a country representative
Our in-country representatives can help you make your application and apply for a visa. They can also offer advice on travel, living in the UK and studying abroad.
3) Through UCAS
If you are applying for an undergraduate degree or a Higher National Diploma (HND), you can apply through the UK’s Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
You can request a printed form from your school or nearest British Council office. You will be charged for applying through UCAS. Birmingham City University’s UCAS code is B25 BCITY.
Personal statement
UK / EU students are required to submit a personal statement as part of their application for this course.*
The personal statement gives you a crucial opportunity to say why you’re applying and why the institution should accept you.
Here are the key areas you’ll need to address:
Course choice
Why does this course appeal? What areas are of particular interest?
Career plans
If you have a specific career in mind, say how your chosen course will help you pursue this goal.
Work experience
Mention any work that is relevant to your subject, highlighting the skills and experience gained.
School or college experience
Highlight skills gained at school/college, eg summer schools or mentoring activities.
Non-accredited skills or achievement
eg Duke of Edinburgh Award, Young Enterprise scheme.
You should also mention your future plans – if you’re planning to take a year out, don't forget to give your reasons. Talk about any subjects you’re studying that don’t have a formal assessment and any sponsorships or placements you’ve applied for. And don't be scared to add in details about your social, sports or leisure interests.
Get more information on writing personal statements.
*Non-EU students are not required to submit a personal statement when applying for this course.
Fees for part time students
If you study this course part-time or via distance learning, you will be charged on a pro-rata basis. This means your fee will be calculated per module.
Additional costs
There are no compulsory additional costs or charges associated with studying on this course. While you may choose to purchase personal copies of text books, all our key text books are available from our library or online (subject to normal library loan and online access arrangements).
Based on the past experience of our students, you might find it helpful to set aside about £50 for each year of your studies for your personal stationery and study materials. All our students are provided with 100 free pages of printing each year to a maximum total value of £15.
Accommodation and living costs
The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.
Worried about personal statements?
If you've got no idea where to start or just want to check you're on the right track, we’ve got expert advice and real examples from our students to help you nail your personal statement. You can even download our ultimate personal statement guide for free.
Financial Support
We offer further information on possible undergraduate financial support. This includes the type of loans, grants and scholarships available both from the government and from Birmingham City University.
Year One
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totaling 120 credits).
Year Two
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totaling 100 credits).
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete at least 20 credits from the following list of OPTIONAL modules.
Final Year
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 80 credits).
In order to complete this course a student must choose ONE of the following optional project routes (totalling 40 credits):
Course Structure
You will experience a variety of teaching methods, ranging from a traditional lecture to a workshop, enabling you to lead a group discussion and improve your confidence. You will also attend seminars, where you explore more in-depth topics.
Our modules are delivered using a range of interactive IT interventions, which add a further element of fun and interaction to the learning process.
Each of the modules you study will be supported by Moodle, our virtual learning environment. Here you will find an outline of your modules, the assessments they entail and additional material that’ll help your subject understanding.
Assessment will vary from exams, to presentations, reports and posters.
Trips and Visits
During your second year, you will be able to take part in an international field trip, taking what you have studied and apply it to a global organisation. In 2016, students visited the EU Parliament in Brussels, gaining valuable first-hand experience of an established international organisation.
Company visits will also take place in each year of study and in recent years, students have visited businesses such as Cadbury World, BMW and Jaguar Land Rover.
This course is approved by:
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
Approved by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. This allows successful students to upgrade their Student Membership to that of Associate Membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (Assoc CIPD).
Further Study
Birmingham City Business School has mapped the learning outcomes of the CIPD Intermediate Level Diploma against the BA (Hons) HRM degree. This provides all students who successfully complete the degree course the chance to upgrade to associate professional membership of the CIPD.
Students can also go onto study on Master’s courses in International HRM, Management Consultancy and various routes in Management.
What our students say
"All the course lecturers have an extensive amount of practical experience; therefore they are able to share their knowledge and provide real-life examples in seminars and lectures. They don’t just want us to achieve the bare minimum, but will push and encourage us to achieve our utmost best!"
Sommaiyya Begum, Human Resource Management student
Enhancing employability skills
Graduates will have the courage, confidence and enterprising spirit to make a valued contribution within their workplace.
They are encouraged to take part in the University’s comprehensive Graduate + programme, engage with the regular guest lectures by leading industry figures and attend CIPD events.
Placements
You will have access to placement opportunities through the Placement Office. In previous years, students have undertaken placements with established companies such as Hewlett Packard, Audi and Bosch.
OpportUNIty
OpportUNIty: Student Jobs on Campus ensures that our students are given a first opportunity to fill many part-time temporary positions within the University. This allows you to work while you study with us, fitting the job around your course commitments. By taking part in the scheme, you will gain valuable experiences and employability skills, enhancing your prospects in the job market.
It will also allow you to become more involved in University life by delivering, leading and supporting many aspects of the learning experience, from administration to research and mentoring roles.
BCU Graduate+
Through our courses we give you the skills and experience needed to get a head start when applying for jobs. But we offer something extra too – Graduate+.
Our unique programme gives you the chance to develop valuable skills outside of the more formal classroom learning. We award points for Graduate+ activities (including firewalking!) and these can be put towards a final Graduate+ award.
More about Graduate+
What our graduates say
"BCU has opened me up to all cultures, and helped transform me from being a rural villager to an aspirational global change-maker. It has been a big shift, and I never would have thought that I would be in the position I am in today. The university has been a place for me to open up, express myself and realise my potential."
Jaspreet Singh, Human Resource Management graduates
Welcome to the Birmingham City Business School, home to students from over 70 countries all around the world!
Birmingham City Business School is one of the UK’s largest, most established and most respected business schools. Our programmes are practice based and many have an international focus, which means your course will be entirely relevant to today’s business world. Almost all of our courses, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level, are open to international students.
We also have links with universities across the world, including Europe, the USA, China, India and Malaysia.
Our international students
Carina Matyssek came to us from Germany and is now doing an MA funded by a large, multinational organisation. This means she can work full-time in human resources, while gaining her MA degree.
Our accreditation from CIPD also attracts international students because it shows we have recognised high standards and gives our students the option to gain membership.
We’ve been told that our role-play workshops give international students the chance to practice their language skills in a work environment, and they get to quiz our expert visitors one-on-one to see what actually happens in a UK company.
Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC)
International students who have a serious interest in studying with us but who perhaps cannot meet the direct entry requirements, academic or English, or who have been out of education for some time, can enter Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC) and begin their degree studies.
BCUIC is part of the global Navitas Group, an internationally recognised education provider, and the partnership allows students to access the University’s facilities and services and move seamlessly through to achieving a Bachelor’s degree from Birmingham City University.
Popular home countries
Our students come from around the world but our business and human resources course is most popular with international students from:
China
Brunei
Our Facilities
We are constantly investing in our estate and are currently in the process of spending £340 million on new learning facilities.
The Curzon Building
This course is based at our City Centre Campus – and specifically The Curzon Building, alongside other Social Sciences, Law, Business and English students.
The £63m building offers students a unique social learning space, including a dedicated student hub incorporating student support services, in the heart of Birmingham’s Eastside development.
The Business floors house an extensive number of IT facilities, breakout areas, and specialised rooms. The Marketing Link Agency is designed to replicate a modern marketing firm, allowing students to get real-life experience of working in the marketing sector. There is also the City Trading Room, which features state of the art stock market tracking equipment, keeping you up to date with all the financial comings and goings of the London Stock Exchange and Wall Street.
The Curzon building is also conveniently close to Birmingham’s business and financial centre, allowing for strong links between your studies and the real world.
The Curzon Building also features:
- An impressive new library with access to over 65 million full text items and stunning views of Eastside City Park
- Your Students’ Union which is located in a beautifully restored 19th century pub, The Eagle and Ball
- A modern 300-seat food court with space to study and socialise
- Brand new, accessible IT facilities with full Office365 for all students for free
- Shared facilities with the wider campus including the recently opened Parkside Building and Millennium Point
"As we say at Birmingham City Business School, your career starts as soon as you walk through the door. In your first year of studies, social activities are coupled with academic modules around management, organisations, marketing, finance, HRM, employee engagement covering all the foundations for a successful career in Human Resource Management."
Michalis Kourtidis, Course Leader
Sukhwinder Salh
Visiting Fellow
Sukhwinder Salh teaches on a number of the undergraduate courses within the business school. Her teaching practice is informed not only from her academic knowledge but also her experience as a HR practitioner, where she worked in a range of industries including finance, retail, not for profit and public sector.