
International Marketing (Top-up) - BA (Hons)
Currently viewing course to start in 2026/27 Entry. Switch to 2025/26 Entry
Want to top up your marketing degree in Birmingham? Our International Marketing Top-Up course gives you the chance to broaden your knowledge of marketing within the global business environment. This degree gives you the practice-based skills needed to succeed in the ever-changing discipline of marketing....
- Level Undergraduate
- Study mode Full Time
- Award BA (Hons)
- Start date September 2026
- Fees View course fees
- Subject
- Location City Centre
This course is:
Open to International Students
Overview
Want to top up your marketing degree in Birmingham? Our International Marketing Top-Up course gives you the chance to broaden your knowledge of marketing within the global business environment. This degree gives you the practice-based skills needed to succeed in the ever-changing discipline of marketing. You will learn how to apply your knowledge to real business scenarios, while also being able to develop the personal skills employers demand, allowing you to make an immediate impact upon graduation.
What's covered in this course?
You’ll be put into a range of exciting and innovative scenarios, strengthening your expertise and learning from different cultures and experiences. During this top-up year, you will take a range of advanced modules that look at current marketing methods and contemporary business issues, such as International Business, Marketing Strategy and Planning and Sustainable Marketing. Hands-on learning will go alongside more conventional teaching methods like lectures and seminars.
As a student on the course, you will also get to participate in The Pitch, a nationwide marketing competition held annually by the Charted Institute of Marketing (CIM), that allows you to apply your academic knowledge and creative skills to real-world marketing problems. This opportunity serves as a critical stepping stone for future marketing professionals by enhancing your employability and practical skills.
Why Choose Us?
- We have a strong focus on employability and through placement opportunities and our links with local businesses, we aim to ensure you graduate not only with your degree but also with the skills and knowledge needed to embark on your chosen career.
- The STEAMhouse offers amazing opportunities for entrepreneurial students to kick start and build a business. Services available include the Incubator which helps focus and solidify business ideas and the Hatchery which offers support in getting your business off the ground.
- We pride ourselves on being the University for Birmingham and supporting and giving something back to the local business community. We have strong links with local businesses in the city across several industries. These links help us enhance students’ experiences by giving them access to industry experts for guest lectures, exciting placement opportunities and other chances to engage with the business community as a whole.
- We aim to infuse learning with exposure to real-world experiences. Through the Link Agency we give students the chance to work on real-life projects using industry-standard software and with real-world clients. These offer a unique opportunity for students to gain this invaluable experience while they study.
Open Days
Join us for an Open Day where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, chat to students, explore our campus and tour accommodation. Booking isn't open for this event yet, register your interest and we'll let you know when booking goes live.
Next Open Day: 4 October 2025
Entry Requirements
Essential requirements
Accepted qualifications include:
- ABE Advanced Diploma: At least a grade B in two modules and the qualification must be in a relevant subject area.
- Diploma in Higher Education (DipHE): Pass with 120 credits at level 4 and 120 credits at level 5, in a related pathway. Acceptance will be Subject to satisfactory comparability of modular content at level 4 and 5. A transcript will be required.
- Foundation degree (Level 5): Pass with 120 credits at level 4 and 120 credits at level 5, in a related pathway. A minimum of 60% overall must be achieved. Acceptance will be subject to satisfactory comparability of modular content at level 4 and 5. A transcript will be required.
- Higher National Diploma (HND): Pass with 120 credits at level 4 and 120 credits at level 5, in a related pathway. A minimum of a Merit profile overall. Acceptance will be subject to satisfactory comparability of modular content at level 4 and 5. A transcript will be required.
Applications are considered on an individual basis.
If you are an EU/international student, please see further information below.
If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.
Fees & How to Apply
UK students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: BA (Hons)
Starting: Sep 2026
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 year
- £9,535 in 2026/27
- Apply via UCAS
International students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: BA (Hons)
Starting: Sep 2026
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 year
- £18,570 in 2026/27
- Register interest
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 and complete your details
- Select your course and write a personal statement
- Get a reference
- Pay your application fee and submit your application
Guidance for 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
The personal statement gives you a crucial opportunity to say why you’re applying and why the institution should accept you.
Here are the three areas you’ll need to address:
- Why do you want to study this course or subject?
Here’s where you explain what makes this course exciting to you. Think about your motivations for studying the course and your future plans. If you’re planning to take a year out, don't forget to give your reasons.
- How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
This is your chance to show what you’ve learned at school or college. You should include the skills and knowledge you’ve gained from education or training and how this will help you succeed in your chosen course.
- What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?
Not everything you’ve learned comes from the classroom. Life experience counts too! You might want to talk about work experience, employment, or volunteering and how they’ve helped you develop the skills needed for your chosen course or future career.
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.
Course in Depth
Year One
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
TBC
TBC
TBC
TBC
The module provides you with an introduction to the main issues of international business. This module deals with the cultural, administrative, geographical and economic differences around the world and how these differences shape businesses today. Three fundamental issues that this module addresses are: (i) the differences among domestic, international and global firms; (ii) the attributes of multinational corporations (MNCs) and finally; (iii) the determinants of success in international business.
TBC
Download course specification
Download nowEmployability
This course allows you to tailor your study around the job role and the career you want. By teaching you to apply what you learn to real business scenarios, you can walk into employment, having already dealt with many situations you find in the working world.
You’ll have many opportunities to work with actual businesses and build your CV. These arise through The Link, our very own marketing agency, and university competitions, Employability Challenge Week, the Leadership Challenge, well as activities and competitions further afield.
The specialist marketing modules will give you the opportunity to strengthen and prepare you to move towards a career in the marketing industry.
Facilities & Staff




Our Facilities
We are constantly investing in our estate and have spent £500 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 and Business 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 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
- Accessible IT facilities with full Office365 for all students for free
- Shared facilities with the wider campus including the Parkside Building and Millennium Point
Our staff
David Cashmore
Subject Group Leader (Marketing), Senior Teaching Fellow in Marketing
David joined BCU in 2017 as a Senior Teaching Fellow in Marketing, bringing over 20 years of industry experience. He has held senior marketing roles across a diverse range of B2B companies, from SMEs to global corporations, and continues to collaborate closely with industry leaders and professional bodies, particularly the Chartered Institute of...
More about David