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1. Introduction to the Programme

The BA (Hons) in Business Studies (BABS) Programme is a four-year full-time course of modular studies. Years 1, 2 & 4 are IBS-based, Year 3 is employment experience (Placement). The programme is delivered in English. The BA in Business Studies with Honours programme offers you a thorough and up-to-date knowledge and understanding of business in relation to its environment and allows you to develop the methodological skills required to operate effectively in business.

2. Programme Learning Outcomes

When you have successfully completed the BA (Honours) in Business Studies, you will have developed a critical awareness of business organisations and their environment; you will have acquired a thorough knowledge and understanding of business; and, very importantly, you will have developed effective business skills; in particular:

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

By the end of the programme you will have

  • Developed a general understanding of business, economics, law, financial management and IT.
  • Acquired specialised knowledge in the theoretical and practical aspects of marketing, human resource and strategic management.
  • Acquired specialised knowledge in the chosen areas.
  • Achieved a high level of written and oral proficiency in English language, with a particular emphasis on the practical use of the language in a business context. 

DISCIPLINARY / PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

By the end of the programme you will have

  • Applied principles of business and management to practical situations by completing work placement in Hungary or abroad.
  • Developed business research skills by carrying out research work towards a dissertation or project work.
  • Used IT applications for placement and research work. 

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

By the end of the programme you will have

  • Searched for, analysed and interpreted information systematically.
  • Developed critical thinking skills.
  • Practised effective presentation and communication skills.
  • Solved problems creatively.
  • Learned the essentials of working in teams.
  • Practised self-management and self-evaluation. 

3. Programme Structure

Almost all undergraduate Programmes at IBS start with a Common First Year – the first year of BA studies, whose academic programme is the same for all validated BA programmes. You are asked to decide which of these programmes you wish to follow at the end of the first academic year.

SKILLS

The teaching of business skills is a key part of the curriculum. In the first year you will have the opportunity to study three skills related modules: Study Skills, Communication for Business and Team Challenges. Thus you will be better equipped to handle the academic requirements of your studies, you will have an opportunity to improve your communications skills, including presentation skills, and you will learn to be an effective team player and perform well in teamwork. IT skills are also vital due to the changing landscape of communication within business; therefore, you’ll have two modules on Information and Communication Technology during the first year. In the second year of studies you will develop your career skills in the framework of the Personal & Career Development module. In the fourth year special emphasis will be put on mastering cross-cultural skills which are the major objective of the Cross-Cultural Interactions module. 

GENERAL BUSINESS BACKGROUND

In Year 1, you are introduced to basic methodological tools and key concepts of economics, management, finance, accounting, and statistics, thus providing you with a solid foundation for more specialised knowledge to be gained in Year 2. First year modules include: Mathematical Tools for Business, Mathematical Tools for Statistics, Information Communication Technology 1 and 2, Principles Practices of Business, Economic Inquiry, Macroeconomics, Financial Accounting, Foundations of Finance, Legal Environment of Business, Social Environment of Business. Study Skills, Communication for Business and Team Challenges.

In Year 2, organisations, management and the key functional areas of business, as Finance, Marketing, Human Resource Management, Operations Management, IT and Law will be thoroughly studied. Year 2 modules, all taught in English, include: Organisation Management 1 and 2, Business Information Systems, Human Resource management, Corporate Finance, Marketing, Operations Management, Managerial Economics, Business Contracts, International Trade and Transactions, Statistics for Business, and Personal and Career Development.

In Year 3 two modules, Organisations of International Co-operation and Principles of Global Business are taught in an e-supported consultation-based mode, so that you can take them parallel to your placement work.

PLACEMENT

The programme is designed in such a way that first and second year studies combine together to provide a good preparation for the compulsory element in year 3 - the employment experience, known as the “Placement” which is central to the learning in the BABS programme.

In Year 4, you will deepen your knowledge in the strategic management aspect of business, study the integrated nature of the business decision making process in managing change, gain insights into management accounting, and explore issues of business ethics and sustainability. Year 4 compulsory modules include: Strategic Management, Change Management, Management Accounting, Business Ethics and Sustainability, and Cross-Cultural Interactions. In addition, you will have the possibility to explore those areas that are of special interest to you, by choosing seven options during this, the last year of your studies.

OPTIONS

Options provide you an opportunity to develop genuine expertise in your chosen professional areas of business. Optional modules will also help with your dissertation work, providing you with a deeper understanding of the subject area that you are specifically interested in. You will be required to choose seven optional modules from a group of approximately 20, making sure you include at least one from each of the following four areas: Marketing, Logistics, HRM, and Entrepreneurship.

DISSERTATION OR PROJECT WORK

In year 4, you must prepare and submit a dissertation or a project work. You are free to decide which one of the two you choose, but the choice must be made at the beginning of Year 4 and cannot be changed later. The two tasks are similar in that they are both a single piece of work which focuses on a specific aspect of business. They are different in their approach: while the dissertation takes a more academic approach, the project work is more closely linked to real business-life issues.

FINAL EXAMINATIONS

In order to receive an award, you are required to take a final examination. In order to qualify for the final examination as a candidate you

  • Must have acquired a final certificate (“absolutorium”) certifying that the required number and composition of credits has been collected.
  • Must either have successfully completed the Placement year or have received an authorisation to skip it.
  • Must have a dissertation or a project work ready & marked by two markers -- one being an external marker.

4. Employment

The BA in Business Studies course will prepare you for the realities and demands of any functional areas of the business sector. The knowledge you acquire during your studies of BA in Business Studies will be highly valued by large multinational companies of practically any industry.
A few areas where graduates can work: Marketing, Sales, PR, Finance, Logistics, or Human Resource Management. Furthermore, the BA in Business Studies diploma equips students with relevant knowledge to start their own business or pursue General Management tasks in family businesses.