Diploma in International Business Studies

Course details

This multidisciplinary Diploma offers a comprehensive programme of business subjects that will give students a thorough understanding of business and marketing principles nationally and internationally. The Diploma in International Business Studies also highlights how business integrates with national and international environments and can be used as a stepping stone to those seeking supervisory/management roles in the future.

Programme Aims and Objectives

On completion of the programme students should have acquired the skills to:

• Understand a range of business functions and the multi-disciplinary nature of business
• Apply appropriate academic theories and concepts to a range of business issues
• Develop their learning skills to meet the demands the modern business environment through the study of economics, finance, marketing, management and business research
• Understand the influence of the international context on business and management
• Acquire practical business and management experience to their working lives.

Programme Structure

This programme is diverse into two semesters and each semester consists of four modules. The eight modules are delivered over one academic year with exams held in January and May.

Assessment

To be awarded the Diploma in International Business Studies, students will be required to successfully complete a final examination (100%) for each subject at the end of each semester. There is no continuous assessment element to this programme.

Programme Content

SEMESTER ONE

Accounting

The fundamental aim of this subject is to introduce the student to the basic principles of financial and management accounting. The course will enable the student to develop basic skills in respect of recording, summarising and interpreting. The objectives of the course will be for the student to appreciate the role of accounting in planning, decision making and control and to provide a foundation for students to pursue further studies within this key area.

Business Functions

This subject will introduce the student to the complexity of modern business organisational structures and give the student a sound knowledge of the major function and service activities within a business. An awareness of the critical inter-relationships that exist within the modern business organisation will be developed and the course will enable the student to contribute to the planning and control process.

Marketing Principles

This module is designed to provide the students with an understanding of the fundamental principles of marketing and to introduce them to the application of marketing thinking to business decisions. This module provides an introduction to many of the techniques employed by marketers to achieve business success.

Economics

This module is designed to give the student an excellent grounding in the fundamentals and functions of economics in today’s business environment. This module covers a wide range of topics from supply and demand theory to national and international trade issues. A large part of

this module focuses on national banking, inflation, income, unemployment and fiscal issues.

SEMESTER TWO

International Trade & Finance

The course aims to familiarise students with the core issues surrounding international trade and finance, including areas such as settlement of transactions, financing, the foreign exchange markets and the financial instruments used within international trade.

International Business Environment

This is a wide-ranging module, which aims to give students an overall understanding of international business challenges and opportunities. The module includes a review of the current international trade theories, the structure of the international financial marketplace and the international organisations which support it.

International Marketing Communications

Given the importance of the single global economy, understanding how to effectively communicate across different cultures is fundamental to business success. This module will provide students with the ability to effectively use business communications skills in an international environment; explore the persities that exist across different cultures and understand the key elements of marketing communications such as advertising, sponsorship, public relations and customer relationship management.

International Marketing Practice

This module aims to provide students with an overall understanding of the basic practices of international marketing. The rapid change of global business, how to assess the global market and how to develop strategies for market entry will be core to this module. The use of case studies to further enhance learning will also be integral to this module.