BA French and International Business

Year 1

(Award available for year: Certificate of Higher Educ)

Learning outcomes

On completion of the first year of the programme students should have provided evidence of being able to:

- demonstrate a familiarity with the key concepts, definitions, terminologies, information, practical competencies and techniques which are standard features of international business studies and French studies;
- use basic generic and subject specific intellectual qualities (e.g. communicate the results of their work, present a structured and coherent simple argument and evaluate qualitative and/or quantitative data);
- appreciate their strengths and weaknesses as learners through the use of a range of personal planning techniques;
- understand, interpret and evaluate the underlying theories and principles of international business;
- appreciate the principles underlying the internationalisation strategies of firms, the main characteristics of the foreign market entry methods available to firms and the implications of internationalisation for different functional areas of the firm;
- have knowledge of the key features of the environment for international business, especially with regard to dominant source and destination countries and regions;
- have awareness of how recent and current events in the social, economic and political arenas around the world influence decision-making in an international context, how to interpret these trends, and how to formulate and arguments on how these trends will shape international business into the future;

- demonstrate an appreciation of different approaches to problem solving associated with the two disciplines;
- function in spoken and written French so as to sustain everyday communication in a variety of contexts;
- having acquired knowledge and understanding of the basic structures of French;
- demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of one or more aspects of the literatures, cultures, linguistic contexts, history, politics, geography, social and economic structures of French-speaking societies
- engage in meaningful discussion with peers and tutors within a virtual learning environment.

Transferable (key) skills

The first year of the programme provides opportunities for students to practise and develop as defined in the modules specified for the programme:
- the transferable/key/generic skills necessary for employment related to the area(s) studied, especially in relation to numeric, team-working and independent working skills using both English and French.;
- the gathering and processing of information in both English and French from a variety of paper, audio-visual and electronic sources, and using IT effectively both as a means of communication and as an aid to learning
- the exercise of initiative, and social and cultural sensitivity;
- analytical and critical thinking;
- the deployment of decision making skills in complex and unpredictable situations;
- the communication of information, ideas, problems and solutions in a variety of ways to a variety of audiences;

- basic general management skills in the areas of planning, organising, directing and controlling
- ethical awareness, commercial awareness and use of knowledge
- skills necessary for the exercising of personal responsibility;
- the ability to appreciate their strengths and weaknesses as learners;

Assessment

The achievement of the programme outcomes will be assessed by a variety of assessment methods in accordance with the learning outcomes of the modules specified for the year/programme and will include:
- demonstrating the ability to apply a broad range of aspects of the disciplines;
- work that draws on a wide variety of material associated with the disciplines;
- the ability to evaluate and criticise received opinion;
- work that is both evaluative and creative.

- demonstrating the knowledge and application of standard concepts, information and techniques relevant to the discipline in essays, examinations and multiple choice tests;
- assessed presentations (alone and in groups);
- demonstrating emerging abilities, skills and competencies in formal module assessments.