BA International Business Management and Modern Languages (NR10)
2027 entry | view 2026 entry
Course summary
We live and work in a world of rapid technological and societal change on a global scale. To be effective in a multinational business environment, we need to understand the cultural, linguistic, economic, political and social contexts in which organisations operate, both within and across national borders.
Our exciting four-year BA International Business Management and Modern Languages degree combines management study with linguistic and cultural immersion and socio-political literacy, enabling you to work across borders with strong intercultural understanding and communication skills. The language side of your degree will allow you direct access to the cultural production, political debates and economic data from the culture(s) in which your chosen language is spoken, while the knowledge, insight and understanding that you will gain across the two sides of the course will equip you for careers across all sectors of the global jobs market.
Alongside business and management, you will study one of French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish and its related culture/s to degree level. All languages are available either from beginners' level or post-A level (or the equivalent), apart from Portuguese, which is offered from beginners' level only. You select your language after you accept an offer.
Teaching for the first two years of the course is at our vibrant Clifton Campus. It's here where you'll build a strong understanding of both subjects.
For the final year of your degree, your location of study will depend on the specific units you choose to study, with units relating to Business being taught at the Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus. Here, enhanced links with businesses will provide you with real-world knowledge, networks and skills to succeed once you graduate.
The BA International Business Management and Modern Languages differs from our single honours BSc degrees in International Business Management (N120, N121 and N122) in its incorporation of advanced linguistic and cultural study, and in the fact that it is split equally between the Business School and the School of Modern Languages.
Course structure
The degree lasts four years. Your first, second and fourth years are spent in Bristol. Year 3 is spent abroad in a country where your chosen language is spoken, refining your language skills and cultural knowledge and gaining valuable work experience. To find out more about studying abroad, visit the Centre for Study Abroad.
In each of your first, second and fourth years, you take a combination of units from the Business School and the School of Modern Languages.
Year 1 introduces basic concepts and tools, both qualitative and quantitative, for the study of management. Alongside this, you will follow a structured language course in your chosen language and gain a grounding in key historical and cultural aspects of communities in which it is spoken.
In Years 2 and 4, the core and optional units of the business side of your degree will help develop your understanding of international business management and gain some specialisation in an area of interest. You will also deepen your understanding of research design, data collection and data analysis, including analysis of survey data, interviews and observation in organisations.
On the language side of the degree, you will continue your language study and take a combination of core and optional units that extend your understanding of the cultures in which your language is spoken. Units on offer cover topics such as history, literature, politics, linguistics, film and visual art.
Combined, your year abroad and the units you take throughout your degree will help to prepare you for the supervised individual research project in Year 4. This is a significant piece of individual research on an organisation, institution or thematic area in which innovation is needed, leading to an extended essay and the development of an innovation case.
The project brings together the two sides of your degree and enables you to combine your linguistic, cultural and management competencies by exploring a case study of interest to you. The project is written in English but focuses on a cultural context related to your chosen language and will make significant use of target-language sources.
Teaching styles differ from unit to unit, but include lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops, and one-to-one project supervision. You will encounter a range of assessment styles over the course of your degree, such as presentations, essays, commentaries, exams, collaborative projects, debates, podcasts, video essays, innovation cases and dissertations.
Entry requirements
We accept a wide variety of qualifications and welcome applications from students of all backgrounds. Below is a guide to the typical offers for this course.
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Selection process
- Regulations and codes of conduct we abide by to create a positive environment for learning and achievement are found in the University admissions policies and procedures.
- If applying with extenuating circumstances please see our policy.
- Full information about our selection processes for International Business Management and Modern Languages can be found in the Admissions Statement:
Admissions statement - The admissions statement above relates to 2026 entry. The statement for 2027 entry will be available in summer 2026.