Business Administration Degree Modules: What Will You Study at Undergraduate Level?

Whether you’re starting your first degree, progressing from a higher national diploma (HND), or looking for a flexible online study option, Business Administration offers a strong foundation for both employment and further study. But what will you learn? Let’s take a look at the modules commonly found in a Business Administration degree.

Key takeaways

• A Business Administration degree introduces the core functions of an organisation
• Business Administration can be studied through different degree types
• Typical modules include business environment, organisational behaviour and accounting and finance
• Some bachelor’s degrees may take three or four years to complete
• Students with an HND, foundation degree or equivalent Level 5 qualification may be able to complete a top-up route rather than restarting from Year 1.

What is a Business Administration Degree?

A business administration degree is an undergraduate university degree, or “undergrad degree” for short, that introduces the core functions of an organisation, including finance, marketing, human resources, operations and strategy.

As a practical degree for business, this qualification teaches students essential skills in analysis, communication, leadership, problem-solving and research through business-focussed modules, case studies and projects. Studying a bachelor’s degree in business administration helps students understand how organisations make decisions, manage resources and respond to change. It can also prepare graduates for roles across many sectors and provide a useful foundation for entrepreneurs or those planning further study.

What is a BA degree?

While a BA degree could be interpreted as an abbreviated name for a university degree in Business Administration, the term generally refers to a broader undergraduate university degree type: a Bachelor of Arts. This is an important distinction, because Business Administration can be studied as part of several undergraduate degree types, including Bachelor of Arts (BA), BSc (Bachelor of Science) and BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration). The content and emphasis of each programme will depend on the institution, so it is important to compare their curricula and learning outcomes when deciding which best suits your intended career path.

How a Business Administration Degree is Structured

A bachelor’s degree in business administration may comprise core functional and operational modules, with specialist routes sometimes available, depending on the provider you choose. No programme is identical: modules, degree types and specialisations can vary between providers, countries and modes of study.

Core Modules

Business administration degrees include a number of compulsory or core modules that are taken by all students, with the exact curriculum varying by provider. Typical core modules may introduce the main functions of an organisation – such as finance, marketing, human resources, operations and strategy - to build a broad foundation needed to understand how organisations work.

The core curriculum of a business administration degree may also include modules that are more operational in nature, which cover how businesses deliver products and services in practice while managing resources, workflows and change. Depending on the provider, they may include areas like operations management, project management, supply chains, business processes and performance improvement.

Specialisation Routes

These allow students to tailor their degree towards a particular career interest through a choice of modules and may include more contemporary subjects that reflect changing business priorities. Options vary according to the provider, but could include topics such as entrepreneurship and business start-ups, digital business and innovation, or international and sustainable business. Such modules can help students develop knowledge in areas such as launching a venture, using technology to transform organisations, or managing responsibly across global markets.

Common Core Business Administration Modules by Year of Study

The exact schedule and list of core modules can vary by university, country and degree route, but Year 1 of a degree will typically lay the foundation for understanding of business administration concepts, while Year 2 and 3 modules may dive deeper or introduce more specialist modules to choose from. Here are some examples that are typically included in a Business Administration degree:

1. Business Environment and Organisational Behaviour: Examines how external factors shape business decisions, alongside how people behave and work within organisations. Often studied as a Year 1 introductory module, but organisational behaviour may continue into Year 2 or 3.
2. Accounting and Finance for Managers: Introduces the financial information managers use to plan, monitor and evaluate business performance – for example, financial statements, cost analysis, budgeting and financial decision making can all form part of accounting and finance modules. Typically studied in Year 1 at an introductory level, but themes may reoccur throughout the programme.
3. Marketing and Consumer Behaviour: Focuses on how organisations identify customer needs, create value and promote products or services in competitive markets. Marketing principles are often part of Year 1 foundational concepts, but consumer behaviour and more specialist marketing topics may appear in Year 2 or 3.
4. Human Resource Management: How organisations recruit, develop, support and retain people. While this may be introduced in Year 1, dedicated HRM may later be offered as an optional topic or as part of a broader management module.
5. Operations, Supply Chain and Project Management: Look at how organisations deliver products and services efficiently, coordinate resources and manage change. Students may learn foundational operational concepts in Year 1, while advanced operations, project management and supply chain modules could be covered later or as specialist modules.
6. Business Strategy and Leadership: This area focuses on how organisations set direction, compete and lead change. Leadership concepts may be integrated into management or organisational behaviour modules taught earlier in the programme, whilst Business Strategy more commonly appears as a Year 3 or final year concept.

Credits, Levels and Years of Study in a Business Administration Degree: UK vs Europe

The time it takes to complete a Business Administration undergraduate programme, as well as the level of the degree and the credits you earn by completing modules, can vary by location. Let’s look at some common questions to find out how the UK compares with Europe:

• How many credits can I earn with an undergraduate degree? In the UK, . Under the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), a full-time academic year normally represents 60 ECTS credits, with bachelor’s degrees generally comprising 180–240 ECTS credits. LSBF Malta's BSc (Hons) Business Administration specifically comprises 210 ECTS credits over 42 months of full-time study.
• What level is an undergraduate degree? In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the main framework for university degrees is the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ). It runs from Level 4 to Level 8, with undergraduate study at Levels 4–6. By contrast, the European Qualifications Framework uses eight levels to compare qualifications across European countries, with bachelor’s degrees generally at Level 6.
• How long does it take to complete an undergraduate degree? In the UK and much of Europe, a full-time honours bachelor’s degree is usually completed over three years. Some European bachelor’s programmes may take four years, while online or part-time routes can extend the duration.
• What does all this look like in a business administration undergraduate degree? Although provided by a UK-based business school, LSBF’s BSc (Hons) Business Administration is a Level 6 undergraduate bachelor’s degree measured in ECTS credits, rather than using the UK’s 360-credit CATS system. This is because the degree is awarded by LSBF Malta and accredited by the Malta Further Education and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) and is therefore aligned with the Malta Qualifications Framework (MQF), which uses ECTS to measure learning workload. Students can exit with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Business Administration after 36 months of full-time study with 180 ECTS credits, or complete the BSc (Hons) Business Administration over 42 months full-time or 72 months part-time, earning 210 ECTS credits.

Assessment: Coursework, Case Studies and Projects

University degrees in business administration commonly use coursework, case studies and projects to connect theory with practice. Coursework may include essays, reports and presentations; case studies require students to analyse business challenges and recommend solutions; and projects may involve business plans, consultancy-style research or a final-year dissertation.

At LSBF, case studies and discussion questions are built into module learning, while Stage III of the BSc (Hons) Business Administration programme includes Project Management, Global Business Management, and Governance and Ethics modules, which incorporate project-based learning.

Top-Up Routes: Complete Your Degree After an HND or Diploma

In some cases, a student may already hold a relevant Level 5 qualification, such as a Higher National Diploma (HND), foundation degree or equivalent diploma. A top-up route allows eligible students to complete the final stage of a Business Administration degree and build on the knowledge and credits already gained, rather than starting from Year 1, so they usually focus on advanced and integrative business topics rather than introductory modules.

For example, in a typical UK route, an HND or Foundation Degree represents around 240 credits across Levels 4 and 5. A top-up then adds the final 120 Level 6 credits needed for a full honours bachelor’s degree, bringing the total to 360 credits.

At LSBF, eligible students can enrol on the BSc (Hons) Business Administration Top-Up, a 100% online programme that builds on prior learning through modules in research, international marketing, cross-cultural management, project management, global business and governance. The full honours programme is worth 210 ECTS credits, so the number of additional credits a student earns through the Top Up is dependent on how many credits their foundation qualification provided.

Why Study an BSc (Hons) Business Administration with LSBF?

LSBF’s BSc (Hons) Business Administration programme is a Level 6 undergraduate qualification, awarded by LSBF Malta and accredited by the MFHEA, that offers:

• A career-focused curriculum covering all the core modules we’ve mentioned across finance, marketing, HRM, operations, international business and governance.
• 100% online learning through video lectures, tutor support, case studies and project modules: study remotely with a UK-based business school.
• Expert tutors and faculty with real, lived experience in the world of business.
• A global online student community.
• A Top Up route is available for eligible students.

Entry requirements: To enter LSBF’s business administration undergraduate programmes, you need qualifications equivalent to GCE A/AS Level 240 UCAS points, plus English at B2 level (IELTS 5.5, with 5.5 in each component). Students with Level 3 international qualifications may be accepted directly into Year 1. If you hold a relevant Level 4 or Level 5 qualification, such as an HNC or HND, you may be considered for direct entry into Year 2 or Year 3. Mature applicants may also be considered with at least two years’ work experience, a CV and two references.

Apply today to take a step towards your dream career in business and finance with the London School of Business and Finance.