Overview
The BA (Hons) Business Administration immerses you in the realities of modern commerce from your first term. You will analyse live case studies, present to faculty panels, and collaborate on consultancy projects with Edinburgh-based SMEs. Modules progress from organisational behaviour and accounting fundamentals to strategy, digital transformation, and responsible leadership. Small seminar groups ensure personalised feedback, while the Durham Business Lab hosts pitch nights and employer mentoring each semester.
BA (Hons) Business Administration is taught as one award, not a list of unrelated modules. The published length is 3 years full-time, and the credit total is 360. Students move from Introduction to Management through Introduction to Management; Financial Accounting; Marketing Principles; Business Economics; Quantitative Methods for Business; Business Law & Ethics, and finish on Business Consultancy Project & Dissertation.
Each course has a question, a method, and a submission. In this field, students diagnose one organisation and carry a decision through to a recommendation. Reading is a case, a short financial extract, and a stakeholder note. The artefact a marker expects is a consulting brief a manager could use.
The award is built so that a graduate can do the following in practice: Prepare management accounts and interpret financial performance for decision-making Develop marketing plans grounded in customer insight and digital analytics Lead team-based consulting projects with professional presentation standards
Teaching assumes the student can read a source, attempt a problem before the seminar, and revise after feedback. Attendance at live seminars is part of the design. The capstone or final course must use the methods of the earlier courses; a project that ignores them does not pass.
The pages for each course name the topics that are examined. Those topics are the syllabus. A brochure line is not a substitute for them.
Year 3 includes a credited internship or enterprise project. Graduates may progress directly to the Durham MBA with advanced standing where eligible.
Who This Programme Is For
- ✦School leavers aiming for management, consulting, or finance careers
- ✦Entrepreneurs seeking formal business credentials alongside campus networks
- ✦International students wanting a UK honours degree with employer connections
Faculty spotlight
The programme lead leads Strategy & Finance; A supervising member of faculty supervises enterprise projects with a focus on inclusive growth.
Programme Structure & Delivery
Coursework
Interactive modules, weekly readings, recorded and live seminars, and collaborative discussions with peers worldwide.
Assessment
Module assignments, proctored examinations, and capstone projects designed to demonstrate mastery of the field.
Learning Outcomes
- ✦Prepare management accounts and interpret financial performance for decision-making
- ✦Develop marketing plans grounded in customer insight and digital analytics
- ✦Lead team-based consulting projects with professional presentation standards
- ✦Evaluate ethical and ESG considerations in business strategy
Career Pathways
- ✦Management Trainee
- ✦Business Analyst
- ✦Marketing Executive
- ✦Entrepreneur
- ✦Corporate Finance Assistant
Assessment
Modules are assessed through a published mix of coursework, applied projects, and examinations. Exam windows are announced in advance so students in other time zones are not forced into overnight sittings. Alternative arrangements are available where documented.
Curriculum
Year 1 — Foundations
BUS101Introduction to Management- BUS101-M1 · Position, rivals, and the choice in front of the organisation — Introduction to Management
- BUS101-M2 · A financial result and the operational cause — Introduction to Management
- BUS101-M3 · The decision, the team, resistance, and the plan — Introduction to Management
- BUS101-M4 · Stakeholders and what they can block — Introduction to Management
- BUS101-M5 · Ethics and the limit of the recommendation — Introduction to Management
- BUS101-M6 · A consulting brief: problem, evidence, recommendation, defence — Introduction to Management
20 creditsBUS102Financial Accounting- BUS102-M1 · Statements: income, position, and cash — Financial Accounting
- BUS102-M2 · Recognition, ratios, and what the numbers cannot show — Financial Accounting
- BUS102-M3 · Cash flows, discount rates, and sensitivity — Financial Accounting
- BUS102-M4 · Market, credit, and operating risk — Financial Accounting
- BUS102-M5 · Controls, exceptions, and reporting — Financial Accounting
- BUS102-M6 · An investment or operating recommendation — Financial Accounting
20 creditsBUS103Marketing Principles- BUS103-M1 · Audience, offer, and the evidence for both — Marketing Principles
- BUS103-M2 · Channel choice and what the channel cannot do — Marketing Principles
- BUS103-M3 · Message, proof, and a measure of response — Marketing Principles
- BUS103-M4 · Ethics of persuasion and claims that must not be made — Marketing Principles
- BUS103-M5 · A campaign or content decision with a budget line — Marketing Principles
- BUS103-M6 · A recommendation a client could act on — Marketing Principles
20 creditsBUS104Business Economics- BUS104-M1 · Position, rivals, and the choice in front of the organisation — Business Economics
- BUS104-M2 · A financial result and the operational cause — Business Economics
- BUS104-M3 · The decision, the team, resistance, and the plan — Business Economics
- BUS104-M4 · Stakeholders and what they can block — Business Economics
- BUS104-M5 · Ethics and the limit of the recommendation — Business Economics
- BUS104-M6 · A consulting brief: problem, evidence, recommendation, defence — Business Economics
20 creditsBUS105Quantitative Methods for Business- BUS105-M1 · Position, rivals, and the choice in front of the organisation — Quantitative Methods for Business
- BUS105-M2 · A financial result and the operational cause — Quantitative Methods for Business
- BUS105-M3 · The decision, the team, resistance, and the plan — Quantitative Methods for Business
- BUS105-M4 · Stakeholders and what they can block — Quantitative Methods for Business
- BUS105-M5 · Ethics and the limit of the recommendation — Quantitative Methods for Business
- BUS105-M6 · A consulting brief: problem, evidence, recommendation, defence — Quantitative Methods for Business
20 creditsBUS106Business Law & Ethics- BUS106-M1 · Forum, rule, and parties — Business Law & Ethics
- BUS106-M2 · Claim, counterclaim, and the facts that would change the result — Business Law & Ethics
- BUS106-M3 · A clause, briefing, or policy note for a named audience — Business Law & Ethics
- BUS106-M4 · Sources, revision, and the strength of the authority — Business Law & Ethics
- BUS106-M5 · Institutions and the limit of the award — Business Law & Ethics
- BUS106-M6 · A supervised paper: question, sources, argument, and defence — Business Law & Ethics
20 creditsYear 2 — Application
BUS201Corporate Finance- BUS201-M1 · Statements: income, position, and cash — Corporate Finance
- BUS201-M2 · Recognition, ratios, and what the numbers cannot show — Corporate Finance
- BUS201-M3 · Cash flows, discount rates, and sensitivity — Corporate Finance
- BUS201-M4 · Market, credit, and operating risk — Corporate Finance
- BUS201-M5 · Controls, exceptions, and reporting — Corporate Finance
- BUS201-M6 · An investment or operating recommendation — Corporate Finance
20 creditsBUS202Operations & Supply Chain- BUS202-M1 · Order, nodes, delay, and a flow map — Operations & Supply Chain
- BUS202-M2 · Demand, capacity, stock, and stock-out — Operations & Supply Chain
- BUS202-M3 · A break in the chain and the response — Operations & Supply Chain
- BUS202-M4 · Cost, time, and who pays for the buffer — Operations & Supply Chain
- BUS202-M5 · One lane, site, or corridor — Operations & Supply Chain
- BUS202-M6 · A change recommendation with cost and risk — Operations & Supply Chain
20 creditsBUS203Digital Business & E-Commerce- BUS203-M1 · Position, rivals, and the choice in front of the organisation — Digital Business & E-Commerce
- BUS203-M2 · A financial result and the operational cause — Digital Business & E-Commerce
- BUS203-M3 · The decision, the team, resistance, and the plan — Digital Business & E-Commerce
- BUS203-M4 · Stakeholders and what they can block — Digital Business & E-Commerce
- BUS203-M5 · Ethics and the limit of the recommendation — Digital Business & E-Commerce
- BUS203-M6 · A consulting brief: problem, evidence, recommendation, defence — Digital Business & E-Commerce
20 creditsBUS204Organisational Behaviour & HRM- BUS204-M1 · Position, rivals, and the choice in front of the organisation — Organisational Behaviour & HRM
- BUS204-M2 · A financial result and the operational cause — Organisational Behaviour & HRM
- BUS204-M3 · The decision, the team, resistance, and the plan — Organisational Behaviour & HRM
- BUS204-M4 · Stakeholders and what they can block — Organisational Behaviour & HRM
- BUS204-M5 · Ethics and the limit of the recommendation — Organisational Behaviour & HRM
- BUS204-M6 · A consulting brief: problem, evidence, recommendation, defence — Organisational Behaviour & HRM
20 creditsBUS205Business Analytics & Decision Making- BUS205-M1 · The question, the unit of analysis, and data quality — Business Analytics & Decision Making
- BUS205-M2 · Features, baselines, and error — Business Analytics & Decision Making
- BUS205-M3 · Validation, leakage, and what the model must not decide — Business Analytics & Decision Making
- BUS205-M4 · Monitoring, drift, and human review — Business Analytics & Decision Making
- BUS205-M5 · Interpretation for a non-technical decision maker — Business Analytics & Decision Making
- BUS205-M6 · A supervised project with method, result, and limitation — Business Analytics & Decision Making
20 creditsBUS206International Business Strategy- BUS206-M1 · Position, rivals, and the choice in front of the organisation — International Business Strategy
- BUS206-M2 · A financial result and the operational cause — International Business Strategy
- BUS206-M3 · The decision, the team, resistance, and the plan — International Business Strategy
- BUS206-M4 · Stakeholders and what they can block — International Business Strategy
- BUS206-M5 · Ethics and the limit of the recommendation — International Business Strategy
- BUS206-M6 · A consulting brief: problem, evidence, recommendation, defence — International Business Strategy
20 creditsYear 3 — Honours
BUS301Strategic Management- BUS301-M1 · Position, rivals, and the choice in front of the organisation — Strategic Management
- BUS301-M2 · A financial result and the operational cause — Strategic Management
- BUS301-M3 · The decision, the team, resistance, and the plan — Strategic Management
- BUS301-M4 · Stakeholders and what they can block — Strategic Management
- BUS301-M5 · Ethics and the limit of the recommendation — Strategic Management
- BUS301-M6 · A consulting brief: problem, evidence, recommendation, defence — Strategic Management
20 creditsBUS302Leadership, Governance & Sustainability- BUS302-M1 · Forum, rule, and parties — Leadership, Governance & Sustainability
- BUS302-M2 · Claim, counterclaim, and the facts that would change the result — Leadership, Governance & Sustainability
- BUS302-M3 · A clause, briefing, or policy note for a named audience — Leadership, Governance & Sustainability
- BUS302-M4 · Sources, revision, and the strength of the authority — Leadership, Governance & Sustainability
- BUS302-M5 · Institutions and the limit of the award — Leadership, Governance & Sustainability
- BUS302-M6 · A supervised paper: question, sources, argument, and defence — Leadership, Governance & Sustainability
20 creditsBUS303Innovation & Enterprise- BUS303-M1 · Position, rivals, and the choice in front of the organisation — Innovation & Enterprise
- BUS303-M2 · A financial result and the operational cause — Innovation & Enterprise
- BUS303-M3 · The decision, the team, resistance, and the plan — Innovation & Enterprise
- BUS303-M4 · Stakeholders and what they can block — Innovation & Enterprise
- BUS303-M5 · Ethics and the limit of the recommendation — Innovation & Enterprise
- BUS303-M6 · A consulting brief: problem, evidence, recommendation, defence — Innovation & Enterprise
20 creditsBUS304Contemporary Issues in Global Commerce- BUS304-M1 · Position, rivals, and the choice in front of the organisation — Contemporary Issues in Global Commerce
- BUS304-M2 · A financial result and the operational cause — Contemporary Issues in Global Commerce
- BUS304-M3 · The decision, the team, resistance, and the plan — Contemporary Issues in Global Commerce
- BUS304-M4 · Stakeholders and what they can block — Contemporary Issues in Global Commerce
- BUS304-M5 · Ethics and the limit of the recommendation — Contemporary Issues in Global Commerce
- BUS304-M6 · A consulting brief: problem, evidence, recommendation, defence — Contemporary Issues in Global Commerce
20 creditsBUS305Business Consultancy Project & Dissertation- BUS305-M1 · Position, rivals, and the choice in front of the organisation — Business Consultancy Project & Dissertation
- BUS305-M2 · A financial result and the operational cause — Business Consultancy Project & Dissertation
- BUS305-M3 · The decision, the team, resistance, and the plan — Business Consultancy Project & Dissertation
- BUS305-M4 · Stakeholders and what they can block — Business Consultancy Project & Dissertation
- BUS305-M5 · Ethics and the limit of the recommendation — Business Consultancy Project & Dissertation
- BUS305-M6 · A consulting brief: problem, evidence, recommendation, defence — Business Consultancy Project & Dissertation
40 creditsAdmission requirements
Academic entry
- A-levels BBB (or equivalent) in relevant subjects, or an Access to HE Diploma with Merit profile
- International Baccalaureate 28 points, or high school diploma with GPA 3.0/4.0 minimum
English language
- English proficiency: IELTS 5.5, TOEFL 46, or equivalent (waived for prior English-medium study)
Documents
- Personal statement (400–600 words) explaining your academic interests and career goals
- One academic reference from a teacher, tutor, or school counsellor
Research & interview
- Optional: portfolio or interview for creative and professional programmes
Programme questions
How long is the BA (Hons) Business Administration?+
The published duration is 3 years full-time. Teaching language: English. Actual time-to-complete depends on mode and any recognised prior learning.
Can I study this from my country?+
This is a fully online award. You study from your country. No student visa and no campus relocation are required.
What does it cost?+
Degree tuition for this award is published as £0 / tuition-free on the online pathway. Examination or administrative fees may apply at checkout — never an annual tuition invoice. Check the Fees page for any extras.
What are the entry requirements?+
Requirements are grouped on this page (academic, English, documents). Equivalent qualifications are considered. English may be waived after prior English-medium study.
How is the programme assessed?+
Assessment is typically a mix of coursework, projects, and examinations. Doctoral awards include a thesis or dissertation and an oral examination. Details sit in the programme specification and module outlines.
Will this award be recognised where I live?+
Recognition of the award for local employment, professional licence, or ministry attestation is decided by your employer or regulator. Durham University publishes verification pages for certificates. We do not claim automatic equivalence in every country.
How do I apply?+
Start an application on this website. Progress is saved from the first step. Admissions: admissions@durhm.co.uk.
