Business Entrepreneurship & Innovation BSc(Hons)

In your first year, you will gain a firm understanding of the commercial environment and how industry can impact communities, economies and the environment. You will explore the fundamentals of business structure including the core elements of markets and market research. This will then be explored alongside how data management is evolving and the implications of technological advances in decision making.

Modules

Wellbeing

You will also address the importance of wellbeing within an organisation and, crucially, you will explore the importance of wellbeing for your own personal and professional development.

Market Intelligence

In this module you will gain a working knowledge of robust market research methods. You will be introduced to types of market research, including primary and secondary modes, and learn how to segment markets and analyse trends, as well as different analytical methods. This will enable you to carry out research and analysis that will help you to identify market trends and gaps, using robust data to inform business decisions.

Fundamentals of Business

You'll explore the inter-relationships of functions that make up a successful business operation. You will learn about financial systems and their impact on national economies, commercial environments and national policy. You will learn about the concepts, frameworks and legal structures of the commercial business environment.

Exploring Sustainability

The module will take a proactive stance and focus on contemporary practices and positive change across a range of topics including responsible consumption, production and economic development. You will also explore potential criticisms of the concept of sustainable development, and ask whether it is truly the most appropriate way forward.

Data Management

In this module you will build knowledge of cultural contexts around Big Data, examples of data as a resource and a product and considerations for mitigating risks associated with privacy and data ethics. This will culminate in a data-centric activity where teams will aim to manage, integrate and use different forms of data to achieve specific outcomes.

Principles of Marketing

You will explore what marketing is all about in business. You will build on your existing knowledge and focus on a real business, looking at the interrelationship of how it is viewed and perceived through its marketing. This module provides a foundation on which future study of marketing can be built, particularly within the digital and social marketplaces.

In your second year, you will build on your knowledge and application of entrepreneurial practice and key management disciplines including financial management and project management. Your skills in relation to finding and applying information sources will be further developed. Live briefs and expert speakers will add context to your studies as well as an opportunity to build your collaborative skills. You will also understand business management from specialist perspectives such as operations and supply management, venture creation and business growth.

Modules

Research Methods

You will develop a research project that employs both primary and secondary research methods and then present that project visually, through a poster presentation.

Operations & Supply Chains

You will learn about the importance of logistics and supply chain management for 21st Century businesses, focusing on how operations planning ensures effective supply chain management, integration with different parts of an organisation and forecasting.

Venture Creation & Growth

You’ll learn about setting up businesses; from sole trader micro-entities to incorporated bodies that require substantial initial resources. You will investigate the legal structures reviewed in your first year and critically analyse the alternatives. You’ll also cover how funding opportunities are used to support business growth.

Collaborative Working

In this module, you’ll learn about the concept of ‘design thinking’. In multi-skilled teams you’ll work on a live brief and deliver a practical project, which you’ll then evaluate through a team performance review.

Financial Management

In this module, you will acquire knowledge of financial terminology to the level where you can confidently debate the financial health of a business. You will explore differences between financial accounting and management accounting, and understand the central role of cash and how finance impacts business operations.

Project Management

This module provides you with the rationale, approach, techniques and essential tools to lead or be an effective member of a project team. You will take a critical view of alternative and often complementary project management approaches, such as Waterfall and Agile, and you will be given the opportunity to ‘learn through doing’, through managing a project.

You can choose to take an optional professional placement after your second year on a three-year programme. 

You’ll be responsible for finding your own placement, with support from the Employability Team. 

Choosing this option will enhance your industry experience and skills while studying. 

How you’ll study during your professional placement

You’ll spend time working in a professional context, as part of a business or organisation. This can be in one role, or up to three, and must be for a minimum of 24 weeks. 

You’ll develop in-demand workplace skills, deepen your insight into industry and grow your network of contacts, all of which could help you get ahead in your career after graduation. 

Throughout this year, you’ll develop a portfolio of work that includes critical self-reflection on what has been learned from the experience. You’ll be required to evidence your experiences, the skills you’ve learned and your professional growth.

By the end of your final year, you will have the confidence and skills to organise and deliver a complex, original, research project. You will build your understanding of how international trade is conducted including assessment of your knowledge at government level. You will further develop your leadership capabilities and produce a portfolio that brings together all of your learning from the course. Connecting with industry both on and off campus, you will build valuable relationships to launch your career upon graduation. You will also broaden your views of strategic awareness in the commercial environment and the important areas of managing creativity and innovation.

Modules

Professional Development

You will reflect upon your ongoing professional development journey and build a portfolio that is designed to document a wide range of skills, attributes, and experiences.  This will enable you to understand the value of reflective practice to inform professional development.  You will also learn how to apply effective reflective practice, informing personal and professional development.

Strategy

You will learn to think strategically about business objectives, engaging with a number of approaches and frameworks. You’ll engage with a variety of case studies across sectors, industries, geographical and cultural landscapes, making links among common strategic practices.

International Entrepreneurship

You will learn about globalisation, the international environment, cultures and the global money system. You will assess the challenges of entering the international market and understand how to build action plans to help open up different markets. You will learn about implementing and managing a global entrepreneurial strategy across multi-jurisdictional boundaries.

Leadership

You will explore and review a range of leadership models, styles and frameworks, enabling you to understand leadership practice and its impact in organisations. You will complete a leadership self-assessment, and be encouraged to seek external feedback to engage in a comprehensive reflection and development process.

Entrepreneurship Research Project

This module provides an opportunity for you to research a topic of interest, of your choice, in relation to your course. You are to produce a consultancy or transformation plan for any business or industry, using skills developed throughout your degree.

Managing Creativity & Innovation

This module will provide you with the opportunity to investigate and review innovation techniques and processes in a range of entrepreneurial settings. You will learn about innovation skills, techniques and processes for individuals, teams and organisations in both domestic and international markets. 

The Business Entrepreneurship & Innovation course includes a variety of different teaching methods ranging from ‘content delivery’ sessions to more collaborative seminars and workshops. This combination of teaching methods means that you are exposed to relevant frameworks and concepts, have the opportunity to enhance your understanding through discussion and can then experiment through your own practical application. 

You may also have the opportunity to take part in micro-internships with a variety of businesses and draw knowledge and experiences from guest speakers that bring their own industry expertise to your learning journey.

At Falmouth, we use a 'digitally enhanced learning & teaching' approach. Your experience will always be predominantly in-person, including seminars, tutorials and studio teaching, with some, more targeted elements, being online either live (synchronous) or pre-recorded (asynchronous). You can read more here.

There are no formal written exams with this course; all assessment is coursework-based.  

The coursework includes a varied range of assessments across the duration of the course, including reports or essays, case studies, reflections, presentations, projects, collaborative activity or portfolios.

Assessments are distributed across the duration of the course. Developmental and formative feedback will be provided on your work within modules in order to build confidence, add knowledge and improve your skills. This will be available both in class and within a more informal environment. Each summative assessment (the final assessed work) will also be accompanied by formal feedback, providing an opportunity to reflect on your own work but also to look forward to future assessment(s).