Join our Undergraduate Open Days

Book your place

BSc International Business with Language

Start date
September 2025
Duration
4 years
UCAS code
N1R9
Course Type
Undergraduate, Joint Honours combined, Major-minor combined, Study abroad year
Fees
For 2025/26:
£9,535 (UK students)
£25,520 (International students) More detail.

There are enormous advantages in combining knowledge of modern business with the expressive power of a foreign language. The International Business with Language BSc will help you to develop an understanding of business on a national and global scale, preparing you for a rewarding career in international business.

This four-year programme combines modules from our successful BSc in Business Management with the study of French, German, Spanish, or Mandarin Chinese. ou don’t need to have any prior knowledge in business studies but you will normally need an A level in your foreign language at Advanced level, although a GCSE grade 6/B will suffice for languages offered at beginners level.

It is a broad-based degree that offers a combination of academic theory and practical teaching on topics of interest and relevance to employers in a wide range of business areas.

Why study this course?

The BSc International Business course will appeal to students who are considering a future career in international management. Today’s business is increasingly international in scope and there are obvious advantages in combining knowledge of modern business with the experience of another culture.

  • Birmingham Business School is consistently found in international ranking tables and accredited by leading bodies, AMBA, EQUIS and AACSB. The triple-crown accreditation confirms our position within an elite group. 
  • The University of Birmingham is the first choice for leading graduate employers searching for graduate recruits (High Fliers Research 2024).
  • Our strong links with industry mean that rigorous undergraduate academic study is combined with a real practical focus, leading to excellent job opportunities for our students.

Your programme of study

In addition to studying your language of choice, your first year will lay the foundation for the study of business. It introduces the key areas of management, marketing, economics, finance, law, and analytical techniques and IT for business. The year complements, but does not duplicate, the content of the Business Studies A level.

In your second year, you begin to have some choice within the themed structure of the programme. The modules offered will change from time to time, as they are developed to reflect the ever-changing world of business. This ensures a breadth to your business and language education, whilst allowing a degree of specialisation in those areas in which you are particularly interested.

The third year is your year abroad and is essential for developing fluency in your language and is spent at a partner university. You study business in your chosen language and undertake project work for your degree. Please note that your year abroad is conditional upon a good performance in the first and second year exams. 

The fourth year features modules that are increasingly focused, allowing you more choice across a range of programme themes. The year is underpinned by a compulsory dissertation, allowing you to investigate in depth an area of personal interest. Language work will build on the skills acquired overseas, and will again focus on "language for business".

Modules

Unless indicated otherwise the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2025.

Year One

The following must be taken:

You must take 40 compulsory language credits from your chosen language:

International Business with French

International Business with German

International Business with Spanish

International Business with Chinese

Year two

The following must be taken:

You must choose a further 40 credits from the options below in Semester 2:

You must take 40 credits of compulsory language credits from your chosen language:

International Business with French

 

International Business with German

International Business with Spanish

International Business with Chinese

Year three

Year abroad

Year four

All students must take the Business Management Dissertation module and study 40 credits of language as directed by the language departments.

You must choose further credits of optional modules to total 120 credits. If you took the International Study Year you may choose Professional Development as one of your options.

The following additional modules must also be taken depending on your language choices:

International Business with French

International Business with German

International Business with Spanish

International Business with Chinese

Please note: The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules; in this event we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

Fees

Fees for students starting in 2025-2026

UK students

The University will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year. If your offer is for 2025 year of entry, we expect that the tuition fee for your first year of study will be £9,535. If Parliament agrees on an increase in tuition fees, the University will increase fees for each year of study normally in line with these changes and will communicate any change in the fees to you without delay. If you are applying for 2026 year of entry, you will be advised of the annual tuition fee closer to the time.

International students 

Full-time Band 2 £25,520

Visit our tuition fees page for more information.

Scholarships

At Birmingham we ensure that fears about finance do not constrain prospective students from considering university and that excellence is rewarded.

The University offers a range of additional financial support for students studying at Birmingham in the form of bursaries, grants and scholarships.

Learn more about our scholarships and awards. 

How To Apply

Apply through the UCAS website using code N1R9.

UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) is a UK organisation responsible for managing applications to university and college.

View further information on how to apply for undergraduate courses, including advice for UK and overseas applicants.

Standard offer

International Requirements



Number of A levels required:
3
Typical offer:
AAB
Required subjects and grades:
A Level in chosen language for Higher routes, grade 6/B in GCSE foreign language for beginners route. Mathematics at grade 5/B and English at grade 6/B.
General Studies:
not accepted as one of three A2s, but a good performance may be taken into account if you fail to meet the conditions of the offer and have General Studies as a fourth A2

BTEC Extended Diploma 

Only the following subjects can be considered: Applied Science, Business, Enterprise and Entrepreneurship.

BTEC Diploma 

Only the following subjects can be considered in combination with 1 A level): Applied Science, Business, Enterprise and Entrepreneurship.

BTEC Subsidiary Diploma 

Only the following subjects can be considered (in combination with 2 A Levels): Agriculture, Applied Human Biology, Applied Law, Applied Psychology, Applied Science, Business, Computing, Construction and the Built Environment, Countryside Management, Creative Digital Media Production, Creative Media Production, Engineering, Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainabilty, Forensic and Criminal Investigation, Health and Social Care, Hospitality, Information Technology, Land-based Technology, Music, Music Technology, Operations and Maintenance Engineering, Performing Arts, Personal and Business Finance, Pharmaceutical Science, Production Arts, Public Services, Sport, Sport and Exercise Science, Sport and Outdoor Activities, Sports Coaching and Development, Travel and TourismSports Coaching and Development, Travel And Tourism.

T-Levels

Only the following subjects can be considered: Management and Administration; Accounting; Finance. You will also need at least a GCSE language (for the beginners route) or A Level (for the higher route).

Alternative offers through our Pathways to Birmingham programmes and our Contextual Offer scheme

Students who are eligible and successfully complete a Pathways to Birmingham programme will receive special consideration from admissions tutors and an alternative offer (typically two grades below the standard offer). In addition, our Contextual Offer Scheme recognises the potential of students whose personal circumstances may have restricted achievement in school or college. If you are eligible to benefit from the contextual offer scheme, you will receive an offer which is one grade lower than the standard offer.

International Students

International Baccalaureate Diploma: 6,6,5 at Higher Level with a minimum of 32 points overall.

Standard English language requirements apply. 

Learn more about international entry requirements

Depending on your chosen course of study, you may also be interested in one of our foundation pathways, which offer specially structured programmes for international students whose qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to UK universities. Further details can be found on Birmingham International Academy web pages.

As a Birmingham student you are part of an academic elite and will learn from world-leading experts. At Birmingham we advocate an enquiry based learning approach, from the outset you will be encouraged to become an independent and self-motivated learner, qualities that are highly sought after by employers. We want you to be challenged and will encourage you to think for yourself.

How you will learn

The main way you will learn is by attending lectures, but in some modules these are supplemented with classes which allows you to meet with a tutor in small groups to further your understanding of the material covered in lectures. You will also have the opportunity to work in groups and make presentations – both skills that are highly valued by employers.

The timetable for lectures and classes covers around 22 hours a week, allowing time for you to do your own reading and learning.

Contact hours

Undergraduate students can expect around 15 contact hours per week, depending on year of study and optional module choices made. The remainder of the working week consists of self-guided study based on degree programme content and requirements of specific modules.

How you will be assessed

Your progress is assessed through coursework and exams. Coursework takes a variety of forms, including reports, essays, group presentations, class essays and computer assignments. Exams are held in May/June. You must achieve satisfactory results to proceed to the next year. Your final degree is based on marks gained in the second and third years and credits which you build up throughout the whole programme.

Your personal tutor

From the moment you begin your studies, you will be allocated a personal tutor who is a member of the academic staff. He or she will take an interest in your general wellbeing and academic progress, meeting you on a regular basis either individually or in a small group throughout the year.

Professional Development Module

This is an optional 20-credit final-year module which includes a work placement and aims to bridge the gap between your academic studies and your future professional life. It is an excellent opportunity to learn in a professional setting related to your interests and/or degree programme, supporting your professional and personal skills development, and consolidating your learning through reflection on your placement experiences. 

The placement must be of at least 40 hours’ duration and can be taken during the summer vacation or in the Autumn Term. Your placement could take place at a wide variety of organisations, such as a summer internship with a major employer or an unpaid voluntary project at a charity. You will have access to support from our dedicated Placements Team, to help you to identify the most appropriate opportunity for you.

Resources and facilities

The Business School has a number of PC clusters with wireless connectivity and data projection. We also use a virtual learning environment to support our teaching, which can be accessed from any internet-connected computer and is used to provide electronic copies of lecture materials, links to online resources, multiple choice quizzes and discussion areas. It’s also used for a range of administrative tasks such as online submission of assignments and the provision of programme news.

The University Library houses over 2.5 million volumes and boasts extensive data retrieval services. The Library offers a range of valuable services to help you during your degree programme, including library-training sessions, subject guides and database skills. You will also have access to e-Library, a vast online collection of text books that can be accessed free of charge from other libraries.

Assessment Methods

Studying at degree-level is likely to be very different from your previous experience of learning and teaching. You will be expected to think, discuss and engage critically with the subject and find things out for yourself. We will enable you to make this transition to a new style of learning, and the way that you are assessed during your studies will help you develop the essential skills you need to make a success of your time at Birmingham.

You will be assessed in a variety of ways, and these may be different with each module that you take. You will be assessed through coursework which may take the form of essays, group and individual presentations and formal exams.

During your first year it is important that you have a smooth transition into University. You will be able to talk to your tutors about this and discuss if there are particular areas where you need support. This is in addition to the personal tutor who is based in your school or department and can help with any academic issues you encounter.

At the beginning of each module, you will be given information on how and when you will be assessed for that particular programme of study. You will receive feedback on each assessment within four weeks, so that you can learn from and build on what you have done. You will be given feedback on any exams that you take; if you should fail an exam we will ensure that particularly detailed feedback is made available to enable you to learn for the future.

Our business degrees are highly regarded by employers and our graduates are very successful in the job market. There is no single type of business that our students go in to.

The nature of our degrees is such that you’ll be prepared for and capable of adapting to a diverse range of jobs.  Many employers visit the Business School to run seminars for our students. In fact, companies such as IBM, BP, Deloitte and L’Oreal see these sessions as an opportunity to look for suitable candidates for their summer internship programmes and graduate training schemes.

Highly sought after by diverse employers around the world, our BSc International Business with Languages graduates go on to have successful careers in advertising, banking, law, accounting, marketing, consulting, telecommunications, Human Resources, and distribution/logistics working for employers such as Deloitte, HSBC, EY, Accenture, L’Oreal, Capgemini, Unilever, KPMG, JLR, IBM, PwC, Microsoft, and EY to name a few.

BBS Careers and Careers Network

As a Birmingham Business School student, you benefit from two award-winning Careers teams.  

Careers Network is the University of Birmingham careers and employability team offering: career fairs, employer events with top firms across the UK, start-up and entrepreneurial activities, and support. Internships and bursaries are also available exclusively to University of Birmingham students.   

BBS Careers is a dedicated service for Birmingham Business School students. The team provides guidance, support, and work experience opportunities, tailored to business school students, to help you succeed during and after university. We offer workshops, alumni & employer events, and 1-to-1 consultations. These will help you to develop your skills and learn how to submit high-quality internship, placement, and graduate applications.  

We are here to support you! Whether you are applying for a summer internship, a third-year sandwich placement, a graduate job, or applying for a management role five years after graduation. 

Visit the BBS Careers website for more details

 

Work Experience

You will have the chance to gain work experience, including summer internships, voluntary work, work shadowing, insight programmes, and part-time work.   

The BSc International Business with Languages degree enables you to undertake unique work experience opportunities to enhance your employability and rise above the competition. Work experience provides an ideal opportunity to gain invaluable skills and knowledge that will help further your career plans. With generous support from Alumni, undergraduate students (excluding those in their final year) can apply for funding to cover their incurred costs whilst they are working. View our funding database to find out more.

Professional Development Module

The Professional Development Module (PDM) is an award-winning 20-credit module that is optional for students in their final year who don’t undertake a placement year. The module includes a minimum of 40 hours of work placement in the summer or during term time.   

The module aims to help you bridge the gap between your academic life at Birmingham and your future professional life after graduation. The module is flexible, so you can use it to extend your experience into a specific area of work that interests you.

Extra-curricular activities

Our employer-endorsed Personal Skills Award (PSA) recognises your extra-curricular activities, and provides an accredited employability programme designed to improve your career prospects. There are also a vast number of student groups and volunteering opportunities offered by the Guild of Students, our students’ union, which cover a wide variety of interests across drama and the arts. With over 300 societies and groups at The Guild, there is something for everyone – and if your interest does not yet have a group, then The Guild will support you to set it up and find likeminded individuals to join you.

Exclusive to Birmingham - the Capgemini Challenge

Global consultancy firm Capgemini works exclusively with us to deliver a second-to-none consultancy training experience that you won’t find at any other UK university. Taking place over one week at Capgemini’s world-renowned facilities, this is an amazing opportunity to make a difference by engaging in projects for charitable organisations. 

Learn more about the Capgemini Challenge

Professional Accreditation

Depending on the options you choose, you may be able to gain partial exemption from the examinations of professional bodies such as CIM, CIMA and ACCA. This will depend on the options chosen in your second and final years.