This module presents a fusion between the philosophies which underlie marketing, with a strong emphasis of integrating digital and traditional concepts and the real life application of marketing across a variety of sectoral contexts. You'll examine the core marketing concept of customer value and the interplay between marketing and sustainability and the ethical challenges and critiques of modern marketing. You'll gain a wide range of knowledge across a breadth of sectors and be able to adapt these to whatever career or future research you choose. On completion of the module you'll have not only a solid grounding in marketing philosophies and theories but also a critical view of marketing, based around the realisation of the reality of modern digital marketing operations and management in a context of increasing global economic challenges, but also within a context where the customer profile is shifting to become increasingly demanding, critical and questioning of the motivations and ethics behind the marketers activities.
View the full module definitionThis module equips you with essential business skills and knowledge to identify opportunities and develop and execute a successful product or service tailored to the uniquely challenging winter market. You’ll explore core business concepts, including value proposition development, market research, marketing strategies, and budgeting whilst working as part of a team and building skills in leadership and decision-making in a dynamic business environment. You’ll learn to conduct industry-specific research, understand customer needs, and devise marketing strategies that respond to seasonal demand. You’ll also develop SMART objectives and apply Effectuation Theory to guide decision-making in uncertain market conditions. Additionally, the module covers important aspects of business operations, such as event planning, regulations (e.g. for food products), and the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) in business contexts. Throughout the module, you’ll engage in team-building exercises, leadership development, and budget management while working collaboratively on your business plans. By the end of the course, you’ll be ready to apply these skills in a real-world scenario, culminating in a final winter market event where you’ll pitch your product or service to a public audience, integrating all aspects of your learning.
View the full module definitionThis module introduces you to foundational understanding of the financial environment and essential analytical skills required for business decision-making. It covers important parts of financial systems, trends in digital finance and FinTech, ethical principles, sustainability, and the role of financial markets. You'll learn to evaluate financial data using advanced analytical techniques, supported by practical applications such as ratio analysis, financial statement interpretation, and the use of Microsoft Excel. By engaging with this module, you'll gain an in-depth appreciation for the financial decision-making process, including investment appraisal, the time value of money, and the evaluation of financial data credibility. The module also emphasises the application of theoretical knowledge to real-life situations, helping you build valuable skills for careers in business, accounting, and finance.
View the full module definitionIn an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, understanding the global business environment is paramount for future leaders, entrepreneurs, and policymakers. This module delves deep into the multifaceted dynamics that shape international business operations and markets. Spanning from global trade patterns and international market structures to the nuanced socio-cultural and political factors that influence cross-border transactions, this module provides you with a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities inherent in global commerce. Through a blend of theoretical frameworks and real-world case studies, you’ll gain insights into the external forces impacting multinational corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) beyond their domestic markets. This module will introduce concepts, models and frameworks that can be applied to increase the probability of success for your own organisations and will equip you to develop your own plans within the overall business context. It also emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and problem-solving in the context of global business, equipping you with the skills required to analyse complex information and make strategic decisions.
View the full module definitionOrganisational behaviour is about learning how people behave in, and towards, organisations so as to better understand how to be a high performing employee. In this module you'll be introduced to a range of organisational behaviour issues that you may encounter in your career, from dealing with demotivation to building and participating in high performing, diverse teams. You'll be provided with evidence-informed analyses of the ways in which culture, leadership, power, and politics affect workers and workplaces to help you understand the human side of management, and diagnose problems affecting organisations both independently and as part of a group. Running through the module, also, is a key theme of how technology affects work and workers; we'll begin with the creation of Scientific Management and the growth of assembly lines that transformed skilled, independent humans into semi- and un-skilled workers, and consider whether there are any parallels with the growing interest in AI in the business world. Along the way you'll have the opportunity to tackle business issues using organisational behaviour-related theories, models, concepts and research evidence to build your human and social capitals, and critical analysis skills. At the module's core is the aim to inspire you to value and continuously use the best available management research and evidence to effectively manage and lead people, cultures, and organisations throughout your careers.
View the full module definitionEntering higher education is exciting; but it can also be a daunting experience. At ARU, we want all our students to make the most of the opportunities higher education provides, reach your potential, become lifelong learners and find fulfilling careers. However, we appreciate that the shift from secondary education, or a return to formal education is, in itself, quite a journey. This module is designed to ease that transition. You'll be enrolled on it as soon as you receive an offer from ARU so you can begin to learn about university life before your course starts. Through Into ARU, you'll explore a virtual land modelled around ARU values: Courage, Innovation, Community, Integrity, Responsibility, and Ambition. This innovative module is designed as a game, where you collect knowledge and complete mini tasks. You'll proceed at your own pace, though we you to have completed your Into ARU exploration by week 6. If for any reason you're unable to complete by that date, we'll signpost to existing services so that we can be confident that you are supported.
Ruskin Modules are designed to prepare our students for a complex, challenging and changing future. These interdisciplinary modules provide the opportunity to further broaden your perspectives, develop your intellectual flexibility and creativity. You will work with others from different disciplines to enable you to reflect critically on the limitations of a single discipline to solve wider societal concerns. You will be supported to create meaningful connections across disciplines to apply new knowledge to tackle complex problems and key challenges. Ruskin Modules are designed to grow your confidence, seek and maximise opportunities to realise your potential to give you a distinctive edge and enhance your success in the workplace.
Project management is a key skill for any future professional. This module focuses on providing a sound basis for managing or working on projects. In essence, the concept of managing a project hinging on one quite basic principle, managing the triangle of: quality of the project outcomes, cost and time. The module covers: Project Management Body of Knowledge; the importance of stakeholder and risk management; scheduling and costing; monitoring and controlling techniques, time management and resource optimisation; improving the success of projects; and the principles of agile project management.
View the full module definitionYou'll cover the fundamentals of AI toolchains, including understanding the role of AI in business operations, differentiating between various types of AI technologies, and exploring AI implementation strategies and cost control measures. You'll also learn about AI-driven business operations and process optimisation, focusing on designing and implementing AI solutions for maximum efficiency, adopting best practices for AI integration, and utilising AI and automation to enhance business processes. The course delves into AI planning and forecasting, where you'll develop effective AI strategies, utilise AI forecasting techniques to anticipate market trends, and balance service levels and costs through AI-driven demand forecasting and resource management. AI control and analysis are explored, covering the implementation of AI control policies and procedures, conducting AI-driven analysis for effective decision-making, and exploring Just-In-Time (JIT) and Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) principles in the context of AI. You'll look at the role of technology in AI toolchains, including leveraging modern AI technologies such as machine learning, natural language processing, and AI-driven analytics, and integrating software solutions for real-time visibility and data-driven decision-making. Risk management and compliance is also explored with a focus on finding and mitigating risks associated with AI implementation, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and industry-specific requirements. By the end of the module, you'll be well-equipped to optimise AI integration, improve business efficiency, and contribute to overall business effectiveness.
This module gives you the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complexities of sustainability in the modern business world, addressing the growing need for businesses to adopt sustainable practices to meet environmental, social, and economic challenges. You'll be introduced to the fundamental concepts of sustainability and its importance in the global business context. You'll then explore the principles of sustainable development, including the triple bottom line approach, which emphasises the balance between people, planet, and profit. You'll also cover sustainable supply chain management, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and the role of innovation in driving sustainable business practices. Once completed, you'll have a comprehensive understanding of the key drivers of sustainability in business, be able to analyse and evaluate the impact of business activities on the environment and society, and develop strategies to mitigate negative effects. You'll also gain practical skills in implementing sustainability initiatives, such as conducting sustainability audits, developing sustainability reports, and engaging stakeholders in sustainability efforts.
This module provides a comprehensive understanding of how operations and supply chains are managed within a global business environment. It explores the strategic and operational challenges organisations face when designing, managing, and improving supply chains across international markets, integrating key business management principles throughout. You'll develop core knowledge of operations management, including production planning, logistics, inventory control, and quality management, alongside broader business management topics such as strategic decision-making, leadership in operations, and financial considerations within supply chains. The module critically examines how globalisation, digital transformation, and sustainability are reshaping supply chain strategies and impacting overall business performance. Key areas include supply chain integration, procurement management, supply chain risk mitigation, and the use of information systems to drive efficiency and innovation. You'll also explore how supply chains align with wider corporate strategies to create competitive advantage, improve customer value, and enhance organisational resilience. Through a combination of lectures, case studies, simulations, and applied projects, you'll develop analytical and problem-solving skills relevant to both business management and operations. Contemporary issues such as ethical sourcing, environmental responsibility, and the influence of international trade policies and geopolitical risks on supply chains will also be covered. By the end of the module, you will critically evaluate the complexities of international supply networks, apply business management principles to operational challenges, and design strategic solutions that support business growth and sustainability.
This module is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop and implement artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in various business contexts. The course provides a comprehensive understanding of AI fundamentals, including machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and robotics. You'll explore the practical applications of AI in solving real-world problems, focusing on the design, development, and deployment of AI solutions. We'll cover essential topics such as data collection and pre-processing, model selection and training, algorithm optimization, and performance evaluation. Emphasis is placed on understanding the ethical considerations and societal impacts of AI, ensuring that you're prepared to develop responsible and sustainable AI solutions. Throughout the course, you'll work on hands-on projects and case studies, applying theoretical concepts to practical scenarios. You'll learn to use industry-standard tools and platforms, such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, Python Pandas to build and test AI models. Collaborative group work and interactive discussions will foster a deeper understanding of AI technologies and their potential applications. By the end of the course, you will design and implement AI solutions that address specific business needs, optimize processes, and enhance decision-making. You'll be well-equipped to pursue careers in AI development, data science, and technology consulting, contributing to the advancement of AI in various industries.
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This module will provide you with the opportunity to examine a real-life, current business issue and undertake a theoretically-informed analysis, culminating in business recommendations and considering the practical implications for implementing these recommendations. Drawing on knowledge, skills and tools gained from across your programme of study, you'll undertake a secondary research project to critically assess a business issue and formulate recommendations for practice. You'll engage with relevant academic literature as well as practice-focussed sources to identify, examine, analyse, interpret and synthesise relevant data from multiple sources. This module enables the development of all graduate capitals by way of focussing upon a real life current business issue which promotes the development of human capital, social capital, cultural capital, personal identity, adaptability and the whole person. During the module you'll learn new knowledge (human capital) by gaining transferable skills such as critical thinking and problem solving during the investigation and analysis of the real life business issue and, by way of finding, using and managing high quality information for its application to professional practice. You'll develop social capital through the networks and social relations created, and with external business professionals. The module and assessment enables you to foster and improve cultural capital through communication processes with other students and business professionals and you'll develop your personal identity (third capital) by reflecting upon your experiences as you progress. The module provides you with the opportunity to adapt to challenges and pressures and understand the changing nature of professional practice, which will develop your adaptability (fourth capital). You'll enhance your whole person (fifth capital) by working effectively in various situations, making connections where necessary to complete work and be able to work with diverse sources of information for your own advantage, making you graduate ready for the working world.
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