Business Management and Economics BA

Business management core modules:

Why Organisations Matter

Organisations shape almost every part of contemporary life, each with its own purpose, identity and way of creating value in society. Some are familiar, others surprising, and many have underlying value models that are not immediately obvious. This module helps you make sense of that landscape by introducing a simple lens for understanding organisations: why they exist, how they organise work and how they create value for different groups.

As the starting point of the Business Management BA, you will explore a wide range of organisations across Sheffield and beyond, investigating their purposes, the problems they are set up to solve and the different ways they create value for customers, communities and society. This interactive exploration builds your understanding of organisations as real, diverse and purposeful systems.

You will learn to look closely at how organisations work: how they are structured, how decisions are made, how people coordinate and how value flows through different parts of the system. Using real examples, you practise noticing patterns, asking better questions and making sense of what organisations do and why.

By the end of the module, you will begin to develop the tools and perspectives needed to understand organisations clearly and to approach business as something lived, complex and relevant to the world around you. The module will prepare you for exploring the theme of value creation within organisations throughout your studies.

20 credits

What Managers Do

Work in organisations is shaped by the people who do it. Every day, individuals in different roles such as employees, owners, freelancers, founders, contractors, gig workers and collaborators notice what needs attention, make judgements, negotiate and help work move forward. This module explores that human side of organising.

You will examine organising as a practical, everyday activity: how people share their views and decide what to do next, coordinate with others and adapt when things change. Ideas from organisation studies and people management help you understand how context, relationships and purpose shape the way work happens and why it varies across national and international settings.

Through guest lectures, you will meet people from a range of organisations who talk about what they actually do and how they make sense of their working lives. Their experiences bring the ideas in the module to life and show how everyday actions shape organisational activity. By the end, you will have a clearer sense of the many ways people contribute to organisational and business life and how work depends on individuals using awareness, initiative and judgement.

20 credits

Why Money Matters

Money moves through every organisation, shaping the choices people make and the possibilities they have. This module helps you understand how and why those financial flows work by looking at how organisations earn money, spend it, invest it and account for it, and how these movements influence priorities and performance.

You will be introduced to the core ideas behind financial information, including revenue, cost, cash flow and profit, and learn how financial statements help people interpret what is happening inside an organisation. You look at how money is raised for new and growing ventures, how financial plans are created and how organisations explain their performance to those who provide funds.

Examples from start‑ups and growth firms show how financial decisions shape what an organisation can do next. By the end of the module, you will understand how money circulates through an organisation and how financial information supports judgement, action and accountability.

20 credits

Economics core module:

Microeconomic Analysis and Policy

This module introduces you to the fundamental principles of microeconomic theory, focusing on the behaviour and decision-making processes of individuals, households, and firms. You will gain a solid understanding of key microeconomic concepts, such as choice theory, market structures, consumer behavior, and firm decision-making. The module explores the practical application of microeconomic analysis to contemporary policy issues. This module provides you with the foundations in microeconomics required for advanced study.

20 credits

Macroeconomic Analysis and Policy

This module introduces you to the foundations of macroeconomic theory and analysis. You will explore how economies operate at the aggregate level and develop the analytical tools needed to understand key economic indicators such as interest rates, national output, inflation, unemployment, and exchange rates. A central focus will be on understanding how these variables interact and influence one another over the short and long run. Through real-world examples and policy applications, you will learn how macroeconomic analysis informs and shapes economic decision-making and policy evaluation in both national and global contexts. Topics covered will include the determination of output and employment and the role of fiscal and monetary policy. By the end of this module, you will be equipped to evaluate the effectiveness of monetary and fiscal policies and understand the complex dynamics shaping economic outcomes in national and global contexts.

20 credits

You will take one of the following economics modules:

Mathematical Methods for Economics 1

This core module is designed for students who do not have an A Level in Mathematics (or an equivalent qualification) and provides supportive, step-by-step training in key mathematical concepts. The main focus is on practical application, helping you use maths as a tool to solve real economic problems. You will build confidence while learning essential topics such as basic algebra, functions and graphs, sequences and series, introductory calculus (including differentiation), elasticity, integration, constrained optimisation, and matrix algebra, all taught in an applied context. The skills you develop will support your studies throughout the rest of your degree.

20 credits

Mathematical Methods for Economics 2

This module is designed for students with A Level Mathematics (or an equivalent qualification). You will revisit key mathematical tools covered in A Level Mathematics (such as differential calculus) and learn to use them to formulate and solve problems in economics and finance. You will also be introduced to other techniques that are essential for problem solving in economics. These tools will be used throughout the rest of your degree. The topics covered include: sequences/series and the economics of finance, functions, univariate optimisation, elasticity, integration, multivariate optimisation, constrained optimisation and matrix algebra.

20 credits

Business management core modules:

Marketing: Creating Customer Value

This module explores how marketing helps organisations make sense of customer needs, respond to changing markets and build relationships that support long‑term performance. It considers customers in commercial settings as well as people who engage with public and non‑profit services, recognising that value is created in different ways across sectors.

Throughout the module, you work with core marketing concepts such as customer insight, segmentation and positioning to analyse markets and understand how different groups perceive value. Drawing on the School's networks and external partners, you tackle marketing questions shaped by real organisations and current market issues, giving you the chance to gain real‑life experience of how marketing works in practice. These applied activities help you interpret evidence, understand how customer perceptions are shaped and practise developing marketing responses that reflect the kinds of decisions organisations make every day, including those involving customer experience and digital touchpoints.

By the end of the module, you will be able to analyse how marketing creates value, apply insight to understand customer needs and evaluate the effectiveness of different marketing activities. You will develop the capability to create and justify marketing responses that use customer insight to deliver clear value propositions, preparing you for more advanced study of branding, platforms and strategic marketing in your final year.

20 credits

Operations and Supply Chains

This module helps you understand how  companies transform inputs such as labour, materials and knowledge into finished goods and services and how supply chains connect organisations to customers, partners and wider networks. Using data, real examples and practical analysis, you examine how people, technology and resources are coordinated, where bottlenecks, constraints and pressures emerge and how operational choices influence cost, quality, speed and sustainability.

Through applied, operational analysis, you will learn how to diagnose issues in processes and supply chains, interpret evidence and evaluate alternative ways of improving performance. Activities throughout the module encourage you to test ideas, work with operational information and practise making informed operational recommendations. By the end of the module, you will be able to analyse how operations and supply chains function, apply evidence to identify improvements and communicate operational recommendations that support better decisions.

20 credits

Strategic Choices

This module explores how organisations decide on a direction when the world around them is shifting. You will look at how economic trends, new technologies and changing expectations create points in time where making decisions are important, and how organisations make sense of these situations when information is incomplete.

You will work with ideas from strategic management such as competitive positioning, environmental analysis and organisational adaptation. You will  compare options in an uncertain and complex world.  You will weigh up pressures and think through different ways an organisation might respond. Through applied activities, you try out strategic tools, explore how choices play out in uncertain situations and experiment with how business models shift when disruption or innovation appears. You also look at how organisations manage competing priorities and practise explaining the reasoning behind different strategic paths.

By the end of the module, you will understand how organisations make strategic choices in uncertain environments and be able to apply key strategy concepts to contemporary situations. You will be able to evaluate different options, explain how organisations adapt when priorities collide and justify strategic choices for organisations navigating disruption and change.

20 credits

Economics core modules:

Statistics and Econometrics

Proficiency in statistics and econometrics is an important skill for economists working with real-world data. This core module is designed for dual honours students studying economics. In the first part of the course, you will learn how to calculate descriptive statistics and apply probability theory to make robust inferences from sample data. In the second part of the course, you will learn the tools of econometrics to make inferences about causal relationships between economic variables. You will learn how to use specialist statistical software to apply this learning to the analysis of real data.  By the end of the module, you will have the tools to analyse quantitative data effectively and the knowledge to understand and interpret empirical results from applied economic research.

20 credits

Optional modules (choose two):

Public Economics

Public Economics uses the tools of microeconomics and empirical analysis to study the impact of government policies on economic outcomes and the distribution of resources in the economy. In this module, you will explore how the government intervenes in the market to address issues such as inequality, environmental externalities, and the provision of public goods. You will analyse real-world policy design, such as: how taxation affects work incentives, and how the implementation of public services can bridge the gap between social necessity and market failure. By participating in this module, you will gain the analytical skills necessary to evaluate the efficiency and equity of public policies. These tools will equip you with the up-to-date knowledge and skills needed to pursue careers in policy analysis, government, and economic consultancy.

20 credits

Macroeconomic Policy

This module offers a rigorous exploration of the frameworks used by modern central banks and governments to manage the economy. The first half of the course focuses on monetary policy, where you will master a contemporary three-equation model to analyze how central banks respond to demand, supply, and inflation shocks. A critical component of this study involves evaluating the Rational Expectations Hypothesis against adaptive models to understand how the public's forecasts influence policy effectiveness.

You will also explore fiscal policy, examining the mechanics of government intervention through the lens of the fiscal multiplier and the challenges of managing sovereign debt. You will analyze the factors that determine the effectiveness of tax and spending changes while exploring the vital interactions between fiscal and monetary authorities.

20 credits

Economics of Financial Institutions

In this module, you will explore the core mechanisms of financial intermediation and the role of financial institutions in the modern economy. You will examine the flow of funds and the determinants of interest rates in bond and money markets, alongside the function of equity markets in capital allocation and valuation.

The module also analyses how banks manage liquidity and credit risk. Furthermore, it investigates how asymmetric information shapes financial structures and market outcomes. Drawing on theoretical models and real-world examples, you will evaluate the causes of financial instability and the role of regulation in promoting stability and efficiency in the global financial system.

20 credits

Economic Decision-making

In life we are constantly making economic decisions: whether to go to university; whether to leave a tip in a restaurant; whether to buy a house or rent; whether to declare all our income to the tax authority; whether to play the lottery; whether and how much to invest in the stock market. In this module we study economic theory and evidence related to decision-making in these different contexts with a view to understanding human decision-making, how it deviates from standard notions of economic rationality.

20 credits

Intermediate Microeconomics

This module builds on Level 1 modules in microeconomics and mathematical economics, using the mathematical training to allow a more rigorous investigation of the principles of microeconomics. It aims to develop an understanding and ability to undertake economic analysis of models of the behaviour and interaction of economic agents (consumers, firms and government) in a market economy, the functioning of different types of industries, decision making under uncertainty and economic welfare.

20 credits

Intermediate Macroeconomics

The aims of this course are to provide firm grounding in the analytical tools of modern macroeconomics; to use these tools to understand critically the conduct of economic policy nationally and internationally. The course builds on level 1 modules in macroeconomics. The main subject areas covered are: Basic macroeconomic models: consumption/leisure choice, closed economy one period-macro models, models of search and unemployment; Savings, investment and government deficits: consumption/savings choice (two-period model), credit market imperfections, real intertemporal model with investment; Money and business cycles: flexible price models, New Keynesian economics (sticky prices), inflation; International macroeconomics: international trade, money in open economy; Economic growth: Malthus and Solow growth models, convergence, endogenous growth model.

20 credits

* Students can only take one of Intermediate Microeconomics or Intermediate Macroeconomics *

Business Management core modules:
- Business Futures and Scenarios
- The Sheffield Innovation Project

Economics core modules:

Economic Policy and Practice

This module provides an opportunity for you to apply your skills and knowledge to contemporary economic policy challenges. You will develop new skills in economic policy evaluation, and in the communication of economics to both specialists and non-specialists. You will develop a range of subject-specific and generic skills relevant to applied economists working in a variety of jobs (e.g. Government Economic Service, policy-orientated 'think-tanks', third-sector organisations, economic consultancy, etc). This will help you to understand and appreciate the breadth of work undertaken by economists in practice. Finally, you will have an opportunity to reflect on the skills you have developedThe module has a strong emphasis on employability, and the skills you acquire will help you develop various examples of the Sheffield Graduate Attributes (SGA). In particular, key SGAs you will develop are:a) Applying and translating knowledge - you will take the theories and techniques learned in your earlier core modules, and apply them to contemporary economic issues, problems andchallenges.b) Research skills and critical thinking - you will need to critically appraise, analyse and interpret theevidence that you research on the economic policy issues you are considering in order to be able to offer conclusions and recommendations.c) Communication - you will need to communicate your ideas, findings and conclusions using avariety of communication tools and methods that could be appropriate for different circumstances, for example a formal report, a blog or podcast for non-specialists, a datavisualisation or infographic, a video or oral presentation, a policy briefing for a government minister etc.d) Working with others - you will need to work effectively with others, collaborating andcontributing as part of a team.

20 credits

Optional modules (choose one):

Education Economics

The amount of education possessed by individuals will influence their decisions in future. Education relates to issues such as health and labour market decisions. This module examines the demand for and provision of education, incorporating a mixture of economic theory such as human capital; rates of return to further and higher education and course type all of which directly relate to the labour market. The graduate labour market is analysed, incorporating changes in the provision of higher education and an understanding of the rationale for the introduction of top-up fees. A final section considers schools, analysing and evaluating issues such as class size reduction, competition and selection, the performance of teachers, and the importance of pupils' family backgrounds, all in terms of their effect on pupil performance.

20 credits

Political Economy

Economic outcomes are shaped not only by markets, but also by the political environment in which they operate. In this module, you will examine how political institutions, governments' political motivations and contemporary global challenges influence public policy and economic performance. You will connect economics with politics, gaining valuable interdisciplinary insight that strengthens your degree and broadens your career prospects. By engaging with theoretical and applied political economy research, you will develop the tools to analyse real-world policy issues. A research-focused assignment will help you build critical thinking, analytical and independent research skills valued by employers and postgraduate programmes.

20 credits

Environmental Economics

Economic choices shape nature just as nature can shape our choices. This module provides you with the opportunity to apply economic concepts and methods to issues related to the use and management of the environment and natural resources. You will explore issues, arguments, and analysis of market failure in the protection of the environment. You will learn how environmental economics tries to answer questions such as determining optimal pollution levels and designing effective environmental policies. You will also look at public policy responses to issues of sustainability and climate change.

20 credits

Behavioural Economics

Standard economic models often rely on strict assumptions about human rationality, which can in some occasions lead to systematic mispredictions. Behavioural economics addresses these gaps by adopting assumptions inspired by other disciplines.

In this module, you will explore how behavioural models are developed and tested using lab and field experiments, as well as surveys. We cover key topics including transaction utility, mental accounting, loss aversion, time inconsistency (such as procrastination and addiction), social comparisons, and systematic errors in probabilistic reasoning.

Throughout, you will apply these behavioural insights to real-world challenges, exploring how they inform public policy (such as nudging), corporate strategy, and your own everyday decision-making.

20 credits

The Economics of Innovation

The aim of this module is to provide an overview of the economics of innovation. You will study firms' incentives to invest in innovation and the resulting policy implications. In this module you will expand your knowledge of microeconomics, and learn the relationship between market structure and innovation, the role of firm cooperation and the effects of mergers on innovative activities. You will also look at the role of intellectual property rights / patent systems and policy interventions. As many innovations in recent years are in the areas of digitalization, artificial intelligence, and big data, you will also investigate those topics.

20 credits