Heriot-Watt University

The course

UCAS code
0E68
Duration
4 years
Location
Edinburgh
Delivery type
Full-time
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Overview

European and international markets present huge opportunities for multilingual graduates with business and management skills. This degree course integrates both academic fields, enabling students to enter the employment market directly after graduation. During Years 1 and 2 there is a certain amount of flexibility as to the language element of the course. Students may study the second language at the same level as the first language, or take up a second language from beginner's level. Alternatively, students may choose to study only Chinese from the outset.

Our International Business Management and Languages (IBML) degree combines core business management subjects with tailored language courses that have a business focus. We have four pathways available on our IBML degree:

  • Chinese
  • French
  • German
  • Spanish

During the first two years of study, students take classes in their chosen pathway language and a range of business subjects. Where possible students are also encouraged to study a second language.

Third year is spent abroad at a business school or university where you study a range of business subjects in your chosen foreign language.

Detailed course information

Course content

Detailed course guide

Year 1

Semester 1

  • Management in a Global Context
  • Introduction to Accounting or Introduction to Microeconomics
  • Chinese: Intermediate or Chinese: Intensive for Beginners (1)
  • Elective unless doing Chinese: Intensive for Beginners (1)

Semester 2

  • Enterprise and its Business Environment
  • Introduction to Finance or Introductory Macroeconomics
  • Chinese: Intermediate (2) or Chinese: Intensive for Beginners (2)
  • Elective unless doing Chinese: Intensive for Beginners (2)

Chinese: Intensive for Beginners (1) and (2) are worth 30 credits - double the credits of a standard course. 

Year 2

Semester 1

  • Fundamentals of Marketing
  • Human Resource Management
  • Chinese: Advanced for Business (1)
  • Option / Elective

Semester 2

  • Operations Management
  • Option
  • Chinese: Advanced for Business (2)
  • Option / Elective

Year 3

Students spend Year 3 abroad, studying business subjects at partner institution in a country where their chosen languages is spoken.      

Year 4

Semester 1

  • Dissertation (1)
  • Chinese Proficiency for Business (1)
  • International Business
  • Business Management Option

Semester 2

  • Dissertation (2)
  • Chinese Proficiency for Business (2)
  • Business Management Option
  • Business Management Option

Employability

Work and study

This is what our MA (Hons) International Business Management and Languages: Chinese as Main Language students are doing six months after graduating:

  • 90% are working
  • 0% are studying
  • 0% are working and studying.

Managerial/professional position

  • 85% of those working are in a professional/managerial position six months after graduating.

Salary

  • The average salary of students six months after graduating: £20000
  • The average UK salary of students six months after graduating from a similar course: £20000

Jobs

These are the most common jobs students go into six months after graduating:

  • Business and public service associate professionals
  • Business, research and administrative professionals
  • Media professionals
  • Teaching and educational professionals
  • Welfare and housing associate professionals
  • Secretarial and related occupations
  • Sales occupations
  • Customer service occupations

Entry requirements

Year 1

Standard entry requirements
  • Highers AAAB including main language at A (over two sittings)
  • A-Levels BBB (including main language)
  • Int. Baccalaureate 30 points (with main language at Higher Level 5)
  • BTEC DDM (Main language at A-Level B or equivalent required)
  • HNC B in graded unit (with main language Higher A or A-Level B grade or equivalent)

Minimum entry requirements*

  • Highers BBBC including main language at B (over two sittings)
  • A-Levels BCC including main language at B

* Minimum: under our Fair Access Policy, we will relax our standard entry requirements for some Scottish students depending on their circumstances. Our minimum requirements will apply if you:

  • live in an area within the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation lowest 20% (SIMD20), or
  • are care experienced.

We can also make exceptions for some Scottish students with grades above minimum but below standard. Read more about our Minimum and standard entry requirements

Year 2

As our languages courses include a compulsory year abroad at Level 3, the normal entry route for all languages courses is to Year 1 of a four-year Honours course. However, candidates with outstanding Advanced Highers or A-Level results may be considered on an individual basis.

Year 3

As our languages courses include a compulsory year abroad at Level 3, the normal entry route for all languages courses is to Year 1 of a four-year Honours course. However, candidates with outstanding Advanced Highers or A-Level results may be considered on an individual basis.

Additional information

English language requirements

  • If English is not your first language, you have to show that your English is good enough to succeed on your course. Please see our English language requirements.

Fees

Tuition fees for 2019 entry (by residency status)
Status* Scotland / EU** England / Northern Ireland / Wales*** International
Fee Paid by SAAS £9,250 £14,640

* Your residency 'status' is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course. Find out more about tuition fees.

** European Union countries (not including England, Northern Ireland or Wales).

*** 'Rest of the UK' (RUK) students entering at Level 1 receive a fee waiver of one year's tuition fee. Normally this will be the final year, or a year during which students study abroad (either at a partnership institution, or at one of Heriot-Watt's overseas campuses).

Additional costs

You may incur additional costs in the course of your studies at Heriot-Watt over and above tuition fees in an academic year. Depending on your programme of study, these may include: protective equipment, field trips, professional memberships, studio fees, required course texts or other study resources.

During the year abroad in China, students are responsible for all expenses. Expenses include, but are not limited to: pre-departure physical examination test; China student visa; international and domestic travel; accommodation; local medical insurance; China local residence permit; learning materials; and all other living costs. There may be opportunities available to students to apply for small amounts of funding.

Scholarships and bursaries

Featured scholarships

Bursaries for students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales starting undergraduate degree courses in 2020

In addition to government loans and grants towards the costs of fees and living costs, we are offering generous financial support to attract and support eligible students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales:

Merit Awards for international students starting undergraduate degree courses in 2019

If you are an international fee-paying, self-funded applicant and have achieved, or are on course to achieve, the minimum entry requirements for the programme you wish to study you may be eligible for:

View our full range of undergraduate scholarships.