The Bachelor of Applied Business: A Practical Business Degree with Real Industry Insight

What you’ll study in the Bachelor of Applied Business (Business Management)

Year 1 (Diploma)

In year 1, you'll build a strong foundation in how businesses operate and how people succeed within them. You will study core areas in management, accounting, marketing, communication and economics, while also learning how to think critically and make informed business decisions. It is a practical introduction that helps you understand the day-to-day side of business. 

Year 2 (Associate degree)

In year 2, your focus shifts towards applying your skills in more complex business environments. You will explore key areas such as business analysis, people performance, digital strategy, and negotiations, while strengthening your ability to use data and financial information. This stage helps you move from understanding business fundamentals to thinking more strategically and working through real business challenges. You will also have the option to complete an industry placement in year 2.

Year 3 (Bachelor’s degree)

In year 3, you'll build advanced skills that can help you move into management, strategy, and leadership-focused roles. You will learn how to lead change, manage risk, support people, run projects, and solve complex business problems. In year 3, you will also complete a capstone project, and an industry placement if you did not complete it in year 2. 

Here is a breakdown of the main courses in year 3 that provide hands-on experience and guidance on the practical, day-to-day complexities of the business world. 

Leading change

This course explores how leaders help organisations adapt in times of change.

• Learn how businesses respond to change driven by technology, customer expectations, economic pressure and disruption.

• Build confidence in guiding teams through uncertainty and transition.

• Develop the ability to think clearly and make sound decisions when situations are complex.

• Understand how leadership can help organisations move forward when the path is not linear. 

By the end of this course, you will have a stronger understanding of how effective leaders manage change in practical business settings.

Enterprise risk, governance and ethics

This course focuses on how responsible leadership supports long-term business success.

• Learn how businesses identify, manage and reduce risk.

• Understand how compliance and accountability support stable and well-run organisations.

• Explore ethics and decision making at a leadership and board level.

• Build knowledge of how governance frameworks help protect an organisations future.

This gives you a clearer understanding of how businesses remain trusted, resilient and responsibly managed.

Strategic human resource management

This course looks at how strong people management supports business performance.

• Explore how organisations plan their workforce to meet long-term goals.

• Learn how talent development and employee support contribute to business success.

• Understand how performance systems help teams and individuals work effectively.

• Build insight into how human resource strategy connects with wider business outcomes.

By the end of this course, you will better understand how people management helps organisations stay competitive.

Project management

This course gives you practical experience in managing projects from start to finish.

• Learn how to plan timelines, budgets and project deliverables.

• Build skills in working with stakeholders and coordinating team activity.

• Understand how businesses manage projects such as product launches, system rollouts and operational improvements.

• Develop practical tools for keeping projects on track in real workplace settings.

This helps you build project delivery skills that are useful across a wide range of business roles and industries.

Capstone project in Business

This course brings together the knowledge and skills developed throughout the degree.

• Apply your learning to a real business challenge.

• Use strategy, analysis, planning and communication to work through a complex problem.

• Bring together knowledge from different parts of the degree in a practical way. 

• Demonstrate your ability to think and work at a bachelor-degree level.

It is a valuable opportunity to show that you can apply business knowledge in a professional and practical context.

Elective options that build real-world experience

These electives let you shape part of your learning around your interests and future career direction.

Together, they help broaden your perspective and strengthen the practical skills that support long-term business success.

Industry placement

This elective gives you the chance to apply your learning in a real business environment.

• Gain direct experience in a professional workplace setting.

• Apply your knowledge to practical business tasks and challenges.

• Build confidence in communication, teamwork and workplace problem solving. 

• Start developing professional networks and industry exposure.

For many students, this is one of the most valuable ways to connect study with real business experience.

Digital transformation and innovation in Business

This elective explores how businesses use innovation and technology to stay competitive.

• Learn how digital strategy supports growth and organisational change.

• Explore how businesses use tools such as AI, cloud platforms, and emerging technologies.

• Understand how innovation affects customer service, operations, and decision making. 

• Build a broader view of how technology is shaping the future of business.

This makes it a useful option for students who want to understand where modern business is heading next.

Performance improvements in global environments

This elective focuses on how organisations improve results across larger and more complex environments.

• Explore how businesses operate across different markets, teams and systems.

• Learn about budgeting, costing and financial decision making in global contexts.

• Understand how organisations measure and improve broader business performance. 

• Build insight into how international environments shape strategic decision making.

This is a valuable option for students interested in larger organisations and global business settings.

Together, these courses help take your skills beyond the Associate Degree level. They build your ability to think strategically, understand governance, lead people and make decisions with a bigger picture view.