BA (Hons) Popular Music and Business Management Bachelor's degree at the University of Derby

This module offers the opportunity for the student to develop musicianship skills though the investigation of alternate traditions in musical performance. The student is encouraged to develop aesthetic sensibilities, interrogating and manipulating the elements of expressive musical performance, in less familiar traditions inviting experimentation and creative risk taking, whilst maintaining listener coherence and performer communication. The essential components of musical language will be re-evaluated in the context of exploring and developing more novel expressive voices.

Assessment: Practical

Art and Science of Recording enables students to develop practical and technical knowledge of modern recording studio practice. The module provides an opportunity to manage a recording studio session, explore and apply fundamental recording concepts with confidence, and deploy core post-production techniques. Utilising industry-standard software students will acquire understanding of the operational features employed in computer-based recording systems. Interpersonal skills are developed within the module through group work activities resulting in a portfolio of recorded material.

Assessment: Coursework

This module introduces organisational behaviour (OB) theory and research to help you gain an understanding of the range of individual, group and organisational factors which can influence the way that employees behave in the workplace. You will practice applying the theory to case study organisations to explore how it can be used as an analytical tool to gain a clearer understanding of the complex causes of workplace behaviour in order to develop effective management interventions.

Assessment: Coursework

This module will assume no prior accounting knowledge. You will learn how to prepare accounts for small businesses and then apply that knowledge to larger organisations. This module will assume no prior accounting knowledge. You will learn how to prepare accounts for small businesses and then apply that knowledge to larger organisations. Numbers by themselves can be misleading and you will progress to examining accounting statements to assess just how well a business is performing. Managers cannot improve the performance of a business unless they make correct interpretations of situations and learn how to diagnose problems. Business costs will be identified and analysed to aid decision makin

Assessment: Coursework

This introduction to the “fundamentals of marketing” module will provide you with a basic understanding of the current and emerging marketing principles and techniques within the business environment. It seeks to establish that sustainable market success within a highly competitive environment can only be achieved by developing products or services based upon an understanding of the external environment and customers’ needs and wants. During the module you will not only consider how to add value for customers and other stakeholders but also learn to assess the impact that marketing activities have on consumers’ lives. Your assessment is coursework-based, designed to enable you to demonstrate

Assessment: Coursework

This largely practical module aims to provide the next generation of sound composers and music producers with the necessary appreciation of multi-channel audio techniques and concomitant perceptual effects. Virtual reality ‘sound-and-vision’ artificial environments are proliferating in usages such as cinema, education, computer games, data representation, and acoustic modelling, providing many new opportunities for virtual reality audio content-producers

Assessment: Coursework, Practical

This module develops musicianship skills through participation in collaborative ensemble music sessions, involving the performance of authentic re-creative and the development of original co-creative musical ideas. The student will be given the opportunity to assimilate theoretical and aesthetic systems of thought and to relate theory to practice through the study of a body of music and the repertoires, texts, resources and concepts associated with it, recognising and responding to aspects of musical organisation, whether aurally or by studying a written score.

Assessment: Practical

The music industry is constantly evolving to meet the challenges that advancing technology and the changing needs of the music consumer brings. Consequently, it is essential to have a clear understanding of this business. This module explores this and associated industries and develops a comprehensive understanding of the business and potential careers for the music graduate. This module will also provide the opportunity to relate academic knowledge and vocational skills to the professional work environment. This module has a research focus for the essentials that are needed to understand and work in the music industry.

Assessment: Coursework

Relationship management and its implementation via public relations activities is an increasingly important aspect of corporate communications. Along with marketing communications it remains an area which stimulates wide differences of opinion as to where it lies in relation to the marketing function of organisations. The module is designed to allow you to recognise which is the most appropriate approach given particular business contexts and the issues affecting it. Public Relations is about managing a corporate image and reputation. Deciding which public a company needs to engage with and which media to utilise in delivering the corporate ‘message’ are key issues that the module will equip

Assessment: Coursework

This module will equip you with the skills needed to evaluate the financial data used to produce company financial statements. You will learn the importance of choosing the correct form of finance for a given business. You will gain an appreciation of the value of corporate governance and the responsibility of good managers to wider stakeholders in the business. Without good management control and coordination of financial resources, businesses frequently fail to meet their potential. You will study common pitfalls in performance management and how to avoid them. This module will equip you with key skills, such as the ability to understand, analyse and interpret financial, management and non

Assessment: Coursework

This module explores approaches to talent planning and resourcing adopted by organisations in response to different labour market conditions and strategic business needs. You will analyse the range of human resources (HR) tools and techniques used to manage the attraction, retention and departure of employees within the UK legal framework. By the end of the module, you will be able to describe HR planning, recruitment and retention methods and demonstrate skills required to undertake many of these in the workplace.

Assessment: Coursework

This module develops key skills for your future employment in business - the ability to use spread sheets for quantitative analysis, and the skills to interpret and communicate the results of data analysis. These are key skills required by the Chartered Management Institute. The skill base developed gives you the confidence and experience to prepare an analysis of real data to inform a business decision or underpin a business strategy. These skills also prepare you for evidenced based analysis required in other modules within your programme including finance, marketing and strategy. This module contributes to CMI accreditation for BA (Hons) Business Management students.

Assessment: Coursework

Many contemporary business firms rely heavily on the adoption and use of a portfolio of IT applications and information assets (e.g. database, transaction-processing and decision support systems, web-based interfaces and e-business platforms). This diverse portfolio of systems and data, together with the various groups of staff who maintain or manage them, collectively comprise the corporate ‘IT landscape’ of the firm. A systematic understanding of this multifaceted landscape, and the way it is resourced, organised and developed, is important for the practice of developing an IT architecture. An IT architecture is an enterprise-wide framework (or strategy) which provides coherence, coordinat

Assessment: Exam

Being creative can be thought of as coming up with new and original ideas, whereas innovation can be defined as the development and application of these new ideas to develop new opportunities, create original products and services and to solve problems. Both of these activities are necessary for the innovation funnel to be successful. In this hands-on module, you will discover how to generate new and creative ideas, and how to develop innovative products and services out of those ideas. Crucially, this may mean looking to other areas and subjects for inspiration and progress. To do all this, you will have the opportunity to work with other students on a real business problem, finding out you

Assessment: Coursework

This module will give you the tools, techniques and theory behind how digital marketing works within a business environment. During this module you will learn about best practice and key elements of managing digital marketing in an ‘always on’ 24/7 environment. You will learn how to audit and evaluate competitors’ digital footprints as well as understand how to gain consumer insights using digital techniques. Your assessment is coursework-based, designed to provide practical life and employment skills, developing an outline digital marketing plan. This assessment will contribute towards key skills sought by employers, including: evaluation, understanding of digital tools, presentation and bu

Assessment: Coursework

This module will develop your knowledge and understanding of the relevant concepts and models as well as appropriate project planning software. It will enable you to develop an effective project plan, monitor the progress of the project, while simultaneously identifying and managing the associated project risks. The module will equip you to discuss and apply project management methodologies and key project management tools, as well as developing knowledge of the Project lifecycle and comprehension of how to keep project stakeholders informed and ‘on-board’.

Assessment: Coursework, Exam

Managing the performance of staff is essential to the smooth running of organisations. This module analyses the range of human resource management (HRM) activities undertaken within organisations to manage the performance of its employees and explores the devolution of many of these roles and responsibilities to line managers. It provides an introduction to the knowledge and skills required to undertake these activities professionally and effectively in the workplace. By the end of the module students will be able to analyse the causes of poor performance within organisations and the principles and practices of effective performance management. They will be able to explain how these practice

Assessment: Coursework

This module forms part of the placement year typically completed between the second and final stage of a degree programme. The module provides a framework for the development of reflective skills appropriate to all areas of professional practice including for example aspects of problem solving such as objective setting, planning, negotiating, demonstrating, and reflecting. The emphasis in this module is on the analysis and evaluation of work completed within the organisation and future employability planning. During the module students will develop a reflective portfolio where they record the skills, knowledge and experience developed during the placement experience and evaluate how this wil

Assessment: Coursework

This module presents you with the opportunity to develop a portfolio of commercially orientated musical recordings, consolidating the technical and music production skills developed in previous production and performance modules. It allows you to convey personal expression and imagination in practical music making through the development of original compositions or individual arrangements of existing compositions approaching a professional level. The musical and technical objectives of the portfolio are negotiated as appropriate with the tutor and need to be of relevance to the experience and expertise of you as a distinct component of your final year studies. Module learning outcomes On suc

Assessment: Coursework

You will investigate a specific area of personal interest, developing skills and experience relevant to the intended career path. The module extends knowledge and skills acquired during levels 4 and 5, and requires you to undertake co-authored, practical and technical research into your chosen area of expertise, resulting in a professional event or artefact. To facilitate the project’s realisation, a supervising tutor will be allocated to provide support and guidance throughout the duration of the project Module learning outcomes Collaborate with co-creators, including potentially those from different artistic disciplines, to produce a high-level event or artefact Plan, manage and document h

Assessment: Coursework, Practical

The Research Project module is a significant element of specialist degree programmes, requiring initiative, resourcefulness, time management and professionalism. The module aims to develop students’ abilities to work independently, objectively researching an individual topic in appropriate academic depth using relevant concepts and techniques. The process is intended to allow students to develop skills particularly relevant to a career in their specialist area, demonstrating how knowledge and understanding interconnects with other disciplines in the arts, humanities, social and physical sciences as appropriate. Students will collect, analyse and apply information, and exhibit skills such as

Assessment: Coursework

This module provides a comprehensive analysis of the principles and practices of the international supply chain and the strategic impact this can have on the organisation. With the ever-increasing pressure of competition among companies, the move towards consolidation of global production and the improvements in communication and transportation systems the supply market is now a global phenomenon. To that end the sourcing and outsourcing of materials or the engagement of service providers is taking on an international perspective. This alters dramatically the role of purchasing, to a more strategic and global posture. This module explores the forces that guide the development of the supply c

Assessment: Coursework

As a student of Marketing and a future Marketing professional, you must have a thorough understanding of the added complexities involved in global marketing and how these impact on the formulation of marketing plans and strategies. Organisations in all sectors and industries face increasing international competition; this could be from multi-nationals or competitors establishing themselves in their domestic environment, the need for foreign suppliers or indeed when they seek to establish operations abroad. This module seeks to build on the knowledge and concepts you will have encountered at earlier stages of the programme. It aims to familiarise you with a range of issues and concepts encoun

Assessment: Coursework

As companies need to become more established in the international environment, the challenge to create, establish, maintain and develop effective policy and practice in managing a more culturally diverse workforce is seen as a pivotal component of business success. The module explores, examines and compares different approaches to HR and how these opportunities available to organisations can facilitate entry or help confirm their position in the global market.

Assessment: Coursework

Developing a business opportunity, whether in a new venture or any existing business if often about spotting what you think is an opportunity and then developing a product or service to address that opportunity. However, businesses often develop new products and services in isolation from customers as they do not want their ideas copied by competitors. However, if there is no conversation with and feedback from the potential end customer during this phase, there is a high risk of wasted time and money as that the product will be require further development at best and at worst, could be a total failure. An alternative approach is that of the lean business venture. In this approach, a minimum

Assessment: Coursework

The analysis of financial statements can tell us a great deal about the health of a company and its ability to deal with future challenges, which is a key skill in any business environment, whether or not profit is the primary motivation. This module concentrates on using the financial, economic and non-quantitative information available to assess the relative strengths of entities and their ability to react to the impact of outside forces on their performance.

Assessment: Coursework

The rapid development rate of technology has increased customer expectations with regard to when and where we buy and collect our products, which has led to the development of the ‘Omni’ channel concept and making retailers re-think how they store and distribute their products. Whilst learning about traditional distribution channels, this module will also enable you to explore the Omni channel concept and the potential impacts on distribution centre and outbound logistics activities and operations, together with understanding the vital links between such operations and other aspects of the business (the value chain). Many organisations focus on the outbound logistics and getting the goods to

Assessment: Coursework

This module has been developed in response to demand from employers for graduates who understand the importance and complexity of branding for 21st-century marketing. One of the key challenges for organisations and individuals (eg celebrity) is to create distinctive, sustainable and differentiated identities and positions for themselves in an increasingly cluttered marketplace. Developing celebrity and brands based on other forms of popular culture that accurately and effectively reflect their goals, values, personality and aspirations on the one hand and benefits and satisfaction sought by a variety of customers on the other is one way in which organisations can increase their visibility, d

Assessment: Coursework

This module seeks to develop your understanding of the emerging area of international entrepreneurship and how you can apply that knowledge in a real life situation. In recent years, international business and entrepreneurship have been coalescing into a single cognate area that is now becoming regarded as cohesive in its own right. Trading blocs such as the EU have placed emphasis on entrepreneurship as an engine of economic growth and the trend towards greater international involvement of SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) is accelerated by technological advances. At the same time, globalisation has prompted the re-emergence of local cultures which influence the growth of entreprene

Assessment: Coursework