BSc (Hons) Maritime Business Bachelor's degree at the University of Plymouth
BSc (Hons) Maritime Business at University of Plymouth was founded in 1992 and is accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) for exemptions from professional examinations and by the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS).
About this course
BSc (Hons) Maritime Business is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at the University of Plymouth, based in University of Plymouth Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Business and management graduates from this provider, 95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 70% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £27,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Business & Management, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Stronger evidence Published sample: 105. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 95% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 100% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 6 modules
- Introduction to Shipping Business and LawCore20 credits
Module details
This module introduces you to the core vocabulary, practices and laws of the international commercial shipping industry. You will consider the ship as a vehicle for carrying cargo and the factors that influence its performance as a business investment, as well as an introduction to English and international commercial law.
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Examinations
- Transport and LogisticsCore20 credits
Module details
This module introduces you to concepts relevant to the study of logistics within the context of supply chain management. You will also consider elements of freight transport systems.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Business FinanceCore
Module details
To succeed in business, you need a solid understanding of financial information and its application to decision making. This module introduces you to financial statements, management and cost accounting; you'll learn about their role in effective planning and control. You'll gain practical experience preparing and interpreting data and developing core financial literacy to support sustainable and informed business decisions.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Organisational BehaviourCore
Module details
Do you want to get the most out of yourself and work more effectively with others? This module connects psychological insights with workplace realities, exploring motivation, team dynamics, leadership, and organisational culture. You'll develop the resilience, self-awareness and interpersonal skills that employers demand, learning to influence outcomes, perform effectively and thrive in any workplace.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Operations and Supply ChainsCore
Module details
Discover how successful businesses operate behind the scenes. This module shows you how products and services are designed, delivered, and improved to meet customer needs in a fast-changing world. You'll see what's happening in business operations and supply chains now, with projects and case studies that build your knowledge and skills. You'll be ready, knowing what's needed to optimise organisations for the future.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Global Business EnvironmentsCore
Module details
Understand the external forces that shape every business decision. This module covers economic principles, competitive dynamics, and global market trends that drive strategy. You'll learn to analyse GDP, inflation, exchange rates and market structures, using data and frameworks to inform planning. Essential knowledge for navigating complexity in any commercial role.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
Year 2 7 modules
- Careers and Professional DevelopmentCore
Module details
This module is aimed at enhancing students employability skills and knowledge especially those who will be undertaking an industrial placement in the third year of their degree. It is designed to build on skills learned in Stage 1 and helps students in their search for a placement, and in their preparation for the placement itself.
- Research Skills for Maritime BusinessCore20 credits
Module details
This module introduces students to the analytical skills and sources of data that they need to research key issues in maritime business and related fields. It uses contemporary debates to explore quantitative and qualitative approaches and to develop skills in interpreting, analysing, evaluating and presenting information (including writing and oral presentation) in this complex international environment.
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Practicals
- The Challenge Module: Sustainable Supply Chains for Global TradeCore20 credits
Module details
In this module, you will be challenged to evaluate the sustainability of the globalised business world. You will assess conflicting viewpoints and present balanced arguments for the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the supply chains that support global trade.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Maritime Economics and GeographyCore
Module details
This module provides a sound understanding of maritime economic concepts and factors, and of the geographic environment in which ships function. These interrelated concepts are applied to the management of shipping and maritime businesses.
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Examinations
- International TradeCore
Module details
This module introduces students to international trade and international logistics, perfect for those interested in global business. Through exploring market entry strategies, cost-effective transportation methods, and the impact of trade agreements, students will develop the ability to analyse the dynamics of global commerce, preparing them for future roles in international business.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Managing Ships and PeopleCore
Module details
This module is designed to prepare future maritime managers by focusing on the key skills and knowledge of ship management. These include the financial and technical management of ships, crewing management and regulatory compliance.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Shipbroking and Cargo OperationsCore
Module details
This module provides the technical expertise in markets, cargoes, regulations and the marine commercial environment that is needed for shipbroking and ship and cargo operations. A shipbroker is an intermediary who facilitates various aspects of buying, selling, chartering, and managing ships, while operations management ensures safe and effective commercial operation of ships and delivery of cargoes.
Assessment: 50% Examinations 50% Tests
Year 3 1 modules
- Placement YearCore
Module details
The placement year consists of an extended period of appropriate professional experience in a business or organisation. It allows the student to gain relevant experience to consolidate their studies and prepare for final stage study and employment after graduation. Students on BA International Business may also or alternatively undertake a study placement at an approved partner institution.
Final Year 10 modules
- Managerial Accounting and Shipping FinanceCore20 credits
Module details
In this module, you will gain a strategic understanding of the industry via an overview of the role of financial and management accounting within the business environment, including capital investment models and sources of finance appropriate in the shipping sector. You will explore decision making theories such as system thinking, game theory and decision trees along with model application to shipping and maritime industry and associated accounting and finance applications.
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Examinations
- Strategic Maritime ManagementCore20 credits
Module details
In this module, you will gain an in-depth knowledge of the strategies, activities and responsibilities related to the management of ships and shipping companies in an international environment.
Assessment: 60% Remotely delivered assessments 40% Coursework
- Continued Careers and Professional DevelopmentCore
Module details
The Continued Career and Professional Development module is a development scheme designed to enhance students' employability and builds on the stage 2 module. The stage 3 module focuses on providing students with information on graduate options and equips them with the knowledge and skills necessary for articulating and recording achievement and applying for graduate positions. The module also includes a number of workshops and events designed to develop students' skills and knowledge, with the
- Final Year DissertationCore
Module details
The module builds upon research and study skills developed in earlier modules. Students are required to undertake supervised independent research into a field of their choice that is relevant to their degree. Use should be made of appropriate research qualitative and/or quantitative methodologies.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- International Logistics ManagementOptional20 credits
Module details
In this module you will examine the key elements within logistics management and explore the latest industrial and technological developments in the context of globalisation.
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Tests
- Marine Insurance and Admiralty LawOptional20 credits
Module details
This module focuses on law relating to Marine Insurance and Admiralty Law, including the law of General Average.
Assessment: 60% Examinations 40% Coursework
- Supply Chain Risk and Maritime SecurityOptional20 credits
Module details
This module explores supply chain risks and considers the theory and practice that underpin their management. Risk and resilience management techniques, strategies and theoretical approaches will be considered for supply chain management and maritime security. You will learn how to identify, assess and manage the strategic, organisational, environmental and technological risks and threats presented by unpredictable situations.
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Tests
- Carriage of Goods and Passengers by SeaOptional20 credits
Module details
In this module, you will explore the law relating to freight and passenger contracts by sea.
Assessment: 60% Examinations 40% Coursework
- Ports and IntermodalismOptional20 credits
Module details
In this module you will examine national policies, governance and operations associated with port and intermodal activities set within the context of a globalised industry, giving you an understanding of ports and terminals and their development and management.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Purchasing and Procurement ProcessesOptional
Module details
You will use various strategic analysis tools to explore the concept of purchasing strategy within the procurement function. The module also examines the importance of procurement and its integration with other organizational functions and supply chains.
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Examinations
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
You'll study the business fundamentals that underpin the maritime and shipping sectors, moving from core management principles to applied strategy and specialist options. Year 1 covers introduction to management and organisations, marketing principles, and business economics with data skills. Year 2 typically progresses to operations and supply chain management, organisational behaviour and human resource management, and strategic analysis. Year 3 usually offers specialist electives such as entrepreneurship, international business, digital business, consulting, marketing, and people & HR, alongside capstone or consultancy projects that integrate your learning through real client briefs or dissertations. Throughout, you'll develop the analytical and commercial awareness needed in shipping, ports, logistics and maritime trade.
Who it's for
Most students entering this course held another higher-education qualification (65% of accepted students over recent years). Typical entrants had a UCAS tariff between 96 and 111 points.
Careers & job market
Across Business & Management courses nationally, 87% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating, and 60% of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study. Starting salaries 15 months after graduation range from £24,000 to £32,000 nationally; after three years, £21,250 to £30,000; after five years, £26,350 to £37,200. The course offers specialisations such as Marketing, Finance, HR, Operations, Strategy, International Business, Entrepreneurship, Supply Chain and Consulting. First-year retention stands at 81%.
University & format
This BSc (Hons) degree is delivered full-time over 3 years at the University of Plymouth Campus in England, taught in English. The University of Plymouth is a nationally recognised UK degree-awarding body. The course is accredited by the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) and the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) for exemptions from professional examinations. The university holds Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| another higher-education qualification | 65% |
| A-levels or equivalent | 25% |
| a previous degree | 5% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at University of Plymouth →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Business & Management graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £27,000 | £23,500 – £32,000 | 105 |
| 3 years after | £24,000 | £19,000 – £30,000 | 675 |
| 5 years after | £29,000 | £23,500 – £39,000 | 680 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 105. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate / AnalystOn a scheme or first role · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / ManagerOwning an area, marketing, finance, ops · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / Head ofLeading a function and a team · 5–10 yrs
- 4Director / FounderRunning a business unit or your own company · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Business & Management nationally
National figures for Business & Management graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 105. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Business & Management courses at the same study level.
Compared with 3,421 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 35% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 100; response rate: 50%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Business & Management graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine reporting and data pulls
- First-draft decks and copy
- Standard forecasts and reconciliations
- Scheduling and admin workflows
More human than ever
- Strategy and judgement under uncertainty
- Leading, negotiating and selling
- Sense-checking and owning what AI produces
- Relationships with clients and teams
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Business & Management graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Consultancies
- Corporate graduate schemes
- Retail & FMCG
- Startups & scale-ups
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Business & Management graduates.
Business Director, Marketing ScienceXcedeBusiness ManagerLGPS CentralBusiness Change ManagerIGA Talent SolutionsBusiness Case ManagerPeregrineBusiness DirectorMedialab GroupBusiness Rates SurveyorW TalentIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £27,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 9.3 out of 10: NSS 84.4% · in work or study 95% · continued 100%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of Plymouth
Business and management across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around University of Plymouth Campus
3,218 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Business & Management right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to University of Plymouth from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £9,790 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check University of Plymouth’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with University of Plymouth and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Plymouth
Business & Management at other universities
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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