BA (Hons) Graduate Apprenticeship Business Management

Overview

Real-world experience and professionally-oriented content

Welcome to the fully-funded BA (Hons) Business Management Graduate Apprenticeship, a comprehensive program designed to nurture the future generation of well-rounded and knowledgeable managers. Throughout this transformative learning journey, you will acquire deep knowledge across various business management subjects, equipping you with essential skills to thrive in senior management roles. As our course is designed inline with CMI Chartered Manager accreditation, on completion you will not only earn a BA (Hons) Business Management degree from GCU, but can also take the CMI professional route to become eligible for the esteemed accreditation.

As we have designed the course with the CMI values in mind, the course offers numerous advantages for individuals seeking career growth and recognition in the professional world. As a globally recognised credential, our course content not only complements academic achievements but also showcases practical leadership and management capabilities. Choosing GCU gives individuals a competitive edge in the job market, enhancing employability and opening doors to a wide range of career opportunities. Ultimately, the course is an investment in your future, solidifying your reputation as a competent and respected leader in your field.

Our Business Management Apprentices work in roles such team leader, manager, customer services director, personal assistant and administrator. Applicants must be living and working in Scotland in the same field as the Graduate Apprenticeship course they are applying to, if you are not employed yet, visit Skills Development Scotland to explore relevant vacancies.

Unlock the potential of a business management apprenticeship

Our curriculum covers an extensive array of subjects, including strategy, leadership, risk management, business law, marketing, finance, brand management, project management, innovation, and business ethics. As a result graduates emerge as adaptable and innovative professionals, well-prepared to excel in diverse business scenarios, making them valuable assets in any industry.

Our unique approach combines academic learning with practical work-based experiences, enabling apprentices to apply theory directly to real-world scenarios. This holistic approach equips them with the necessary skills to make informed decisions, navigate challenges, and drive organisations towards success. As apprentices apply their learning in real-time in the workplace, they will not only gain valuable insights and knowledge but also make a meaningful contribution in their role as they learn.

The Business Management Graduate Apprenticeship offers significant benefits to employers from a human capital and talent management perspective. Employers have the opportunity to strengthen their skills pipeline by either upskilling their current employees or recruiting fresh talent into the business and supporting them through the Graduate Apprenticeship. Choosing GCU's professionally oriented course enhances the credibility and recognition of graduates allowing employers to gain quantifiable numbers of professionally qualified individuals, reinforcing their commitment to quality and standards, further boosting their ISO quality standards.

The combination of degree education, CMI-oriented content, and in-business mentoring underscores how this approach not only drives diversity but also provides valuable upskilling opportunities for both employers and their employees. Ultimately, the Business Management Graduate Apprenticeship proves to be an exceptional investment in talent development, organisational growth, and corporate excellence.

To take a deeper dive into the benefits of a Graduate Apprenticeship at GCU please visit our FAQs below and our Guide to Graduate Apprenticeships. Additionally, our portfolio of Case Studies offer a compelling first-hand account of the experiences of our apprentices and their respective employers.

Embrace diversity by adopting a global perspective and nurturing intercultural skills

At Glasgow Caledonian University, we take pride in promoting accessibility and inclusivity and our graduate apprenticeship programmes are no different. We believe in empowering all individuals to seize the opportunities that graduate apprenticeships have to offer, regardless of their personal or academic background. Welcoming individuals who may be the first in their families to attend university or have entered the workforce at an early age and now seek to advance their education, our programme is tailored to suit a diverse range of apprentices and their unique set of skills and circumstances.

All Apprenticeships are fully-funded, therefore choosing to embark on the Business Management Graduate Apprenticeship route means that apprentices avoid the financial burdens associated with more traditional routes. By offering the opportunity to pursue a management career while earning a full-time salary, this program creates a diverse talent pool and promotes greater inclusivity in leadership positions.

These values also extend to the course's academic content as you will gain a profound understanding of the complexities of the global business environment, with an emphasis on managing intercultural issues, which we recognise as vital skills in today's rapidly changing world. With our programme both employers and apprentices are guaranteed a quality learning experience with two-thirds of GCU research impact for business and management studies courses being rated as outstanding or very considerable (Research Excellence Framework 2021).

All Apprenticeships are fully-funded by the Scottish Funding Council. Applicants will also need to complete a SAAS Graduate Apprenticeship application form. The course team will review the skills, knowledge, academic qualifications and experience of all applicants, which will all be used to inform the level of the apprenticeship candidates will begin their education.

What you
will study

Course
Information

Award	Mode of study	Duration	Start date	Location
BA (Hons)	Blended Learning	4 Years	Sep 25	Glasgow	Enquire Apply

Standard entry

For new employees applying directly from school:

All applicants must be working in full-time employment in a role commensurate to the programme of study. Applicants should also have the support of their employer.

UCAS Tariff: 114

Scottish Higher: ABBB or equivalent

Foundation Apprenticeships

We accept selected Foundation Apprenticeships, in combination with SQA Highers, for entry to our degree programmes. Your Foundation Apprenticeship will take the place of one SQA Higher qualification for our standard entry requirements and will be treated as equivalent to a B grade at Higher.

Modern Apprenticeships

If you have completed a Modern Apprenticeship at SCQF level 6 in a relevant discipline this would be equivalent to two Highers at B.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

For applicants with prior work experience and professional qualifications, there is a possibility to be considered through the university’s flexible entry system through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

This process allows prospective graduate apprentices to claim credit(s) against previously assessed and certificated learning, including informal learning, to be considered and recognised for academic purposes and credit within their course.

Advanced entry may also be granted through RPL. Skills, knowledge, academic qualifications and experience will all be used to inform which year of the degree you will enter into.

Additional requirements

Candidates must be employed in the same field as the course of study and must supply a supporting letter from their employer as part of the admissions process.

You must be living and working in Scotland in the same field as the Graduate Apprenticeship course you are applying to.

Assessment methods

A Graduate Apprenticeship is a work based degree course, where learning is applied and assessed in the workplace. You will be responsible for your own learning and assessment but supported by workplace mentors.

This course has no exams - assessments for each of the 6 modules per level will consist of course work, projects and assignments. This varied approach complements our combination of academic education and practical work experience, providing a comprehensive assessment of apprentices through various means.

The course is delivered via blended learning, (online and face to face). All reading material, tutor discussions, assignment setting, marking and feedback, timelines and key dates are located online in the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), GCU Learn. You will also have access to the University’s award-winning library.

In the final year of the course, you will work with your mentor and employer to identify a suitable work-based project which will form part of the assessment for honours level study.

Student experience

In the 2022 National Student Survey, this course received an overall satisfaction level of 84% – an outstanding recommendation provided by final year students on the quality of teaching and learning on this programme.

Why GCU?

Increasingly, society is looking to business owners and managers to lead the way in creating a fairer, more sustainable world. Social responsibility, ethics and sustainability are at the top of our agenda. We are the first Scottish university to join the UN Global Compact. This is the world’s biggest voluntary corporate responsibility partnership. We are committed to the UN’s Global Goals. This is a calling for future leaders who want to build an inclusive and sustainable global economy.

As we are the University for the Common Good, our business management degree is focused on social responsibility in business. We are members of the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME)network. As such, we prepare future leaders and managers to deal with some of the complex challenges facing business and society.

Work based learning

Graduate Apprenticeships are co-designed by GCU and industry partners. GCU invites a diverse range of guest lecturers - dependent on relevant subject areas, current industry news and course needs - to share their expertise in every subject area.

Graduate success

This Graduate Apprenticeship is suited to candidates in roles ranging from team leader, supervisor, managers in operations, customer service, HR, procurement, supply chain and a broad range of management roles in the public, private, or not-for-profit sectors.

The programme is adaptable to the needs of those in mid-career pathway as well as those in senior roles seeking to catch up on academic and professional qualifications.

This programme is designed to meet the Chartered Management Institute benchmark statements for the Chartered Manager qualification; successful candidates are eligible to apply to gain this additional qualification.

The application process

Complete GCU online application - you should ensure a complete application includes a letter of support from your employer, your highest education certificate and proof of residency where applicable
Your GCU application will be reviewed by the programme leader and you will receive a decision letter by email along with SAAS application instruction and an SDS learner registration form
You should complete your SAAS application and return SAAS funding confirmation and your SDS learner registration form to us by email
Finally, you will receive a registry request which can be completed via the GCU portal

Previous study

Candidates will also qualify for GA funding even if they hold a degree or master level qualification, as long as it’s not in the same subject area.

For example, someone who holds a degree in Business Management can still apply for a Graduate Apprenticeship in Software Development.

Compliance documentation

All new graduate apprentices are required to complete an SDS learner registration and an equality form. This is completed by the apprentice and signed by the apprentice and their employer before returning to the GCU GA team.

After completion of each academic year, apprentices are required to complete an SDS progress review form. This form will be sent out by GCU.

Eligibility

Anyone can become a graduate apprentice as long as they meet the following criteria:

Have the support of their employer
Have a workplace mentor, assigned by the employer
Are working in the same field as the Graduate Apprenticeship course they are applying to.
Living and Working in Scotland*
*To meet residency conditions, apprentices must have settled status and, for the three years immediately before the start of your course, been living in:

The United Kingdom (UK).
The Channel Islands.
The Isle of Man.

Apprentices must also be living (ordinarily resident) in Scotland on the day their course starts. Where ‘ordinarily resident’ means to have 'habitual and normal residence in one place'. The Scottish Government expects someone who is ordinarily resident in Scotland to have made their home in Scotland with the intention of staying and living here, and not just to undertake the apprenticeship programme.

Research-led teaching

Business and management studies research

* Two-thirds of research impact for business and management studies rated as outstanding or very considerable (REF2021)

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