Business Economics with a European Language (Spanish) (BSc)
Understanding the theoretical aspects of Economics allows students to engage with a number of problems and policy issues.
Course overview
The Business Economics degree programme with Spanish provides students with an understanding of economic theory, particularly that which focuses on the organisational and managerial characteristics of the modern business enterprise. It also aims to provide a high level of competence in Spanish and knowledge of the economy of Spain.
The programme aims to inform you of the main features of the UK industrial economy and the key developments in business.
You will examine government and international business policy to identify their ramifications for the development of markets and firms. The course will introduce you to subject areas outside the economics discipline by offering you the opportunity to follow modules in business finance, marketing and other aspects of management.
Through the study of business economics and Spanish, the programme encourages a range of transferable discipline-specific and core skills that will be of value to you in future education and in your subsequent careers.
Distinctive features
The distinctive features of the Economics Programme include:
- the opportunity to specialise in economic analysis through all three years of study and therefore to build up considerable knowledge and skills in the discipline;
- the intellectual challenge derived from exposure to recent developments in economic theory;
- the development of substantial quantitative and empirical research skills;
- the chance to proceed to postgraduate study in economics at the UK’s premier Universities;
- the possibility of moving into careers in the government economic service and major economic consultancies;
- study year abroad in a Spanish-speaking country.
| UCAS code | L1RY |
|---|---|
| Next intake | September 2020 |
| Duration | 4 years |
| Mode | Full time |
| Typical places available | The school typically has 425 places available. |
| Typical applications received | The school typically receives 2850 applications. |
Contact
Ask a questionEntry requirements
AAB including a B in Spanish or equivalent. Please note, General Studies, Critical Thinking and Citizenship Studies will not be accepted.
Extended Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard A level offer. Please note that any subject specific requirements must still be met.
The Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate will be accepted in lieu of one A-Level (at the grades listed above), excluding any specified subjects.
DD in BTEC in Business and grade B in Spanish A-Level.
IB 35-32 including 6 in HL Spanish, or 665-655 in 3 HL subjects including 6 in HL Spanish.
Alternative qualifications may be accepted. For further information on entry requirements, see the Cardiff Business School admissions criteria pages.
IELTS (academic)
At least 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each sub-score.
TOEFL iBT
At least 90 with minimum scores of 17 for writing, 17 for listening, 18 for reading and 20 for speaking.
PTE Academic
62 with a minimum of 51 in all communicative skills.
Trinity ISE II/III
II: at least two Distinctions and two Merits.
III: at least a Pass in all components.
Other accepted qualifications
Please visit our English Language requirements page for more information on our other accepted language qualifications.
You will require GCSE Maths grade B or 6, and GCSE English Language Grade C or 4.
Tuition fees
UK and EU students (2020/21)
Please see our fee amounts page for the latest information.
Students from outside the EU (2020/21)
Please see our fee amounts page for the latest information.
Additional costs
Accommodation
We have a range of residences to suit your needs and budget. Find out more on our accommodation pages.
Course structure
The Business Economics with Spanish course is a full-time 4 year course of study, involving both compulsory and optional modules in all 4 years. Students usually study 120 credits each year and 480 in total.
A significant proportion of the modules included in the programme are taught by the Business School’s Economics Section. Certain modules, notably in year one, are taught by other sections of the Business School. The language modules are taught by the University’s School of Modern Languages.
The third year is spent abroad.
The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2020/21 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2020.
Year one
In year one you take two compulsory double modules, plus one further compulsory double module per semester (Microeconomics and Macroeconomics) along with a compulsory language module.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Applied Stats and Maths in Econ and Business | BS1501 | 20 credits |
| Economic History | BS1546 | 20 credits |
| Microeconomics | BS1551 | 20 credits |
| Macroeconomics | BS1652 | 20 credits |
| Advanced Spanish Language Year 1 | ML0188 | 40 credits |
Year two
In year two you will take 60 credits of core modules in the Business School and 60 credit core modules in the School of Modern Languages.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Microeconomic Theory | BS2550 | 20 credits |
| Managerial Economics | BS2560 | 20 credits |
| Introductory Econometrics | BS2570 | 20 credits |
| Ex-Advanced Language Year 2 Spanish | ML0279 | 30 credits |
| The World & Language of Business (Spanish) | ML0283 | 30 credits |
Year three: Sandwich year
Year three consists of one year's study at a university in Spain as part of your degree. The programme of study is subject to approval by Cardiff Business School and will be equivalent to 6 double or 12 single Cardiff Business School modules (120 credits). It will consist of modules in economics, management, accounting, business etc., taught and assessed in Spanish, and will thus provide competency in the language within a framework of economics accounting, and business specialisations.
Cardiff Business School has developed links with several universities or equivalent institutions in France, Germany, Switzerland and Spain. It is intended that the size of each group from Cardiff Business School at any host institution will be two to four students. Students studying in Europe as part of their degree programme may be eligible for a grant from the Erasmus scheme, operated by the British Council.
Cardiff Business School has international partnership agreements with high ranking institutions in Europe. The School currently has bi-lateral exchange agreements with:
In Spain
- University Ramon Lull, IQS Barcelona
- Universidad Pontificia, Comillas Madrid, ICADE
- Universidad de Navarra
- Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
- University of Extremadura, Badajoz
- University of Valencia
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Intercalary Study Programme in Europe | BS4009 | 120 credits |
Year four
In year four you will take 60 credits of core modules and 30 credits of optional modules in the Business School, alongside a core 30 credit module in the School of Modern Languages. (Note: Module titles may not be duplicated in choosing optional modules)
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Business Applications | BS3547 | 20 credits |
| Modern Business Enterprise | BS3561 | 20 credits |
| Applied Macroeconomics and Finance | BS3570 | 20 credits |
| High-Level Proficiency in Spanish Language | ML0366 | 30 credits |
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Econometrics | BS3551 | 20 credits |
| International Economic History | BS3556 | 20 credits |
| Labour Economics | BS3558 | 20 credits |
| International Trade | BS3568 | 20 credits |
| Industrial Economics | BS3572 | 20 credits |
| The Economics of Development | BS3573 | 20 credits |
| Social Welfare | BS3574 | 20 credits |
| Econometrics | BS9551 | 10 credits |
| International Economic History | BS9556 | 10 credits |
| Labour Economics | BS9558 | 10 credits |
| International Trade | BS9568 | 10 credits |
| Social Welfare | BS9574 | 10 credits |
Learning and assessment
How will I be taught?
Our teaching is heavily informed by research and combines academic rigour with practical relevance. While our internationally recognised faculty consists of academics who are at the forefront of knowledge within their field. They bring the lessons learned from their most recent research into the classroom, giving you access to critical business thinking and contemporary real life examples and scenarios.
We will provide your teaching and learning resources, and will be responsive to your needs and views. For your part, you will need to put in the necessary amount of work both during and outside formal teaching sessions, and make good use of the facilities provided.
Most modules involve a mixture of lectures and small group teaching (called classes, seminars, workshops or tutorials).
Lectures provide an overview of the key concepts and frameworks for a topic, equipping you to carry out independent research for the seminars and to develop your own ideas. Seminars provide an opportunity for you to explore the ideas outlined in the lectures. Seminars may take various formats, including plenary group discussion, small-group work and student-led presentations.
Year 1
Scheduled learning and teaching activities
27%
Guided independent study
73%
Placements
0%
Year 2
Scheduled learning and teaching activities
null%
Guided independent study
null%
Placements
null%
Year 3
Scheduled learning and teaching activities
null%
Guided independent study
null%
Placements
null%
Year 4
Scheduled learning and teaching activities
22%
Guided independent study
78%
Placements
0%
How will I be supported?
You will be allocated a personal tutor at the beginning of your studies. Normally, your personal tutor will teach on your own degree course and you will keep the same personal tutor throughout your course.
Your personal tutor will be able to give you advice on academic issues, including module choice and assessment. If you encounter any problems which affect your studies, your personal tutor should always be your first point of contact; she/he will be able to put you in touch with the wide range of expert student support services provided by the University and the Students' Union as appropriate. You are required to meet with your personal tutor three points during each academic year but you are also encouraged to get in touch with them at any other point if you need help or advice.
For day-to-day information, the staff of our Undergraduate Student Hub are available, in person, by telephone or by email, from 8am to 6pm each weekday during term time to answer your questions.
You will have access through the Learning Central website to relevant multimedia material, presentations, lecture handouts, bibliographies, further links, electronic exercises and discussion circles.
The University offers a range of services including the Careers Service, the Counselling Service, the Disability and Dyslexia Service, the Student Support Service, and excellent libraries and resource centres.
Feedback
We’ll provide you with regular feedback on your work. This comes in a variety of formats including oral feedback, personalised feedback on written work, and generic written feedback.
You will be given general feedback following each examination period and will be able to discuss your overall performance with your personal tutor.
How will I be assessed?
Assessment methods vary from module to module but, across your degree scheme as a whole, you can expect a mixture of exams, coursework, essays, practical work, presentations, and individual and group projects.
Assessment methods (2017/18 data)
Year 1
Written exams
85%
Practical exams
5%
Coursework
10%
Year 2
Written exams
null%
Practical exams
null%
Coursework
null%
Year 3
Written exams
null%
Practical exams
null%
Coursework
null%
Year 4
Written exams
86%
Practical exams
0%
Coursework
14%
What skills will I practise and develop?
As a result of engaging fully with this course, you will acquire and develop a range of valuable skills, both those which are discipline specific and more generic ‘employability skills’. These will allow you to:
- grasp complex issues with confidence
- ask the right questions of complex texts
- have an imaginative appreciation of different views and options and analyse these critically
- identify and apply relevant data
- develop practical research skills
- propose imaginative solutions of your own that are rooted in evidence
- communicate clearly, concisely and persuasively in writing and speech
- sourcing, interpreting and presenting relevant numerical information – to support the composition of projects reports and business cases
- work to deadlines and priorities, managing a range of tasks at the same time
- work as part of a team, developing a collaborative approach to problem-solving
- use IT programmes and standard software packages, where appropriate
- take responsibility for your own learning programme and professional development.
Other information
Our Trading Room is used as part of some economics and accounting courses but is open to all Business School students. This facility is supervised by trained PhD students who will help you become familiar with the software and modelling techniques used in real-life trading rooms.
Careers and placements
Career prospects
Our business degrees give students a broad range of skills which are valued by a range of employers in the private and public sectors. In 2015/16, 92% of the School’s graduates who were available for work reported they were in employment and/or further study within six months of graduating.
In addition to the central University Careers Service, our students benefit from a dedicated on-site Careers and Placements service to help them find internships, job opportunities and to access business-industry specific advice, training and guidance.
Jobs
- Accountant
- Business Analyst
- HR Manager
- Lecturer
- Marketing Executive
- Production Manager
- Stockbroker
Placements
We recognise the importance of gaining work experience during your studies. Our dedicated Placements Manager offers advice on available work placements, internships, work experience and opportunities to enhance your CV and broaden your horizons. Support with job applications and interview techniques is also available from the Business School’s in-house Careers Consultant.
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