Business and Management BA (Hons) Top Up
18 months | Distance Learning | Upcoming Intakes - January 2026, April 2026

Our top up qualification is ideal for anyone with a Level 5 qualification (such as an HND, NVQ, Associate or Foundation Degree) in a business or management related subject. You'll be able to build on your previous experience, and gain a degree that will boost your educational profile and help you achieve your dream leadership role.

You’ll study six 20-credit modules, each lasting ten weeks, achieving a BA (Hons) in around 18 months. Plus, our Business and Management course is designed to be flexible; with a recommended study time of 15 hours a week, it is ideal if you are a working professional looking to balance your learning alongside other commitments.

We’ve designed this Top Up in partnership with online experts to make sure you get the most flexible and engaging experience possible. We understand all our students are different and lead busy lives. That’s why our focus is on self-paced, interactive learning that will allow you the freedom to study whenever and wherever it suits you. The recommended study time for the course is 15 hours a week. 

You will access all your learning materials through our eLearning portal (elp) Blackboard Ultra. You will study one module at a time. The form of your assessments will vary between modules – they could take the form of an essay or a multiple-choice exam – but all of them will be submitted online. There will be no need to come to campus throughout the duration of your course. 

Each of our modules has been carefully designed to ensure you gain the knowledge you need about that topic in the most effective, most engaging way. However, all of them will be split into multiple sessions and follow a three-stage structure: Learn, Explore and Apply. In each teaching week, you’ll have the chance to engage with interactive tools and media, ranging from text-based to video/audio (“Learn”), as well as complete online readings (“Explore”) in your own time. There will also be the chance to test yourself and receive formative feedback. 

You’ll join a supportive, lively online community. Throughout the course, you will participate in virtual discussion boards with your academics and fellow students, sharing your thoughts, knowledge and experience with them as you learn (“Apply”). In addition, you will be able to attend live webinars on key aspects of the module and its delivery/structure, such as assessments. These sessions will offer you the chance to engage with your tutors in real time and ask any questions you have about the course. If you are unable to attend these scheduled sessions, they will also be recorded so you can watch them at a time that works for you.   

As well as the support of your module tutors and fellow students, you’ll have access to our Student Success Team from day one through to graduation. Whether you need pastoral guidance, help with assessments or advice about fees, they will be with you at every step. Blackboard Ultra also offers 24/7 access to a range of advice and support services, such as Ask4Help, too. 

You will also be able to access over half a million books and e-books through our online University Library Services. 

Newcastle Business School has a global reputation for delivering first-rate business management education. In fact, we were the first Business School in Europe to secure double accreditation in both Business and Accounting from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) – a mark of excellence which places us in an elite group of business schools worldwide.

We have relationships with 16 professional business associations and institutions, including: AAT, ACCA, AIA, CILT UK, CIMA, CIM, CIPD, CIPFA, CIPS, CISI, CMI, ICAEW, IDM and ITT.

Our heritage, networks and resources mean we are equipped to help our students to become research informed, cutting edge business leaders of tomorrow.

The academics teaching on this BA (Hons) top up course are not only research engaged, but also experienced business practitioners. Their industry knowledge will help you to make sense of the international business and management theory explored throughout the course, and apply it to real world contexts and situations.

Get to know some of the tutors you may learn from below or explore the rest of the department here.

Newcastle Business School strives to produce responsible business leaders with the expertise needed to create an inclusive and sustainable society. Our research will permeate every aspect of this course, focusing on themes such as:

Responsible Business

We are at the forefront of sustainable entrepreneurship, business and management. As a signatory of the UN sponsored Principles of Responsible Management Education, we are committed to promoting these issues in our teaching, consulting and research. You’ll explore the cultural and ethical contexts in which international businesses operate, and come to understand the impact organisational decision making has on our wider society and environment. 

Digital Business

Over the duration of your BA (Hons), you’ll explore in-depth how rapid technological innovation is leading to unprecedented advancements for business, the economy and society. Designated modules on Digital and Data Driven Marketing will ensure that you’re ahead of the game and ready to harness its potential. 

Strategic Innovation & Entrepreneurial Leadership

We’re committed to investigating strategic entrepreneurial leadership and innovation. Throughout the course, designated study units on Strategy and Entrepreneurial Leadership will assist you along the path to becoming a more creative, effective business leader.

Business and Management is ranked 9th in the UK for research power (REF, 2021).

We have handpicked our modules to ensure they develop both your “soft skills” and practical business based competencies – helping you to stand out in the commercial market.

Upon graduation from this top up degree, you’ll have gained the skills, and qualification, needed to take the next step in your career – whether that’s into a more senior position in your current organisation, a leadership role elsewhere or enrolling on a graduate scheme or programme.

You’ll be able to put your new skills and knowledge into practice even before graduation, making a difference to your workplace performance. We will support you to apply the theories you learn to real world situations and tailor your projects and assessments to your current role.

As a Northumbria University student, you’ll also be able to tap into our Careers and Employment Service, which offers a range of resources and support online.