Business Intelligence* BSc (Hons)

Artificial intelligence (AI) applications are developing at a fast pace and we will see significant changes in society as it becomes part of our everyday lives.

Explore AI from a sociotechnical perspective, and consider how to investigate and evaluate whether AI systems are ethically permissible. Study a range of practical AI applications and get an insight into relevant ethical concerns.

You consider the philosophy of AI and the tools you need to make decisions about its ethical and social aspects. You appreciate the ethical dilemmas of autonomous systems, value alignment in AI systems, ethical frameworks and principles, and approaches for designing trustworthy AI systems.

At the end of this module, you're able to operationalise ethical frameworks and requirements into developing AI systems.

This is a 30-credit module.

Develop intricate programmes to solve complex problems using data structures and appropriate algorithms. Explore a variety of algorithmic techniques and gain an appreciation of the use and importance of data structures. Classify data according to its abstract behaviour, as distinct from its representation. Examine a range of well-established data structures and their properties, so its clear which representations are appropriate under which circumstances. Emphasis is on the basic skills in algorithmic design and the interaction between algorithm and data structure in creating efficient code.

Cognitive technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), are increasingly being used to solve business problems. AI is concerned with understanding and building intelligent entities – machines that can compute how to act effectively and safely in new situations.

You are introduced to AI, discussing real-world applications and its transformative power in our daily life. You consider the fundamental concepts of AI, common frameworks used in analysing and designing intelligent systems, using generic algorithms to implement these systems and major problem-solving techniques. You develop knowledge to understand how to address AI problems, studying a range of AI techniques, applications and developing solutions.

You learn about popular AI applications, including game design, virtual agents and robotics. And you consider the benefits of using AI, such as how to enhance efficiency, productivity and reduce costs.

This is a 30-credit module.

Explore the foundations of evidence?based business decision making. Develop the ability to collect, interpret and apply data to real business scenarios. Use structured and logical approaches to assess alternatives and recommend appropriate solutions. Through practical activities, case studies and guided workshops, learn how businesses use information, analytical tools and critical thinking to support everyday operational and strategic decisions. You are equipped with core skills in business reasoning, problem structuring, basic quantitative and qualitative methods, and communicating decisions effectively to different audiences.

Study the circular economy and the business opportunities it presents. Develop your own business idea and create a venture with social impact that's part of the circular economy. Consider the fundamentals of user experience and user interface design, and learn about current, appropriate digital tools to design an app for your business idea.

This is a 30-credit module.

Apply your learning directly to a real enterprise. You work in small groups with a local business on a live consultancy brief. You identify the problem, conduct research to come up with a solution and present this to the business. This gives you to the opportunity to explore an enterprise, and the ideas associated with organisational behaviour and managerial approaches to business development in a real-world context.

This is a 30-credit module.

Develop a solution, proposal, product or service as part of an enterprise project for a real client who sets a brief based on their strategic needs. Working in small teams, you determine the aims, objectives, roles, tasks, deliverables, schedules and documentation, and pitch your project to the client. You take a professional approach, informed by innovative industry practice, to deliver the project successfully, meeting the set challenge. You reflect on the process and review sustainability, diversity, ethical and legal issues, and evaluate team members’ performance. You identify your strengths and weaknesses, relating to your future career aspirations.

Utilising the skills acquired throughout the course, you work on an individual project, investigating a practical business issue, a relevant issue of academic interest, or a live problem-solving project related to the subject. You conduct research to validate hypotheses, test solutions, create outputs, make recommendations and present conclusions. The project is relevant to a business client or industry partner and is an individual piece of work, developed with supervisor support.

This is a 60-credit module.

Develop your cultural awareness through a business lens, focusing on common humanity and equal worth. Explore a culture of your choice and consider the development of a new business or the expansion of an existing business into that culture. Learn about the social, environmental and economic actions of people and communities across the world and consider the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and how these impact globally.

This is a 30-credit module.

Unpack the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and explore the utopian and dystopian possibilities of the goals being met or unmet. You develop your understanding of the global impact of these goals while considering global challenges and possible solutions.

This is a 30-credit module.

Technology in the workplace is changing at a fast pace, with organisations striving to utilise technology to develop efficient business models. You are introduced to emerging technologies and shifting attitudes in the workplace, examining how these new technologies are impacting business and identifying opportunities for the future. Explore shifting cultures and attitudes in the workplace environment and the development.

This is a 30-credit module.