Business and Human Resource Management with Foundation Year

Business and human resource management is a degree that prepares graduates for the full range of management challenges organisations face, with a specific focus on people management as a strategic and operational discipline. Human resources is no longer simply an administrative function; it is central to how organisations attract, develop, motivate and retain the people on whom their performance depends. Understanding both the broad management context and the specific principles and practice of HR gives graduates a distinctive and immediately valuable set of capabilities.

The University of Portsmouth offers this four-year full-time programme, which begins with a foundation year that provides essential academic and business grounding before the main degree content begins. The foundation year makes the degree accessible to students who would benefit from additional preparation, and from there the programme covers core business management alongside the specialist HR content, including recruitment and selection, learning and development, performance management, employee relations, reward management and employment law. A sandwich year in industry, a year abroad and an embedded work placement are all included, meaning the programme weaves substantial professional and international experience through its structure.

You graduate not only with academic credentials but with a professional profile that reflects real-world experience in business and HR contexts.

The degree develops analytical and strategic thinking, the interpersonal and communication skills that people management demands, an understanding of employment law and the ability to design and implement HR processes that support organisational effectiveness.

Graduates pursue careers across HR management, talent acquisition, learning and development, organisational development, employee relations, people analytics and a wide range of general management roles. Many work towards chartered membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Postgraduate study in HR, organisational psychology or management is available for those wishing to develop specialist expertise or move into senior roles.