SCQF Level 8

International Specialised Diploma in Business Management
Programme Overview

SCQF Level 8 qualification allows learners to study core subjects of Business Management along with their choice of a specialisation.

On completion of this programme learners will be able to progress to a top up with one of our partner UK universities either online or in the UK to get a UK awarded bachelor’s degree.

Learners who can evidence prior learning from similar business-related programmes at the same level and with similar credit size units may be admitted under the Recognition of Prior Learning Arrangements.

Core Modules

  • Business Analytics for Decision Making
  • Business and Professional Ethics
  • Change Management

Level 8 programme enables learners to specialise in one of the following eight pathways:

Accounting and Financial Management

This specialisation is intended for students who want to pursue a career in finance. This programme will assist in developing the skills necessary to deal with complex accounting and financial management issues.

TThe programme will provide a deep-rooted Knowledge of Financial Analysis, Investment, Financing, and Distribution Decisions, as well as a thorough understanding of the Fintech Landscape, Trends, and how it is transforming Banking and Financial Services Industries.

Pathway Modules SCQF Credits
Financial Management 15
Financial Accounting and Reporting 15
Financial Modelling 15
Financial Technology 15

Marketing Management

A specialisation in Marketing Management is designed for learners who aspire to be Marketing Professionals. This pathway will enable you to understand the complexities of the Contemporary Marketplace and Global Marketing Strategies that will help them in Strategic and Tactical Decision Making. Through exploring the current trends in Digital Marketing Strategies and Social Media Analytics, this advanced pathway aims to develop Social Media Analytics Skills through the application of Statistical Procedures and Data Analysis, with the goal of making Data-Driven Decisions.

Pathway Modules SCQF Credits
Global Marketing Strategy 15
Digital Marketing 15
Social Media Analytics 15
Brand Management 15

Human Resource Management

The Human Resource Specialisation will focus on Assessing the Role of Human Resources in Modern Organisations, from Managing Organisational Behaviour to Strategies for Motivating Employees, and Systems for Developing and Retaining Talent. This pathway also focuses on individual and team developments that help in improving workforce performance.

Learners will also get an in-depth understanding of Leadership Theories, Leadership Styles, Team Work, The Attributes of Leaders and Organisational Culture.

Pathway Modules SCQF Credits
Managing Organisational Behavior 15
International Human Resource Management 15
Contemporary Employment Relations 15
Leadership: Theory and Practice 15

International Business Management

This pathway is specifically designed for future business managers or entrepreneurs who aspire to gain a deeper comprehension of the International Business Environment. The pathway enables the learner to explore how an organisation, particularly an SME, can expand internationally and market its products or services by taking advantage of the advancing Digital Technology and changes in entry barriers into international markets.

This pathway focuses on specialised knowledge of International Marketing and the Human Resource Environment.

Pathway Modules SCQF Credits
Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Commercialisation 15
Entering New International Markets 15
International Human Resource Management 15
Global Marketing Strategy 15

Tourism and Hospitality Pathway

This specialisation is designed for learners who want to advance their careers in the Tourism and Hospitality industries. The pathway explores the current trends and issues of the tourism and hospitality business and how they can be used to appraise, design, implement, and evaluate future-oriented plans for interacting with competitive environments.

TThe programme enables students to understand the significance of customer relations and customer experience industries and to develop skills to analyse the key factors that contribute to customer service excellence. This pathway also encourages learners to develop an appreciation for the need for constant change and development in the industry in order to meet external demands and uncertainty or respond to events or phenomena that have or are radically impacting the industry.

Pathway Modules SCQF Credits
The Contemporary Tourism and Hospitality Industry 15
Operations Management in Tourism and Hospitality 15
Managing Customer Relations and the Customer Experience 15
Emerging Challenges in Tourism and Hospitality 15

Healthcare Management

This specialisation is aimed at learners who want to explore the healthcare industry by acquiring practical experience in the domain of healthcare. The pathway is also open to learners from business disciplines who aim to work in a management capacity in the healthcare industry and who want to take on managerial and leadership roles.

Pathway Modules SCQF Credits
Human Resource Management in Healthcare 15
Process and Operations Management in Healthcare 15
Quality Control and Improvement Management in Healthcare 15
Service Users and Client Management 15

Project Management

This specialisation is designed for learners who want to explore the role of Project Management in improving organisational performance by developing project management skills consistent with the current principles and practices. It will assist the learner in discovering the best project management skills and advancing career prospects.

The module on project management will help in recognising issues in a realistic project scenario, a systematic and thorough introduction to all aspects of project management and the importance of understanding the relationship between projects and the strategic goals of an organisation. The programme will help the learners to enhance their ability to Plan and Manage Resources, Time, People, Quality and Communications.

Pathway Modules SCQF Credits
Principles of Project Management 15
Project Planning 15
Project Financing and Risk Management 15
Project Quality Management 15

General Business Management

The General Business Management pathway necessitates a wide grasp of the business world, including marketing, sales, accounting, human resources, finance, and logistics, as well as the ability to lead teams, motivate employees, produce revenue, and reduce costs.

The specialisation is developed to show current challenges, opportunities, and management practises while also providing integrated learning. The General Business Management pathway will equip the learners with critical insights and allow them to advance to positions of leadership.

Pathway Modules * SCQF Credits
Financial Management 15
Leadership: Theory and Practices 15
International Human Resource Management 15
Global Marketing Strategy 15
Principles of Project Management 15
Entering New International Markets 15
* Only 4 modules to be attempted

Progression Opportunities

Undergraduate Diploma in Business Management from ISDC will enable you to gain direct entry into the final year of a UK Bachelor’s Degree Programme.*

Upon successful graduation, the learner will be eligible to apply for a two-year Post Study Work Visa (as dictated under the current UK rules and regulations).

Note: Learners choosing to complete the UK awarded degree online will not qualify for a Post Study Work Visa.

University of Portsmouth

University of Portsmouth is an open university located in the city of Portsmouth. The roots of the University can be traced back to 1870, known as Portsmouth Polytechnic until 1992 when the University of Portsmouth was inaugurated. It is one of only four universities in the South-East to be rated Gold in the Government Teaching Excellence Framework. The University of Portsmouth is a member of the University Alliance and The Channel Islands Universities Consortium with 25,515 students. The university has several highly regarded study programs that have been placed in top categories by various organisations. Aside from that, the university's research work was also recognised as exceptional in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework.

University of Essex

The University of Essex is a public research university in Essex, England. Established in 1963 the university welcomed students in 1964 and acquired university status by Royal Charter in 1965. With 14,926 students, the University of Essex is a plate glass university and has been awarded the Queen's AnniversaryPrize on two occasions for advancing Human Rights in 2009 and Social and Economic Research. The University is rated Gold for Teaching Excellence by the TEF and has been named the University of the Year at the Times HigherEducation Awards.

University of East London

The University of East London is noted for its career-focused courses that are innovative, entrepreneurial, and inspiring. These courses emphasise the development of job-specific abilities like critical thinking, creativity, emotional quotient, and problem-solving ability. The university has a strategic location with its campuses in Stratford and the historic Royal Albert Dock. Celebrating the rich diversity of its students and staff, the University of East London welcomes approximately 18,000 students of almost 140 nationalities. Having association with global organisations, the University of East London is committed to preparing the students to lead the world todayand be readyforthe future world.

Bangor University

Ranked at 82 , Bangor University is a public university in Bangor, Wales and has a student population of 9,945. Bangor University received its Royal Charter in 1885 and was one of the founding institutions of the federal University of Wales, in 2007 it became Bangor University, independent from the University of Wales. The Research Excellence Framework has recognised that more than three-quarters of Bangor's research is either world-leading or internationally excellent. In 2017, Bangor University became the only university in Wales to be rated 'Gold' by the new Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) which means that the university is deemed to be of the highest qualityfound in the UK.

Glasgow Caledonian University

Ranked at 52 in The Guardian - University Rankings, the Glasgow Caledonian University is a public university located in Glasgow. The records of the University date back to 1875. The Queen's College, Glasgow in 1975 was formed from previous institutions, which eventually merged with Glasgow Polytechnic to create the current Glasgow Caledonian University. Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) has been recognised as a UK leader in championing social mobility and also the first university in Scotland to achieve EcoCampus Platinum certification forits environmental practices. With 17,000 students, the University has been formally recognised for its commitment to promoting gender equality by attaining the Equality Challenge Unit's prestigious Athena SWAN Institutional Bronze Award.

Queen Margaret University

Found in the year 1875, Queen Margaret University has been driven by the aim to impart quality education to its students. Earlier, it was established as the Edinburgh School of Cookery by its founders Christian Guthrie Wright and Louisa Stevenson. It is in the year 1999, the institution began to be recognized as Queen Margaret University. Of-late, the vision of the university is to facilitate an experience of learning that can help students achieve theirindividual goals and enable them to contribute to society well. By providing an optimal balance of practical and theoretical education, it prepares students to create a better world.

University of Strathclyde

The University of Strathclyde is a leading international technological university based in the centre of Glasgow. Inspired by the founding principle as 'a place of useful learning', the university's mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of their students, to society and the world. The university's excellence in research is evidenced by its position amongst the UK's top 20 research-intensive universities, according to the Times Higher Education's analysis of REF2014, and by the growth in range and scale of our research collaborations. Strathclyde was named the Times Higher Education UK University of the Year 2019, the Sunday Times Good University Guide Scottish University of the Year 2020 and was awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education for its excellence in energyinnovation.

De Montfort University

De Montfort University has been marked within the top one thousand universities in the world. However, keyUK ranking publishers have placed it in the list of top 100 universities in the UK. The university has specialised faculties for all types of streams, including the faculties of business and law, computing, engineering, and media, as well as the faculties of health and life sciences. In the fields of business, law, art, design, humanities, media, engineering, energy, computing, sciences, and social sciences, it provides more than 100 undergraduate courses and more than 70 master's programs. More than 2,700 international students from more than 130 nations enrol in the universityeach year.

Sheffield Hallam University

The Sheffield Hallam University is one of the UK's largest and most diverse universities: A Community of more than 30,000 students, 4,000 staff and more than 280,000 alumni around the globe. The Sheffield Hallam University’s mission is simple: Transforming Lives. It aims at giving people from all walks of life the chance to gain the expertise, understanding and experience necessary to excel in whatever they decide to pursue. The university’s teaching, research and collaborations are distinguished by an emphasis on real world effect, solving the health, economic and social concerns facing society today. Sheffield Hallam University is one of the largest and most advanced universities in the UK. The university envisions making a noteworthy breakthrough in the city and the locality by fruitful collaboration with its students, colleagues and partners in the field of education. The goal of the university is to become the top applied university in the world bydemonstrating the potential of a universitythat is really committed to changing peoples lives. Your global adventure starts here!

James Cook University

James Cook University, Singapore awards degrees and certifications on behalf of JCU Australia. This university was established as an international campus of JCU Australia, and it completely follows the academic curriculum of its parent university. The university has an Inter-Campus Mobility Programme, which allows students studying on the Singapore campus to paythe tuition fee in their domestic currency. This university has earned one of the highest levels of quality assurance in the country called The Edutrust Star. In addition to this, it is the first organization to receive this award. JCU Singapore has also received the honourable SQC STAR.

Auckland Institute of Studies

One of New Zealand's largest independent degree-granting schools, the Auckland Institute of Studies was founded in 1990.You will gain from doing one of the many NZQA-approved courses, such as certificate and degree programmes in business, tourist management, hotel management, information technology (IT), business administration, and English language.At Auckland Institute of Studies, we give our students an excellent, individualised education and a nurturing atmosphere in which to grow and succeed. The Auckland Institute of Studies is dedicated to giving all of its students, whetherthey are from New Zealand or abroad, the tools they require to thrive both while pursuing their academic goals and thereafter in the workforce.You may accelerate your education and jumpstart your career with our adaptable three-semester structure and cross credit recognition.

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