Bachelor of Arts [B.A] [Sports Journalism] From University of Sunderland

Compared to the core Business and Management course, it has a greater focus on the skills and knowledge needed for the Human Resources function in modern organisations.

Sunderland is a great place for studying business and in the recent Research Excellence Framework (REF) research in the business area was rated 'world-leading' and 'internationally excellent'.

Sunderland is one of the first universities in the UK to introduce employability modules across all years of an undergraduate degree. These help you strengthen the six key attributes of being capable, enquiring, creative, enterprising, ethical and global in outlook. The modules also help you identify your strengths and aspirations, and plan for personal development.

Specialist modules in this course, compared to Business and Management BA (Hons), include: 'Contemporary Developments in HR'; 'Coaching and Mentoring'; 'Exploring Equality and Diversity'; 'Contemporary Employment Relations'; 'Learning and Development'.

We encourage our students to undertake a year-long placement between the second and final years, although it is not compulsory. ItÕs a great opportunity to get paid to put your learning into practice and to extend your experience.

Employment & careers

Sunderland is one of the first universities in the UK to introduce employability modules across all years of an undergraduate degree.

Skills for employment

• As part of your course, you will take three employability modules specifically designed for self-development. The modules are called: ÔEmployability SkillsÕ, ÔDeveloping Career ProspectsÕ and ÔApplying Critical Reflective PracticeÕ. These represent 60 credits out of the total of 360 credits for the programme.

• The employability modules complement the broader skills that youÕll gain in understanding how businesses create success, how to manage business operations, how to make informed decisions and how to lead change in organisations.

Career destinations

• 92.5% of Sunderland graduates are in employment or further study within six months of graduating in 2013/14 (source: Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education). Examples of companies that have recruited students from Sunderland include leading names in IT (Microsoft, IBM), consumer goods (P&G, Nike, Adidas), banking (Lloyds TSB), hospitality (Marriott Hotels, Starbucks), and the public sector (NHS).

• The average salary of a HR officer is between £18,000 and £25,000 and HR managers can earn between £25,000 and £50,000 a year or more (source: National Careers Service). CIPD-accredited qualifications can significantly enhance your career opportunities.