Business Enterprise and Innovation Management BA (Hons) top-up

Top-up courses

Two males working on a digital product in a grey building

This course is an entrepreneurship degree designed for those who want to thrive in a rapidly changing entrepreneurial environment, globally and technologically.

Year of entry

2025-26 2026-27

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time

Duration

1 year full-time (Entry at level 6)

Course code

N331

Start date

September 2025

How to apply

Book an Open Day

Download a prospectus

Course overview

It aims to provide you with theoretical and practical knowledge with the enterprising skills and capabilities to respond not only proactively and creatively, but innovatively to business issues and challenges.

You will be encouraged to adopt a critical approach to innovative ideas and current issues, developing the graduate attributes that not only employers value, but also to forge independent entrepreneurial ventures.

This course may appeal to you if you:

are an international student who has successfully completed one or two years of undergraduate study and would like to complete your final years of undergraduate study
have a passion for business and an enterprising mindset
would like to embark on a course with a practical focus and the chance to get hands-on experience in assessing the feasibility of business opportunities², and in managing innovation and change
would like to learn the business enterprise and innovation skills needed to help organisations get ahead – or decide to start your own company to challenge them.

Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2025

Why you should study this course

If you choose to study the business enterprise and innovation management top-up, you will:

study a course taught by entrepreneurs in residence, dedicated to researching and applying entrepreneurial thinking (staff subject to change)
have access to support, advice, and guidance from Coventry University Social Enterprise, who have a track record in helping individuals develop social enterprises and businesses⁴
study a module, English Business Presentation Skills, delivered by experts from our College of the Arts and Society, who can help to hone your verbal communication and pitching skills

Upon successful completion, this top-up course can open up pathways into the academic study of entrepreneurship, which you could pursue through our International Entrepreneurship MSc.

100%

of our students are satisfied by the quality of our course

MEQ, 2022

Memberships

CABS - Chartered Association of Business Schools

Coventry Business School is currently an active member of the Chartered Association of Business Schools, which has a membership of over 120 business schools and higher education providers and supports its members in maintaining world-class standards of teaching and research.

EFMD - European Foundation for Management Development

Coventry Business School is currently an active member of the European Foundation for Management Development, a global membership organisation dedicated to management development, covering over 900 members across 91 countries.

PRME - The Principles for Responsible Management Education

Coventry Business School is currently an active member of The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME). PRME is a United Nations-supported initiative founded in 2007 that aims to raise the profile of sustainability in their classrooms through seven principles focused on serving society and safeguarding our planet.

AACSB- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business

Coventry Business School is currently an active member of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). AACSB is the world’s largest network of business schools and organisations committed to advancing business education and making a lasting, positive impact on society to create next generation of great leaders.

BGA - Business Graduates Association

Coventry Business School is currently an active member of the Business Graduates Association (BGA). BGA’s student and graduate benefits have been crafted to enhance your learning experience, providing a range of tools to support professional and personal development.

SBC - Small Business Charter

Coventry Business School is a recipient of the Small Business Charter (SBC) Award. The award is a mark of excellence for business schools, recognising their expertise in supporting small businesses, student entrepreneurship, and effective engagement in the local economy.

Memberships are reviewed on an annual basis and are not guaranteed. Applicants and students will be informed of any changes as soon as possible.

What you'll study

This one-year top-up course is designed to help you build on your existing knowledge, develop your expertise in business enterprise, the management of innovation, and sustainable business practices.

The course has been designed for those who want to develop their entrepreneurial capabilities. Whether you are passionate about creating and developing entrepreneurial projects, or are more interested in driving innovation from within a company as an intrapreneur, this course should allow you to develop the transferable skills needed to succeed.

Modules

Leading and Managing Your Enterprising Journey - 20 credits

In this module you will learn to take the initiative in understanding your current leadership and entrepreneurial skillsets (e.g., playfulness, empathy, creation, experimentation, and reflection) and identify areas for improvement.  You will explore the entrepreneurial mindset and entrepreneurial leadership, with a particular focus on turbulent times. You will also learn to assess and reflect on your experiences in order to facilitate your personal development as an entrepreneur or intrapreneur.

Compulsory

Contemporary Issues in Enterprise and Innovation Management - 20 credits

The objective of this module is to develop and equip you with knowledge of the contemporary issues in enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, as well as develop your awareness of enterprising practices in larger organisations in a national and global context.  You will develop the ability to analyse and evaluate a range of business data, sources of information and appropriate methodologies for effective analysis. You will develop strong digital literacy and research skills, and the ability to use that research for evidence-based decision-making to inform business enterprise development in the private, public, or voluntary and community sector.

Compulsory

Assessing Feasibility of Business Opportunities - 20 credits

Throughout this module you will focus on learning the appropriate techniques to evaluate the feasibility of business opportunities in enterprises of varying sizes and growth stages. You will be provided with business evaluation tools to assess feasibility in terms of demand, resource acquisition and attractiveness (benefits) of the opportunity for the entrepreneur or innovator, the environment and wider society. 

Compulsory

Entrepreneurial Strategies for Scalable Businesses - 20 credits

Providing you with the knowledge and tools to become responsible business leaders is the objective of this module. You will be introduced to different business models that companies can use to drive entrepreneurial change and innovation. You will learn how to scale up strategically and apply different growth strategies (e.g. vertical expansion and horizontal expansion) through case studies that reveal how industries change to adapt to business risks and opportunities. Issues of sustainability, socio-economic development and transformational entrepreneurship in relation to the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem are important elements of the module.

Compulsory

Enterprise and Innovation Applied Project - 20 credits

Innovation is a fundamental concept in the entrepreneurial process enabling new ideas, products and processes leading to social and economic impact. You will learn to identify, manage, and apply the tools and techniques for developing an innovation. You will explore the practical dimensions of creativity and innovation with a view to applying them to enact an entrepreneurial project. 

Compulsory

CPD for Entrepreneurs and Intrapreneurs - 10 credits

Developing the practical skills required for your enterprising journey is the focus of this module. You will aim to learn the enterprising behaviours, attitudes, and competencies necessary to succeed in the global workplace by evaluating your digital skills and knowledge capabilities for continuous personal and professional development as an entrepreneur, starting your own business venture or as an intrapreneur (innovator) within employment in the private, public, or voluntary and community sector.

Compulsory

English Business Presentation Skills - 10 credits

This module helps you to develop your English language knowledge and skills to a level where you can communicate effectively and independently in a business context.  The emphasis is on developing practical reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. You will take part in activities designed to increase the range and effectiveness of your use of English language and the development of study and communication skills in a business and academic context.

Compulsory

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.

How you'll learn

This course aims to offer a variety of teaching and learning methods to keep your experience dynamic and varied. Teaching methods may include:

lectures with associated seminars
tutorials
workshops, incorporating case studies, problem-centred learning, practical exercises, surgeries, the use of electronic business resources, databases and ICT packages⁴.

As the course has a focus on the practical application of taught theories, it aims to offer you opportunities for you to ‘enact’ ideas into action, through creative learning opportunities, which may include guided simulations or the production of a website. Your practical skills will be further developed in the module ‘Enterprise and Innovation Applied Project’, where you will design your own project with the support of a supervisor.

Teaching contact hours

As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 20 credit module requires a total of 200 hours study. This is made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.

Teaching hours:

Teaching hours vary each semester, year of study and due to module selection. During your top-up year you can expect 9-12 teaching hours each week. You will also have the option to attend optional sessions including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.

Guided and independent study:

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You'll be digging deeper into topics, review what you've learned and complete assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress through your studies, you'll spend more time in independent study.

Online learning:

As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.

Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.

Assessment methods may include:

essays
group work
presentations
reports
projects
coursework
individual Assignments
portfolios.

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

What our course director says

Our Business Enterprise and Innovation Management BA (Hons) top-up is the perfect course to help you apply the skills needed to be enterprising within employment, by building on prior learning to help you graduate as an entrepreneurial leader, with a strong grasp of innovation and sustainability.
Dr Chioma Ofoma, Course Director, 2024

Entry requirements

Typical entry requirements:

You must possess a minimum of 240 credits (RPL with 120 credits at level 4 and 120 credits at level 5) obtained in any business-related area. This could be in business management but may also be in subject areas such as project management, events management, or a more specific field of business, such as marketing, strategy or finance.

An HND in a business-related area with 240 credits awarded will also be considered for entry into the 1-year programme. This is subject to approval from the Course Director.

Other qualifications and experience

Our students come from a variety of backgrounds, each with a unique story. We recognise a breadth of qualifications. If your qualifications differ from the above, contact our Admissions Team who will be happy to discuss your qualifications and routes into your chosen course.

Contextual offers and Fair Access Scheme

If you meet the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme, you could automatically receive a contextual offer that may be up to 24 UCAS points lower than our standard entry requirements. View the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme.

Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:

You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

English language requirements

IELTS: 6.0 overall, with no component lower than 5.5.

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

Fees and funding

Student	Full-time	Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man	£9,535 per year	Not available
EU	£9,535 per year with EU Support Bursary £16,800 per year without EU Support Bursary	Not available
International	£16,800 per year	Not available

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see The University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permits an increase in tuition fees, the university may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

Any optional overseas ﬁeld trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.

How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Your fee status determines your tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available to you. The rules about who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees for higher education courses in England are set by the Department for Education. The regulations identify all the different categories of student who can insist on paying the home rate. The regulations can be difficult to understand, so the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided fee status guidance to help you identify whether you are eligible to pay the home or overseas rate.

If you meet all the criteria required by any one category, including any residence requirements, your institution must charge you the home rate. You only need to find one category that you fit into.

Facilities

During your studies, you could have access to our Trading Floor, which facilitates strategic problem-solving in life-like simulated business environments, and our DigiComm Lab, which recreates the atmosphere of working for a contemporary marketing agency.

DigiComm Lab

Designed to build creative minds, the DigiComm Lab is currently equipped with the latest industry-standard marketing and advertising software and devices to support your creative development.

Three students sat at a desk while lecturer points at screen.

Business Simulation Suite

Coventry Business School's Business Simulation Suite utilises the latest business simulation software to give you the opportunity to improve your business skills.

Group of people sitting around a table talking

Talent Team

Our dedicated Talent Team can assist you in applying for work placements, graduate level jobs and offer skills development workshops. They also aim to organise networking events to introduce you to potential employers and industry contacts².

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.

Careers and opportunities

Upon successful completion of the course you will be able to:

demonstrate a breadth of knowledge and practice, of the enterprising behaviours, attitudes, and competencies necessary to succeed in the global workplace.
evaluate the operational, cultural, and strategic processes of setting up, growing and scaling an entrepreneurial venture (e.g. markets, marketing and sales, customers, finance, organisational behaviour, operations, business analysis, digital business, business policy and strategy, and innovation and enterprise development).
discuss issues around sustainability, socio-economic development, responsible leadership and transformational entrepreneurship, and consider their application to entrepreneurial ventures.
assess and apply appropriate theories, concepts, models or techniques to identify, analyse and make recommendations for solutions to business problems in enterprises of varying sizes and growth stages.
identify, select, and apply theoretical concepts to conceive, assess, plan, and enact entrepreneurial projects to innovate and create scalable sustainable businesses.
critically evaluate, assimilate, design and conduct research to inform business enterprise development in the private, public or voluntary and community sector.
critically reflect, using appropriate reflective theories and tools, on entrepreneurial learning and digital skills and knowledge capabilities to identify areas for improvement and develop goals and action plans for continuous personal development as an entrepreneur or intrapreneur.

Whether you have aspirations to start your own business or social enterprise, or are more interested in becoming intrapreneurial within employment, this course should help to set you on the right track. Upon successful completion, you should develop key transferable skills, such as problem-solving, analytical thinking and resilience, which should benefit you whether you seek to become an intrapreneur, driving innovation inside a company, or an entrepreneur, setting up your own venture.

Coventry University is committed to preparing you for your potential future career options and giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. Talent Team, the university's employability team provides a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your potential future career options.

How to apply

View our courses on UCAS

Visit UCAS

UK students

Full-time students can apply for this course through UCAS. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.

How to apply

Apply via UCAS

If this course has a part-time option you will need to apply directly to the university.

Apply via the portal

If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.

+44 (0)24 7765 2222

ukadmissions@coventry.ac.uk

Complete our contact form.

International students

International codes:
CBLU004

How to apply

For further support for international applicants applying for an undergraduate degree view our International hub.

You can also download our International Guide which contains lots of useful information about our courses, accommodation, tips for travel and guidance on how to apply.

If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.

+44 (0)24 7765 2152

ioadmissions@coventry.ac.uk

Complete our contact form.

Disclaimers

Coventry University together with Coventry University London, Coventry University Wrocław, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough, and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the University) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.

¹Accreditations

The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.

²UK and international opportunities

Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or international opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be unpaid and/or subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel, public authority guidance, decisions or orders and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand any visa requirements, please contact the International Office.

³Tuition fees

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

If you choose to study this course with a professional placement, the University will charge the tuition fees stated above for those on a placement during Academic Year 2025/26. The University will review professional placement tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study, but such that it will be no more than 5% above inflation.

⁴Facilities

Student Contract

By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the current 2024/2025 contract is available on the website for information purposes however the 2025/2026 contract will apply for the 2025/2026 intake. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.