School Business Leadership (Top-Up) BA (Hons)

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The School Business Leadership (Top-Up) degree is designed to take holders of an HND, Foundation Degree or equivalent in the business area to a new level. Combining essential knowledge with academic skills development will give you the best chance of success at honours degree level and within the graduate employment market.

This course is designed specifically to support the transition between your HND, Foundation Degree or equivalent studies to a final year honours level. You will receive extensive academic skills development and have access to specialist tutor support to give you the best opportunity to gain a great result for your degree award.

Chester School of Education has an excellent reputation for teaching and learning. This course is specifically designed for individuals who want to work in a business-related function within education. The course is taught by both academics and practitioners, ensuring you receive a good balance of theory and application.

Why You'll Love it

Learn from experienced school business professionals

Staff teaching on the course have significant experience working within schools and on education policy at regional and national levels. This ensures that you are learning from experienced practitioners.

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Close collaboration with the professional body

We work closely with the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) the professional body for school business leaders. They contribute to the development of the course to ensure that it is relevant to the changing and dynamic role of school business leadership.

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Real-world assessments

Your assessments are designed to reflect real world activities. They focus on applying your knowledge in a real setting in order to have an impact on the functioning of the school.

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What You'll Study

Modules

You will learn how political ideologies have shaped and influenced educational policy. You will explore how global influences have shaped educational practice. 

Education is a universal right. However, how do we ensure that everyone benefits from what education has to offer, regardless of their race, gender, ethnicity, and educational needs? This module utilises theoretical and conceptual frameworks to understand the impact of risk factors in relation to educational attainment and engagement to examine how education can be a catalyst for social good.

School Business Managers need to be able to manage multi-disciplinary teams in an increasing complex organisational structure. This module focuses on effective organisational leadership.

This module explores the relationship between young people, education and society. It explores constructs such as youth culture, its relationship with the media, and the education and welfare state. 

Explore an applied topic of your own interest related to school business leadership. This module allows you to apply your skills to make a positive impact on practice.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

How You'll Learn

This course is designed around in-person study

There may be some online learning activities

You will be assessed in a variety of ways

Curriculum developed to match workforce priorities

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How we teach at the University of Chester

This course is designed around in-person study and assesed via a range of assesments such as written assignment, practical tasks and presentations.

You will receive approximately 20 hours of teaching per 20-credit module. In addition, you are expected to spend at least 180 hours studying independently outside of taught lessons for each 20-credit module.

On occasions, you may be required to participate in online lessons or activities. However, this course is taught face-to-face at the University’s Exton Park campus.

All teaching is delivered by experienced academics and practitioners, with the fundamental principles of the Chester Future Skills Curriculum at its core - building your subject competence, confidence, and key transferable skills to shape you into a world-ready Chester graduate.

Your Future Career

Job prospects

Those successfully completing the course will be able to seek employment as a school business manager (or similar role) within school setting. 

Progression options

Students can progress onto the Educational Leadership MA.

Careers service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.

Entry Requirements

Students must have completed 240 credits of university study, which may include an HND or Foundation Degree in Business (or a closely related discipline). Students may also have a Diploma or Advanced Diploma in School Business Management or an ILM level 5 in School Business Management, plus at least 3 years of full-time experience working as a School Business Manager in school.

Students must have completed 240 credits of university study, which may include an HND or Foundation Degree in Business (or a closely related discipline). Students may also have a Diploma or Advanced Diploma in School Business Management or an ILM level 5 in School Business Management, plus at least 3 years of full-time experience working as a School Business Manager in school. International students should have qualifications equivalent to a level 5.

Fees and Funding

£9,535per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

Our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for Home students entering University in 2025/26 are £9,535 a year, or £1,590 per 20-credit module for part-time study.

You can find more information about undergraduate fees on our Fees and Finance pages.

Students from the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for tuition fee purposes.

Students from countries in the European Economic Area and the EU will pay International Tuition Fees.

Students who have been granted Settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans.

Students who have been granted Pre-settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans.

£14,450*per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

The tuition fees for international students studying Undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 are £14,450 per year for a full-time course. This fee is set for each year of study.

The University of Chester offers generous international and merit-based scholarships, providing a significant reduction to the published headline tuition fee. You will automatically be considered for these scholarships when your application is reviewed, and any award given will be stated on your offer letter.

For courses with a Foundation Year, the tuition fees for Year 1 are £10,750 and £14,200 for Years 2-4 in 2025/26.

For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.

Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes. 

Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials, specialist clothing, travel to placements, optional field trips and software. Compulsory field trips are covered by your tuition fees. 

If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills.

Students often elect to purchase a laptop, where students choose to do so, the cost it likely to be around £800-£1000.

Most software specific to your course is available free to students through agreements we have with the software vendors. 

Occasional, optional, field trips may be offered, depending on student demand, these are typically within the UK and where chargeable the cost is likely to be under £100. Students are not required to participate in order to successfully complete the course. 

Who You’ll Learn From

Dr Steve Lambert

Associate Professor
Dr Steve Lambert

Dr Mark Whalley

Senior Lecturer
Mark Whalley

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