Block 1 modules

The music business today represents innovation, creativity, opportunities and connectivity. It is a global business that facilitates interpersonal, intercultural, and international interaction. This module provides an introduction to the music business environment.

You'll explore key concepts used in categorising and analysing music business sectors, industries and organisational typologies. You'll be presented with a selection of relevant case studies and take part in class debates and discussions.

This module usually includes a field trip to a music or entertainment venue.

Read the full description of Essentials of the music business in the module catalogue.

Whether it is natural or digital, we are always surrounded by colours. However, have we ever thought about: What is colour? Do we all see colour in the same way? How to (re)produce colour accurately? Does colour have any effect on our psychological states? Is colour an integrated part of the rules of the universe? Colour is much more complex than its aesthetic side we usually come across.

This module introduces core knowledge that is the foundation to fully appreciate colours by understanding its formation, technological applications, and historical and cultural origins. Topics to explore include colour vision and deficiency, colour communication and measurement, colour reproduction and management, colour psychology and meaning, and colour harmony and Wu Xing (the five elements).

The module usually includes a field trip to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park or the National Science and Media Museum.

Read the full description of Introduction to colour in the module catalogue.

Have you ever wondered how special effects are created and produced in films? This module provides an insight into special effects and the opportunity to develop practical filmmaking skills.

You'll learn how to set up a digital camera, as well as frame and compose shots. You'll then learn how to record video shots against a green screen in a television studio. With your recorded material you'll learn how to use professional special effects software to create some animated sequences using your photographs and video shots.

For the Filmmaking module, I enjoyed the practical approach of the classes and the teacher was very kind and helpful.

Read the full description of Introduction to special effects in filmmaking in the module catalogue.

What is special about online communication? How can the language we use in a tweet change communication? Are language learning apps such as Duolingo the future of language learning? Will Google eventually replace human translators? We live in an increasingly digital world. The digitisation process has been accelerated since the COVID-19 pandemic. In this module, we will discuss what this means for language(s) and international communication.

The module examines the nature of human communication and the specifics of online communication. It will introduce basic linguistics concepts with a special focus on aspects of digital language use. We’ll then discuss the rise of language apps and machine translation tools, and what these mean for different industries. You’ll learn to critically examine technological advances. You’ll consider their impact on language and communication. You’ll also reflect on your own experiences and learn to develop a concrete case study.

Read the full description of  Language and international communication in the digital age in the module catalogue.

This module introduces key issues in contemporary analytic philosophy of mind and applied ethics. You'll explore connections between abstract philosophical principles and matters of contemporary concern.

The first week of the module will look at thought experiments. These are fictional scenarios designed to test ordinary beliefs and concepts. You'll also have the opportunity to reflect on the nature of perception. This topic links to a field trip, usually to the National Science and Media Museum or Thackray Medical Museum.

The second week will look at practical ethical dilemmas. This includes a mixture of thought experiments and actual medical cases, such as organ donation, and euthanasia. This module will give you greater confidence in engaging in independent discussion and argument.

Even though I major in Philosophy at my home university, this module gave me lots of topics to think about deeply.

Read the full description of Philosophy of mind and ethics in the module catalogue.

Country houses (stately homes) are one of Britain’s greatest contributions to world culture, but who created them and why? Have they always functioned as ‘containers’ for art collections or have they had deeper meanings and a wider social impact?

Using Yorkshire’s world-class country houses as case studies, this course will introduce you to topics such as the builders of the country house, the rise and fall of the great estates and the ‘upstairs’ lives of the men, women and children who lived in the country house and the ‘downstairs’ world of the men and women who served them. 

​​​​​​Tutor-led visits to houses such as Temple Newsam, Harewood House and Castle Howard are an important feature of this course. 

Castle Howard was unique and the story behind it was interesting. It is not a place I knew about before taking the module and would have never found out about it on my own.

Read the full description of The English country house in the module catalogue. 

This module provides an introduction to the key sectors of the events industry and the value of them to the economy. 

You’ll develop an understanding how the determinants of demand has changed. You’ll explore how this affects the events planning process and the meeting of stakeholder demands and needs. 

The module includes a field trip to a local events venue.

Read the full description of An introduction to global events management in the module catalogue.

Entrepreneurship plays an important role in society. Across the world micro, small and medium enterprises are providing the livelihoods for millions. Increasingly we are seeing the emergence of new ‘for-purpose’ business forms. They seek to create social and environmental value as well as the more traditional economic benefits.

This module explores various types of for-purpose businesses such as social enterprises. For example, Certified B Corporations B-Corps, Fairtrade and Hybrids. You'll also consider some of the key founders that have shaped these businesses and the emergence of new ideas as microfinance. The module also considers how traditional corporates can be more socially responsible.

The module usually includes a field trip to places of interest related to the module such as the National Coal Mining Museum or Leeds Recycling & Energy Recovery Facility.

The teachers encouraged interaction in the lessons, and they provided plenty of opportunities for group discussion and sharing our own opinions. It made the teaching more interesting and lively, and I enjoyed my time in class.

Read the full description of Entrepreneurship and society in the module catalogue.

The main focus of this module is to give students the opportunity to experience practical application of financial and investment theory. This involves an introduction to the use of the Bloomberg Terminal in a dedicated Bloomberg Trading Room.

The module provides an introduction to basic financial and investment concepts. This will allow you to explore the Quantitative Equity Investing approach. You’ll work together in small groups to develop an equity investment strategy.

You’ll create an equity portfolio on the Bloomberg Terminal using real-market historical equity data. Bloomberg currently sits on the desks of more than 320,000 business professionals worldwide. It is considered to be one of the leading global information providers. Hence, learning to use Bloomberg is a great opportunity for students wishing to pursue a career in business or finance.

The module usually includes visits to local companies and businesses.

Read the full description of Equity portfolio management in the module catalogue.

Are you interested in exploring the key functions of management? Do you want to learn about the challenges managers face and develop your management skills? This module introduces some of the key concepts and theories in the field of management.

You'll explore the evolution of management schools of thought and explore essential tasks such as planning, organising, staffing, controlling, and leading. You'll have the opportunity to develop your management skills by taking on management tasks as a team and presenting a group project.

The module usually includes a field trip to Manchester United. This module is particularly suitable for students who have no previous experience of studying management.

I enjoyed the diversity within the modules. The content was taught in a student-friendly way and the field trips made it possible to get an even better insight.

Read the full description of Management in organisations in the module catalogue.

This module provides an introduction to the key concepts within the sports business environment. You’ll consider the wider sports industry and the Sports Business Ecosystem will be used to frame understanding.  

You’ll be able to demonstrate an awareness of the extent of the contemporary sports business environment. You’ll explore challenges to organisations within the global sports business environment. You’ll examine the role of major stakeholders from a marketing perspective, particularly around sponsorship and fan engagement.

The module includes a field trip to a local sports venue.

Read the full description of Sports business and marketing in the module catalogue.

Human history has seen successive pandemics wiping out large swathes of populations and throwing societies into turmoil. The advent of the large-scale use of antibiotics in the last century was an epochal defining event. For the first time, there was a tool to control infection signalling a new-era of ‘public health’. This era is rapidly coming to an end with the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and virulent bacterial pathogens.

This module will discuss these themes and challenges in an evolutionary framework. You’ll explore how computational and data science is crucial in dealing with the rise of AMR and develop practical genomics and data science skills.

Read the full description of Bacterial genomics: combating the rise of antimicrobial resistance in the module catalogue.

Digital design and fabrication are revolutionizing the construction industry. These digital technologies give designers the ability to produce models and prototypes to advance real-world construction processes. In this module, you’ll gain an understanding of digital design. You’ll also have the opportunity to develop your skills in fabrication processes.

You’ll learn the basics of digital design through the use of programmes and applications such as Rhino and Grasshopper. You’ll develop a design proposal from conceptual design to detail. You’ll also consider how forms and configurations can be manipulated for design purposes. You’ll then fabricate a scaled physical model based on the proposal. The field trip for the module is usually a walking tour of Leeds to visit relevant sites and structures.

This module is suitable for students who study architecture, engineering and related fields. You should have some basic knowledge of CAD design modelling or architecture/structural design. 

Read the full description of Digital design and fabrication in the module catalogue.

Fluid dynamics lies at the heart of many societal and industrial challenges. It has practical application in the engineering and physical sciences. Fluid dynamics also has applications in geophysical, astrophysical, environmental and biomedical regimes.   

This module will pair lectures with hands-on experiments and workshops. You’ll explore many different aspects of fluid behaviour. This will include laminar flow, vortices and turbulence. You’ll also examine a variety of fluid states, such as droplets, non-Newtonian fluids and creeping flows.  

You’ll have the opportunity to learn from experts in the Leeds Institute for Fluid Dynamics. This module will encourage you to think about the many ways in which fluids affect our lives. The module usually includes a field trip to the Tees Barrage.

Read the full description of Fluid dynamics in theory and practice in the module catalogue.

Do you have an interest in the sciences and want to learn more about how the natural world works? Are you interested in scientific discovery and applying practical skills to solve global issues? Are you keen to see how fundamental principles of mathematics and physical science continue to affect and shape the world we live in?

This module gives an introduction to a range of sciences. Topics include atmospheric changes, chaos theory, the mathematics of voting systems and estimation. The module usually includes a field trip to a science museum such as Magna in Sheffield or the Life Science Centre in Newcastle.

You'll develop your science journalism and scientific writing skills. You’ll also gain practical scientific skills in world-class facilities and laboratories. Students enrolled on the module will need to create a FutureLearn account.

The professors for the natural sciences courses were amazing. They were a really memorable highlight of my Leeds experience. 

Read the full description of Natural sciences in the module catalogue.

The leadership and management of sport and physical activity has never been more important. With growing levels of inactivity and the impact of COVID-19 on activity behaviours, the ability to develop and lead effective interventions is crucial. This module considers how leadership is a critical element to developing projects and working in teams.

You'll reflect on and understand your own leadership skills and how they are transferable to a real-life project situation. The module will also focus the issues facing sport, physical activity and outdoor education and provide you with the opportunity to develop a researched intervention to tackle a specific issue.

You'll work in collaboration with peers to develop intervention ideas and to test your leadership skills in a range of engaging team-based challenges and activities. The module usually includes a field trip to the Yorkshire Dales.

Through this module, I had the opportunity not only to experience British culture and the British way of life, but also to explore my potential and try new things.

Read the full description of Developing leadership through sport in the module catalogue.

Law is a diverse and stimulating discipline which is integral to everyday life. Every person in society has experience of how the law affects their lives. From crime and policing to the courtroom, or from banking to individual rights. This module provides the fundamentals of knowledge and an introduction to the English Legal System.

It examines a range of core subject areas of law, such as human rights, constitutional and criminal. Practical activities will include statute-building, debates on law and ethics and mooting. 

This module usually includes a field trip to the Yorkshire Law and Order Museums in Ripon, a stunning cathedral city in North Yorkshire.

This module gave me the full experience that I had imagined before I came here. I also liked the subject since I am also studying Law which is why I’m fascinated with how the law works here in the UK.

Read the full description of The path to justice in the module catalogue.

What is the relationship between wealth and poverty? How did the current global hierarchy of wealth and power come about? Are countries in the Global North powerful because they dominated, plundered and exploited the Global South? The module analyses the profound socio-economic and political effects of European colonialism.

You'll explore the impact of these factors on the making of the modern world, study key drivers and repercussions of colonialism in the Americas, Asia and Africa and develop an understanding of related features of the global political economy. 

The module usually includes a field trip to the People’s History Museum in Manchester and a walking tour.

This module gave me the chance to learn about British history and culture, understand different teaching models and make some good friends around the world! Moreover, it also enabled me to improve my independence and creativity.

Read the full description on Wealth and poverty in the module catalogue.