BUSINESS &MANAGEMENTMedway

The UK’s European university

Undergraduatestudy

2 Business & Management

BUSINESS &MANAGEMENT What does a business need in order to thrive?How do you target your market, recruit theright people, deliver efficiently, control cashflow? Studying Business & Managementgives you an understanding of the modernbusiness world, providing you with a solidskill set and excellent career prospects.

3www.kent.ac.uk/kbs

4 Business & Management

Placement opportunitiesSpending time on placement isa great way to gain experienceand give you an edge in the jobmarket. Kent Business Schoolhas connections with globaland local organisations in awide range of sectors andwe support you in finding amanagerial placement.

World-leadingresearchYou learn from leading experts.Our staff undertake researchof international quality; writeand contribute to journalarticles and books; and provideexpert comment to the media.They put you in touch with thelatest ideas.

InspirationalteachingGreat teachers inspireenthusiasm and provokedebate. Whether they’relecturing on data analysis orsparking a discussion oncorporate social responsibility,our staff are skilled at bringingtheir subject to life and drawingyou into the conversation.

Academic supportUniversity is different fromschool. You need to be self-motivated and well organised tosucceed. We help by assigningyou an academic adviser andorganising peer mentoring.You can also get help withacademic skills, such asessay writing and referencing.

CMI accreditationAt Kent Business School youhave the opportunity to gainthe Chartered ManagementInstitute’s (CMI) Level 5Certficate in Managementand Leadership alongsideyour degree. CMI qualificationsare highly sought after byemployers.

ExcellentresourcesAccess more than 1 millionbooks, ebooks, databases andjournals at the University’s DrillHall and Templeman Libraries.Our expert subject librariansare on hand to help you findyour way around and get themost from our collections.

Support forstart-upsTake the Business Start-upJourney and develop theskills you need to becomea successful entrepreneur.You get advice from businessexperts to develop your ownbusiness plan, pitch your ideasand potentially win a cash prizeto help fund your start-up.

Friendly campusOur Medway campus reinventsa former naval base as a21st-century study space,with exceptional facilities andsupport. Close to the townsof Rochester and Chathamwith their fascinating histories,there is plenty to do both onand off campus.

Career successEmployability is a priority atKent. By studying, you sharpenskills that are useful in workinglife, such as time managementand team work. You haveopportunities to gain workexperience and access tocareers advice, boosting your CV and your confidence.

WHY STUDY BUSINESS &MANAGEMENT AT KENT?

5www.kent.ac.uk/kbs

Breadth ofopportunityAt Kent, we encourage you to pursue your own interests in business.Through our course materials, Business Start-up Journey, businesssimulations, year in industry (placement or self-employed) and yearabroad opportunities, we help to nurture your ideas, develop the keyskills you need and accelerate your progress into a fulfilling career.Our small, friendly team can really get to know you and understandwhere you are heading. Corporate sector? Social enterprise?Business start-up? All paths start from here.

Quadrupei fortiter senesceretPompeii celeriter vocificatadlaudabilis matrimonii. Adfabilis r

Teaching ExcellenceFramework• Kent was awarded gold, the highest rating, in the UK government’s TeachingExcellence Framework*

Research ExcellenceFramework• Based on the most recentResearch ExcellenceFramework, Kent was rankedin the top 20 for researchintensity by the Times HigherEducation, outperforming11 of the 24 Russell Groupuniversities

Destination of Leavers fromHigher Education (DLHE)• Over 95% of Kent graduateswho graduated in 2017 andresponded to a nationalsurvey were in work or furtherstudy within six months

The Times Good UniversityGuide 2018• Business Studies at Kentranked 22nd (out of 120institutions)

National Student Survey 2017• Over 89% of final-yearManagement Studies studentswho responded to the surveywere satisfied with the overallquality of their course

University of Kent

Independent rankings

Kent Business School

*The University of Kent’s Statementof Findings can be found at www.kent.ac.uk/tef-statement

6 Business & Management

7www.kent.ac.uk/kbs

The intimacy is nice and Medwaystudents get the best of both worlds as we have access to theCanterbury campus and all thefacilities there via the free shuttlebus. The Business School hasrecently moved over to theDockyard, where we now havebrand-new study space andcommon rooms for students.

What social activities areyou involved in?In second year I was very busy –I was chair of the MedwayVolunteering Committee andco-founded the RAG [Raise andGive] society on the Medwaycampus. I’ve taken a back seatwith volunteering for my final year,although I’m continuing as a KBSstudent ambassador.

What are your plans for aftergraduation?I have been offered a job at myplacement company when Igraduate, so I’ll be returning there.But I certainly plan to explore asmany types of event as possible,maybe even weddings!

Any advice for future students?I’d say try to be focused and drivenfrom day one. Know what you want.As you’re going through, think aboutthe long term but, in the short term,take up every opportunity, even ifyou aren’t sure about it. Now’s thetime to give things a go.

Helen Bedi is in the finalyear of her BA in Business& Management with aYear in Industry. This iswhat she told us abouther course.

Why did you choose to studyBusiness & Management?I originally thought of doing adegree in events managementbut when I looked into it I thoughtBusiness & Management wasmuch broader and would allowme to explore other avenues.

And what was it about thecourse here at Kent thatappealed to you?Definitely the year in industry –it’s very beneficial to have thatexperience before you’ve evengraduated from university.

How is your course going?What have you really enjoyed?In first year you do a range ofmodules and get a little taste ofeverything. I loved that in secondand third years we got to chooseour modules, because I’ve beenable to pick the options that willhelp me in my career. One ofour modules involved creating anew range of products for a localcompany. We had to pitch our ideasto them, and in previous years theyhave actually used students’ ideas,so that was interesting. At themoment I’m doing a module onstarting your own enterprise. It’s areally fresh module: you get prettymuch free rein over the business

you want to set up, which is greatbecause you can choose somethingyou're really passionate about andare even offered support, throughthe Business Start-up Journey,if you want to bring it to fruition.

What do you think of thesupport available?My lecturers have always beenreally approachable, whether youwant to ask questions about thecourse or have a general chat.They're very responsive to emailsand always have time for you evenif you pop into their offices withoutan appointment! KBS arranges allsorts of extra events and activitiestoo – for instance we went to[fashion retailer] Phase Eight’sheadquarters to see how theydo their range planning, and wewent to a talk with Tom Ilube whois a really big start-up entrepreneur.Usually you’d have to pay a lot ofmoney to see him, but we got thatas part of our experience at KentBusiness School.

Did you enjoy your year inindustry? What did you do?I worked for a corporate eventcompany in London, as an eventco-ordinator. They give you a lot ofresponsibility right from the start –you’re not just there to make the tea!By the end of the placement I wastheir senior event co-ordinator attheir Oxford Street branch.

What do you think of thecampus and the facilities?When I came for the open day,I really liked the Medway campus.

STUDENT VIEW

8 Business & Management

YOUR DEGREE PROGRAMME

The BA (Hons) in Business& Management providesyou with a wide range ofopportunities to developyour business skills.

You learn how to analyse businessproblems and policies, and howto find solutions. We invite guestspeakers from industry to talk toour students so that you can seehow theoretical knowledge isapplied in real businesses.

At Stage 1 (the first year of a full-time degree), all your modulesare compulsory, providing youwith a broad-ranging understandingof the key areas of business andmanagement. At Stages 2 and3 (your second and third years)you take a mix of compulsory andoptional modules, allowing you totailor your studies to areas mostrelevant to your interests andcareer plans.

Between Stages 2 and 3, youcan choose to spend a year inindustry, either on placementor self employed. You canalso choose to study abroad.See p10 for more details.

Please note that the module listsbelow are not fixed as new modulesare always in development andchoices updated yearly. Seewww.kent.ac.uk/ug for themost up-to-date information.

Stage 1Compulsory modulesAll students take the following:• Economics for Business 1

(CB365)• Employability and Study Skills

for Success (CB373)• Fundamentals of Financial

Accounting (CB330)• Fundamentals of Management

Accounting (CB331)• The International Business

Environment (CB384)• Introduction to Data Analysis and

Statistics for Business (CB367)• Management Principles (CB366)• Marketing Principles (CB371).

Stage 2Compulsory modules• Digital Information Systems:

a Management Perspective(CB756)

• Managing People and Teams(CB697)

• Project Management (CB725)• The Management of Operations

(CB740)

Optional modulesOptional modules include:• Contract Law and Consumer

Rights (CB5009)• Corporate Social Responsibility

(CB754)• Economics for Business 2

(CB363)• Enterprise and Entrepreneurship

(CB729)• Marketing Analytics (CB5010)• Retail Sales Management

(CB717).

Stage 3Compulsory modules• Leadership and Corporate

Strategy (CB726)• Critical Thinking for

Contemporary Business Issues(CB724)

• Human Resources andOrganisational Behaviour(CB743)

• Strategic Marketing (CB761)

Optional modulesOptional modules include:• Business/Management Project

(CB542)• Contract Law and Consumer

Rights (CB5009)• Business Law and Employment

Rights (CB760)• Creating Your Own Enterprise

(CB742)• European Business (CB605)• Merchandising and Sales

Planning (CB721)• Product Design and Buying

(CB716)• Service and Supply Chain

Management (CB784).

Please see www.kent.ac.uk/ug/238

for more details about the course.

Teaching and assessmentTeaching methods include lectures,workshops and seminars wherecase studies are analysed, guestspeakers from industry, businesssimulations, industrial visits, groupprojects and presentations, andcomputer-based simulations.

You have around eight to 12 hoursof class time per week and regularaccess to an academic adviser. Allmodules involve independent study.

Assessment is usually by meansof coursework and end-of-yearexamination. For details of theassessment for individual modules,see www.kent.ac.uk/ug

International studentsIf you need to extend your existingacademic qualifications or abilityin English to study at universitylevel, Kent’s one-year InternationalFoundation Programme (IFP) givesyou the opportunity to do so.

A good pass from the Kent IFP withan overall average of 60%, includingpassing all components, guaranteesyou entry to the first year of theBusiness & Management degreeprogramme. See www.kent.ac.uk/ifpfor more information.

Further informationSee www.kent.ac.uk/ug for detailson all our programmes.

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“It was a great comfort to methat there were internationalstudents at Kent who werealso away from home for thefirst time. Kent’s proximityto London and mainlandEurope, and the variety ofscholarship options, madeit my top choice.”

Vanessa VoongBusiness & Management witha Year in Industry

10 Business & Management

Year abroadGoing abroad as part of yourdegree is an amazing opportunityand a chance for you to developacademically, personally andprofessionally. You gain confidenceand independence and furtherdevelop many of the transferableskills employers are looking for,such as the ability to communicateeffectively and to plan and organiseyour time. You also demonstrate thatyou are flexible in your outlook andhave the enthusiasm and drive tosucceed in a new environment.

For many students, their yearabroad is a life-changing andrewarding experience. Having risento the challenge of living in anothercountry, they have a renewed beliefin their ability to succeed.

We work with a wide range ofpartner universities in manycountries, which currently includeAustralia, Chile, China (Hong Kong),a number of European countries,and South Korea.

You need to have reached certainacademic standards in your firstand second years in order toparticipate. Your year abroad is assessed on a pass/fail basis and doesn’t count towards your final degree classification. Seegoabroad/opportunities/az.htmlfor more information.

YOUR YEAR IN INDUSTRY/YEAR ABROAD

Why not broaden yourexperience by spendinga year in industry on aprofessional placement or developing your ownbusiness? Alternatively,you could spend a yearstudying overseas.

The year in industry or abroad isusually taken between Stages 2and 3 of your degree (the secondand third years if you are studyingfull-time).

Year in industryThe year in industry has two routes:• placement (working for an

organisation)• enterprise (self-employment).

Spending a year in the workplacegives you the opportunity toevaluate a particular career pathand gain knowledge of the businessenvironment. Employers are keento employ graduates who alreadyhave work experience, so your yearin industry can enhance your jobprospects.

The skills and knowledge youacquire will also help you in yourfinal year at university. Generally,students who have been on a year in industry see their gradesimprove by 5-10%, as a resultof their increased confidence,experience, commitment andbusiness acumen.

Finding a placement We provide you with lots ofinformation and support to helpyou find a placement. Kent BusinessSchool has connections with manyemployers, and opportunities formanagerial jobs are available ina wide range of sectors. Followinga successful placement, you mayeven be offered a position with theorganisation after graduation.

Salary and holiday entitlements varyaccording to the employer you workfor. Many students find that theyearn enough to be able to savesome of their income, and thisoften helps them in their final year of studying at Kent.

Enterprise yearIf you are interested in startingyour own business, you mightprefer to spend your year in industrydeveloping your ideas. You needto complete the Business Start-upJourney during Stage 2 if you wishto take this option (see p12 or visitwww.kent.ac.uk/kbs/facilities/aspirefor more details).

AssessmentWhether you choose the placementor self-employment option, you buildup a portfolio of evidence over theyear and at the end of the year youwrite a reflective report about yourexperience. These are assessedand your marks count towards yourfinal degree classification.

• discussing exam accessarrangements

• helping you with emotional,psychological or mental healthissues

• applying for relevant fundingto support you.

Find out more at:www.kent.ac.uk/studentsupport

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“Peer mentoring is open toabsolutely everyone. We’vesigned up to be peer mentorsand we really do want to help,so take advantage of it.”

Evangeline AgyemanPeer mentor

SUPERB STUDY SUPPORT

We’ll support youthroughout your timeat Kent, from helpingyou adjust to universitystudy to discussingmodule choices andessay topics with you.

You are assigned an academicadviser in your first year, and theyhelp you get the most from yourdegree programme. They meetwith you regularly to discussgeneral academic issues orspecific assignments. They willassist you in developing academicskills and refer you to other sourcesof help if you need it.

Peer supportThe best advice often comes from people who’ve been in yoursituation. On our Academic PeerMentoring scheme, first-yearstudents can request to be matchedwith second- or third-year studentson a similar degree programme.

Peer mentors will help you settle into university life and find your feet.They can help you to discuss ideasand improve your study skills as youprogress through your first year.

Study skills adviceSuccessful students take control oftheir own learning. Kent’s StudentLearning Advisory Service (SLAS)can help you increase yourcompetence and confidence andfulfil your potential. You can requesta one-to-one appointment or attend

workshops on a diverse rangeof topics, from making the mostof lectures to writing well andavoiding plagiarism.

Student support andwellbeingYou might need extra help to getthe most from university. If youhave a medical condition, specificlearning difficulty, mental healthcondition or disability, the StudentSupport and Wellbeing team isthere to support you.

They are committed to improvingaccess to learning for all studentsat Kent and can assist with manythings, including:• talking to your lecturers about

any help you need in lecturesor seminars

• arranging note-takers, signersand other support workers for you

12 Business & Management

A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE

What do you hope to do once you have yourdegree? Whether you havea specific career path inmind or haven’t yetthought much beyonduniversity, we can helpyou to plan for successin the future.

Build your CVYour degree studies help you todevelop skills such as thinkingcritically, expressing yourself clearly,solving problems and working bothindependently and as part of ateam. These transferable skills arevalued by employers and will alsobe vital if you go on to further study.

At Kent, you have lots of other greatopportunities to enhance your skills.For instance, you could:• join a society or sports club (even

better – get involved in running it)• volunteer with a community• work in a part-time job or take

up a summer internship • represent your fellow students

as a student rep, or become astudent ambassador

• learn a new language or skillwith Study Plus.

Getting involved like this means thatyou can earn Employability Points,which you can exchange foremployability rewards. The morepoints you earn, the more valuablethe rewards: we work with local,national and international employersto offer internships, work experienceand a range of other activities thatprepare you for the world of work.

Plan your first businessParticipate in the Business Start-upJourney alongside your degreeprogramme and learn the skillsyou need to become a successfulentrepreneur. Over 12 weeksyou get support and advice frombusiness experts to develop yourown business plan and learn aboutessential aspects such as marketresearch and protecting yourintellectual property. You pitch yourideas and have an opportunity towin a cash prize to help turn youridea into reality.

Find a great jobYour degree can lead to a career ina wide range of sectors. In recentyears, our graduates have taken uppositions at Deloitte UK, DeutscheBank, Hewlett-Packard, Tesco andVodafone, among many others.

Kent Business School’s qualifiedcareers practitioners providesupport to all Business &Management undergraduatestudents, both during yourstudies and for up to threeyears after you graduate.

Visit our careers fair to talk topotential employers and useour award-winning Careers andEmployability Service for adviceon preparing your CV. Our trackrecord speaks for itself: just sixmonths after graduating in 2017,over 95% of Kent graduates whoresponded to a national surveywere in work or further study(DLHE, 2017).

13www.kent.ac.uk/kbs

In Marketing, no two days are thesame as the markets and customerdemands change, so we constantlyhave to evolve and adapt. I getinvolved in corporate and industryevents, campaigns, internalcommunications and socialmedia activity.

The graduate scheme is a two-yearprogramme and includes variousmodules that focus on developingleadership skills. I plan to studyfor a CIM [Chartered Institute ofMarketing] qualification alongsidework. I’d like to think that, in thefuture, I’ll be given moreresponsibility and authority asI learn more about the company,field and industry.

University life really is what youmake of it. My main advice wouldbe to get involved and take upthe opportunities that come yourway, because it is very unlikelythat you will get a chance tolive the experience again.

I was drawn to Kent because itwas clear that there is a strongfocus on developing employabilityskills to equip students for life inthe ‘real world’.

The first year provided thefoundations of business, butI was then able to build on myinterest in marketing by choosingmodules related to this in thesecond and final year. Each taughta different aspect of marketing,from strategy to the value chain,so I always felt like I was learningabout the subject from differentperspectives. I particularly enjoyedthe seminars, as these were moreinteractive and engaging. Often forseminars there is prep work to doand I felt that having ‘homework’always put what was taught inlectures into context.

The library at Kent is very wellresourced; I never had an issuewith finding a computer, and evenif there are no PCs available thereare laptops that you can borrow.There are various learningenvironments, from quiet study forindividual learning to group zonesand conference rooms that can bebooked for group learning.

Living in student accommodation(halls) in first year was by far thebest year because I met so manydifferent people and learnt a lotabout myself through needing tobe independent. There are alwayssocial events happening. It wasnice that there were differenttypes of event at the Deep End[the student hub], from dancenights to the SuperBowl showing.

When I was preparing my CVto apply for placements in secondyear, I got help from the Careersand Employability Service. Theyran regular workshops to build upyour employability skills, coveringhow to approach assessmentcentres, psychometric testing,interview practice, etc. All ofthese were helpful when I wasapplying for jobs.

I did my placement at Fujitsu[a multinational IT equipment andservices company] and have sincereturned as a graduate, joiningthe Fujitsu Graduate Scheme inMarketing. Without the option ofdoing a placement and buildingup my skills and experience,I would not find myself in thecareer I am in now.

NEXT STEPS

Honey Hoda studied Business & Management witha Year in Industry and graduated with a first-classdegree in 2017. She is now working in marketing onFujitsu’s graduate scheme. Here’s what she told usabout her studies and life after Kent.

14 Business & Management

COME AND FIND OUT MORE

Choosing a universityis a big step, so it’simportant to find out asmuch as you can beforeyou make your decision.Come and visit us to seewhat we can offer you.

Open DaysOpen Days are a great way to findout what life as a student at Kentis like. For instance, you can:• learn more about the course

you are interested in at asubject presentation

• ask questions – talk to theacademic teams at theinformation stands

• experience our teaching ata taster lecture*

• find out about student finance,opportunities to study abroadand extracurricular activitiessuch as Kent Sport.

Explore the campus at your ownpace on the self-guided walkingtour. You will be able to visit ourstudent accommodation at LibertyQuays, chat to current studentsand discover the fascinatinghistory of our Medway campus.

Open Days are held in the summerand autumn. Book your place atwww.kent.ac.uk/opendays

Applicant DaysIf you apply to Kent and we offeryou a place (or ask you to comefor an interview), you will usuallybe invited to an Applicant Day.Applicant Days run in the autumnand spring terms and are anopportunity to find out about thecourse in more detail. You spendtime with your academic schoolmeeting staff and current students,and take part in activities that giveyou a flavour of your prospectivecourse and university life.

Informal visitsIf you can’t make it to an Open Dayor Applicant Day, you can still visitus. We run tours of the campusthroughout the year.

* Programme of events variesaccording to subject.

15www.kent.ac.uk/kbs

If you live outside Europe, weappreciate that you might find itdifficult to attend our scheduledevents, so we can arrange apersonal campus tour for youand your family.

Let us know you’re comingScheduled tours and personalcampus tours (for internationalstudents) need to be booked inadvance – you can do this viawww.kent.ac.uk/informal

Meet us in your countryOur staff regularly travel overseasto meet with students who areinterested in coming to Kent.We also have strong links withagents in your home countrywho can offer guidance andinformation on studying at Kent.Find out more at www.kent.ac.uk/courses/international

Self-guided toursIf you prefer to explore on yourown, you can download a self-guided walking tour at:www.kent.ac.uk/informalor pick up a copy from us.

This brochure was produced in June 2018. The University of Kent makes every effortto ensure that the information contained in its publicity materials is fair and accurateand to provide educational services as described. However, the courses, servicesand other matters may be subject to change. For the most up-to-date information,see www.kent.ac.uk/ug and for full details of our terms and conditions, seewww.kent.ac.uk/termsandconditions

For the University to operate efficiently, it needs to process information about youfor administrative, academic and health and safety reasons. Any offer we make toyou is subject to your consent to process such information and is a requirementin order for you to be registered as a student. All students must agree to abide bythe University rules and regulations at: www.kent.ac.uk/regulations

A self-guided audio tour is availabletoo, which allows you to learn aboutKent without even leaving home.Visit www.kent.ac.uk/courses/visit/informal/audio-tour.html for moreinformation.

Explore onlineIf you can’t come and see us,you can find out more about theacademic team, the courseand events in the School onlineat: www.kent.ac.uk/kbs

Keep in touch with us:• www.facebook.com/

KentBusinessSchool• www.twitter.com/kbs_kent• www.youtube.com/

KentBusinessSchool• www.instagram.com/

KentBusinessSchool

Contact usIf you would like more informationon the University of Kent’s courses,facilities or services, please contactus on:T: +44 (0)1227 768896www.kent.ac.uk/ug

LocationMedway

AwardBA (Hons)

Degree programme• Business & Management*

Programme typeFull-time

Offer levelsBBB at A level, IB 34 pointsoverall or 15 points at HLincluding Mathematics 4at HL or SL

Required subjectGCSE Mathematics gradeC/grade 4

Access and BTECAccess and BTEC Level 3Extended Diploma applicantsare assessed on an individualbasis. Please contact us formore information

Year in industry/year abroadSee p10 for details

Scholarships and bursariesFor details of scholarships andbursaries, please see:www.kent.ac.uk/ugfunding

Offer levels and entryrequirements are subjectto change. For the latestcourse information, see:www.kent.ac.uk/ug

* The UCAS code for this course hadnot been allocated at time of publication.See the Business & Management coursepage at www.kent.ac.uk/ug for the latestinformation.

DPC 12661306/18PUB1076

University of Kent, The Registry, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NZ T: +44 (0)1227 764000 www.kent.ac.uk/ug

COME ANDVISIT USTo find out more about visitingthe University, see our website:

www.kent.ac.uk/visit