KBS MBA Brochure 2014

Graduatestudy

Canterbury

THE KENT MBA

1www.kent.ac.uk/kbs/kentmba

WHY CHOOSE THE KENT MBA?

AN AMBA-ACCREDITEDPROGRAMMEThe Kent MBA carries Association of MBAs(AMBA) accreditation, which representsthe highest standard of achievement inpostgraduate business education and isawarded to only the best MBA programmesin the world. Students and employersconsistently recognise that an MBA withAMBA accreditation is an assurance ofglobal quality.

CORPORATECONNECTIONSKent Business School prides itself ondelivering first-class academic degreescombined with real-world businessconnections. During the Kent MBAprogramme, global organisations presentlive case studies and projects. You alsoengage in a week of consultancy withbusinesses and have access to a diverserange of private and public sector experience.

A GLOBALCOMMUNITYConveniently located close to London andmainland Europe, Kent Business Schoolprovides a vibrant multicultural learningenvironment that enables you to gain a trulyglobal perspective on business affairs.

RESEARCHEXCELLENCEKent Business School is proud of its strongresearch environment. In the 2008 ResearchAssessment Exercise (RAE), we were placedin the top third of all UK business schools.Our world-class research informs teaching onour programmes through the latest businessand management topics and data from oursix centres of applied research.

EUROPEAN STUDY TOURAs a student of the Kent MBA, you havethe opportunity to visit Brussels and Parison a five-day European Study Tour. Whilein Brussels, you attend workshops andseminars on policy, law and business withinthe EU, and in Paris, you work with Europeanorganisations on the practicalities of doingbusiness in Europe.

FLEXIBLE STUDYOPTIONSThe Kent MBA modules are designed insingle-week blocks of study and you havethe option to complete your programmewithin one year of full-time study, or combineit with an ongoing career and finish in twoor three years.

WELCOME FROM OURDIRECTOR

We are a top 30 UK business school, committed toexcellence by providing world-class, thought-provokingMaster’s programmes. We focus on professional skillsand knowledge in specific areas of management, whichare readily transferable to real-world applications.

All of the Master’s programmes at Kent Business Schooladdress the challenges of modern global business and weaim to meet industry’s demand for quality graduates byensuring we unlock our students’ potential, expand theirthinking and nurture their talent. We are driven tooptimise our students’ experience and employability.

Our teaching is underpinned by our high-qualityinternational research and we pride ourselves on ourgrowing research capabilities at the School. In the 2008Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), we were placedin the top third of all UK business schools.

We are committed to international excellence, beinghighly ranked in The Guardian University Guide andthe National Student Survey. A kite mark of our globaldistinction and rigorous academic teaching is also reflectedin our accreditation from the Association of MBAs (AMBA)and our membership of the Association of Business Schools(ABS) and the European Foundation for ManagementDevelopment (EFMD).

We are dedicated to ensuring our students receive a qualityinternational business education, through friendly andsupportive academic and professional services staff, anda global outlook in a comfortable and conducive learningenvironment.

Professor Martin MeyerDirector, Kent Business School

Kent Business School / The Kent MBA2


CONTENTS

A world-class education 4The Kent MBA 6Real-world engagement 7Student profile 8Programme structure and delivery 10Research excellence 12Career development 14Entry requirements, applications and funding 15Come and visit us 17

CONNECT WITH KENT BUSINESS SCHOOL

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A WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION

We are a world-class business school,combining high-quality research andrigorous teaching with real-worldrelevance and strong links to thebusiness community.

Teaching in the School is also supported by leadingexperts from business and the professions, as wellas visiting academics from other universities, whowork closely with our permanent academic team.

International focus We believe that an international perspective onbusiness benefits all of our students. Kent BusinessSchool has over 60 internationally recognisedacademics from 22 different countries. Most ofour teaching faculty are involved with researchingthe latest issues in business and management,actively working with organisations to providenew insight for business leaders and policymakers.Their knowledge and research findings feed intothe programmes to ensure they are both cutting-edge and globally relevant.

Students on the Kent MBA programme comefrom a wide range of backgrounds and locationsincluding the UK, other European countries, the FarEast, Middle East, Asia, North and South America,and Africa. You will therefore be part of a vibrantcommunity of exceptional graduate students whoare developing their professional knowledge. Thediverse backgrounds of staff and students in theSchool create a dynamic learning environment,offering plenty of opportunity for insight, discussionand debate.

Business connectionsOur well-established links with international,national and regional businesses ensure we havethe capability to impart real-world skills and thelatest business knowledge. We have long-standingrelationships with leading organisations, includingBarclays, Cummins, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, IBM, ifs(Institute of Financial Services), KPMG, Lloyd’s ofLondon, The Bank of England, Kent County Counciland retail media group, dunnhumby.

During your studies, you also have the chance toengage in a number of industry-led activities andnetworking opportunities, including live case studywork and current business challenges, guestlectures and seminars.

Highly ranked schoolKent Business School has over 25 years’experience of delivering high-quality businessdegrees, enabling you to graduate with thespecialist expertise and real-world skills requiredto meet the challenges of today’s businesses. Wecontinually rank among the UK’s top 30 businessschools as confirmed by The Guardian UniversityGuide 2015 and the National Student Survey.

The School is a member of the EuropeanFoundation for Management Development (EFMD)and the Association of Business Schools (ABS).We have an international reputation for the highstandard and quality of our programmes, whichhave received accreditation from leadingprofessional bodies, including the Association ofMBAs (AMBA), the Chartered Institute of Personneland Development (CIPD), the Chartered Instituteof Marketing (CIM), the Global Association of RiskProfessionals (GARP) and the Professional RiskManagers’ International Association (PRMIA).

Research excellenceKent Business School is proud of its strongresearch environment. In the 2008 ResearchAssessment Exercise (RAE), 55% of theSchool’s research was rated “world-leading” or“internationally excellent”, placing us in the topthird of all UK business schools. Our world-classresearch informs the rigorous teaching on ourprogrammes through the latest business andmanagement topics and data from our sixcentres of applied research in the following areas:accounting and finance; management science;people, management and organisation; marketing;and strategy and international business. For furtherinformation on our research activities, see p12.

Expert staffAt Kent Business School, you are taught by expertstaff who have experience in a wide range ofmanagement disciplines. Whether they have aparticular area of professional expertise or areactively involved in research, our academics arepassionate about their subjects and about sharingtheir knowledge with students, as well as with thewider academic and business communities.They guide and support your learning, not only incurrent best practice, but also in the latest businessthinking and emerging new concepts and theories.

Kent Business School / The Kent MBA

“My MBA experience at KentBusiness School was fantasticin every sense and continues tobe a key contributing factor inmy professional developmentand success today.”

Zainab JahUS Embassy, Gambia


Dynamic publishing culture Our staff frequently publish in leading internationaljournals, conference proceedings and books.Among others, they have recently contributed to:Critical Perspectives on Accounting; EuropeanJournal of Operational Research; Human ResourceManagement Journal; Journal of ProductInnovation Management; Psychology & Marketing;and Quantitative Finance.

Worldwide partnershipsIn addition to our links with professionalorganisations, Kent Business School has strongpartnerships with leading academic institutions,including:• Audencia Nantes School of Management(France)

• Hong Kong Baptist University• Aarhus School of Business and Social Science(Denmark)

• Carlo Cattaneo University (Italy)• Universiti Teknologi Malaysia• University of Ingolstadt, Bayern (Germany)• City University of Hong Kong• University of Hong Kong• Renmin University of China, School of Business.

Excellent locationThe School is conveniently located at the Universityof Kent’s Canterbury campus, close to continentalEurope and with easy access to London.Canterbury’s historic city centre is just a 25-minute walk or short bus-ride away. It’s a smallbut beautiful city with stunning medieval buildings,lively bars and pubs, restaurants and cafés, and awide range of shops. At the heart of the city is theworld-famous Canterbury Cathedral, which is oneof the venues for the University’s degreeceremonies.

Canterbury also makes an ideal base from which totravel further afield. High-speed trains run regularlybetween Canterbury West and London St Pancrasand take less than an hour. You are also in closeproximity to airports, the Channel ports and theEurostar Terminals at Ashford and Ebbsfleet, fromwhere you can be in Paris or Brussels inapproximately two hours.

Resources and facilities Kent Business School provides the idealenvironment for you to achieve your full potentialand gain the most from your studies. Set in abeautiful woodland environment, our purpose-designed building offers spacious teachingfacilities, including executive seminar and lecturerooms as well as access to excellent IT facilitiesand learning resources.

You are also within close proximity to all campusamenities, including the Templeman Library, theSports Centre, Medical Centre, cafés, bars andbistros, the Gulbenkian Theatre and Cinema,the Colyer-Fergusson Concert Hall, the GraduateSchool and dedicated postgraduate studentaccommodation at Woolf College.

Developing your employabilityKent has an excellent record of graduateemployment: over 94% of our postgraduatestudents who graduated in 2013 found a jobor further study opportunity within six months.

Kent Business School presents a wealth ofopportunities for you to gain much more than yourvaluable business degree. Our strong connectionswith global organisations provide the chance foryou to network and acquire useful connectionsto enhance your student experience and increaseyour employability. We hold events and activitieswith organisations and associations that will benefityour learning experience and enhance your futurecareer prospects.

We provide a friendly, international learningenvironment that allows you to forge associationswith friends and colleagues while at the Schooland also after graduation, as part of the KentBusiness School Alumni Network. Theseconnections remain with you long after yougraduate and may provide assistance in yourfuture career.

“The Kent MBA consolidatedmy flexibility in various fields,particularly marketing,international business, financeand strategy. It educated mein management-related issuesand has given me business andleadership credentials and skillsthat have effectively facilitatedmy career.”

Srinidhi ChakravartiHead of Business Development,Engineering and Manufacturing Solutions,Cognizant

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THE KENT MBA

The Kent MBA gives you theopportunity to develop an in-depthunderstanding of business andmanagement practices and improveyour personal skills in the core areasof management. We ensure youdevelop the necessary skills to makea significant contribution to anyorganisation and enhance the scopeand potential of your career alongwith your earning ability.

The style of teaching on the Kent MBA is veryinclusive and not only allows you to gain fromour academics’ knowledge but also to share anddiscuss your experiences and ideas. On average,our classes have a maximum of 50 students,offering a more personal learning environment thanmany other MBA programmes. This enhances yourlearning experience and enables you to gain themost from your studies and those around you.

Real-world corporate experienceAt Kent Business School, we believe that theexperience gained from our corporate connectionsis a key part of the Kent MBA. You have real andrelevant networking prospects to connect withlocal and national businesses, providing an excitingopportunity to work collaboratively to refine thesebusinesses while sharpening your own leadershipskills and developing business knowledge. Theseconnections involve organisations giving live casestudies and projects, hosting a Consultancy Weekand providing guest speaker opportunitiesthroughout the programme. You are also givenaccess to a diverse range of private and publicsector projects on which to base your end-of-yearreports. For more information on the benefits ofour corporate connections, see opposite page.

As a student of the Kent MBA, you areencouraged to think, question and find solutionsfrom academics, organisations and fellow students.You are surrounded by strategic thinkers withcommercial flair and global perspectives. Theconnections you make during this time will befor life.

High-quality teachingOne of your key partners on the Kent MBA isKent Business School’s international faculty.Each module convenor is chosen for theirenthusiasm, corporate experience, personalknowledge, networks and international contacts.They are internationally renowned for their researchachievements, placing them at the forefront of thelatest business and management developments.


“I already had an electronicsengineering degree and qualitywork experience, but felt Ineeded an MBA from a topinternational university with avibrant culture. This is the mainreason I chose Kent BusinessSchool and I can certainly saythe experience went far beyondmy expectations.”

Manjit KatariaKent MBA student

THE KENT MBAPROFILE 2013/14 Average age: 37 yearsAverage work experience: ten yearsNationalities represented: 13Male: 56% Female: 44%

CONTINUED OVERLEAF

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REAL-WORLD ENGAGEMENT

The Kent MBA maintains close linkswith the corporate world and we are committed to giving our studentswide-ranging experiences across thespectrum of small, medium and largeorganisations in both the private andpublic sectors.

Consultancy WeekLaunched in 2010, Consultancy Week is an initiativeof the Kent MBA, which provides a high-qualityconsultancy and recommendation service tosmall and medium-sized enterprises. ConsultancyWeek offers businesses the opportunity to bring abusiness problem to a team of Kent MBA studentswho make recommendations by providingfeedback in day-long interventions with each of thecompanies. The shared sense of entrepreneurialdedication to business from the business ownersand the involvement and commitment of thestudents contributes to high-quality, value-deliveringoutput and experience for all involved. You benefitfrom the opportunity to apply your academic andpractical skills to a real-world situation.

Our approach to the Kent MBA Consultancy Weekinitiative has been to engage this largely neglectedmarket space with the experience of our studentsand their ability to contribute effectively withrecommendations to the concerns and problemsof small and medium-sized enterprises.

Corporate enterprises have direct access toour students through our effective relationshipsas defined by our engaging live case studyprogrammes, internships, consultancies, guestlectures and executive in-residence sessions.

We provide you with recruitment activities, such ascorporate presentations and on-campus interviews,actively supported by a robust platform of career-focused sessions throughout the academic year.

Our effective corporate relationships guaranteeyou valuable exposure to the business worldand provide corporate organisations with theopportunity to work with and recruit talentedfuture leaders.

CumminsThe Kent MBA gives you the opportunity to deepenand develop your knowledge of organisationaloperations. Through Cummins’ live case studyevents, you are able to put your newly acquiredaptitudes and skills into real-world practice on livebusiness issues, presented by senior managersfrom the participating organisations. The events aredesigned to enhance analytical, presentation andwritten skills in a time-constrained environment.

Our successful Cummins’ live case study eventswere formally introduced as part of the assessmentin the International Business and Strategy modulesof the Kent MBA in 2011. The case studies havebrought immediate value to our students throughtransferable learning practice and network buildingand, at the same time, allowed them to effectivelyprovide reflection on the business challenges forCummins.

RareRare is rated as one of the top non-governmentalorganisations (NGOs) in the world – it was rankednumber 22 of all non-profit organisations, numbertwo in the environment category and number threein the sustainability criteria. Links between the KentMBA and Rare continue to grow with the NGOreturning for a second consecutive year, working incollaboration with the MBA programme on projectsaimed at transferring business skills and ideas tothe environment.

The Kent MBA enables Rare to access theexpertise of our students. In return, you receiveinvaluable practical experience of a multinationalNGO heavily involved in creating a sustainableglobal environment. These projects provide realand relevant insight into how NGOs operate withinthe mix of public and private sector organisations.

The projects also give you the opportunity to growtangible business connections, gain a deeperunderstanding of the challenges NGOs face, aswell as sharpen your leadership, communicationand consultancy skills. These projects and othersoffered by local and multinational organisationsprovide a range of exciting challenges for KentMBA students.

www.kent.ac.uk/kbs/kentmba

“Rare has been fortunate tofurther develop its qualityproduct offering by workingwith students on the Kent MBA.One of the projects looked intodeveloping a global trainingprogramme to promotesustainable behaviour change.The multi-country, multi-lingual, multi-stakeholderviability study and associatedbusiness plans confirmed theneed for, and potential of, thisconcept. Aspects of the projectare already in the early stagesof planning for testing inChina.”

Paul ButlerSenior Vice-President, Global Programs, Rare

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STUDENT PROFILE

The nature of my work means that I deal withpeople all day, every day, so the modules that focuson human resources and people management arethe ones I have found the most interesting. But I’veenjoyed all the modules so far – there have beenelements from each of them that I’ve found valuableand that I’m able to apply directly to real-life worksituations.

What about the facilities at Kent?The School provides a fantastic setting – it’svery modern with Wi-Fi available throughout thecampus. The library has all the resources you needand is easy to access. Public computers are alsoin generous supply should you need to use them.

How do you think your studies are goingto help you with your career?My studies are providing me with the knowledgeand confidence to approach difficult situationswhen taking the business in new directions. As apart-time student, I think there are limits to what youcan achieve if you are trying to balance the coursewith your work life. However, I’m just trying to get

the most out of the course. I think the more workyou put in, the more you will be rewarded at theend. It’s not simply about gaining a qualification.An MBA provides you with the tools and techniquesto solve business problems, but it doesn’t give youthe expertise – that’s something you need todevelop yourself. For me, a key part of theprogramme has been the opportunity to builda strong professional network, which will be ofbenefit to me and my business in the long run.

What advice can you offer potentialstudents?I would recommend the Kent MBA to anyone – it’s a fantastic experience. The course is verydemanding, but it’s great fun. I found it to be aninvaluable way to meet like-minded professionalsand it’s also enabled me to utilise a local resource.

Nick Saunders is Director of a family-run recruitment companyand is currently a student on Kent’sexecutive MBA programme.

What attracted you to the Kent MBA?I originally worked in the City in the banking sector,managing a small team offering a brokerageservice on the London Financial Futures Exchange.However, for the last 15 years of my career, I haverun my own business, specialising in the supplyof staff to various health care organisations, fromthe NHS to the local community. The market isbecoming increasingly competitive and we haverecently been looking at options to grow thebusiness through diversification.

I was keen to increase my professional skill setand broaden my thinking in readiness to adapt tomarket changes and to take advantage of theseopportunities. An MBA was the ideal solutionbecause it gives you an all-round approachto business.

I chose Kent primarily due to the location. I live inCanterbury, so getting here is very straightforward.My business is also located in Kent, which isparticularly useful for establishing links. Initially,I had considered following a distance learningroute, but preferred the structure and interactivityof traditional learning methods. The flexibility of theprogramme’s executive format has also allowed meto combine my studies with my work commitments.

How have you found the course so far?It’s an intense course and, having been outsidean educational setting for many years, I’ve foundit challenging at times. However, the lecturers havebeen very knowledgeable, approachable andhelpful. You are treated more as an equal thana student, which has been refreshing.

I’ve also enjoyed the interactive nature of theprogramme. The classes are more like opendiscussions than formal lectures, which meanswe get the chance to share our own experiences.

What have been the highlights so far?It’s been great to meet people from so manydifferent cultures and backgrounds. I think thegroup has gelled really well and formed a goodteam spirit.


A TOP 20 UKUNIVERSITYKent is a leading university andis ranked among the top 20 in theUK in The Guardian University Guide2015.


Diverse student bodyEach year, the Kent MBA programme attracts adiverse range of employees from both the publicand private sectors as well as a number ofentrepreneurs. In a typical cohort, we havestudents from ten to 15 nationalities, with averagework experience of ten years. This creates astimulating learning environment, giving you theopportunity to learn from your peers, make lifelongfriends and connections, and develop a truly globalapproach to your studies.

European connectionsComprising 28 Member States with a totalpopulation of over 500 million and a GDP ofapproximately US$17.5 trillion, the EU is theworld’s largest single common market, foreigninvestor and trader.

Kent is known as the UK’s European university,with campuses in the UK and study locations inBrussels, Paris, Athens and Rome. As a studentof the Kent MBA, you have the option of visitingBrussels and Paris on a five-day European StudyTour, where you learn about the structure, policy,law and finance of the EU as well as thepracticalities of doing business in Europe.

Programme flexibilityThe Kent MBA is a modular programme, structuredin week-long modules, with sufficient time forindividual and group research and study. It isdesigned to be flexible, allowing you to tailor yourstudies according to your interests with a widechoice of optional modules. You can also chooseto complete the Kent MBA in one year of full-timestudy or combine it with your career or othercommitments, completing your studies overtwo or three years part-time.

Kent Business School holds MBA Briefing sessionsevery month. These sessions provide you with anopportunity to discuss the flexibility of the MBAwith the Programme Director and a current studentin order to see how the programme could fit withyour own personal circumstances and careeraspirations. Further details can be found on p17.

Ongoing career supportThe Kent MBA focuses on career developmentand employability from the first day you arrive oncampus. Specialist advisers deliver workshopsthroughout the academic year and provideindividual support to guide you back onto yourpost-MBA career path. Workshops and clinicsare supported by sessions on negotiation skills,leadership and how to market yourself effectively.Networking is facilitated by alumni, internshipsor student projects, live case study events, theConsultancy Week, Brussels and Paris workshopsand other events delivered throughout the year.

For more information on the careers help weprovide at Kent, see p14.

Kent Business School AdvisoryBoard and Kent MBA CouncilThe School Advisory Board provides externalcomment and advice to the Senior ManagementTeam on strategic issues and comprises 12 high-level, regional and international executives.

The Kent MBA Council is represented by seniorexecutives, some of whom are Kent MBA alumni,from both national and international corporateorganisations. These individuals provide leadershipand corporate advice to the Kent MBA programmeas well as opportunities for MBA students tointeract with the business community.

Lifelong network and continuingprofessional developmentKent MBA graduates form part of an enthusiasticSchool alumni network and have formed the KentMBA Alumni Association, which supports theSchool by organising keynote speakers, providingprojects and case studies, assisting at recruitmentfairs and organising events. In addition, graduatesbecome part of the Association of MBAs AlumniNetwork and will also have access to Kent BusinessSchool’s qualified careers practitioners for up tothree years after graduation.

One of the unique features of the Kent MBA isthe opportunity to continue lifelong learning andprofessional development after graduation. KentMBA alumni can return to the School to join oneof our optional modules, free of charge.

“People in the business worldlike to put your name in a boxand, if you are recognised as theexpert, you need the additionalknowledge and tools – and theconfidence to use them – toenable you to engage in broaderbusiness initiatives. Therefore,it’s invaluable to be involved ina programme that opens youreyes to the latest businessthinking, draws your attentionto related models and toolsetsand, most importantly, gives youan insight into how your fellowstudents from around the worldreact to the programmematerial.”

Ian DennisBusiness Systems Manager,DS Smith Paper Ltd

Week Component Week Component

0 Orientation and Induction

Welcome barbecue to get to know key members of staff,fellow students and MBA alumni, followed by workshopsand team-building activities.

7 Leadership and Change

This module familiarises you with major contemporaryresearch evidence on effective approaches to leadershipand development practice.

1 Introduction to Strategy

This module covers the economic framework, legal structuresand regulation of enterprises, corporate ethics, governanceand stakeholder analysis.

8 Study and reading week

You have time for group study, workshop attendance,and individual study and reading.

2 Skills workshops

Workshops designed to assist with: business skills; analyticalskills; Business Report; and the Management Skills and CareerDevelopment Report.

9 Workshops

Careers development, leadership and negotiation workshops.

3 Accounting and Financial Management

You study the impact of financial and legal environments withinorganisations; financing of the business enterprise; sources,uses and management of finance; and use of accounting formanagement and financial reporting applications.


You have time for group study, workshop attendance, and individual study and reading.

4 Workshops and skills week

A range of guest speakers and workshops on writing and timemanagement skills.

11 Managing Processes

You study the importance of customer orientation, its strategicand operational role in gaining competitive advantage and theinterrelationship between operations and marketing. You learnto analyse and improve operating problems, information systemsand their impact on organisations.

5 Marketing Analysis and Planning

This module examines market orientation, product and branddevelopment, channels of distribution and pricing, communicatingwith customers and strategic planning.

12 Revision week

Time to study and attend revision sessions.


You have time for group study, workshop attendance,and individual study and reading.

Christmas vacation

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PROGRAMME STRUCTURE AND DELIVERY

The Kent MBA is designed around acore of general management themes,with opportunities for you to exploreareas of interest through a range ofoptional modules.

Both full-time and part-time students follow the samestructure and content. You take eight compulsorytaught modules, then choose two options designedto enhance specific knowledge or interests.


You are also required to complete two projectsin your own time: the Management Skills andCareer Development Report and the MBABusiness Report.

In addition, the Kent MBA offers workshops,seminars and study weekends, all designedto enhance your employability. The programmebegins with an orientation and inductionweekend. The weekend is designed to bring

together students and includes study and researchskills as well as team-building activities andprogramme orientation.

The diagram below shows a typical full-timetimetable. The optional modules listed areindicative only and may be subject to change toreflect market requirements. For students looking tocomplete the programme over two years, four coremodules are typically taken in each year along with


Diagram key

Compulsory module

Optional module

Week Component Week Component

Exam week 19 Consultancy Week – SME engagementKent MBA students engage with over 15 businesses in a consultancy capacity.

13 The Fundamentals of Corporate Finance and Investment You examine the financial market environment in which companiesoperate. Aspects of the efficiency of financial markets and theimplications thereof are investigated.

20 (Option 5) Applied Business Modellingor study time.

14 International BusinessIn this module, you analyse the complexity and diversity of theinternational business environment, evaluating major trade andforeign direct investment theories and concepts, and investigatethe modern multinational enterprise, its evolution and thesubsidiary mandates.

21 (Option 6) Innovation Management and New ProductDevelopmentor study time.

15 (Option 1) Bank Asset – Liability Management or study time.

22 Contemporary Issues in Strategic ManagementThe final compulsory module allows you to critically review currenttheories and frameworks of strategic management, apply theseapproaches to a variety of organisations, industry contexts andmarkets, and to examine the relevance of strategic managementthinking to practitioners.

16 (Option 2) Entrepreneurship or study time.

23 European Study TourYou attend workshops on the policy, law and structure of the EUas well as the practicalities of doing business in Europe.

17 (Option 3) A Systems Approach to Managing Complexity or study time.

24 Business simulationA live case study to integrate the different business disciplinescovered in the programme.

18 (Option 4) International Marketingor study time.

Exam week

one optional module. In the second year, you arealso required to complete the Management Skillsand Career Development Report and the MBABusiness Report.

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RESEARCH EXCELLENCE

In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), 55% of Kent BusinessSchool’s research was classified as “world-leading” or “internationallyexcellent”, placing us among the UK’s top 30 business schools.

MarketingResearch in this group cuts across four maindomains: marketing strategy and performance;product development and innovation; buyerbehaviour; and the management of supply (value)chains and market delivery systems. Strong linkswith industry and an international network ofresearch partners support the group’s empiricalresearch, and a growing body of postgraduateresearch students is at the heart of the theoreticaland conceptual work in which the group isengaged.

People, Management and OrganisationResearch examines key themes in the areasof employment relations, human resourcemanagement, organisational behaviour andleadership at both national and internationallevels. The group covers a wide range of researchtopics, including: employment relationships;the role of social partners; the effects of skills,technology and culture on the world of work;employee engagement; and the role of leadershipin determining organisational performance.

The group includes researchers from a variety ofacademic backgrounds. It therefore works froma multidisciplinary perspective, utilising bothhistorical and futuristic perspectives.

Strategy and International BusinessThe Strategy and International Business groupcarries out research in strategic managementand international business. Current researchtopics include: corporate social responsibility;dynamic capabilities and performancemanagement; international business in Centraland Eastern Europe; international strategicalliances; internationalisation of professionalservices firms; management of multinationalenterprises; management of not-for-profitorganisations; and non-market strategies.

Areas of research expertiseResearch activities at Kent Business School arebroadly organised into five dedicated areas ofbusiness management.

Accounting and FinanceThis group pursues research in a variety of areasincluding: financial management in the public andprofit-seeking sector; environmental and socialaspects of accounting; cash flow analysis; the lawand practice of auditing; accounting history andinternational accounting; financial econometrics;corporate finance; asset pricing; real-estatemodelling; and security price behaviour.

Management ScienceThe Management Science group covers a widerange of research areas in operational researchand systems thinking. This includes research inthe area of logistics, including green logistics andnetwork security, with a special emphasis on theinnovative design and analysis of heuristic andexact optimisation, DEA, operations management,multivariate analysis, biometrics, multi-methodologyand soft OR/systems.


WORLD-LEADINGRESEARCHIn the 2008 Research AssessmentExercise (RAE), Kent BusinessSchool’s international research was ranked within the top third of all UK business schools.


Centres of applied researchWe are proud of the role we play in businesscommunities locally and internationally. Oursix centres of applied research interact withthe corporate world and foster links with otheracademic and research institutions globally.

Anglo-Chinese Business and ManagementCentreDirector: Professor Steve LiuThis is the first collaborative research centre of itskind between China and the UK, providing a jointresearch unit for Kent Business School and ourpartners in the Chinese Academy of Sciencesand the Beijing Foreign Studies University. www.kent.ac.uk/kbs/research/research-centres/acbm

Centre for Employment, Competitivenessand GrowthDirector: Dr Mark GilmanProviding world-class research on performanceissues relating to work, employment relations andleadership, the Centre works with hundreds ofsmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and

the policy community that supports them. It hosts‘Promoting Sustainable Performance’, a multi-method research programme which identifies thecharacteristics of higher-performing SMEs, andprovides exclusive access to data and contact withregional SMEs. The Centre has recently launchedan executive education programme for ambitiousbusiness owner-managers called the BIG journey.www.kent.ac.uk/kbs/research/research-centres/ecg

Centre for Logistics and HeuristicOptimisationDirector: Professor Said SalhiThe Centre for Logistics and Heuristic Optimisationuses developments in the area of logistics heuristicresearch and practical optimisation research totackle real-life problems in the public and privatesectors. Acting as a focal point, the Centre attractsvisiting scholars, research fellowships and PhDstudents, and assists companies in solvingcomplex strategic, tactical and operationalproblems. www.kent.ac.uk/kbs/research/research-centres/clho

Centre for Quantitative FinanceDirector: Professor Radu Tunaru The Centre for Quantitative Finance providesexcellence in the research of contemporary issuesin financial markets that require a quantitativeapproach. The main role of the Centre is to carryout research that fills the gap between academiaand current problems faced by the industry,whether in conducting comparative studies onpricing and risk management methodologies, ordesigning improved financial products that canserve the wider community better, or simply beingthe first stop for policymakers, hedge funds orfinance houses where they can commissionquantitative studies on topics they do not haveexpertise in. www.kent.ac.uk/kbs/research/research-centres/cequfin

Centre for Tourism in Islands and CoastalAreas

Director: Dr Mark HamptonThe Centre for Tourism in Islands and CoastalAreas offers research and consultancy forgovernments, agencies, the private sector andother funders on all issues concerning coastaltourism in less developed countries. Expertisein the Centre covers: socio-economic andenvironmental impact studies; policy and planningfor coastal tourism; post-disaster tourism recovery;and niche tourism areas such as backpackers,ecotourism, marine tourism and volunteer tourism. www.kent.ac.uk/kbs/research/research-centres/centica

Centre for Value Chain ResearchDirector: Professor Stuart BarnesThe Centre for Value Chain Research provides afocus for multidisciplinary research on value chains,in particular how organisations create value andimprove efficiency and effectiveness of theoperations and supply chain performance. Basedat the University’s Medway campus, the Centre hasa large network of collaborators and partners inacademia, industry and the public sector in theUK and internationally. The Centre hosts theConsumer Insight Service in partnership withdunnhumby, providing consumer insights for thefood industry by allowing Kent Business Schoolstudents exclusive access to consumer informationfrom a leading UK supermarket.www.kent.ac.uk/kbs/research/research-centres/cvcr

Further informationFor more information about the research activitiesat Kent Business School, see www.kent.ac.uk/kbs

14

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Whatever your career goal, an MBA from Kent Business School equips youwith an impressive portfolio of skills, specialist knowledge and practicalexperience to help you succeed in a competitive job market.

Kent Business School delivers specialist workshops,seminars and talks throughout the year, which aredesigned to enhance your future career prospects.

Taught postgraduate students can also chooseto apply for a place on the Global Skills Awardtraining programme. Delivered by the GraduateSchool, the programme is specifically designedto consolidate your awareness of current globalissues and improve your employability.

Kent Business School AlumniNetworkKent Business School has a thriving alumni network,which facilitates social, business and networkingopportunities. With over 9,000 graduates, itcommunicates on many levels to keep alumni intouch with each other, with the Business School,with current students and with the latestdevelopments in business.

Careers and Employability ServiceOur Careers and Employability Service can helpyou to plan for your future by providing one-to-oneadvice at any stage of your studies. It also providesonline advice on employability skills, career choices,applications and interview skills. In addition, KentBusiness School’s qualified careers practitionersprovide support to all our MBA students for up tothree years after graduation.

Student enterpriseBuilding on our students’ growing enterpriseculture and activities, we can help you furtherdevelop your enterprise skills and business ideas.On Kent’s Canterbury campus, The Bulb is thestudent innovation space in the CanterburyInnovation Centre, running talks and workshopswith visiting speakers from the world of industry.In addition, Kent Enterprise Hub offers help andadvice if you are thinking about starting your owncompany or becoming self-employed.

Further informationwww.kent.ac.uk/ceswww.kent.ac.uk/employability

Enhanced career prospectsKent has an excellent postgraduate employmentrecord: over 94% of our postgraduate studentswho graduated in 2013 found a job or furtherstudy opportunity within six months.

Our students gain much more than a businessqualification when they graduate from KentBusiness School. Employers and top businessrecruiters looking to acquire the best managersand future business leaders recognise that KentMBA graduates have received the highest qualityeducation most relevant to the changing demandsof the business world. They respect our dedicatedteaching and reputation for delivering internationalbusiness expertise, leading global research andan outstanding international learning experience.

The University and Kent Business School alsoprovide a comprehensive package of skillsdevelopment training programmes, careers advice,and volunteering and paid work opportunities tohelp enhance your career prospects.

Whatever your chosen career path, even if you arestill unsure, we will equip you with the academicknowledge, together with a broad range oftransferable skills, to make you more employable.

Industry experienceKent Business School has excellent relationshipsand links with many of the world’s top organisationsand other leading academic institutions andpartners, providing opportunities to widen yourexperiences and enhance your employability.

The Kent MBA combines a rigorous groundingin business theory with opportunities to put thisinto practice through global live case studies,Consultancy Week, working with a range ofbusinesses on live issues and internships withhigh-profile, multinational corporations.

Throughout the programme, you engage with arange of organisations – small, medium and large,and regional to multinational – allowing you to testtheories immediately in real-world situations.

Skills developmentAt Kent, we help you to gain transferable skillsthrough your MBA programme and also throughparticipation in the University’s range of skillsdevelopment programmes.


Graduate profile

“I have worked in financial services for over20 years and, within that time, have beenemployed in several disciplines includingaccountancy and operations. I chose toundertake an MBA as it would enable meto cover all the management disciplines atMaster’s level before I decided on the nextstage of my career.

“I looked at other business schools butKent offered classroom lectures and a fullyintegrated network to provide support onboth a face-to-face and an online basis.I was also attracted to the diversity of thestudent body, which would allow me to gainexperience working with different cultureswithin a business environment. Learning atKent Business School is well structured and,although the lecture weeks were intensive,I found studying with my fellow studentsvery rewarding.

“The Kent MBA has taught me the theory ofbusiness but, more importantly, it has alsogiven me the courage to take my businessideas and apply them within my own roleand act as a mentor to other women inbusiness.

“It has provided me with the knowledge andconfidence to change my career and take onnew challenges. I have also set up a smallbusiness. The structure of the programmecombined with an international focus andnetwork makes this a very rewarding MBAprogramme.”

ADELLE MARTINSENIOR MANAGER,LLOYDS BANKINGGROUP


ENTRY REQUIREMENTS,APPLICATIONS AND FUNDING

Below, you will find information onentry requirements and applicationprocedures for the Kent MBA.

Entry requirementsTo apply for the Kent MBA, you must normallyhold a good degree from a UK university orother approved university and/or an equivalentprofessional qualification. Exceptions will beconsidered for senior managers with more thanten years’ managerial work experience.

Applicants must have a minimum of three years’full-time relevant managerial work experience,which could be from the private, public or thirdsector.

Applicants with less than five years’ managerialwork experience will be required to take theGraduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT),attaining an overall score of 580 or above. TheGMAT requirement may be waived at the discretionof the Programme Director and only in exceptionalcircumstances. Applicants with managerial workexperience of five years or more, or who alreadyhold a Master’s degree, will need to submit a GMATWaiver Form.

All applicants who meet the entry requirementsfor the Kent MBA will be invited to have a personaltelephone interview with the Programme Directoras part of the admissions selection process.

Applicants who do not meet the entry requirementsfor the Kent MBA may wish to consider our othermanagement programmes offered within theBusiness School. Please visit www.kent.ac.uk/kbs/pg-taught for further details.

English language requirementsThe University requires all non-native speakers ofEnglish to reach a minimum standard of proficiencyin written and spoken English before beginning apostgraduate degree. English languagerequirements for the Kent MBA are as follows: • British Council International English LanguageTest (IELTS) with a minimum overall score of7.0 (which includes 6.5 in reading and writing,and 6.0 in listening and speaking)

• Pearson Test of English Academic (PTEAcademic) with a minimum score of 68(which includes 65 in all four subtests).

Please note we only accept TOEFL tests datedbefore 18 April 2014; for details of the test scoreswe require, see www.kent.ac.uk/ems/eng-lang-reqs

The University offers pre-sessional coursesfor students who need to improve their Englishand study skills before joining a postgraduate

programme. For more information, seewww.kent.ac.uk/international-pathways/pre-sessional. The University also providesadditional English language support throughoutthe year at no additional cost.

How to applyYou can apply for the Kent MBA online via theUniversity’s website at www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgrad/apply Please ensure that all supportingdocumentation is submitted with your onlineapplication form. You will need to show the originalsof your scanned supporting documentation whenyou come to enrol on the programme. On receiptof your online application, you will be sent anacknowledgement email. All communication withKent Business School in respect to your applicationwill be made via email. It is therefore importantthat you supply us with a unique personal emailaddress on your application form. If you areprocessing your application through an agent,we will copy the agent into all your formal decisioncorrespondence from Kent Business School.

Required documentationWhen making your application, you must submitthe following:• completed online application form• statement of purpose, outlining your reasonsfor applying to the programme

• degree certificate and academic transcript• full and detailed curriculum vitae or résumé inwhich you demonstrate your career progression.

Please note that internships or part-timeemployment will not count towards the minimumthree years’ managerial work experiencerequired

• two professional references, one of whichmust be from your current employer

• GMAT test score (minimum of 580) forapplicants with less than five years’ managerialwork experience. Only tests taken within theprevious three years will be accepted

• GMAT Waiver Form for applicants with more thanfive years’ managerial work experience, or whoalready hold a Master’s degree qualification

• certificate of English language proficiency (seeleft) for non-native speakers (for tests takenwithin the last two years)

• copy of passport (international students only).

Application deadlinesAs places are limited, we advise applicantsto submit their application early to guaranteeconsideration of an offer, ideally before the endof March to also take advantage of our EarlyBird Scheme (see p16). We will ensure that yourapplication, once received, is given the highestlevel of professional attention and review. TheKent Business School Admissions Board meetsonce a fortnight and will review fully completedapplications. We can usually give you a decision onyour application within one to two weeks from initialreceipt, providing you have submitted a fullycompleted application with supportingdocumentation.

CONTINUED OVERLEAF

Applications for the Kent MBA received after 31July will be considered on a case-by-case basisif places are available.

DepositA deposit of £1,000 will be required when youaccept an offer to secure your place to studyat Kent Business School and will be deductedfrom your tuition fees. Should you not meet therequirements of your offer, your deposit will berefunded in full. The deposit can be made securelyvia the University’s Online Store athttp://store.kent.ac.uk

If you pay your deposit within 28 days of your offerbeing made, you may be able to take advantage ofour Early Bird Scheme (see below).

Tuition feesThe annual tuition fees for 2014/15 for both full-time and part-time students on the MBAprogramme can be found at www.kent.ac.uk/finance-student/fees

Fees are correct for 2014/15; fees for 2015/16 maybe subject to an increase. Students from the UK,European Union (EU) or overseas pay the samefee regardless of fee-paying category.

Payment of tuition feesYou must pay fees in advance at the beginningof each academic year. There are two main waysof paying:• in full – this qualifies for a 2% discount if clearedfunds are received in full by 31 August

• in two instalments – 50% on or beforeregistration, and 50% by 1 December. Part-timestudents would pay in four instalments (two ineach year of study).

For students receiving full sponsorship from acompany or other party, a letter from the sponsormust be received detailing the full sponsorshipamounts.

Financial supportTo help fund your postgraduate studies, theUniversity of Kent has a generous budget inexcess of £8.5 million.

The University allocates over £6.5 million from itsown funds and attracts an additional £2 million toprovide a variety of financial support opportunitiesfor postgraduate students. There are a number ofSchool scholarships, as well as location-specificfunding, sport and music scholarships, andfunding specifically for overseas fee-payingstudents.

Kent Business School Early Bird SchemeKent Business School is offering applicantsincentives to commit early under our Early BirdScheme. Applicants who apply before 31 Marchand subsequently accept their offer and pay theirdeposit within 28 days of their offer being made willautomatically receive a 10% discount on their MBAtuition fee. Deposits received after the 28 days ofthe MBA offer being made will not qualify for the

10% reduction in tuition fees under the Early BirdScheme. For further details about the Scheme(including all terms and conditions), seewww.kent.ac.uk/kbs/kentmba/kmba-early-bird-scheme.html

Kent Business School Scholarship Kent Business School is able to support MBAstudents through its merit-based scholarship tohelp reduce the cost of postgraduate study.

We can award funding to exceptional students whoare likely to perform consistently at the top of theirclass and/or make an outstanding contributiondue to their work experience and/or diversityof background. Scholarships are awarded tostudents who have the potential to be successfulambassadors for Kent Business School duringtheir studies and, following graduation, as partof the School’s alumni community, assisting withnetworking and recruitment events and fairs intheir home countries.

Successful candidates will be asked to contributeto the Business School by undertaking a minimumof three activities, which may include sitting onthe Student Council or becoming a studentrepresentative. Other activities that scholarshipawardees can be part of include playing an activepart in the running of the Student Business Clubon campus, becoming an E-Buddy for prospectiveapplicants, writing a student blog, being part ofthe Student Editorial Board within the School’sMarketing Team or assisting with postgraduaterecruitment events on campus.

For more information see www.kent.ac.uk/kbs/kentmba/kmba-scholarships.html

Kent Business School Bursary Fund Kent Business School can also assist MBAstudents via its bursary fund. For more information,see www.kent.ac.uk/kbs/kentmba/kmba-scholarships.html

Further informationThe details of postgraduate student funding areconstantly being updated. For the most up-to-dateinformation on the financial awards available,please see www.kent.ac.uk/pgfunding

Applying for accommodationIf you wish to apply for campus accommodation,you need to have received an offer for a place to study and make an online application foraccommodation by 31 July. Please seewww.kent.ac.uk/accommodation for furtherinformation.

Contact detailsGraduate Admissions Office,Kent Business School,University of Kent,Canterbury, Kent,CT2 7PE, UK

T: +44 (0)1227 827726F: +44 (0)1227 761187E: [email protected]

16 Kent Business School / The Kent MBA

Application checklist

Completed online application form

Statement of purpose

Academic transcript

Degree certificate

Professional qualification(if applicable)

A full and detailed curriculum vitae or résumé

Two professional reference letters (at least one from your current employer)

GMAT test score (or GMAT Waiver Form if you have over five years’ managerialexperience or already hold a Master’sdegree qualification)

Certificate of proficiency in English (if applicable). Test scores over two yearsold will not be accepted

Copy of passport(photo ID pages only)

The University will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver courses and other services in accordance with the descriptions set out in this brochure. However, theUniversity does not provide education on a commercialbasis. It is also largely dependent on charitable and publicfunds which the University has to manage in a way which isefficient and cost effective in the context of the provision ofa wide range of courses and services to a large number ofstudents. The University therefore reserves the right tomake variations to the contents and method of delivery ofcourses and other services, to discontinue courses andother services and to merge or combine courses, if suchaction is reasonably considered to be necessary by theUniversity. If the University discontinues any course, it willuse its best endeavours to provide a suitable alternativecourse.

All students will be required as a condition of enrolment toagree to abide by and to submit to the procedures of theUniversity’s Regulations as amended from time to time. Acopy of the current Regulations is available online atwww.kent.ac.uk/regulations).

Data protection and consent to processFor the University to operate efficiently, it needs to processinformation about you for administrative, academic andhealth and safety reasons. Any offer this institution makes toyou is subject to your consent to process such informationand is therefore a requirement before we can register youas a student.

17

COME AND VISIT US

We welcome and encourage you tovisit our campuses and specialistpostgraduate centres.

Further informationKent Business School,University of Kent,Canterbury, Kent,CT2 7PE, UKT: +44 (0)1227 827726F: +44 (0)1227 761187E: [email protected]

Recruitment and Admissions Office,The Registry,University of Kent,Canterbury, Kent,CT2 7NZ, UKT: +44 (0)1227 827272F: +44 (0)1227 827077

International Development,The Registry,University of Kent,Canterbury, Kent,CT2 7NZ, UKT: +44 (0)1227 824904F: +44 (0)1227 823247E: [email protected]

The University holds a number of organisedevents, such as our general Open Days and alsopostgraduate information events, which give youa flavour of what it is like to be a student at Kent.Please see www.kent.ac.uk/opendays or contactthe Recruitment and Admissions Office for furtherdetails.

If you are not able to attend one of these plannedevents, you are still welcome to visit the Universityand join one of our campus tours. The tours areconducted by Kent students/graduates who willbe able to give you an insight into what it is like tobe a student at Kent. Alternatively, the Canterburycampus is open to the public at any time for self-guided tours. Please visit www.kent.ac.uk/informalfor more information or to book a planned tour.

MBA Briefing sessionsKent Business School hosts monthly MBA Briefingsessions. If you would like to attend one of thesesessions, please see www.kent.ac.uk/kbs/kentmba/kmba-briefing.html for further information and toregister your interest.

International studentsThe University has many local representativesaround the world. If you wish to speak to arepresentative in your own country, please contactInternational Development or visit the website below.We hold interview and guidance sessions at theoffices of our representatives which enable youto meet with a member of staff.

Staff from the University visit many countriesthroughout the world, often at higher educationfairs, giving you the opportunity to speak to amember of staff who can answer your questionsabout all aspects of life at Kent. We also hold pre-departure events in-country for new students.

For further information, see www.kent.ac.uk/internationalstudent

Travelling to the Canterbury campus

CanterburyBy airThe nearest major airports to the Canterburycampus are London Heathrow (LHR) and LondonGatwick (LGW), both with excellent transport linksto central London and onwards.

By railLondon St Pancras to Canterbury West: journeytime approximately 60 minutes.

By busLondon Victoria to Canterbury bus station: journeytime approximately 120 minutes. Canterbury busstation to the University (regular service): journeytime approximately 15 minutes.

By roadFrom London, the north and west: M25, (M20), M2,A2. Canterbury central ring road, A290 WhitstableRoad, St Thomas Hill, approximately one mile(1.6km) up the A290, University entrance onright (signposted) near the top of hill.

Campus mapwww.kent.ac.uk/maps/canterbury

www.kent.ac.uk/kbs/kentmba

Canterbury

Brussels

Paris

London

Medway

Tonbridge

EurostarFerry

Gatwick

Heathrow

Orly

Charles de Gaulle

France

United Kingdom

Belgium

COME ANDVISIT US

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

To find out more about visiting the University, see our website:

www.kent.ac.uk/visit

EFMD

DPC 116980 07/14 PUB552

KBS MBA Brochure 2014

Documents

Transcript of KBS MBA Brochure 2014