Business and Management
with a Year in Industry
At Medway, you’ll gain the skills to aspire, grow and lead.
At Medway, you’ll gain the skills to aspire, grow and lead.
If your ambitions include leading a business or building your own, choose this course. As a graduate made at Kent Business School, you’ll have the skills and confidence to lead and inspire others, be innovative, and manage sustainably.
Kent Business School is a supportive community, where you’ll work closely with your academic adviser and other academic staff. They are experts in all areas of business who will expose you to the right mix of detailed theory and hands-on experience.
You’ll gain important leadership skills across a variety of business areas and learn how businesses operate. Topics covered include management principles, marketing, accounting and the international business environment. As you progress, you’ll be introduced to the advanced concepts of many business and management disciplines with the flexibility to tailor your course to suit your interests.
You take a year in industry following your second year of study, enabling you to apply your expertise in a work setting and earn a salary, too.
Love the sound of this course, but want a traditional self-contained campus? Our course at Canterbury might be for you.
Gain work experience with a paid year in industry.
Study at a ‘Triple Crown’ business school accredited by AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS.
Take a ‘selfie year’ and bring your business ideas to life at our aspire centre.
in the UK for Business and Management (The Guardian University Guide 2024).
Providing an excellent student experience at Medway.
Our typical offer levels are listed below and include indicative contextual offers. If you hold alternative qualifications just get in touch and we'll be glad to discuss these with you.
If you don't meet the academic requirements for direct entry, our Business and Management with a Foundation Year course offers one year of full-time study prior to the start of the BSc degree.
ABB
DDM
128 Tariff points from your IB Diploma, Typically H5, H6, H6 or equivalent
Mathematics grade 4 / C and English grade 4 / C.
Pass the University of Kent International Foundation Programme.
The University will consider applicants holding T level qualifications in subjects closely aligned to the course.
Access to HE Diploma with 45 Credits at level 3 with 30 credits at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit
Your first year is a compulsory introductory year, designed to provide you with a solid foundation in the understanding of business practices and their related functions, such as marketing, human resource management, and accounting. The analysis of the fast-changing business environment and the development of software and employability skills complement the business-related content.
Every lecturer we had was an expert in their field – we had some of the best people teaching us.Zaid Mahmood
Your second year allows you to tailor the programme to your aspirations and interests. There are a variety of module choices available, ranging from marketing analytics to retail and entrepreneurship. In the second year you will develop your understanding on key concepts and theories to enhance your intellectual agility and provide an opportunity to apply theory to practice.
The law affects the commercial world in many ways. This module focuses on the importance of law in governing transactions between individuals and businesses; what is required for legally compliant contracts; what the law expects of organisations in terms of protecting the consumer, and how businesses manage and avoid disputes. By enabling students to become familiar with those parts of the law they are most likely to encounter in their careers and in business the module helps them better understand the obligations that parties have to each other in law.
Indicative topic areas are:
• The English Legal System
• The Legal Process and Dispute Resolution
• Law of Contract – including:
• Formation
• Contract terms
• Vitiating elements, such as misrepresentation and economic duress
• Performance and discharge of contract, including frustration
• Common law and equitable remedies, including damages
• Consumer Protection
Many contemporary businesses claim to champion "ethical business" and list it as one of their core values, but what does it mean for a business to act “ethically” and how can managers work to ensure that ethical decision making is embedded throughout their organizations?
This module will grapple with and address philosophical questions relevant to practical business problems and the work of managing in contemporary organisations. For example, how does “the person” fit within “the corporation” and can either act as a morally responsible agent? Do organizations have a responsibility to protect their customers from harmful products or is caveat emptor a sound governing principle? Does an organization have a responsibility to be sustainable and monitor its wider social and environmental impact, or are natural resources simply those that it can use as it sees fit within the bounds of the law? Should a business pay fair wages, source products from trusted supply chains, and protect whistle-blowers? Is there a “business of business ethics”, that is to say, is ethical business just a tool for furthering profitability?
This module will take a case study based approach to understanding and critically assaying the ethical dilemmas that contemporary businesses and managers face, looking at different examples each week in order to develop an appreciation of different ethical perspectives. It contributes to employability by supporting students to develop their critical thinking and reasoning skills.
This module explores the ever-changing trends of retailers both in the UK and globally. It will explore the dynamics of multi-channel retailing following the development of on-line retailing. It will also consider the store design and visual merchandising techniques that influence the characteristics of the retail brand and environment, which encourage a satisfying retail experience. The learner will understand how to analyse and interpret how the location of products in line with store purchasing and marketing policies influences sales and profit. The complexities of store management will further be explored.
Indicative topics are:
The dynamics of retail management and the macro environment
Retail theories and strategic approaches
Store formats
Store location and international factors
E-Retail
Store design and visual merchandising
Store operational management
Customer service and the customer experience
Commercial management and selling skills
Case Studies of Food and Fashion retailing
A synopsis of the curriculum:
This module aims to enable students to understand the social and economic changes that have raised the status of enterprise, small business and entrepreneurial ventures in the global economy. It examines the diverse nature of entrepreneurs, their characteristics and motivations, as well as the barriers and issues facing entrepreneurs when planning and establishing a new venture.
The indicative topics of the module are:
• Factors that have influenced the growth of the enterprise culture in the UK.
• The role and relevance of SMEs in the UK economy; definitions of SMEs; statistical information; Government policies and initiatives, and support agencies.
• Whether entrepreneurs are born or made; whether enterprise skills can be taught or learned, and whether entrepreneurs differ from business owners and other managers.
• Enterprise and innovation development in organisations.
• Differences in attitudes, objectives, skill requirements and business strategies between small and large firms.
• Surviving the early stages of business development, including failure rates in new and small enterprises and barriers to growth and development.
• The planning process for starting a new venture – including risks and liabilities; problems and pitfalls, and potential profit and success.
• The protection of ideas and intellectual capital.
• Funding a new enterprise, including via 'friends, family and fools', business angels and venture capitalists.
• Enterprise in different contexts, including corporate enterprise, public sector enterprise and social enterprise.
The law affects the commercial world in many ways. This module focuses on how businesses fulfil their legal obligations to customers, suppliers and their workforce. As well as exploring how businesses are structured and the duties on directors and partners it also considers the legal obligations individuals and organisations have over those to whom they have a duty of care. The module further covers the main laws governing the employment of staff and contractors. By applying the law to real-world business situations students are able to fine-tune their problem solving skills and their ability to construct well-reasoned and persuasive arguments.
The module covers the following topic areas:
• The English Legal System, Legal Process and Dispute Resolution;
• Law of Negligence – including general principles and negligent mis-statement
• Law of Business Organisations - classification of business organisations; main principles applying to general and limited liability partnerships and registered companies, and directors' duties
• Employment Law - the general scope of the legal obligations owed by employers to employees, including the employment contract, discrimination and dismissal
This module will cover the core principles of macroeconomics; including the measurement of key macroeconomic variables and limitations to existing practices. Students will consider competing theories related to the macro economy in the short and long run and their overall consequences for the business environment. This will be underpinned by existing evidence on past and current levels of macroeconomic indicators in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world. Indicative topics are:
• The Macro economy – as a system: the circular flow (including injections and withdrawals), national income measurement, economic growth and
international comparisons
• Macroeconomic variables: GDP, unemployment, inflation, money supply and balance of payments
• The open macro economy; including imports and exports; the role of exchange rates and trade theory.
• Macroeconomic theories: including the classical approach, the Keynesian demand management approach and monetarism
• Macroeconomic policies: demand versus supply side economic management
All students spend a year in industry in the UK or internationally, supported by a dedicated Employability and Placement teams. The programme is designed to ensure that students gain experience in the functional areas and industries of their choice. For students taking one of the specialist pathways, our strategic partnerships provide opportunities for placements in specific areas.
Unique to KBS, students can take a Self-Employed Placement year during which they develop their initial business idea into a feasible business plan. The ‘Selfie’ programme students are supported by an in-house entrepreneur who acts as their specialist mentor.
The placement allows you to experience, first hand, many of the issues addressed in the taught programme and to use the tools, techniques and applications in a real business setting. It will become a vital component of your CV and will give you a distinct advantage over other business graduates.
Your final year has a greater focus on developing your strategic thinking. In modules such as leadership and corporate strategy, strategic marketing and critical approaches to human resource management and organisational behaviour you will develop your critical and analytical thinking. The research project gives you the opportunity to develop your research skills and deepen your knowledge on a specific business aspect.
The law affects the commercial world in many ways. This module focuses on the importance of law in governing transactions between individuals and businesses; what is required for legally compliant contracts; what the law expects of organisations in terms of protecting the consumer, and how businesses manage and avoid disputes. By enabling students to become familiar with those parts of the law they are most likely to encounter in their careers and in business the module helps them better understand the obligations that parties have to each other in law.
Indicative topic areas are:
• The English Legal System
• The Legal Process and Dispute Resolution
• Law of Contract – including:
• Formation
• Contract terms
• Vitiating elements, such as misrepresentation and economic duress
• Performance and discharge of contract, including frustration
• Common law and equitable remedies, including damages
• Consumer Protection
Many contemporary businesses claim to champion "ethical business" and list it as one of their core values, but what does it mean for a business to act “ethically” and how can managers work to ensure that ethical decision making is embedded throughout their organizations?
This module will grapple with and address philosophical questions relevant to practical business problems and the work of managing in contemporary organisations. For example, how does “the person” fit within “the corporation” and can either act as a morally responsible agent? Do organizations have a responsibility to protect their customers from harmful products or is caveat emptor a sound governing principle? Does an organization have a responsibility to be sustainable and monitor its wider social and environmental impact, or are natural resources simply those that it can use as it sees fit within the bounds of the law? Should a business pay fair wages, source products from trusted supply chains, and protect whistle-blowers? Is there a “business of business ethics”, that is to say, is ethical business just a tool for furthering profitability?
This module will take a case study based approach to understanding and critically assaying the ethical dilemmas that contemporary businesses and managers face, looking at different examples each week in order to develop an appreciation of different ethical perspectives. It contributes to employability by supporting students to develop their critical thinking and reasoning skills.
Indicative areas to be covered are:
Introduction to Business/Management Projects
Research Methodologies
Literature search and Literature Review
Data collection and questionnaire
Structuring a Project Report
Data Analysis
Presentations
This module investigates the importance of having a dynamic buying function in retailing to meet the ever-changing needs of the consumer and maintain a profitable business. It explores both Fashion and Food retailing, and the differences between these industries. It considers how different strategic approaches influence new product design and purchasing, as well as the importance of economic, legal and financial issues. Students will acquire expertise in how to plan and develop a range of products; how to develop pricing strategies, and how to work with strategic suppliers and partners to get a product that exceeds consumer needs to market ahead of the competition.
The key elements of the curriculum are as follows:
• Organisational approaches to buying and the impact on the brand
• Process models of buying
• Competitor analysis
• Impact of trends and fashion on new product development
• Impact of innovation and technology on new product development
• Range planning
• Quality strategies and quality assurance
• Supplier selection and management
• Sustainability of product sourcing
The understanding and application of enterprise knowledge is seen as a transferable skill that can have cross-division application within the University, in that it has relevance to students from a broad range of academic disciplines who might be considering self-employment after graduation.
The curriculum is based on the Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (National Standards-setting body for small business) Standards for Business Start-up but has been expanded to include contemporary issues such as Intellectual Property and recent legislation.
Indicative areas of study are:
• Why firms become insolvent – economic financial and operational reasons for business failure; risks & liabilities; skills requirements for business ownership; self-development planning; sources of advice, and support for businesses.
• The new business planning process and format - developing and evaluating the business idea and producing a business plan for potential lenders.
• Financial aspects – budgetary planning and control; cash-flow and working capital; understanding financial accounting and key financial documents; break-even analysis; credit control, and debt recovery.
• Market research, competition and barriers to market entry - identifying customers; market segmentation; planning the sales and marketing processes; customer perceptions and customer care, and developing quality standards for the business
• Legal issues - reporting requirements; UK & EU law relevant to small businesses; business formats and trading status and their respective risks and liabilities; insurance; insolvency, and intellectual property rights such as patents and copyright.
• Planning and employing staff - planning and obtaining premises; physical and financial resources, and the phased implementation of the business plan.
• Commercial Presentation – prepare and facilitate a commercial business presentation on a newly created venture
• Financing of the venture- Understanding different sources of financing start-ups, understanding the benefits, shortcomings, and requirement of each method
The law affects the commercial world in many ways. This module focuses on how businesses fulfil their legal obligations to customers, suppliers and their workforce. As well as exploring how businesses are structured and the duties on directors and partners it also considers the legal obligations individuals and organisations have over those to whom they have a duty of care. The module further covers the main laws governing the employment of staff and contractors. By applying the law to real-world business situations students are able to fine-tune their problem solving skills and their ability to construct well-reasoned and persuasive arguments.
The module covers the following topic areas:
• The English Legal System, Legal Process and Dispute Resolution;
• Law of Negligence – including general principles and negligent mis-statement
• Law of Business Organisations - classification of business organisations; main principles applying to general and limited liability partnerships and registered companies, and directors' duties
• Employment Law - the general scope of the legal obligations owed by employers to employees, including the employment contract, discrimination and dismissal
Students will be expected to develop the ability to use appropriate techniques of analysis and enquiry within supply chain and service management, and to learn how to evaluate the alternatives and make recommendations. Topics include:
• The nature of services and service strategy
• Supply chain management
• Managing quality within supply chains
• Service development and technology
• Service quality and the service encounter
• Project/Event management and control
• Managing capacity and demand in services
The aim of the module is to develop an understanding of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability informed by ethical theory and stakeholder perspectives. Students will have the opportunity to familiarise with essential readings and cases in CSR to enable them to recognise key issues raised by stakeholder groups. such as shareholder activism; socially responsible investment; employee discrimination; working conditions; ethical issues in marketing; management; consumer protection; gifts/ bribes; accountability; collaboration with civil society organisations, and corruption of governmental actors. The module will therefore contribute in building an understanding of contemporary social issues in business by highlighting the importance of a collaborative approach with internal and external stakeholder groups.
Indicative topics are:
- Business Ethics
- Corporate Social Responsibility
- Sustainability
- Social responsibilities of sectors and industries
- Stakeholders of organisations, including:
Employees
Suppliers
Competitors
Shareholders
Civil society
Government
- Implementation of socially responsible and sustainable programmes and initiatives
Our enthusiastic team of international teaching staff are all experts in their field of study and are regularly published in leading journals worldwide. They guide and support your learning, bringing their subject to life and drawing you into the conversation through lectures, seminars, presentations and computer-based simulations.
Your progress is assessed through a mix of coursework – including reports, essays and presentations - and exams. Undergraduate students can expect around 8 contact hours per week, depending on year of study and optional module choices made. The remainder of the working week consists of self-guided study.
As part of your studies it is also possible to take a foreign language module in stage 1 and for students going on a Year Abroad in year 1 and 2 subject to programme requirements. Alternatively, our university also offers language courses as part of extra-curricular activities.
Undergraduate students can expect around 8 contact hours per week, depending on year of study and optional module choices made. The remainder of the working week consists of self-guided study based on degree programme content and requirements of specific modules. For a student studying full time, each academic year of the programme will comprise 1200 learning hours, which include both direct contact hours and private study hours. The precise breakdown of hours will be subject dependent and will vary according to modules. Please refer to the individual module details under Course structure.
For programme aims and learning outcomes please see the programme specification.
Our graduates look to make their mark on the organisations they join, whether they are large multinational companies or small local firms in Kent.
Kent Business School students make their ambitions known, working at companies like:
The 2024/25 annual tuition fees for this course are:
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.*
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
Fees for undergraduate students are £1,850.
Fees for undergraduate students are £1,385.
Students studying abroad for less than one academic year will pay full fees according to their fee status.
Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details.
We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.
We welcome applications from students all around the world with a wide range of international qualifications.
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