Do you aspire to lead and make change across the international business landscape? This exciting Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and Institute of Export and International Trade (IOE&IT) accredited programme equips students with solid knowledge and transferable skills relevant to secure senior roles within many rewarding fields including; international trade, transports and logistics corporations, financial and investment institutions, government agencies and global business consultancies.
Business is global; to be successful you need to understand international cultures and markets and adapt your business to their needs. As an International Business student at Kent Business School, you develop the essential business skills to lead any business anywhere.
On this programme, you gain in-depth business knowledge and understanding of the core theories, practises and techniques of managing international business. You will explore sustainable innovation and responsible management practices and the changing international environment in which companies operate.
Studying International Business you learn to critically evaluate and apply important topics in international business, including emerging markets, globalisation, international trade and finance, foreign direct investment, international entrepreneurship, managing global value chains and global strategy.
On our flexible programme, you take a broad range of compulsory modules in your first and second years. You then select from a variety of options in your final year of study, exploring areas such as marketing, entrepreneurship, human resource management and data intelligence, allowing you to shape your degree to suit your career path and interests. You can even choose to deepen your knowledge on a specific international business aspect thorough a research-led project.
You have excellent opportunities to experience international business in action through hands-on experience via in-class live case studies from our visiting industry experts, enterprise challenges and company visits. You also have an opportunity to gain entrepreneurial skills that will enable you to accelerate your innovative thinking into practice.
Kent provides a variety of employability opportunities for students during their studies. These range from short-term company internship opportunities to, voluntary work with local charities and University Business Societies. The central Careers and Employability Service also offers an exciting Employability Points Scheme. In addition to this, the Kent Business School specialised team of Employability experts provides support to all our students in personalised 1:1 meetings as well as online support via the Employability blog. Unique to KBS, our Alumni have access to all employability support for three years after their graduation.
You have the option to take this programme with a year of professional experience, in the UK or internationally. You will be supported by our dedicated in-house Employability and Placements team to identify, secure and enjoy your placement year.
For more details, see International Business with a Year in Industry.
You do not have to make a decision before you enrol at Kent but certain conditions will apply.
For more information, see Programme Structure and Career sections.
If you would like to enhance your employability skills by widening cross-cultural perspectives, developing a global mind-set or learn another language then you can spend a year studying at one of Kent’s global partner institutions, see International Business with a Year Abroad.
You do not have to make a decision before you enrol at Kent but certain conditions will apply.
For more information, see Programme Structure and Career sections.
In addition to your studies, our students can discover how to turn their ideas into a successful business at our ASPIRE centre, which provides practical advice and support to all entrepreneurially-minded students, and runs our Business Start-up Journey initiative.
Many of our students also get involved with societies including the Kent Business Society, which in previous years has organised:
This is the place that you can be the best you can be!
~ Rianna, BSc International Business Graduate
Kent Business School is dedicated to ensuring a positive experience for all our students, from induction to graduation, and beyond. As a Student Success school, we are committed to championing Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion, and warmly welcome students from all backgrounds. Your experience is central to what we do, so we will listen to you every step of the way, through our robust Student Voice processes and mechanisms.
Alongside a world-class teaching and educational experience, KBS delivers a wide-ranging package of support, designed to ensure that you can maximise your time with us:
Our School is proud to be in the top 1% of business schools globally to hold accreditations from three large business organisations:
Our programmes offer world-class business education enabling transformative learning experiences built around the School’s fundamental values of sustainable innovation and responsible management practice. Our students are at the heart of all considerations and through engaging teaching, world-class research, professional partnerships and an international community, we create an exciting atmosphere in which to learn and thrive.
All of our programmes at Kent Business School address the challenges of modern global business and we aim to meet industry demands of producing quality graduates by ensuring we unlock our students’ potential, expand their thinking and nurture their talent.
You get to meet people really from all over the world, and we all feel like we are on the same level.
Martina Saiu - International Business with a Year Abroad
Please also see our general entry requirements.
ABB-BBB
Mathematics grade 4 / C and English grade 4 / C.
The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis.
If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above.
Distinction, Distinction, Merit in Business. Other subjects will be considered on a case-by-case basis
34 points overall or 16 points at HL including Mathematics 4 at HL or SL
Pass all components of the University of Kent International Foundation Programme with a 60% overall average (plus 50% in LZ013 Maths and Statistics if you do not hold GCSE Maths at 4/C or equivalent).
International students should visit our International Student website for further specific information. International fee-paying students who require a Student visa cannot study part-time due to visa restrictions.
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
If you need to improve your English language standard as a condition of your offer, you can attend one of our pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes before starting your degree programme. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.
Duration: 3 years full-time
The course structure provides a sample of the modules currently available for this programme. Most programmes require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take ‘elective’ modules from other programmes offered by the University in order that you may explore other subject areas of interest to you or that may further enhance your employability.
The following modules are offered to our current students. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation:
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 and human resource management, and contexts, such as local, regional and global developments.
The module builds upon CB343 Global Business Environment to advance understanding of the dynamics and contemporary challenges of global business. This module will be a core for BSc IB students and aims to develop knowledge and skills to analyse the complexity of global business and learn about issues that shape strategies of international business organisations including multinational enterprises, international new ventures, SME internationalisation or offshoring providers amongst others.
Indicative topics include:
• Dynamics of International Business Environment,
• Geography and Spatial aspects of international business environment,
• Changing Trade Environment I – policy and trade agreements,
• Changing Trade Environment II – geopolitical issues,
• Global Finance,
• Global Risks,
• International Logistics,
• Global CSR,
• Ecological Challenges,
• Global Sustainability Challenges
The module will cover various aspects of the changing international business environment, and their impact upon business operations and strategy. It will give students an appreciation of the business difficulties faced; the variety of factors influencing the choices and compromises that have to be made in international businesses, and the implications of those for the future viability and effectiveness of the organisations concerned.
An indicative list of topics is given below:
1. Globalisation
2. External environment in a cross-border context
3. Introduction to international trade
4. Introduction to international investment
5. Global finance
6. Technology,Innovation and sustainability
7. Introduction to international entrepreneurship
8. Social responsibility and ecological environment
9. Challenges, risks and change
10. variety of geopolitical country contexts
An indicative set of topics to be covered within the module are outlined below.
• Basic Spreadsheet Functionalities: Introduction to common spreadsheet features: workbooks, worksheets, menus, cells, rows, columns, data types, relative and absolute cell addressing, copying, basic formulae, naming cells, formatting, charts and graphs, printing.
• Data Management Facilities: sorting, filtering, data forms, pivot tables.
• What-If Analysis: scenario manager, goal seek, data tables.
• Basic Financial Analysis: Introduction to basic financial analysis and how to carry this out using spreadsheets: compound interest, discounting, NPV, IRR, loans and mortgages.
• Advanced Spreadsheet Functionalities: automating tasks and solving simple optimisation business problems.
The module will begin with an introduction to the link between business and accounting in order to show the value to the students of their having some knowledge of accounting. The module is designed to teach students how to prepare, read and interpret financial information with a view to their being future business managers rather than accountants.
The module will continue with a brief demonstration of double-entry bookkeeping. Students will not be examined on this, it is merely to put bookkeeping and accounting in context. Following on from this, students will be shown how to prepare financial statements from a trial balance and make adjustments to the figures given by acting on information given in a short scenario.
The regulatory framework of financial reporting will be considered as will the annual reports and accounts of a variety of organisations. The module will finish will an analysis of financial statements with students shown how to interpret data and make sensible recommendations
The module introduces to students the importance of marketing in competitive and dynamic environments.
The key indicative topics of the module are:
• The marketing role and concept
• Auditing the marketing environment as part of the marketing planning process
• Market segmentation, targeting and positioning
• Brand development and management
• Management of the marketing mix
o Product; including new product development and the marketing of services
o Pricing
o Promotion; including digital media, advertising, sales promotion, publicity, PR, personal sales
o Place
o Extended marketing mix; including people, physical evidence and process
• Ethical issues in marketing
This module introduces students to economics in its two main components, microeconomics and macroeconomics. The module is designed to explain the main ways in which economists think about economic problems faced by individuals, firms, markets and governments. The module emphasises the use of basic economic concepts to business analysis.
The first part of the module focuses on explaining a selection of basic microeconomic topics including, the behaviour of individuals and firms; demand and supply of goods and services and determination of prices; costs in the short and long term and market structures. The second part aims to introduce the core of macroeconomic topics; for instance, macroeconomic objectives and trade-offs; unemployment; inflation; international trade; balance of payments and exchange rates; and the main types of economic policies that are implemented by governments. The attention is to understand the relevance of macroeconomics topics (e.g. interest rates, exchange rates, etc.) to business.
The module is self-contained to provide a basic understanding of simple economic concepts and debates. It is a suitable module for students interested in taking economics further, either as part of another degree programme or as part of a future professional qualification.
So much of the world of business is based on quantitative information—sales, stock control, investments, loans, production levels, staffing numbers, share prices, interest rates, quality control, etc. etc. In almost any organisation where you work you must expect to deal with numbers. This module introduces you to the way you can make use of quantitative information through statistical analysis.
Topics may include:
* The nature and use of numerical information
* Summarising data
* Graphical representation of data: histograms, pie charts, cumulative frequency curves
* Measures of location and dispersion
* Probability, distributions and expected values
* Sampling and its uses
* The ?2 distribution, questionnaire analysis and contingency tables
* Correlation
This module provides fundamental knowledge of a range of business organisations, business purpose, ownership types and stakeholder influence. It further introduces organisational structures, functional areas and the impact of the external environment on business. Furthermore, this module introduces the many factors that shape the nature of organisations operating in an increasingly complex business environment such as innovation, internationalisation, entrepreneurship, and sustainability. Module participants explore this dynamic nature of business and consider successful existence within modern organisations through studying and applying employability skills such as leadership, teamwork, and resilience.
This module is for Post-A-level students and students who have mastered level A2 but not yet B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). On successfully completing the module students will have mastered level B1. The emphasis in this course is on furthering knowledge of the structure of the language as well as vocabulary and cultural insights while further developing the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.
This is an intensive module for absolute beginners, Post-GCSE students and students who have not yet mastered level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). On successfully completing the module students will have mastered level A2. The emphasis in this course is on acquiring a sound knowledge of the structure of the language as well as basic vocabulary and cultural insights while developing the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.
This module is for Post-A-level students and students who have mastered level A2 but not yet B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). On successfully completing the module students will have mastered level B1. The emphasis in this course is on furthering knowledge of the structure of the language as well as vocabulary and cultural insights while further developing the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.
This is an intensive module for absolute beginners, Post-GCSE students and students who have not yet mastered level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). On successfully completing the module students will have mastered level A2. The emphasis in this course is on acquiring a sound knowledge of the structure of the language as well as basic vocabulary and cultural insights while developing the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.
This module is for Post-A-level students and students who have mastered level A2 but not yet B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). On successfully completing the module students will have mastered level B1. The emphasis in this course is on furthering knowledge of the structure of the language as well as vocabulary and cultural insights while further developing the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.
This is an intensive module for absolute beginners, Post-GCSE students and students who have not yet mastered level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). On successfully completing the module students will have mastered level A2. The emphasis in this course is on acquiring a sound knowledge of the structure of the language as well as basic vocabulary and cultural insights while developing the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.
This is an intensive module for absolute beginners, Post-GCSE students and students who have not yet mastered level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). On successfully completing the module students will have mastered level A2. The emphasis in this course is on acquiring a sound knowledge of the structure of the language as well as basic vocabulary and cultural insights while developing the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.
This module is for Post-A-level students and students who have mastered level A2 but not yet B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). On successfully completing the module students will have mastered level B1. The emphasis in this course is on furthering knowledge of the structure of the language as well as vocabulary and cultural insights while further developing the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.
Your second year allows you to develop your critical thinking of international business with greater emphasis on the key concepts and theories to develop intellectual agility and provides an opportunity to apply theory to practice.
We expect to cover the following topics in the module. These are not mapped to specific lectures, but are broad topics to be covered over the entire module in the given order.
• Introduction to the Macroeconomic perspective: Income, Inflation and Unemployment in a closed economy framework, overview of fiscal and monetary policy frameworks
• International Trade, Comparative and Absolute Advantages: Inter-country trade in the era of globalization, gains from trade, Hecksher-Ohlin framework
• Impact of Trade on Domestic Economy: The political economy of trade, instruments of trade policy, location of production, protectionism, dumping and other controversies
• The Open Economy, Exchange rates and International Capital Flows: Currency in open macro economy, currency markets and exchange rates, relation to interest rates
• Exchange rate management and its impact on economic fundamentals: price levels, output, stabilization policies
• International Monetary Regimes: Policy goals, trade balance, historical evolution to current standards, and moving forward
• Currency areas and the European Experience: Monetary unions, benefits and costs, optimum integration
• Globalization vs Protectionism and contemporary issues: Financial globalization and crisis, rise of protectionism and its implications, impact of international trade on the developing economy, regional versus global trade.
This module provides a critical introduction to the main theories and debates in International Business and uses these theoretical lenses to explain core phenomena in international business.
• Explaining international economic transactions (trade theories, national competitiveness)
• Explaining the existence of MNEs (internalisation theory, eclectic theory, monopolistic advantages)
• Explaining the coevolution of environment and MNEs (institutional theory, resource dependence theory, evolutionary theory, investment development path, product life cycle theory)
• Explaining the growth and decline of MNEs (stages model, market entry/expansion modes)
The emphasis of the module is in providing students with sound theoretical and empirical foundations for analysing foreign firm strategic behaviour when developing their interests within emerging economies. Applications focus on recent developments in the economies of Central and Eastern Europe, China, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Central and South East Asia, etc.
This module probes into the workings of strategies and subsidiary operations of firms in these economies, and provides students with a better understanding of the fundamental issues in strategy and subsidiary operations confronted by foreign firms competing in these newly opened and dynamic markets. With this orientation, you will gain insight into how emerging market institutions challenge and contest subsidiary business development. Indicative topics include:
• Recent trends in foreign direct investment (FDI) into emerging markets
• Changing institutional environments
• Political, legal, economic and social risks in emerging markets
• Multinational Businesses' entry strategies
• Ethical issues, Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability
• The service sector in emerging markets
The aim of this module is to provide students with in-depth knowledge about the accounting and control systems businesses use for making managerial decisions. In particular, the module focuses on profit planning decisions and it gives students a thoughtful understanding of the functioning and range of financial controls managers use for making profit planning decisions, related to both the business as a whole and its segments. Students are expected to conduct a management project: they will prepare a business plan that takes into account strategic, marketing and financial aspects. The module also enables students to know how to use accounting and control tools to assess business performance, provide feedback and give recommendations for improvements aimed to create more socially responsible and sustainable businesses. As such, this module is core to the degree program, because it gives an introduction to three key areas: managerial decision making, performance management and organisational financial management.
Business ethics and sustainability are central to contemporary management and thus this module will explore the following topics:
• History, definitions and timeline of society's view on business ethics and sustainability
• Cross-disciplinary approaches to ethics and sustainability
• Role of globalisation, policy and culture
• Ethics and ethical dilemmas
• Change Management, Values, Governance and Leadership
• Sustainable Business Models
• Social Innovation
• Partnerships and collaboration
• Responsible Supply Chain Management
• Environmental Assessment Frameworks and Sustainable Management in practice
• Sustainable Supply Chain Management
• Innovation and creativity
• The role and responses of Corporations, SMEs, Public and not-for-profit organisations
This module offers a critical analysis of how multinationals select their target markets and modes of entry and how they manage their various functions in an international context, balancing the needs for global integration and local responsiveness respectively.
• Managing the internationalisation process
• Country selection
• Choosing and designing entry modes
• Managing collaborative arrangements
• International marketing
• International human resource management
• International supply chain management
• International finance
• Research and development in an international perspective
• Managing multinationals using electronic commerce
• Managing multinationals responsively
Students will be expected to develop the ability to use appropriate techniques of analysis and enquiry within Operations Management and to learn how to evaluate alternatives and make recommendations. Topics are likely to include:
• Strategic role of operations and operations strategy
• Design of processes and the implications for layout and flow
• Design and management of supply networks in national and international contexts
• Resource planning and management
• Lean systems
• Quality planning and managing improvement
The module helps prepare students to acquire and develop the employability and transferable skills necessary to search and successfully apply for work experience and graduate opportunities in the commercial and public sector and postgraduate study.
The curriculum builds on employability support offered at Stage 1 providing intermediate level knowledge and exercises in application writing, CVs, careers advice, interview and assessment centre techniques, numeracy and competency tests, and psychometric evaluation.
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.
Indicative topics are:
The English Legal System, Legal Process, Dispute Resolution and the impact of European Union Law in the UK;
Law of Negligence – including general principles and negligent misstatement;
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 facilitates the development of an entrepreneurial mind-set, and equips students with necessary cutting-edge knowledge and skills vital for generating value in a knowledge based economy. The curriculum will include the following areas of study:
• Broader application of entrepreneurship
• Co-creation as a new form of generating value in an innovation ecosystem.
• Managing innovation entrepreneurially
• Entrepreneurial opportunity
• Entrepreneurial Motivation
• Entrepreneurial Marketing
• Entrepreneurial Finance – Finance fuels entrepreneurship.
The module provides a broad, basic understanding of strategy and strategic management, on which further strategic analysis and exploration of strategic issues can be built. It introduces students to the key vocabulary, concepts and frameworks of strategic management and establishes criteria for assessing whether or not a strategy can be successful. It introduces students to frameworks for analysing the external and internal environments and to different theories of how these relate and of their impact on strategy formulation and implementation.
Students will learn how to identify strategic issues, develop strategic options to address them and decide which option(s) to recommend. Through theoretical readings and case studies, students will develop an appreciation of strategy in different contexts and from different perspectives and of the complexity of strategic decision-making. Students will enhance their ability to read business articles from a strategic perspective and to present strategic arguments in a structured manner
This module introduces students to core concepts and theories about consumer behaviour, including individual and organisational perspectives. It is based around understanding the critical application of sociological, economic, socio-psychological and psychological concepts to and theories to consumption.
Indicative topics are:
• Consumer Research Philosophies: What is a consumer?
• Culture: Components of Culture, myths and rituals
• Marketplace cultures
• Dark Consumption and Ethical Consumption
• Personality, Identity and the Self
• Motivational Theories
• Learning Theories
• Organisational Buying Behaviour
Project Management aims to provide an understanding of the key concepts and practices within the context of the organisational setting and the wider business and technological environment.
This module aims to develop a critical understanding of project management to enable students to recognise the importance of the discipline in a variety of organisational and functional contexts. Students should develop a critical understanding of the concepts employed in project management at strategic, systems and operational levels, and an appreciation of the knowledge and skills required for successful project management in organisations.
Included topics of the module are:
• Project life cycles and alternative development paths;
• Feasibility studies;
• Time management;
• Project planning and control techniques, including Gantt charts, CPM;
• Resource planning;
• Quality Control;
• Project communication;
This module introduces students to the nature of research and the business consultancy processes involved in carrying out research and consultancy in an area of management, technology and enterprise. The module prepares students for their respective independent research work in an organisational or industry context; and for undertaking management interventions in the workplace.
Indicative topics may include:
• Research approaches, Philosophy of thinking and claims; and key methodologies of research.
• Research and consultancy project designs and methodologies (case study, survey, etc):
• Formulating research & consultancy aim(s) and objectives;
• Nature of consultancy and consultancy approaches/interventions;
• Data collection and analysis
• Role of management consultancy;
• Research reports and proposal writing, research ethics and project planning.
• The management consulting process;
• Control and communication in management consultancy
• Strategy problem solving skills;
• Ethical management consultancy
Your final year has a greater focus on capstone international business modules such as global strategy, European Business, international entrepreneurship and global value chain management with the opportunity to undertake an international business project.
A synopsis of the curriculum
The curriculum is organised into two parts.
Part I:
Understanding the European Business Environment (Autumn)
The European Business Environment (PESTEL), History and Development of the EU, Political and Institutional Framework of the EU. Impact of EU policies on business operations: from Single Market to Single Currency, EU Competition and Social Policies, Regional Policy and Industrial Policy, EU Trade Policy.
Part II:
Doing Business in the 'New' Europe (Spring)
Formulating a European Business Strategy, Identifying Market Opportunities and Evaluating Modes of Entry. Understanding the impact on business of cultural diversity. Management within a European environment. Finance, Marketing and HRM issues for European Business.
This module examines the issues of global strategic management through the analysis of core strategic imperatives, organisational challenges and managerial implications within the context of a multinational organisation (MNE). This module systematically evaluates different approaches to the internationalisation strategies MNEs undertake and the functional and operational aspects (e.g. finance, value chain management, innovation management, HR management, etc.) these strategies impact on. Furthermore, this module assesses issues such as global management of change, global risk management, global management of corporate social responsibilities, withdrawal and divestment strategies.
This module offers both theoretical frameworks and practical guidance for students to understand and evaluate the entrepreneurial opportunities, global expansion path, entrepreneurial decision making, and entrepreneurial mobility in the context of international entrepreneurship. The overall aim is to obtain a holistic as well as nuanced global perspective related to international entrepreneurship.
• Theories of international entrepreneurship
• International opportunities and global entrepreneurial team
• Entrepreneur's global expansion path
• Born-global firms
• High-impact/ high-growth entrepreneurship
• Entrepreneurial mobility/ transnational entrepreneurs
• Regional entrepreneurship and innovation clusters
• Institutional environment and exit strategy
The module helps prepare students to acquire and develop the employability and transferable skills necessary to search and successfully apply for work experience and graduate opportunities in the commercial and public sector and postgraduate study.
The curriculum builds on knowledge and experience gained in related employability modules delivered at Stages 1 and 2, providing further guidance and more advanced practical exercises in application writing, CVs, careers advice, interview and assessment centre techniques, numeracy and competency tests, and psychometric evaluation. The aims here are to support students during their final year in applying for good graduate jobs and MSc degree programmes.
This module will introduce students to the key concepts of managing people involving and examination of organisational, management and human resource management theory and practice. This will be achieved through relating relevant theory to practical people and organisational management issues.
The key topics of the module are:
• The nature of human resource management
• Motivation in the workplace
• Work organisation, job design and flexible working
• Groups and team working
• Diversity in the workplace
• Recruitment & selection
• Learning and development
• Employee Involvement and participation
• Employee performance and reward
• Ethical HRM
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.
Indicative topics are:
The English Legal System, Legal Process, Dispute Resolution and the impact of European Union Law in the UK;
Law of Negligence – including general principles and negligent misstatement;
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 Operations and Service Management and to learn how to evaluate the alternatives and make recommendations. Topics include:
• The nature of services and service strategy
• Service development and technology
• Service quality and the service encounter
• Project/Event management and control
• Managing capacity and demand in services
• Managing inventories
This module will introduce students to the key concepts, theories and issues involved in international marketing. In doing so it will enable students to understand how to identify and evaluate opportunities in international markets and assess the different market entry modes available to companies. In addition students will consider the need to adapt marketing mix elements for different international markets. Indicative topics of study are as follows:
• Introduction to international marketing: Definitions, theories, approaches and motives.
• International Marketing Research
• Assessing international markets: The political and economic environment
• Assessing international markets: The Sociocultural environment
• Theories and frameworks for International market evaluation and selection
• Market entry modes: export, intermediate and hierarchical
• International marketing plans and strategy: Segmentation, targeting and positioning
• Designing the global marketing mix: Product, pricing, communication and distribution decisions
This module will cover the following topics:
- Features of debt instruments and risks associated with investing in these instruments
- Debt and money markets (participants, operations, trading activities)
- Fixed-income instruments (Government bonds, corporate bonds, credit ratings, high-yield bonds, international bonds, mortgage-backed securities, etc.)
- Money market instruments (Treasury bills, commercial paper, repurchase agreements, bills of exchange, etc.)
- Fixed-income valuation (traditional approach, arbitrage-free approach, yield measures, volatility measures)
- Term-structure of interest rates and classic theories of term structure, derivation of zero-coupon yield curve
- General principles of credit analysis (credit scoring, credit risk modelling, etc.)
- Fixed-income portfolio construction and management strategies (portfolio's risk profile, managing funds against a bond market index).
This module will examine how Excel can be used for financial data analysis.
A brief revision of each financial concept will be presented. The syllabus will typically cover:
Introduction to Excel:
• Basic functions, mathematical expressions
Data Analysis with Excel:
• Data analysis, charts, solver, goal seek, pitot tables and pivot charts
Financial Valuation:
• Applications of time value of money
• Applications of capital budgeting techniques in Excel (IRR, NPV, Scenario Analysis, Monte Carlo simulation)
• Company Valuation Models
Portfolio Analysis and Security Pricing:
• Portfolio models, calculations of efficient portfolios, variance-covariance matrix
• Beta coefficient estimations and security market line
• Bond Valuations
• Binomial option pricing, Black-Scholes model.
This module examines the role of International Business in the Digital Economy. In light of recent technological advances in the global environment, such as Industry 4.0, we have witnessed the emergence and rise of the 'Digital Economy'. This is manifested in new, digital strategies, and a shift in the traditional global value chains (GVCs) in an international context. Indicative topics include:
• Globalisation and Digital Economy
• Digital platforms and digital business models in MNEs
• Virtual coordination in global supply chains
• Global risks mitigation through digital economy
• Global Sustainability in digital business
• Future of Work, Big Data and IoT in International Business
• Applications Blockchain technology in international trade and global supply chain
• Artificial Intelligence, Automation and International Business
The module looks at how digital marketing applications can be used by modern organisations. The module considers the fundamental technologies that support digital marketing along with the regulatory and societal challenges that must be taken into account, for example, privacy and data protection. The methods available to attract customers through digital marketing are covered making a distinction between paid methods, such as sponsored search, and non-paid methods, such as an organisation's own social media assets. Issues around loyalty are considered especially in the context of falling search costs which enable customers to switch providers.
The unique nature of digital products, for example music downloads or video streaming, are outlined with the marketing challenges and opportunities this presents. The module stresses the importance of implementation, using applied examples, and the uncertainty involved.
Indicative topics are: The digital marketing environment; Enabling technologies for digital marketing; Website design, implementation and analysis; Social media; Social commerce; Customers in the Internet age: knowing, reaching & retaining the customer; Network effects and versioning; Loyalty, Customer Relationship Management and Data Mining; E-Marketing campaigns; Brands in the Internet age; Data protection, privacy and legal issues; Digital marketing and globalisation
This module facilitates the development of an entrepreneurial mind-set, and equips students with necessary cutting-edge knowledge and skills vital for generating value in a knowledge based economy. The curriculum will include the following areas of study:
• Broader application of entrepreneurship
• Co-creation as a new form of generating value in an innovation ecosystem.
• Managing innovation entrepreneurially
• Entrepreneurial opportunity
• Entrepreneurial Motivation
• Entrepreneurial Marketing
• Entrepreneurial Finance – Finance fuels entrepreneurship.
This module presents an overview of what workforce diversity is and its relevance and usefulness in improving our understanding and management of people (including ourselves) at work. The demographics of the population and the workplace are changing drastically because of a number of factors, such as an increasing number of ethnic minorities and women in the workforce and in management. Accordingly, there is a need to effectively understand and manage workforce diversity not only to increase organisational business outcomes but also to create an inclusive workplace in a socially responsible manner.
The module will examine issues confronting managers of a diverse workforce. In particular issues such as ethnicity, race, language, ageing, disability, gender, and intersectional identities will be discussed. Two key approaches towards managing diversity will be explained, i.e. the social equity case of managing diversity, and the business benefits case of managing diversity. The module will explore a range of diversity related concepts and topics, such as social identity, stereotyping, discrimination, intergroup conflict, structural integration, and organisational change.
Indicative topics are:
• Origins of diversity and equal opportunity in the workplace context;
• Social and psychological perspectives on workplace diversity;
• The UK and European diversity contexts;
• Business benefits case and social equity case of managing diversity;
• The legal framework for diversity;
• Organisational approaches to diversity;
• Contemporary issues central to the experiences of diverse individuals in the UK and in organisations across a range of diversity dimensions;
• Diversity management in an international context
This module will explore more advanced management and organisational theory to facilitate students' examination of the challenges that face managers in contemporary organisations. As well as considering these challenges from a mainstream managerial perspective, the module will also draw on the perspective of critical management studies as a means of providing an alternative viewpoint on contemporary management issues. Indicative areas to be covered may include:
• Identity in organisations and how the construction and performance of it requires managers to cope with existential challenges around anxiety and freedom.
• The uses and abuses of managerial power and the inequality and insecurity that comes with it.
• Neoliberal capitalism and its various consequences for organisational life.
• Pressures to make organisations more sustainable, socially responsible, equal, diverse, and fair.
• Organisational cultures based on entrepreneurialism.
• The performance of gender in organisations.
• New organisational forms and their emphasis on Speed.
• The intensification of the control of Bodies, Spaces, and Time in contemporary organisations.
Making decisions is one of the most important things any manager or business must do. Making smart decisions, however, can be extremely difficult due the complexity and uncertainty involved. Decision Analysis (DA) provides a structured and coherent approach to decision making. It involves a wide range of quantitative and graphical methods for identifying, representing, and assessing alternatives in order to determine a best course of action. DA is regularly employed by many leading companies in the pharmaceutical, oil and gas, utilities, automotive, and financial services sectors. In this module, you learn about the basic concepts of DA and how to apply it in a variety of practical business planning situations.
The module aims to provide a critical understanding of the challenges of managing creativity and innovation within contemporary organisations. The experience of work and employment, management practices are affected by rapid technological change, intensifying global competition and changing demographic profiles and values of the work force. Contemporary organisations are pressurised to tackle these developments through creativity, innovation and new organisational forms. This module examines the nature, antecedents, processes and consequences of creativity and innovation and their complex links with organisation, while also exploring major social and technological changes relating these to organisational creativity and innovation. Students will be introduced to the main concepts and theories on creativity, innovation and organisation through readings and discussions of the main themes and debates in the field. Case studies will be used to illustrate how these concepts are connected together and how they could impact upon management decision making within contemporary organisations. Students will be encouraged to explore some of the most notable historical and contemporary shifts in media and technology and discover how new organisational forms and methods have been devised to exploit them. They will develop awareness for the cross-fertilisation between disciplines in analyzing the dynamics of creativity, innovation and organisation and their complex relationships.
Topics include:
• Conceptual foundations of creativity, innovation and organisation
• Personality and individual creativity
• Organisational creativity and innovation
• Cognition, knowledge and creativity
• Models and processes of innovation
• Organisational culture and systems for supporting creativity and innovation
• Leadership and entrepreneurship
• Creative organisations across fields/ industries
• Socio-technological change and new forms of organisation.
This module offers a comprehensive introduction to the area of cross-cultural management research. Based on a critical analysis of the assumptions underlying various approaches to studying national cultures, frameworks are applied to understand cross-cultural issues managers in international organisations may face. Indicative topics are:
• Management and culture
• Different approaches to cross-cultural management
• Cultural-frameworks and its application
• Roles of the global manager
• Global management challenges
This module will allow students to work on a substantive piece of research which will allow them to obtain in-depth knowledge of a particular subject area within the field of International Business.
Developing phenomenon-based and/or theory driven research questions in the area of international business
Literature search and review
Understanding different research designs used in International Business research projects
Collection, use and analysis of secondary and primary data
Preparing and structuring the International Business Project
Referencing, Citations and Developing writing skills
Presentation skills
This module presents an overview of what work psychology is and its relevance and usefulness in improving our understanding and management of people (including ourselves) at work. Many work places operate sophisticated and expensive systems for assessing the costs and benefits of various workplace elements but often do not extend this to the management of employees. This module aims to demonstrate the benefits of having a comprehensive understanding of the role psychology can play in the management of people in contemporary organizations. Indicative content includes:
• Work psychology
• Individual differences and psychometrics
• Best practice personnel selection
• Stress and well-being
• Motivation
• Stereotypes and group behaviour
• Leadership and diversity
• The dark side of personality
• Political behaviour in the workplace
• The psychology of entrepreneurs
• Using work psychology to enhance employability
International and Comparative Human Resource Management aims to provide an analysis of the HRM systems in seven countries: USA, Germany, Sweden, France, Italy, China and India. Students will be introduced to the main concepts and theories through readings and discussions of the main authors in the field.
Within a broad historical context, an international comparative approach will be adopted to consider the development of the relationship between national governments, employers and trade unions. This will include an investigation of the development and decline of employment relations systems and the emergence of human resource management.
The aim of this module is to provide students with (1) a systematic understanding of how information technology is driving business innovation, (2) the methods and approaches used by managers to exploit new digital opportunities, and (3) an appreciation of the knowledge and skills needed to manage the business innovation. By the end of this module, students will be equipped with the necessary knowledge and tools to deal with current business issues including digital transformation and emerging business models via technological innovations.
The aim of this module is to equip students with basic knowledge of analytics tools to analyse and interpret data, forecast future trends and optimise decisions in many areas of business, including operations, marketing and finance.
The module covers two indicative themes as follows:
1. Predictive analytics. In this part of the module, students will learn approaches to extract information from existing data sets in order to determine patterns and predict future outcomes and trends. Approaches include regression analysis, forecasting techniques, simulation and data mining.
2. Prescriptive analytics. In this part of the module, students will learn how to develop optimisation models to support business decision making. Students will be guided through demonstrations involving a variety of business problems, including transportation, assignment, product mix and scheduling problems.
The aim of this hands-on and highly practical module is to introduce students to the power of data intelligence in transforming the way businesses operate. Students will learn how to develop a successful big data strategy and deliver organisational performance improvements through the use of data analytics. Students will have hands-on exercises primarily based on spreadsheet tools such as Excel and will gain a basic knowledge of coding tools such as Python.
Indicative topics covered in the module include: business intelligence principles, data visualisation and dashboards, data warehouse and integration, artificial intelligence in business applications, big data, social network analysis, text mining, and participatory approaches for problem structuring.
Students will be exposed to a variety of case studies which demonstrate how pervasive data intelligence and analytics have become in every industry and sector, including examples from supply chain management, transport, marketing, finance, healthcare, and human resources. By the end of the module, students will have an understanding of how specific companies use big data and a grasp of the actionable steps and resources required to utilise data effectively.
The 2021/22 annual tuition fees for this programme 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.
Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.
Search scholarshipsKent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details.
You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.
Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence.
The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of A*AA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.
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.
We use a variety of teaching methods, including;
Classroom-based learning is supported by the latest online technologies and learning platforms.
Your progress is assessed through coursework and exams. Coursework takes a variety of forms and includes;
Exams are individual written assessments tested under time-controlled conditions.
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.
To proceed to the next year you must achieve satisfactory results. Your final degree is based on marks gained in the second and third years (and Placement Year/Year Abroad if chosen) and credits which you build up throughout the whole programme.
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 programmes specification below:
For graduate prospects, Business and Management Studies at Kent was ranked 22nd in The Complete University Guide 2021.
Business and Management at Kent scored 93% overall in The Complete University Guide 2021.
For graduate prospects, Business, Management and Marketing at Kent scored 83% in The Guardian University Guide 2020 and ranked 22nd in The Complete University Guide 2021 for Business and Management.
Our International Business graduates find work in public and private sector management and consultancy both overseas and in the UK in a wide range of companies and organisations, including:
Many of our students also stay local and find job opportunities regionally in small and medium firms or even set-up their own businesses as well-equipped entrepreneurs.
The Backpack to Briefcase scheme provides bespoke career and skills development events and activities for all Kent Business School students. Available from the first year through to graduation, Backpack to Briefcase is designed to prepare you for a successful career after university.
To help you appeal to employers you will graduate with a solid grounding in core business management concepts, theories and skills in a global context but also key transferrable skills such as critical reflection, cultural awareness, creativity and innovation, effective time-management and productive teamwork as well as enhanced confidence, intellectual curiosity and resilience. As a KBS graduate you will be able to demonstrate to your employer how you have developed The Grad Goals.
You can also gain skills by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as adding much-sought-after analytical skills or computing skills to your degree via Kent’s Q-Step Centre.
Kent Business School has an excellent international reputation and good links with businesses locally and globally. Our qualified careers practitioners provide support to all business undergraduate students for up to three years after graduation.
In addition, Careers and Employability Service at the University, can also provide advice on how to apply for jobs, write a good CV or perform well in interviews.
This programme is accredited by both the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and the Institute of Exports and International Trade (IOE&IT).
As a student at Kent Business School, you have the opportunity to gain the Chartered Management Institute’s (CMI) Level 5 Professional Qualification in Management and Leadership alongside your degree. CMI qualifications are highly sought after by employers. You will gain access to exclusive CMI networking events and resources, have the opportunity to attend lectures from top-level CMI industry-expert members and fast track into the next stage of training. CMI is the only chartered professional body in the UK dedicated to promoting the highest standards in management and leadership excellence. The CMI is the only organisation awarding Chartered Manager status, the hallmark of any professional manager, and encompasses a membership community more than 100,000.
The recent accreditation by the Institute of Export and International Trade (IOE&IT) is evidence of the quality and relevance to practice of our BSc (Hons) International Business (IB) programme. The IOE&IT is a professional membership body representing and supporting the interests of everyone in the domain of international trade. Our students will be able to gain membership of the IOE&IT as they study BSc International Business offering them access to visiting speakers, industry reports, industry webinars and podcasts, as well as networking and career development opportunities.
This course page is for the 2021/22 academic year. Please visit the current online prospectus for a list of undergraduate courses we offer.
Enquire online for full-time study
Enquire online for part-time study
T: +44 (0)1227 768896
T: +44 (0)1227 823254
E: internationalstudent@kent.ac.uk
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