Business Management with Business Experience BSc (Hons) and choice of specialisms
Why choose this course?
This degree gives you a broad understanding of business and prepares you for a career in business management. It includes hands-on, practical experience, through an internship, consultancy in practice or an entrepreneurship module. There's also the Business Readiness Programme, which will prepare you for your first placement or graduate job.
The experiences you'll gain will help you establish a business network and stand out from the crowd when seeking work.
In the final year, you'll be able to specialise in human resource management, entrepreneurship, finance or service operations; or you may stay on the general route which allows you to pick from a range of subjects.
| Attendance | UCAS code | Year of entry |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years full time | N221 | 2021 |
| 4 years full time including sandwich year | N223 | 2021 |
| 4 years full time including foundation year | N222 | 2021 |
| Location | Kingston Hill |
2020 entry
If you are planning to join this course in September 2020, please view the information about changes to courses for 2020/21 due to Covid-19.
Continuing students
Students who are continuing their studies with Kingston University in 2020/21 should refer to their Course Handbook for information about specific changes that have been, or may be, made to their course or modules being delivered in 2020/21. Course Handbooks are located within the Canvas course page.
Reasons to choose Kingston University
- In just three years you'll graduate with both a business degree and the real-life practical experience that employers are looking for.
- Kingston Business School has received a Business Accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). This award is earned by just five per cent of the world's business schools and recognises the high quality and standards of our teaching.
- You'll have the option to tailor your degree to specialise in human resource management, entrepreneurship, finance or service operations.
With business experience
This degree comes 'with business experience', which includes the following:
- The Business Readiness Programme develops your business skills and qualities so that you hit the ground running on the first day of your work internship or graduate job.
- Business Practice gives you the opportunity to gain valuable, real-life and hands-on experience. In the second year, from May, you will gain a minimum of three months hands-on experience from a choice of:
- A work internship where you will work within a business in a role linked to your degree or area of interest. This work experience is invaluable on your CV in helping to secure a job after you graduate.
- A university-based module, which brings a 'real-life' project into the classroom. Through a 'consultancy in practice' or 'entrepreneurship' module you will work alongside your peers, with the support of your lecturers, to develop your own business or find solutions for a 'live' business project.
This course, 'with business experience', aims to increase your employability and future career success. You'll graduate from this degree with both the knowledge from a three year degree as well as three months direct business or research experience; helping you to stand out from the crowd in the future.
What you will study
Take a look at some of the content and modules that you may have the opportunity to study on this course:
Year 1
Year 2
Optional year
Final year
In Year 1 you will be introduced to a range of introductory theories and principles of business. You will also begin the business readiness programme in preparation for your Business Practice in Year 2.
Core modules
Business Statistics and Information Technology
30 credits
This module is about managing business information. This not only requires various mathematical techniques such as statistical measures, but also is highly dependent on information technology (IT) for the gathering, summarising and communicating of this information. Mathematics and information technology are mutually dependent business topics. One would not use mathematics in business without the support of IT, and application software such as spreadsheets and databases are only used effectively with an appreciation of their underlying mathematical dependence. The module will be delivered using a problem-centric approach emphasising the application of mathematical techniques with the aid of information technology, and the employability skills associated with these.
Organisational Behaviour
30 credits
This is a core module in level 4 for all BSc Business Management students. The module introduces students to core topics and concepts about the behaviour and management of people in work situations. It is organised into three main parts so that there is a traditional progression from the individual to the group and, finally, to the organisational levels of analysis. Based on theoretical understanding of individual and group behaviour in organisations, students are given the opportunity to reflect on and learn from their own and others' experiences and behaviour in the group. Throughout the module students engage in activities that enable them to develop their academic and other relevant skills, which can be applied throughout their time at the university and taken into their future work and organisations.
Economics for Business
30 credits
This module introduces you to the external context in which organisations operate and in which they will eventually work. As potential managers of the future, defined as someone involved in assisting and directing members of an organisation to achieve their organisational objectives, you need to be equipped to understand the component parts of the external context within which organisations function. The variety and complexity of the external environment and interactions with organisations has a significant impact upon the way organisations are structured, the way their managers behave and the performance of the organisation in achieving its objectives. Consequently this module will equip you with the skills and knowledge of economics for business that is essential in the current business environment.
Marketing Practice
30 credits
This module is designed to provide students on general business courses with a broad understanding of the natureof the marketing function and of what marketers do. While underpinned by marketing theory, the module focuses on the practical application of marketing in organisations, its relationship to other business functions, and the impact that marketing can have on an organisation. Consequently this module will equip students with skills and knowledge that they will find useful for their later employment in a marketing-related job. The module is delivered using a combination of lectures, in-class exercises, case studies and guest speakers. Students are expected to prepare work outside the classroom prior to participation in the scheduled sessions.
Business Readiness and Skills (Stage 1)
0 credits
This module consists of management and personal skills training, designed to prepare students for their placement and to improve their employability after graduation. Students will experience a wide range of opportunities to enhance their skills, ensure they make the most of their potential, gain the best possible placement, and give them an edge in the job market after graduation.
During their training, they will build an on-line profile indicating their progress with their skills development. Where appropriate, the skills work will be integrated with core curriculum activity. Students will work with faculty staff, including their personal tutor and the Business Experience Office, to identify their skills requirements. In addition to the standard skills required by employers, there will be skills development linked to specific subject areas, run during the fourth teaching term just before the placements begin.
In Year 2 you will begin to cover all elements of the pathways themes, enabling you to develop your knowledge and understanding of core business principles in these areas. In addition you will complete stage 2 of the business readiness programme. You will carry out your Business Practice in Year 2 from May, for a minimum of three months.
Core modules
Human Resource Management
30 credits
This module provides you with an in-depth understanding of human resource management (HRM) policies and practices and an understanding of the relationship between organisational strategy and HRM theory and practice. You will apply theoretical concepts and frameworks to HR management in different organisations and be able to contribute to current debates and issues in HRM. You will also develop key transferable skills such as communication, teamwork and critical thinking.
Operations and Project Management
30 credits
The module aims to enable you to develop the analytical skills necessary to make a positive contribution to issues concerning operations and project management, and describe the strategic contribution that effective operations and project management can play within organisations. Your ability to apply theories and methodologies of operations and project management will be assessed using two assignments that will require them to apply practical tools and techniques to real business situations. Formative feedback will be given in tutorials and lab-based sessions.
Entrepreneurship
30 credits
This module provides you with the opportunity to engage in developing a business plan for starting up a new venture or launching an innovative product/service. You will find out what it takes develop a business plan from idea generation, feasibility analysis, marketing strategy, business model development to making financial analysis for a business plan. Students will thus learn about the different aspects of entrepreneurship and business planning.
Business Accounting
30 credits
This module introduces students to accounting in small and large businesses. The module emphasises the understanding and interpretation of financial information. It provides the skills needed to analyse the financial statements of public listed companies. This module also considers the fundamental concepts of management accounting and builds on them to provide an explanation of the diagnostic skills necessary to make many short-term, medium-term and long-term operating decisions within an organisation. Numerical aspects are balanced by the need to understand the usefulness of the information to users.
Business Readiness and Skills (Stage 2)
0 credits
This module consists of management and personal skills training, designed to prepare students for their placement and to improve their employability after graduation. Students will experience a wide range of opportunities to enhance their skills, ensure they make the most of their potential, gain the best possible placement, and give them an edge in the job market after graduation.
During their training, they will build an on-line profile indicating their progress with their skills development. Where appropriate, the skills work will be integrated with core curriculum activity. Students will work with faculty staff, including their personal tutor and the Business Experience Office, to identify their skills requirements. In addition to the standard skills required by employers, there will be skills development linked to specific subject areas, run during the fourth teaching term just before the placements begin.
Business Practice Options (choose 1)
Work Placement
60 credits
The module consists of a period of placement in commercial, industrial, public sector or third sector organisations. In this module, students will have the opportunity to use the management skills acquired in their business readiness training and the conceptual and theoretical knowledge acquired through their study of the core curriculum. During their period of placement they will develop a portfolio demonstrating the work done and provide a summary of their experience in the form of a short report.
The module seeks to ensure that students reflect on and develop the skills they acquired during the Business Preparation module, in attaining their placements, and in the subsequent placement itself, with a view to using these skills in their final year. Developing an understanding of the theory of business practice and applying this in work situations is particularly emphasised. Students will be in regular contact with the Business & Professional Experience Team during their time on placement, either face to face or via Skype or telephone depending on location.
Consultancy in Practice
60 credits
This module involves a real life client project highlighting the important role of the consultant in an organisation. Models from management literature are applied within practical settings in order to relate theory to practice. Students are provided with an opportunity to develop their management skills by undertaking a live project for an external client. This activity emphasises the importance of blending business, people and technology issues when analysing problem situations in a business context. The module is assessed by the group consultancy project report for the client, and an individual portfolio to include, an updated CV post experience, a self-reflection of the experience, client and expert feedback.
The Entrepreneurship Experience
60 credits
"A start-up is an organization formed to search for a repeatable and scalable business model". Steve Blank
This module is one of the options available to students for their Business Experience. This module allows students to work in a start-up environment, either on their own idea or with a firm in an existing incubator or accelerator.
Ideas are everywhere. Everyone has ideas. What matters in this competitive environment is skilful execution of ideas. But how and where do you start? And most importantly, how do you know if your idea is something that people want and need?
The most successful entrepreneurs understand that building a great business requires focus on understanding customers, a personal character of true grit, and willingness to learn and improve ideas through trial and error.
Students taking this module will be working on a real business start-up from the first day. Working in a start-up environment, either on campus or via an external incubator, students will develop and validate a business idea, developing concrete skills in marketing, finance, selling and operational skills relevant to their chosen market. Students working in the on-campus start-up will use iterative lean start-up methodology principles, which will gain them their reference customers and help them complete their Minimum Viable Product (MVP) as a culmination of the first stage. The experience can subsequently be extended into growing the start-up business.
Study abroad optional year
You have the option to take an additional year to study abroad or to undertake a year-long work placement (or even a mix of both).
In your final year everyone studies strategic management and leadership. Then you can specialise into your chosen pathway: business management; human resource management; entrepreneurship; finance, or service operations.
Core modules
Leading Change
30 credits
In this module you will analyse the concepts and theories of leadership and its application to contemporary organisations. You will reflect on the nature of change and the leader's role in managing through change in today's complex and uncertain environment. You will also examine the role of leaders and managers in developing a social conscience and learn how to recognise and address ethical issues.
Strategic Management
30 credits
This module considers how organisations can grow and compete successfully. Students will develop an understanding of the environment and industry in which organisations operate, and an appreciation of how organisations use internal resources and competences for competitive advantage. The module examines the role of stakeholders and culture in an organisation, and the options an organisation has for its growth and development.
Business Management (no specialism) optional modules
Dissertation
30 credits
This module is an elective offered on the BSc Business Management with Business Experience programme. The module allows the students to pursue in depth a topic of their choice. The students have to identify a business related topic and develop an empirical research question informed by theoretical concepts. The students will develop the independent study skills required to manage a substantial task to completion and enhance their intellectual and critical analysis skills to enable them to produce a carefully researched produced and concise report. Core material is provided via Canvas with interactive workshops used to support learning.
Business Psychology
30 credits
Business psychology is the discipline of applying knowledge of psychological principles to the world of work. It explores real-world business issues associated with the efficiency, well-being and satisfaction of workers, by focusing on the fit between individuals, their job role, the teams they work in and organisational structures. Business psychologists work closely with organisations to make recommendations for improving people's work experiences.
This module will take an academic-practitioner approach to examining the key areas of business psychology. Along with covering the basic elements of topics not covered before on the undergraduate programme, you will be introduced to some of the advanced elements of research into more familiar domains, such as motivation, individual differences and stress. In particular, current themes within the discipline (such as work-family conflict, managing email, and health at work) will be studied, and you will be able to engage in practical activities to appreciate how business psychologists can best address such concerns within the contemporary workplace.
Students suited to this module will be interested in expanding their understanding of people, will wish to keep abreast of modern theses of work behaviour, and will be keen to apply this knowledge in practical settings. On completion of the module, you may wish to consider registering for the MSc in Occupational and Business Psychology offered by Kingston Business School.
Marketing Communications
30 credits
This module concentrates on the core features of the marketing communications function within the wider context of marketing planning, with a specific focus on the advertising, sales promotion, public relations and interactive marketing communications elements of the mix.
The module incorporates theoretical and conceptual considerations with the operational aspects of marketing communications planning to ensure that students develop the skills that are essential for a career in marketing communications, whether on the agency or client
side. A combination of lectures, workshops, case study analysis and student presentations support the learning experience.
Managing Brands
30 credits
The module introduces you to the often controversial theories relating to the concept of ‘the brand' and to the contemporary challenges faced by brands and their managers. Whilst underpinned by theory, the module develops practical skills which will be useful for those considering a career in brand management, such as selecting appropriate visual and identification elements for the brand (eg. packaging, logos, name), deciding whether or not to extend a brand, and leveraging brand associations via sponsorship and co-branding. Scheduled teaching and learning includes a mixture of lectures and video case studies, as well as class debates and presentations on ‘hot issues' in branding.
Human Resource Management specialism optional modules
Organisational Learning and Development
30 credits
This capstone module addresses the need for learning and development (L&D) to be a strategic business function in order to enhance both individual performance and organisational success. Drawing upon knowledge acquired from a range of other modules (eg. Introduction to HRM, Organisational Behaviour; Strategic HRM and Strategic Management) students will learn how to provide development opportunities that have been carefully analysed, designed, delivered and evaluated, supported by an understanding of learning theory. The module will also enable students to contribute to the development of coaching and mentoring activities within organisations.
Employee Relations
30 credits
The focus of this module is the relationship between employers and employees. We examine the nature of this relationship and the significance of its key features for the relative power and position of the two main parties. We consider how the employment relationship is regulated and controlled and the resulting outcomes for employers and employees alike. In this regard, the role of trade unions, new employment relations actors such as Citizens Advice, and internal company human resource management systems are scrutinised and discussed. The impact of government legislation on employee relations outcomes and processes is also examined, as are other contextual influences such as the business environment, labour market and technological trends.
In addition to analysing general developments in employee relations, the module examines specific themes and aspects such as the management of discipline and dismissal and health and safety, and the employment experience of particular groups of workers (for example women and migrant workers).
Entrepreneurship specialism optional modules
Innovation
30 credits
Innovation acts as a key driver for economic growth providing social and economic benefits for local, national and international communities. Without innovation, our social and economic systems do not function! This module encourages you to understand how innovation actually happens by carrying out a practical innovation audit within a large established organisation. You will identify critical issues and skills needed to achieve entrepreneurially driven innovation. Since employers are seeking creative students who are able to initiate and participate in innovation activity, this module will enhance your employability in the wider world of work.
Entrepreneurship in an International Context
30 credits
This module provides you with the opportunity to discover how to plan the expansion of a small entrepreneurial business into international markets. You will find out what it takes to plan towards expanding a small entrepreneurial business into international markets, gain experience of choosing modes of entry for small business internationalisation, assess international markets and produce financial projections for the business plan.
Finance specialism optional modules
Financial Management
30 credits
Working knowledge of finance by managers is a prerequisite for commercial viability of any enterprise. The offering of this module responds to the demand from potential employers for practically oriented education in financial management, underscored by the current stresses in financial and credit markets.
This module introduces business students to the key terminology and techniques of financial management that are regularly used in today's business environment. It lays the foundation for a proper understanding of more complex financial issues and is designed to equip you with knowledge of business finance required for making informed business decisions in a management-related career. The module explains the firm's goal of value maximisation, how the firm can make investment and financing decisions that add value, and also considers competing sources of finance available to firms and the main features of capital markets, with particular emphasis on the private sector of the UK economy. Graduates with financial management skills continue to have a competitive advantage in the job market, an edge that may become even more significant in an economic downturn.
Managerial Accounting
30 credits
This module develops the topics studied in Managing Financial Resources and is designed to give undergraduate business students an advanced course exploring the provision and use of accounting information in internal management decision making. You will be involved in an active learning approach and will be expected to reflect on the purposes and uses of management accounting information, evaluate case study scenarios, discuss theoretical accounting concepts and utilise a range of practical techniques to solve practice questions.
Service Operations specialism optional modules
International Business Operations
30 credits
International Business Operations is designed to develop students' ability to assess the business environment faced by an international company and evaluate opportunities and risks in international marketplaces. This module will help students develop decision-making skills in operational issues for international companies. Classes will be delivered as a combination of lectures and tutorials.
This module will include the following topics: global market environment, international market entry modes, international trade, risk management, culture and international human resource management, global operations, international marketing, international finance, business ethics and corporate social responsibility.
Service Operations Management
30 credits
This module explores the concepts, tools and techniques associated with service operations and focuses upon service evaluation, enhancement and improvement. The module is suitable for careers in retailing, financial services and consultancy.
The information above reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. Updates may be made on an annual basis and revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year. The regulations governing this course are available on our website. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, this may not be offered.
Foundation year - Business
If you would like to study this business degree at Kingston University but are not yet ready to join the first year of a BSc (Hons) course, you may want to consider studying this course with a foundation year.
Kingston Business School Accreditations
Kingston Business School holds the prestigious international accreditation by the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) in recognition of the excellence of its business education. This accreditation has been earned by just 5% of the world's business schools and recognises the high quality and standard of our business degree offering.
Life on this course
Guest Alumni from Barclays & GSK
Kingston Business School graduates gave their advice and imparted words of wisdom to our first year students.
Entry requirements
Teaching and assessment
Timetabled teaching and learning on this course includes lectures, workshops in computer labs, small group tutorials and seminars.
Who teaches this course?
You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on this course. The team includes senior academics and professional practitioners with industry experience. Student academic mentors also provide support during certain tutorials / seminars, under the supervision of the module leader.
The following group of staff members are currently involved in the delivery of different elements of this course. This pool is subject to change at any time within the academic year.
Course fees and funding
Work placements
Our course offers a work placement to help you develop your skills and gain invaluable experience, this option will also help you to:
- Improve your career choices: Business experience and placements help you to make better-informed career choices and help you stand out from the competition when you look for a job.
- Help with your studies: Statistics indicate that on average students who do placements get better results in their final year.
- Develop your professional skills: Preparing you for your career
- Increase your employability: Each year many of our students receive graduate job offers from their placement employer.
After you graduate
Graduates work in a variety of organisations, from large companies to SMEs. Some start their own businesses or progress to postgraduate degrees and professional qualifications.
What our graduates say
This degree, has been the most rewarding experience. From insightful lectures to practical learning, from office visits to networking sessions, from career related services to alumni services my course has given me all of it.
Aditya Tandon, Business Management BSc (Hons)
Key information set
The scrolling banner(s) below display some key factual data about this course (including different course combinations or delivery modes of this course where relevant).
