Business and Retail Management Degree 2013
The Business and Retail Management degree at Surrey was introduced in 1989, one of the first of its type. The degree has been designed to equip you with essential management skills, together with the specialist knowledge of the retail industry that you will need for a successful career.
Degree programme
Entry requirements
Minimum entry requirements
- A-level grades ABB
We do not include General Studies or Critical Thinking in our offers.
Conditional offers from Surrey will be made in grades or marks, and not listed in points from the UCAS tariff.
Required subjects
GCSE English Language at grade C or above and GCSE Mathematics at grade B or above (or equivalent).
English language requirements
Non-native speakers of English will normally be required to have IELTS 6.5 or above, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component (or equivalent).
Please note that the University of Surrey offers English language programmes and is also an IELTS Test Centre.
Other suitable qualifications
Cambridge Pre-U
M1, M1, M2
European Baccalaureate
74%
International Baccalaureate
34 points
BTEC (QCF Level 3) Extended Diploma
DDM
In addition, we accept a wide range of qualifications, including other Level 3 QCF Level 3 qualifications, Scottish qualifications, the Irish Leaving Certificate, Access Diplomas and foundation courses. Other qualifications will be considered on an individual basis.
It is important to check whether the qualifications you are taking are suitable for your chosen degree. If you are uncertain whether your qualification meets our entry requirements, please contact us.
If you are an international student and you don’t meet the entry requirements to this degree, we offer the International Foundation Year.
Selection process
Offers are usually made in terms of grades. We invite suitable candidates to visit the University to find out more about the programme and meet staff and students.
Tuition fees
UK/EU students
Tuition fees are currently set at £9,000 per year for UK/EU undergraduates starting in 2012.
The tuition charge will be accompanied by a generous financial support package, underlining our continued commitment to widening access for those students who come from low income households.
Overseas students
The fee for students classed as overseas for fees purposes is £14,440.
The University will assess your fee status. If you are unsure whether you are likely to be considered a home, EU or overseas student for fees purposes, the UKCISA website offers more information.
Professional Training Year Fees
Programmes marked with an asterisk (*) in the table above include a professional training year.
Currently fees of £1,050 (based on an inflation assumption of 2.5%) are charged for the Professional Training Year. Fees will not have to be paid up front for those students who decide to take up the Government’s loan for higher education fees. The Professional Training year is a key factor in the high employability rates achieved by students with Surrey degrees.
Our Degree
In addition to studying a range of key business and management topics, you will have the opportunity to study a range of specialist areas that will enable you to develop an understanding of the working realities of retail management, operations and relevant retail concepts. You will learn to apply and evaluate appropriate techniques and frameworks that lie at the heart of successful retailing.
Retailing is a dynamic industry, consisting of multi-sectors such as food, fashion, consumer goods, financial services and leisure, which comprise some of the largest companies in the world. This degree aims to provide you with the skills and knowledge required to be a successful retail business specialist (for example, retail analyst, retail buyer, brand communication manager). You will gain an excellent business education and the specialist approach needed for your chosen career. The programme is based around a core of business and management subjects combined with industry-related retail modules.
In your first year, you will be given an introduction to the retail industry. You will also be introduced to the complexities involved in managing a large-scale retail business. As you progress, you will learn about the importance of store location and its significance in the performance of retail stores. You will develop an understanding of the logistics involved in getting products to consumers and the importance of retail buyers in this process.
In your final year you will develop an understanding of international retailing and the marketing challenges faced by organisations operating on a global platform. This knowledge, combined with the awareness and skills you will develop in measuring performance, the role of branding, pricing strategy, quality control and consumer behaviour, is aimed to ensure that you can become an effective retail manager.
We are one of only 14 business schools in the UK to hold accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the Association of MBAs (AMBA).
Programme content
Programme overview
The programme consists of compulsory and optional modules which you study to earn credits towards your final degree. You will study for 120 credits per year where each of the modules is worth 15 credits.
In year 1 all of the modules are compulsory. They will enable you to develop fundamental and retail-specific management skills and knowledge. A compulsory module, fundamental to management, such as Business Communication Skills, looks at a wide range of communication channels at work and how we interact with people and organisations effectively using modern technology. A retail-specific compulsory module, such as The Retail Industry, facilitates your understanding of the fundamentals of retail activity.
In year 2 and year 3, you will study a combination of compulsory modules based on fundamental management topics, such as Consumer Behaviour and Business Strategy, and retail management-specific topics such as Managing Retail Locations and Retail Buying. You will be able to choose from a wide selection of optional modules based on a variety of management topics including marketing, entrepreneurship, finance and international trade.
Programme structure
Year 1 (FHEQ Level 4)
Compulsory modules:
- Business Communication Skills
- The Retail Industry
- Operations Management
- Business Environment
- Business Information Skills
- Retail Operations
- Introduction to Accounting
- Marketing Principles
Year 2 (FHEQ Level 5)
Compulsory modules:
- Managing Retail Locations
- International Fashion Marketing
- Business Finance
- Business Delivery Skills
- Consumer Behaviour
- Managing Organisations and Human Resources
- Two optional modules
Professional Training year
- Optional Professional Training placement year
Year 3 (FHEQ Level 6)
Compulsory modules:
- Business Strategy
- Retail Buying
- Retail Logistics
- International Retailing
- Four optional modules
Optional modules in years 2 and 3 include:
- Introduction to Management Science
- Marketing Communications
- Management Information Systems
- Corporate Finance
- Operations Analysis
- Business Law
- Marketing in Digital Environment
- Financial Management
- Research in Marketing
- Entrepreneurship and Business Planning
- Ethics, Responsibility and Citizenship
- Issues in Human Resource Management
- Project Management
- International Trade
- Marketing Strategy
- Innovation and New Product Development
Professional training
The optional Professional Training placement year allows you to consolidate the management education you have acquired and provides a platform on which you can build when you return to your studies. It gives a valuable opportunity to put your management learning into practice in real organisations in the UK, with some placements available overseas.
Surrey Business School has many years’ experience of helping students secure one-year paid placements appropriate to their degree programme or career direction, and has partnerships with a range of excellent companies, such as Marks & Spencer, House of Fraser, Debenhams, John Lewis Partnership, Waitrose, Fortnum and Mason, and Majestic Wine Warehouses.
Career opportunities
Graduate prospects
Graduates over the last few years entered employment with organisations such as:
- Monsoon/Accessorize – Assistant Manager
- Sainsbury’s Produce – Team Leader
- Argos – Buyer
- Aurora Fashions – Buyer’s Coordinator
- House of Fraser – Department Manager
- Tesco - Project Manager
- Verdict Research – Associate Retail Analyst
- Waitrose Ltd – Personnel Administrator
Career opportunities
There is great demand for our Business and Retail Management students. Thanks to a degree programme that examines the most up-to-date issues in retail commerce, ample opportunities to learn from and interact with ‘real’ retail practitioners and the work experience gained during the Professional Training placement year, many of our students have undertaken successful careers within the retail sector. Areas span from marketing and PR, buying and merchandising, and consumer analysis to supply chain, store operations and location planning.
Other graduates have gone into banking, accounting and consulting. Overall, graduates of this degree have proven to be highly employable across a wide range of organisations, not just limited to retail.
Additional information
Teaching
Each of our modules is designed to involve 150 hours of student work. This time will be spent in lectures, laboratories and tutorials, and includes private study on your own or in small study groups. You will also write essays and assignments that draw on your understanding of a particular area.
Our staff members are innovative in delivering engaging learning sessions that bring together theory and practice for your intellectual and professional development.
Why Surrey?
Business and Retail Management degree 2013 at Surrey
- A leading university with more than 20 years of experience in retail teaching and research
- Academic staff with expertise in various areas: shopper psychology, fashion marketing, international retailing, planning and marketing of retail space, retail buying and merchandising, shopping centre marketing and management
- Invaluable professional placements with leading, internationally recognised retail companies including: Tesco, Marks & Spencer, House of Fraser, Debenhams, Sainsbury’s and Aldi
- International student exchange opportunities in many exciting locations including: Australia, United States, Canada and Hong Kong
- Exciting learning opportunities in the real business world via: study tours to retail stores/warehouses, guest lectures by senior retail managers and regular visits from senior level alumni now working in the retail industry
- A comprehensive programme that enables you to learn the science and art of retailing
- A business school that holds simultaneous accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the Association of MBAs (AMBA)
- A strong entrepreneurial culture is encouraged throughout our programme
I really enjoyed my experience with Marks & Spencer and have since been offered a graduate role with them.
Claire Shorrick
BSc Business and Retail Management
I applied to study Business and Retail Management at Surrey because of the strong industry reputation of the programme.
What’s great about my programme is the variety of modules available. For example, I’ve been able to combine the Consumer Behaviour option with compulsory modules such as International Fashion Marketing and Buying and Merchandising, enabling me to reflect my interest in fashion and retailing.
The curriculum combines large lectures with smaller groups for tutorials and seminars. This variety creates a great learning environment. One-on-one meetings with lecturers are also made available.
During my Professional Training placement year I was lucky enough to gain experience with Marks & Spencer. I worked as a trainee commercial manager and my role involved managing large teams of people, making commercial decisions, controlling stock levels, implementing policies and carrying out commercial research projects with other trainees for the regional team. I really enjoyed my experience with Marks & Spencer and have since been offered a graduate role with them.
My experience at Surrey has helped me to grow in confidence and has enabled me to speak more freely in front of large groups of people.
Outside of my studies I like to go to classes at Surrey Sports Park. I’ve also had a part-time job in Guildford. My friends and I regularly attend the Students’ Union which is a great way to socialise, have fun and meet new people!
The chance to be taught by lecturers and tutors that have been in the world of business first-hand creates a pleasant learning environment...
Sam Bednarczyk
BSc Business and Retail Management
Surrey was the perfect choice for my studies as it gave me the opportunity to get an overall understanding of management whilst offering a chance to specialise in the retail sector. The chance to be taught by lecturers and tutors that have been in the world of business first-hand creates a pleasant learning environment; something I feel could not be matched by other business schools.
I particularly enjoy the ability to gain knowledge about many different sectors of the business environment through my elective modules. The ability to become engaged within your studies is extremely motivating to students and I would have no hesitation in recommending the University of Surrey to prospective students.
I constantly feel as though we are being taught in a way that will allow students to be prepared for the workplace as soon as they graduate. Employability is a big factor in terms of the Surrey Business School, and this, linked in with the brilliant facilities and workshops offered by the Careers Service, allows for high figures of graduate employment.
University is a big learning curve and I feel as though my experience at the University of Surrey has given me the grounding I need to go out into the workplace. Being at the University has developed my skills across the board, and this has been further enhanced by the vast number of extracurricular societies available to students, including the Surrey Business School Society that I assisted in establishing last year.