Business preparation
Congratulations on choosing Surrey Business School (SBS) at the University of Surrey for your undergraduate degree course – we are confident you have made the very best choice.
As an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the Association of MBAs (AMBA), accredited school, we aim to create and incubate vibrant futures that inspire and enable positive change in business and society.
Pre-arrival activities
We look forward to welcoming you on campus, and we know you are excited to take this next step to study with us. To help with supporting this transition, our pre-arrival orientation provides information about our campus and community, as well as exploring the transition between prior educational experience and the skill set needed to get you started on this journey.
Activities to get you started before you arrive…
Whether you study business management, accounting and finance or have chosen a particular specialist pathway, there are five things we recommend you do before starting your exciting journey at Surrey Business School.
It is essential that you are open to the latest developments in business, management and the broader economy. You should be highly visible as a future professional and ready to engage with the world around you.
- Sign up for the Surrey Freshers Guide – a great way to explore what Surrey has to offer and to find course and flatmates.
- Join in – discover more about the massive range of societies at Surrey.
- Make yourself known – add a photo and brief bio to your course Padlet to get to know your programme director and fellow course mates.
Here are our five tips you can start doing today to get off to a great start at Surrey Business School (SBS):
1. Start your professional journey - create a LinkedIn account
We strongly recommend you build your profile on LinkedIn to engage with the latest trends, opportunities and ensure you are connecting with the right people.
Employers use this platform to find candidates. It is where you can present your professional face to the world. There are many tools available to help you to create a quality profile, but make sure you:
- Use a profile picture that reflects your professional nature
- Connect with University of Surrey academics, institutes and Surrey Business School.
2. Stay on top of current events
Staying on top of events in the world of business and the broader economy is essential. Reading a quality newspaper allows you to place many of the theories you will learn in a practical context, allowing you to advance business ideas and contribute in an informed manner.
Whether you sign up to newsletters, read online (possibly using the library subscription service) or even buy a physical newspaper or magazine, make sure you dedicate time to expand your knowledge and reflect on what you have read. You might also want to focus on particular companies you aspire working for and see how they are portrayed in the media or maybe find new companies or topics that spark your interest, for example:
- Financial Times
- Forbes
- The Economist
- Harvard Business Review
- businessinsider.com
- Regional Business News.
3. Watch TEDx talks
TEDx talks remain highly topical and easily digestible presentations by specialists across a range of topics. Dedicate 15 minutes a week to pick a TED talk that resonates with you. Make a note afterwards, and you might come back to the content of the talk later in your study journey. Here are three 'must-watch' TED talks:
- The power of believing you can improve − Carol Dweck
- How great leaders inspire action − Simon Sinek
- Choices that can change your life − Caroline Myss.
4. Discover people you should know about
In any discipline, there are some people and names you should not just have heard about but also spend time exploring. Here are three people to get started:
- Peter Drucker (see Harvard Business Review's article, 'Why Read Peter Drucker?')
- Gilbert Baker, Creator of the Gay Pride Flag
- Susan Wojcicki, former CEO of YouTube
- Mira Murati, Chief Technology Officer, OpenAI.
5. Read relevant books
While you will be reading a number of textbooks, academic journal articles and case studies during your studies, some books are not on any reading list but are, nonetheless, a must.
Perhaps identify two to three books a year that can provide you with that little extra you need. See the 10 best-rated books by CEOs, or see our three book tips:
- Our Iceberg is melting by John Kotter
- The Human Edge by Greg Orme
- Mindset: changing the way you think to fulfil your potential by Carol Dweck.
We look forward to welcoming you in person on campus! And once you are here, we recommend you join the student-led BizSoc Society. SBS works closely with BizSoc and they offer support, networking opportunities and events.
Discover our campus
My 360 Degree: Surrey Business School
And finally! Relax.
Most importantly, make sure you take some time out to enjoy your last few weeks before you start at Surrey. We cannot wait to show you all the things that make for a #WonderfulSBS.