Open University

BA (Honours) in Business Management

Knowledge and understanding

On completion of this degree, you will be able to demonstrate:

• Knowledge and critical understanding of the main concepts, theories and principles associated with business management
• Systematic knowledge and understanding in one or more of the following specialisms, and the role they play in enhancing knowledge and practical skills in business management: accounting, economics, innovation and enterprise, leadership practice, and marketing.

Cognitive skills

On completion of this degree, you will be able to:

• Synthesise, critically evaluate and challenge information, arguments and assumptions from different sources, including current research and scholarship, by the theories, concepts and principles of business management
• Select and apply your knowledge and understanding to a wide range of the principal professional skills, techniques, practices and/or materials associated with business management, including in contexts with a degree of unpredictability and/or specialism
• Appreciate the potential uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge in business management
• Select and use accurately established techniques of analysis and enquiry outside the context in which they were first studied and be aware of their limitations.

Practical and professional skills

On completion of this degree, you will be able to:

• Critically engage, as appropriate, with practical and professional skills and demonstrate an awareness of relevant responsible and ethical issues in business management.
• Regularly review the current situation and future personal development, career and work options, and develop strategies to address factors that may limit choices
• Recognise the importance of developing both technical and non-technical skills and of learning from feedback and self-reflection
• Plan, monitor and evaluate your learning and seek ways to improve your performance, and potentially, your career prospects.

Key skills

On completion of this degree, you will be able to:

• Identify, interpret and solve complex problems appropriate to business management.
• Reflect on the appropriateness and effectiveness of the problem-solving processes used and identify some key principles which may be relevant in future situations.
• Use a combination of formal, logical planning processes and an understanding of context to identify relevant information and risks and be able to identify alternative strategies and resources
• Present or communicate, formally or informally, information about specialised topics in a way which is appropriate to your purpose and audience and which encourages the sharing of ideas and different perspectives
• Communicate with peers, experts and /or senior colleagues on an academic/professional level
• Collaborate with others to achieve joint outcomes, play an active role in facilitating effective group interaction, influence and/or lead as appropriate
• Create, use, share and repurpose digital content as appropriate to business management adopting a responsible and ethical approach
• Demonstrate the ability to independently find, critically evaluate and use a wide range of information, data or tools accurately in complex contexts
• Adopt a wide range of numerical skills and digital practices (including the use of tools/resources), as appropriate to business management
• Demonstrate an understanding of academic language and literacy practices to effectively engage with the academic knowledge and skills of OU level 3 study.

This degree has three stages, each comprising 120 credits.

You’ll study a -credit introductory business and management module. Thereafter, for your remaining 0 credits, you can continue with a broad study of business or choose one from a range of specialist routes.

Stage 1 (120 credits)

You'll study the following:

• An introduction to business and management (B100)

A broad study of business management; Economics; Innovation and enterprise; Leadership practice; and Marketing routes

You'll complete Stage 1 with credits from:

• Communication skills for business and management (LB170)
• Design thinking: creativity for the 21st century (U101)
• Discovering mathematics (MU123)
• Economics in Context (DD126)
• Fundamentals of Accounting (B124)
• Introducing statistics (M140)
• Making your learning count (YXM1)
• You and your money (DB125)
• Business data analytics and decision making (B126)

Accounting route

you'll study the following:

• Fundamentals of Accounting (B124)

You’ll also choose one from:

• You and your money (DB125)
• Business data analytics and decision making (B126)

Stages 2 and 3 (240 credits)

A broad study of business management

Stage 2 (120 credits)

You'll start Stage 2 with:

• Shaping business opportunities (B207)

You’ll also choose credits from:

• Developing leadership (B208)
• Business law (B251)
• Economics in Practice (DD226)
• Exploring innovation and entrepreneurship (B205)
• Financial accounting in context (B293)
• Financial analysis and decision making (B294)
• Essential economics: macro and micro perspectives (D217)
• Understanding customers (B206)

Stage 3 (120 credits)

You'll start Stage 3 with:

• Strategic management (B2)

You'll complete your degree with credits chosen from:

• Creating futures: sustainable enterprise and innovation (B327)
• Doing economics: people, markets and policy (DD9)
• Leadership in a changing world (B329)
• Management accounting and international finance (B391)
• Marketing in action (B328)

Accounting

Stage 2 (120 credits)

• Shaping business opportunities (B207)
• Financial accounting in context (B293)
• Financial analysis and decision making (B294)

Stage 3 (120 credits)

• Strategic management (B2)
• Management accounting and international finance (B391)

You’ll choose one from:

• Creating futures: sustainable enterprise and innovation (B327)
• Leadership in a changing world (B329)
• Marketing in action (B328)

Economics

Stage 2 (120 credits)

• Shaping business opportunities (B207)
• Essential economics: macro and micro perspectives (D217)

Stage 3 (120 credits)

• Strategic management (B2)
• Doing economics: people, markets and policy (DD9)

Innovation and enterprise

Stage 2 (120 credits)

• Shaping business opportunities (B207)
• Exploring innovation and entrepreneurship (B205)

Stage 3 (120 credits)

• Strategic management (B2)
• Creating futures: sustainable enterprise and innovation (B327)

You’ll choose one from:

• Leadership in a changing world (B329)
• Marketing in action (B328)

Leadership practice

Stage 2 (120 credits)

• Shaping business opportunities (B207)
• Developing leadership (B208)

Stage 3 (120 credits)

• Strategic management (B2)

You’ll complete your degree with credits chosen from:

• Creating futures: sustainable enterprise and innovation (B327)
• Leadership in a changing world (B329)
• Management accounting and international finance (B391)
• Marketing in action (B328)

Marketing

Stage 2 (120 credits)

• Shaping business opportunities (B207)
• Understanding customers (B206)

Stage 3 (120 credits)

• Strategic management (B2)
• Marketing in action (B328)

You’ll choose one from:

• Creating futures: sustainable enterprise and innovation (B327)
• Leadership in a changing world (B329)
• Management accounting and international finance (B391)

Assessment

Our assessments are all designed to reinforce your learning and help you show your understanding of the topics. The mix of assessment methods will vary between modules.

Computer-Marked Assignments

• Usually, a series of online, multiple-choice questions.

Tutor-Marked Assignments

• You’ll have a number of these throughout each module, each with a submission deadline.
• They can be made up of essays, questions, experiments or something else to test your understanding of what you have learned.
• Your tutor will mark and return them to you with detailed feedback.

End-of-Module Assessments

• The final, marked piece of work on most modules.
• Modules with an end-of-module assessment won’t usually have an exam.

Exams

• Some modules end with an exam. You’ll be given time to revise and prepare.
• You’ll be given your exam date at least 5 months in advance.
• Most exams take place remotely, and you will complete them at home or an alternative location.
• If a module requires you to take a face-to-face exam, this will be made clear in the module description, and you will be required to take your exam in person at one of our exam centres.

Skills for career development

This degree course will help you develop a broad set of skills that are of high value to employers, including the ability to:

• Understand key business functions such as marketing, human resources, information management, accounting and finance, and operations in their wider organizational and social context
• Put together reasoned arguments and question assumptions
• Draw together, analyze, and critically evaluate information
• Understand the nature of leadership skills and behaviours within organizations
• Communicate effectively, clearly, and accurately with others
• Use ICT to research, identify, and present information
• Manage time and take responsibility for your personal development.

Career relevance

The skills and knowledge you’ll develop by studying this degree will equip you to follow several career paths and are recognised by employers as having great value for work in management and business. A qualification in business management can lead to opportunities in a wide range of areas such as:

• Middle and senior management positions across all sectors
• Advertising and marketing
• Accountancy
• Human resources
• Banking, including investment banking
• Sales and retail
• Management consultancy
• Business journalism
• Transport and logistics.

Other careers

Employers are keen to utilise the commercial awareness that business graduates offer, as increasing globalisation and continual changes in technology, communications, financial services and distribution of goods and services open up new business opportunities. This awareness can also lead to opportunities in specialist areas concerned with offering guidance to managers, such as management consultancy or business journalism.

Many graduate-level jobs are open to graduates of any discipline, particularly in business, finance, management consultancy and the public sector.

With our unique approach to distance learning, you can study from home, work or on the move.

You’ll have some assessment deadlines to meet, but otherwise, you’ll be free to study at the times that suit you, fitting your learning around work, family, and social life.

For each of your modules, you’ll use either just online resources or a mix of online and printed materials.

Each module you study will have a module website with

• A week-by-week study planner, giving you a step-by-step guide through your studies
• Course materials such as reading, videos, recordings, and self-assessed activities
• Module forums for discussions and collaborative activities with other students
• Details of each assignment and their due dates
• A tutorial booking system, online tutorial rooms, and your tutor’s contact details
• Online versions of some printed module materials and resources.