Open University

Certificate of Higher Education in Business Management

Knowledge and understanding

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

• An understanding of the main concepts, theories and principles associated with business management.

Cognitive skills

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

• Apply your knowledge and understanding to the routine professional techniques and practices of business management using appropriate terminology and conventions
• Gather, evaluate and interpret information/data by the theories, concepts and principles of business management.

Practical and professional skills

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

• Develop, as appropriate, practical and professional skills and demonstrate an awareness of relevant responsible and ethical issues in business management
• Begin to develop an insight into personal goals, preferences and aptitudes
• Identify work options and take steps to determine the required qualifications, skills and experience
• Develop your understanding and use of the resources available to help you learn, and begin to develop as an independent learner and understand the relevance of your learning to your career.

Key skills

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

• Recognise predictable problems and use a range of problem-solving processes appropriate to business management
• Determine priorities and sequences of the steps involved in defining tasks and identify and assemble resources required
• Communicate ideas in a well-structured and coherent way that is appropriate to your purpose and audience and in familiar and unfamiliar contexts.
• Contribute to group discussion, recognising and following accepted conventions of social interaction whilst sharing relevant content.
• Develop your skills in finding, selecting and using information, data and tools in defined contexts.
• Adopt a standard set of numerical skills and digital practices (including the use of tools/resources) appropriate to business management.
• Develop an understanding of academic language and literacy practices to effectively engage with the academic knowledge and skills of OU level 1 study.

This certificate of higher education has one stage comprising 120 credits.

You’ll study an introductory business and management module and choose from a range of modules according to your interests now or the route you might want to progress with later.

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 your certificate with 60 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 (YXM130)
• 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)

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

The skills and knowledge you’ll develop by studying this certificate are recognised by employers as having great value for work in management and related business professions – such as marketing, finance and HR – in a variety of business sectors. The compulsory business and management module will have immediate career relevance, helping you understand the context in which you're working and the impact that you can have. This certificate also contributes to career development by building your cognitive skills – writing, critical thinking, analysis and evaluation – as well as ICT, presentation and basic numeracy skills.

Career relevance

The skills and knowledge you’ll develop by studying this qualification 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
• 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 people with business and management skills 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.

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.