Open University

Diploma of Higher Education in Business Management and Spanish

Knowledge and understanding

You’ll be able to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of:

• The main concepts, theories and principles associated with business management.
• The ability to communicate fluently and appropriately with competent speakers of at least one language, in addition to English, in a broad variety of oral and written contexts, including academic ones, maintaining a good degree of grammatical accuracy and appropriate style.
• Aspects of the societies of the countries where your chosen language is spoken (including literature, cultures, linguistic contexts, politics, geography, and social and economic structures).
• Intercultural communicative competence, including an awareness and understanding of the cultures and societies associated with each language and the ability to describe and evaluate the similarities and dissimilarities between cultures and societies and your own.

Cognitive skills

You’ll be able to demonstrate your ability to:

• Synthesise, evaluate and challenge information, arguments and assumptions from different sources, by the theories, concepts and principles of business management.
• Select and apply your knowledge and understanding to a broad range of the principal professional skills, techniques, practices and/or materials associated with business management.
• Develop an appreciation of the potential uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge in business management.
• Make use of a broad variety of written, spoken and multimodal texts for different audiences in your chosen modern language and/or English, employing appropriate reading and listening strategies.
• Write texts of different types in your chosen modern language and/or English, following appropriate structures and conventions, including academic language, selecting and making use of written and spoken sources.
• Make spoken presentations on particular topics, using appropriate styles and techniques, and take part in a broad variety of spoken interactions in your chosen modern language, using appropriate discourse strategies.
• Interpret and evaluate evidence in the light of alternative explanations, arguments and theories.

Practical and professional skills

You’ll be able to demonstrate your ability to:

• Engage, as appropriate, with practical and professional skills and demonstrate an awareness of relevant responsible and ethical issues in business management.
• Gather and process information from a variety of paper, audio-visual and electronic sources, in English and your chosen modern language.
• Make judgements and construct arguments, supported by evidence, and appropriately referenced.

Key skills

You’ll be able to:

• Identify, interpret and solve complex problems appropriate to business management.
• 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.
• Collaborate with others to achieve joint outcomes, playing an active role in facilitating effective group interaction.
• Demonstrate the ability to independently find, evaluate and use a wide range of information, data or tools accurately.
• Adopt a good range of numerical skills and digital practices (including the use of tools/resources), as appropriate to business management and language learning.
• Recognise and use effective learning strategies.

This diploma has two stages, each comprising 120 credits:

• In Stage 1, you’ll study a 60-credit introductory business management module and two 30-credit language modules.
• Next, in Stage 2, you’ll study your second 60-credit business management module and a 60-credit Spanish module.

Stage 1 (120 credits)

You'll choose one from:

• Exploring languages and cultures (L161)
• Introduction to Spanish studies (beginners) (L106)

You'll study both of the following:

• An introduction to business and management (B100)
• Spanish Studies 1 (intermediate) (L116)

Stage 2 (120 credits)

You'll study both of the following:

• Shaping business opportunities (B207)
• Spanish studies 2: language and culture of the Spanish-speaking world (L226)

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

You’ll develop a broad set of employability skills, including the ability to:

• Understand key business functions such as marketing, human resources, information management, accounting and finance, and operations in their wider organisational and social context.
• Put together reasoned arguments and question assumptions.
• Draw together, analyse and critically evaluate information and data, using a range of research methods.
• Understand the nature of leadership skills and behaviours within organisations.
• Communicate effectively, clearly and accurately with others.
• Use information and communication technology (ICT) effectively.
• Manage time and work independently and as part of a team.
• Take responsibility for your personal development, set realistic objectives and meet your own goals.
• Manage and motivate yourself.
• Plan, organise and prioritise your work, evaluate and reflect on it.

Career relevance

The skills and knowledge you’ll develop will equip you to follow several career paths and are recognised by employers as having great value for work in management and business. Your understanding of another language and the cultures that use it enhances that value – widening your opportunities in the international market. A qualification in business management with a language 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.
• Translation and interpreting.
• Editing and publishing.

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. They value applicants who can communicate well, analyse, evaluate and present ideas and arguments effectively. This awareness can also lead to opportunities in specialist areas concerned with offering guidance to managers, such as management consultancy or business journalism. If you want to work as a translator in your chosen language, this diploma will allow you to develop a business specialist.

Many graduate-level jobs are open to graduates of any discipline, particularly in business, finance, management consultancy and the public sector. Some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your diploma.

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.