Diploma of Higher Education in Business Management

Knowledge and understanding

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

• Knowledge and critical understanding of the main concepts, theories and principles associated with business management, and how they have developed
• An understanding of the scope and defining features of business management; as a subject, including an understanding of some major current issues in the given specialisms: accounting, economics, innovation & enterprise, leadership practice, and marketing.

Cognitive skills

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

• Apply your knowledge and understanding of a range of professional skills, techniques, practices and/or materials associated with business management, a few of which are specialised or complex
• Gather, critically analyse and evaluate information/data by the theories, concepts and principles of business management.

Practical and professional skills

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

• Engage, as appropriate, with practical and professional skills and demonstrate an awareness of relevant responsible and ethical issues in business management.
• Use a logical process for developing personal development and career, identifying and researching employment options and associated skills and qualification requirements
• Developing career plans identifying pathways and beginning to reflect on the experience and identify transferable principles and concepts.
• Plan, monitor and review your progress as an independent learner and understand the relevance of your learning to your career.

Key skills

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

• Compare critically and use different approaches to issues and problems within business management
• Develop formal plans for tasks, some of which are complex, with logically sequenced steps which identify relevant constraints.
• Implement actions according to a plan and make adjustments in response to unanticipated issues.
• Effectively communicate information, arguments and analysis in a variety of forms, using key techniques of business management, in a way which is appropriate to your purpose and audience, including specialists and non-specialists.
• Play an active role in group discussions, paying attention to the perspectives of others
• Creating and sharing digital content as appropriate to business management, and adopting a responsible and ethical approach.
• Demonstrate the ability to independently find, critically evaluate and use information, data or tools accurately in a range of business management contexts
• And adopt a range of numerical skills and digital practices (including the use of tools/resources), as appropriate to business management.
• Consolidate an understanding of academic language and literacy practices to effectively engage with the academic knowledge and skills of OU level 2 study.

This qualification has two stages, each comprising 120 credits.

You’ll study a 60-credit introductory business and management module. Thereafter, for your remaining 180 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 60 credits from the following modules:

• 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)

Stage 2 (120 credits)

A broad study of business management

You'll start Stage 2 with:

• Shaping business opportunities (B207)

You'll also choose from:

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

Accounting

You'll study all of the following:

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

Economics

You'll study both of the following:

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

Innovation and enterprise

You'll study both of the following:

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

Leadership practice

You'll study both of the following:

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

Marketing

You'll study both of the following:

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

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 diploma will develop valuable cognitive skills – writing, critical thinking, analysis and evaluation – along with ICT, presentation and basic numeracy skills. You’ll explore how businesses think and work, and develop a good understanding of the function and contribution of such specialisms as marketing, HR, operations and finance. You can take optional modules in mathematics, retail management, social science or communication skills, which will further enhance your skill set.

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
• 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 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.