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Course type: Diploma

Diploma

Widely recognised qualification.

Equivalent to the first two thirds of an honours degree.

Enhance your professional and technical skills or extend your knowledge and understanding of a subject.

Study for interest or career development.

Top up to a full honours degree in just two years.
Credits: 240

Credits

Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.

One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.

You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.

For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long it takes
Study method: Distance learning
Entry requirements: Find out more about; Entry requirements

Diploma of Higher Education in Business Management

: Course code: W51

How do businesses develop strategies, handle risk and take decisions? What’s involved in functions such as human resources management, marketing, accounting and finance? This innovative diploma is firmly rooted in your own experience. You’ll investigate how organisations think and work, how they’re managed, and the external world in which they operate. You can focus entirely on business management, or choose to specialise within the subject areas of accounting, economics, leadership practice, innovation and enterprise or marketing.

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Key features

Course details

Entry requirements

Fees and funding

How you'll study

Careers

Develops your understanding of business organisations and their key elements
Explores wider considerations such as environments, markets and processes, and how all these work together
Helps you relate your studies to your own experience
Offers a choice of specialist routes
Equips you for a wide range of employment opportunities across all sectors

A nationally recognised qualification in its own right, this diploma of higher education is also equivalent to the first two thirds of the BA (Honours) Business Management (Q91).

Course type

Diploma

Credits

240

How long it takes

Part-time study – 4 years

Full-time study – 2 years

Time limit – 12 years

Study method

Distance learning

Entry requirements

Find out more about Entry requirements

Ask a question

This diploma 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.

In this stage, you’ll have a broad and engaging introduction to the fundamentals of business and management in its global context and choose between a broad study of business management or following a specialist route through your diploma.

Stage 1 modules
Modules	Credits
You'll study the following:
An introduction to business and management (B100)	60

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

Broad study of business management; Economics; Innovation and enterprise; Leadership practice; and Marketing routes
Modules	Credits
You’ll complete Stage 1 with 60 credits from:
Business data analytics and decision making (B126)	30
Communication skills for business and management (LB170)	30
Design thinking: creativity for the 21st century (U101)	60
Discovering mathematics (MU123)	30
Economics in context (DD126)	30
Fundamentals of accounting (B124)	30
Introducing statistics (M140)	30
Making your learning count (YXM130)	30
You and your money (DB125)	30

Accounting route

Accounting route
Modules	Credits
You'll study the following:
Fundamentals of accounting (B124)	30
You’ll also choose one from:
Business data analytics and decision making (B126)	30
You and your money (DB125)	30

You’ll continue with your chosen specialist route or with a broad study of business management where you can select from a range of modules.

Broad study of business management

Broad study of business management
Modules	Credits
You'll start Stage 2 with:
Shaping business opportunities (B207)	60
You'll also choose 60 credits from:
Developing leadership (B208)	60
Essential economics: macro and micro perspectives (D217)	60
Entrepreneurship and innovation (B209)	60
Business law (B251)	30
Financial accounting in context (B293)	30
Financial analysis and decision making (B294)	30
Understanding customers (B206)	60

Accounting

Accounting
Modules	Credits
You'll study all of the following:
Shaping business opportunities (B207)	60
Financial accounting in context (B293)	30
Financial analysis and decision making (B294)	30

Economics

Economics
Modules	Credits
You'll study both of the following:
Shaping business opportunities (B207)	60
Essential economics: macro and micro perspectives (D217)	60

Innovation and enterprise

Innovation and enterprise
Modules	Credits
You'll study both of the following:
Shaping business opportunities (B207)	60
Entrepreneurship and innovation (B209)	60

Leadership practice

Leadership practice
Modules	Credits
You'll study both of the following:
Shaping business opportunities (B207)	60
Developing leadership (B208)	60

Marketing

Marketing
Modules	Credits
You'll study both of the following:
Shaping business opportunities (B207)	60
Understanding customers (B206)	60

We regularly review our curriculum; therefore, the qualification described on this page – including its availability, its structure, and available modules – may change over time. If we make changes to this qualification, we’ll update this page as soon as possible. Once you’ve registered or are studying this qualification, where practicable, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes. If you’d like to know more about the circumstances in which the University might make changes to the curriculum, see our Academic Regulations or contact us. This description was last updated on 6 September 2024.

Accessibility

Our qualifications are as accessible as possible, and we have a comprehensive range of support services. Our Diploma of Higher Education in Business Management uses a variety of study materials and includes the following elements:

Online study – most modules are online; some have a mix of printed and online material. Online learning resources could include websites, audio/video, and interactive activities
Pre-determined schedules – we’ll help you to develop your time-management skills
Feedback – continuous assessment includes feedback from your tutor and using this to improve your performance
Using and producing diagrams and screenshots
Finding external/third-party material online
Specialist software, such as Excel
Mathematical and scientific expressions, notations and associated techniques
Online tutorials
Group-work
Practical work

Every module has its own Accessibility Statement with more detailed accessibility information – you’ll find these on individual module descriptions. Visit our Disability support page to learn about our services.

Learning outcomes, teaching and assessment

This qualification develops your learning in four main areas:

Knowledge and understanding
Cognitive skills
Practical and professional skills
Key skills

The level and depth of your learning gradually increases as you work through the qualification. You’ll be supported throughout by the OU’s unique style of teaching and assessment – which includes a personal tutor to guide and comment on your work; top quality course texts; elearning resources like podcasts, interactive media and online materials; tutorial groups and community forums.

Read the detailed learning outcomes here

Credit transfer

If you have already studied at university level, you may be able to count it towards your Open University qualification – which could save you time and money by reducing the number of modules you need to study. At the OU we call this credit transfer.

It’s not just university study that can be considered, you can also transfer study from a wide range of professional or vocational qualifications such as HNCs and HNDs.

You should apply for credit transfer before you register, at least 4 weeks before the registration closing date. We will need to know what you studied, where and when and you will need to provide evidence of your previous study.

For more details of when you will need to apply by and to download an application form, visit our Credit Transfer website.

On completion

On successfully completing this course, we’ll award you our Diploma of Higher Education in Business Management.

International recognition

If you intend to use your Open University qualifications to seek work or undertake further study outside the UK, we recommend checking whether your intended qualification will meet local requirements for your chosen career. Find out more about international recognition of Open University qualifications.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.

Diploma of Higher Education in Business Management

Compare this course

There are no formal entry requirements to study this qualification.

Within the Diploma of Higher Education in Business Management there is the option to study a mathematics module. Whether that module is right for you will depend on your experience and confidence with mathematics. Visit our Open Mathematics and Statistics website for information and to try some diagnostic quizzes.

How much time do I need?

Most of our students study part time, completing 60 credits a year.
This will usually mean studying for 16–18 hours a week.

Find out if you have enough time to study with our time planner

Preparing for study with an Access module

Students who start their study with an Access module are more likely to be successful when they advance to Stage 1 of their qualification. They’re specially designed to give you a gentle introduction to OU study, boost confidence in your study skills, and help you gain a broad overview of your chosen subject area.

You’ll also benefit from:

feedback from your tutor through regular one-to-one phone tutorials
support from a dedicated team throughout your study
detailed written feedback on your work.

The Access module we’d recommend studying in preparation for this qualification is our:

Business and law Access module

What you will study

This multidisciplinary module provides an excellent introduction to studying with The Open University as you'll use printed and online materials to cover a wide range of topics in law and business.

View full details of Business and law Access module

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How will I study this course?

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.

If you have additional needs, we can also provide most module materials in alternative formats. Find out more about materials on our accessibility webpage.

Tutor support

You’ll have a tutor for each module, who will introduce themselves before the module begins.

Throughout the module, they will:

mark your assignments and give feedback to help you improve
guide you to learning resources
support you, whether with general study skills or help with a specific topic.

Tutorials

Tutorials usually take place online, and they’re always optional.

Online tutorials are live presentations with module tutors in dedicated online tutorial rooms and are sometimes recorded.

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 at an alternative location.
If a module has an in-person exam (that you must take at one of our exam centres) or is invigilated online, we’ll make this clear in the module description.

Progressing to a point where I felt more comfortable writing my assignments, and having my scores reflecting that, made me quite happy because it showed the hard work was being rewarded.
Patrick ‘Ricky’ Skene, BSc (Hons) Sport, Fitness and Coaching

Other support and resources

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to our subject-specific Student Support Teams.

They’ll help you with any general questions about your study and updates to your OU account.

To help with your studies, you’ll also have access to:

our online library, with high-quality online resources to support your study
other university libraries in the UK and Ireland
the online Help Centre, which has general information about OU study and support, along with study skills advice
free Microsoft Office 365 software
IT and computing support from our Computing Helpdesk.

Find out more about student support and being a part of the OU community.

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 a number of 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.

Accreditation

The Open University Business School is one of the few institutions worldwide that are triple-accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS), and Association of MBAs (AMBA) These are internationally recognised quality standards which independently validate the quality of the School’s teaching, research and operations. The School undergoes regular reviews to ensure that standards are maintained and has successfully retained its triple accredited status since 2004. This qualification is accredited through inclusion in these reviews.

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.

Exploring your options

Once you register with us (and for up to three years after you finish your studies), you’ll have full access to our careers service for a wide range of information and advice. This includes online forums, website, interview simulation, vacancy service as well as the option to email or speak to a careers adviser. Some areas of the careers service website are available for you to see now, including help with looking for and applying for jobs. You can also read more general information about how OU study enhances your career.

In the meantime if you want to do some research around this qualification and where it might take you, we’ve put together a list of relevant job titles as a starting point. Some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience:

business development officer
recruitment consultant
e-marketing executive
publicity officer
risk analyst

advertising account manager
management consultant
business journalist
accountant
human resources manager

sales and retail manager
business analyst
area manager
logistics manager
marketing manager.

Register for this course

Start dates

Feb 2025 - Registration closes 09/01/2025

Credit transfer: apply by 05/12/2024

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Prepare for OU study with an Access module

Stage 1 (120 credits)