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Course type
Diploma
Credits
120

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
2 years part-time study
Read more about how long it takes
Study method
Distance learning
Course cost
See Fees and funding
Entry requirements
Find out more about
Entry requirements

Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration

Course code: E80

This innovative course is designed to develop a wide range of interdisciplinary skills that you can apply in your own workplace as you develop. You will gain a solid foundation in core management disciplines, including human resource management, organisational behaviour, accounting and finance, marketing and operations – learning to apply your knowledge to analyse, synthesise and evaluate a wide range of situations. You will explore economic, environmental, social and technological change issues; corporate governance; markets and customers; managing resources and operations; financing organisations; management and development of people; developing information technologies for application in business and management within a global knowledge-based economy, and development of appropriate business policies and strategies within a changing context to meet stakeholder interests. 

  • A valuable qualification for practising managers who aspire to higher positions 
  • Flexible curriculum to suit your professional interests
  • Takes you two thirds of the way to our triple-accredited MBA.
Course type
Diploma
Credits
120

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
2 years part-time study
Read more about how long it takes
Study method
Distance learning
Course cost
See Fees and funding
Entry requirements
Find out more about
Entry requirements

How to register

Select the module you will study first, read the full description, and follow the instructions to register.

Modules

There are now two routes to gaining this qualification depending on when you start your postgraduate diploma.

November 2019 onwards route

If you started with B870 in November 2019 or thereafter, including if you've previously studied any electives as a standalone module, you'll need:

105 credits from the following:

Compulsory modules Credits Next start
Managing in a changing world (B870)

This module challenges existing assumptions about managing and will develop your theoretical and practical knowledge of how to manage in a modern dynamic environment.

See full description

Register
 30 03 May 2025
Creating and sustaining value (B872)

This module allows you to critically explore the ways organisations create, sustain and expand value in an increasingly complex and dynamic business environment.

See full description

Register
 30 03 May 2025
Effective strategic management in business and the public sector (B873)

This module provides the necessary tools to become an effective strategic decision-maker.

See full description

Register
 30 03 May 2025
Finance for strategic decision making (B874)

You will learn a range of accounting and data analysis techniques to enable you to use financial information and other data for making management decisions.

See full description

Register
 15 03 May 2025

plus 15 credits from one of the following:

Option modules or microcredentials Credits Next start
Contemporary issues in organisations (BB853)

This module will help you become a knowledge leader by demonstrating that you’re ahead of current organisational and business challenges.

See full description

Register
 15 01 Nov 2025
Entrepreneurship in context (BB851)

This module will equip you with an entrepreneurial mindset and help you learn about entrepreneurship and different forms of entrepreneurial practice.

See full description

Register
 15 01 Nov 2025
Leadership and management of public services (BB852)

In this module, you’ll study the many dimensions of managing public services, which may be public, private for-profit or not-for profit.

See full description

Register
 15 03 May 2025
Supply chain management (BB849)

This module provides an analysis of important concepts and practices in supply chain management, taking into account issues such as globalisation, sustainability and risk management.

See full description

Register
 15 03 May 2025
Sustainable creative management (BB842)

This module explores creative, innovative and sustainable ways of developing and managing organisations and offers practical approaches for developing yourself, your team and your organisation.

See full description

Register
 15 03 May 2025
 Management of change: organisation development and design (BZVM802)* PLANNED 15 10 Mar 2025 
 Management of uncertainty: leadership, decisions and action (BZVM801)* PLANNED 15 10 Mar 2025 

Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules BB841, BB844, BB845, BB846, BB847, BB848, BXM871, BZFM801 and BZFM802.

*These microcredentials are 10–12 week professional development courses. Learn more about each microcredential and explore how they can count towards OU qualifications, including the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration (E80).

Hybrid route

If you have gained 60 credits from completing either of the discontinued modules B716 or BXFT716 you'll need:

30 credits from the following:

Compulsory module Credits Next start
Effective strategic management in business and the public sector (B873)

This module provides the necessary tools to become an effective strategic decision-maker.

See full description

Register
 30 03 May 2025

Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued module BB835.

plus 15 credits from the following: 

Compulsory module Credits Next start
Finance for strategic decision making (B874)

You will learn a range of accounting and data analysis techniques to enable you to use financial information and other data for making management decisions.

See full description

Register
 15 03 May 2025

Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued module BB831.

plus 15 credits from the following:

Option modules or microcredentials Credits Next start
Contemporary issues in organisations (BB853)

This module will help you become a knowledge leader by demonstrating that you’re ahead of current organisational and business challenges.

See full description

Register
 15 01 Nov 2025
Entrepreneurship in context (BB851)

This module will equip you with an entrepreneurial mindset and help you learn about entrepreneurship and different forms of entrepreneurial practice.

See full description

Register
 15 01 Nov 2025
Leadership and management of public services (BB852)

In this module, you’ll study the many dimensions of managing public services, which may be public, private for-profit or not-for profit.

See full description

Register
 15 03 May 2025
Supply chain management (BB849)

This module provides an analysis of important concepts and practices in supply chain management, taking into account issues such as globalisation, sustainability and risk management.

See full description

Register
 15 03 May 2025
Sustainable creative management (BB842)

This module explores creative, innovative and sustainable ways of developing and managing organisations and offers practical approaches for developing yourself, your team and your organisation.

See full description

Register
 15 03 May 2025
 Management of change: organisation development and design (BZVM802)* PLANNED 15 10 Mar 2025 
 Management of uncertainty: leadership, decisions and action (BZVM801)* PLANNED 15 10 Mar 2025

Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules BB841, BB844, BB845, BB846, BB847, BB848, BXM871, BZFM801 and BZFM802.

*These microcredentials are 10–12 week professional development courses. Learn more about each microcredential and explore how they can count towards OU qualifications, including the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration (E80). 

You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 40 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.

Details of the Final Study in May 2020 route, which is no longer available to new students, can be seen below in the qualification regulations.

Learning outcomes, teaching and assessment

The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:

  • Knowledge and understanding
  • Cognitive skills
  • Practical and professional skills
  • Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes.

Credit transfer

If you’ve successfully completed some relevant postgraduate study elsewhere, you might be able to count it towards this qualification, reducing the number of modules you need to study. You should apply for credit transfer as soon as possible, before you register for your first module. For more details and an application form, visit our Credit Transfer website.

On completion

On successfully completing this course, we’ll award you our Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration. You’ll be entitled to use the letters PG Dip Bus Admin (Open) after your name.

You can progress from this Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration to either our Master of Business Administration (F61) or our MBA (Technology Management) (F69).

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. 

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 19 March 2024.

You’ll be eligible for this postgraduate diploma by satisfying the following academic, work experience and language requirements.

The compulsory modules B870 and B872, that you study for this diploma, are also compulsory in the MBA (F61) and Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration (C66). It is possible to claim the certificate, the diploma and the MBA.

Academic requirements
There are three ways to meet the academic requirements:

1: Bachelors degree with honours
You'll need to have a bachelors degree with honours awarded by a UK university or equivalent.

2: Bachelors degree without honours
You'll need to have a bachelors degree without honours awarded by a UK university or equivalent and you'll need to have completed one of the following:

  • the discontinued OU module Managing 1: organisations and people (B628)
  • three of our undergraduate-level Business Management microcredentials*
  • the GMAT examination and achieved a result of 640 or higher.
3: No Bachelors degree
If you don’t have a bachelors degree you'll need to have completed one of the following:
  • the discontinued OU Professional Certificate in Management (S01)
  • six of our undergraduate-level Business Management microcredentials*

*See our Counting microcredentials towards OU qualifications page for further information.

Work experience requirement
You’ll need to have gained a minimum of three years’ experience in a managerial, technical or professional role, so that you have a practical business base on which to build your learning.

Language requirement
Your spoken and written English must be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, we recommend that you will need a minimum score of 6.5 under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Please see their website for details.

Acceptance onto the programme
You’ll be required to show how you meet these requirements. You will be asked to submit your CV and proof of qualifications, including English translations of non-UK degrees. Evaluation of the evidence will take place before you’re accepted onto the programme.

If you would like to discuss making an application and require further information, please call The Open University Business School information line on +44 (0)300 303 0065. Lines are open (UK time): Monday to Friday 08:00 to 17:30.

How long it takes

Most students study the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration part-time, completing 60 credits a year over two years. Typically, this means 12–14 study hours each week. The minimum time to complete this qualification is 12 months.

You must complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration within five years. Please note, however, that if your goal is the MBA, (which must be completed within seven years) if you extend your diploma studies to five years you will need to complete the further 60 credits required for the MBA over a two year period.

Career relevance

The Open University Business School is one of an elite group of schools worldwide accredited by the three leading international accrediting bodies – AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS – hallmarks of quality of teaching, learning materials and qualification impact. It is home to more than 28,500 successful MBA graduates representing over 100 countries.

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Employers value postgraduate business qualifications as an indication of high level business and management skills. These skills are in demand, increasingly so in times of economic uncertainty, and employers want practical experience, a thorough grasp of business, and the ability to lead at a strategic level. Careers surveys shows that students studying postgraduate business qualifications can expect their salary to increase, and have a positive impact on their career progression, as well as bring improvements to their organisation or business.

Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.

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