Business Management
Key features of the course
- 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
Course Summary
Degree
Q91
360
Part time – 6 years
Full time – 3 years
Time limit – 16 years
Distance learning
Course details
This degree has three stages, each comprising 120 credits.
- You’ll start Stage 1 with a 60-credit introductory business and management module.
- Thereafter, for your remaining 300 credits, you’ll combine the study of business and management with financial and management accounting practice and strategy, giving you essential skills that are applicable to a wide range of careers in business and finance.
Entry requirements
There are no formal entry requirements to study this qualification.
With the exception of the Accounting route, there is the option to study a mathematics module at Stage 1. 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.
How much will it cost if I study outside Europe?
We believe cost shouldn’t be a barrier to achieving your potential. That’s why we work hard to keep the cost of study as low as possible and have a wide range of flexible ways to pay to help spread, or even reduce, the cost.
- Fees are paid on a module-by-module basis – you won’t have to pay for the whole of your qualification up front.
- A qualification comprises a series of modules, each with an individual fee. Added together, they give you the total cost.
- Most OU students study part time at a rate of 60 credits a year.
- Our current fee for 60 credits is £3,168*.
- Our current fee for 120 credits, which is equivalent to a year’s full-time study, is £6,336*.
- At current prices, the total cost of your qualification would be £19,008*.
*The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2022. Fees normally increase annually in line with inflation and the University’s strategic approach to fees.
Additional costs
Study costs
There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.
International examination fees
The University sets up what are called established examination centres, in the UK and in most countries in continental Europe and the Republic of Ireland. Students sitting examinations in these established centres do not need to pay an examination fee.
If you cannot attend an established exam centre, we can arrange for you to take your examination at an appropriate venue in your country of residence for an additional charge. The charge for exams between September 2021 and August 2022 is £256. Fees from September 2022 may be higher. This charge is payable as part of the application for an alternative international exam venue and application must be made no later than 9 weeks before your exam date.
Ways to pay for your qualification
Employer sponsorship
Studying with The Open University can boost your employability. OU qualifications are recognised and respected by employers for their excellence and the commitment they take to achieve one. They also value the skills that students learn and can apply in the workplace.
More than one in ten OU students are sponsored by their employer, and over 30,000 employers have used the OU to develop staff so far. If the qualification you’ve chosen is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could approach your employer to see if they will sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees.
- Your employer just needs to complete a simple form to confirm how much they will be paying and we will invoice them.
- You won’t need to get your employer to complete the form until after you’ve chosen your modules.
Credit/debit card
You can pay part or all of your tuition fees upfront with a debit or credit card when you register for each module.
We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron.
Mixed payment methods
We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may get support from your employer to pay part of your tuition fee and pay the remainder by credit or debit card.
For more information about combining payment options, contact an adviser.
Skills for career development
This degree course will help you develop a broad set of skills that are of high value to employers, 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
- understand the nature of leadership skills and behaviours within organisations
- communicate effectively, clearly and accurately with others
- use ICT to research, identify and present information
- manage time and take responsibility for your own personal development.
Career relevance
The skills and knowledge you’ll develop by studying this degree 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 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. This awareness can also lead to opportunities in specialist areas concerned with offering guidance to managers, such as management consultancy or business journalism.
Many graduate-level jobs are open to graduates of any discipline, particularly in business, finance, management consultancy and the public sector.
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 beyond your degree.
- 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.