Description
This qualification is only available until 31 December 2017.
To claim this qualification, you must have completed the required 70 credits by this date.
If you have any questions about your eligibility for this qualification, please contact the Centre for Qualifications and Ceremonies on +44 (0)1908 653003 or by email.
If you’re new to management, or you need to develop your managerial abilities and understanding, the Professional Certificate in Management is for you. It provides a broad-based, practical introduction to the key ideas, techniques and overall competencies you need in order to manage effectively and productively in modern organisations in any part of the world. The emphasis is on your own professional development. Everything you study is related to the management roles and responsibilities you exercise in the various functional areas of your company or organisation. All the elements of the programme – study texts, activities and assignments, online resources, and personal and group support – ensure that you can immediately apply newly learned skills, knowledge and techniques in very practical ways. You can build on your experience and make direct links to your management development needs wherever you are in the world, whatever the size of your organisation and whether it is in the commercial, public or voluntary sector.
The Professional Certificate in Management is ideally suited to the needs and aspirations of both those who are new to management and those who need wider managerial understanding and abilities. The emphasis is on your own professional development. Everything you study is related to the management roles and responsibilities you exercise, and the elements of the programme – study texts, activities and assignments, online resources, and personal and group support – ensure that you can immediately apply newly learned skills, knowledge and techniques in very practical ways. You can build on your experience and make direct links to your management development needs wherever you are in the world, whatever the size of your organisation and whether it is in the commercial or the public sector.
The Professional Certificate is a recognised qualification in its own right, and providing you have relevant work experience it can also give access to our MBA (F61). Two of the modules, modules, B628/BZX628 and B629/BZX629 are compulsory in the BA (Hons) Leadership and Management (Q54) degree (previously coded B54) and optional in the BA (Hons) Business Studies (Q70) degree (previously coded B70).
Planning your studies
There are no entry requirements for the Professional Certificate in Management. You need not be currently employed as a manager, however we strongly recommend that you have some personal knowledge and experience of managing in an organisation. You will also need a personal computer with access to the internet. You have the option to choose between modules which have both face-to-face and online tuition or tuition that is entirely online.
The Professional Certificate in Management can be gained by taking the two modules Managing 1: organisations and people (B628) (or version BZX628) and Managing 2: marketing and finance (B629) (or version BZX629), each of which lasts for six months, and the 10-credit residential and examination module Managing 3: the integration challenge (B690).
The Professional Certificate in Management modules have been designed so that all three can be completed in one year and allows professionals with relevant work experience to join the MBA programme.
Further information about this certificate can be found in the Professional Certificate in Management Information and sample module material.
You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 20 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.
Career relevance and employability
The Professional Certificate in Management is a recognised qualification in its own right, and providing you have relevant work experience it can also give access to our MBA (F61).
This certificate is ideal if you are in a first management or supervisory position, or if you are planning to extend your management career. It will help you to develop the skills needed to be a successful manager, such as critical thinking; understanding organisational structures; effective project management; good communication; and the ability to manage your time. A problem-based approach provides opportunities for you to engage with relevant management issues from your own work context and from case studies. Your journey through the certificate will equip you with a rounded understanding of how management works in practice, as well as key management skills and techniques that you can apply at work.
Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.
Modules
70 credits from the following compulsory modules:
Undergraduate Level 3 compulsory modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- Managing 1: organisations and people (B628)
|
30 |
|
or |
- Managing 1: organisations and people (BZX628)
|
30 |
|
and |
- Managing 2: marketing and finance (B629)
|
30 |
|
or |
- Managing 2: marketing and finance (BZX629)
|
30 |
|
and |
- Managing 3: the integration challenge (B690)
|
10 |
|
Learning outcomes
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, and how they are acquired through teaching, learning and assessment methods.
Credit for previous study elsewhere
If you have already successfully completed study at higher education level we may be able to give you exemption from certain modules. You can find out more on our Credit Transfer site. If you make a successful claim for transferred credit it may affect your choice of modules so you are advised to investigate this option as soon as possible.
On completion
On successful completion of the required modules, you can be awarded a Professional Certificate in Management entitling you to use the letters Cert Mgmt (Open) after your name.
If you are intending to gain the Professional Certificate in Management on your way to completing a degree, you need to successfully pass all three modules (B628/BZX628, B629/BZX629 and B690) and be awarded your certificate before you are awarded the degree. This requirement arises from the University regulations regarding the amount of credit that you are counting uniquely for each qualification you get.
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.
How to register
If you want to study for this qualification, read the description and check you meet any specific requirements (for example, some of
our qualifications, require you to be working in a particular environment, or be sponsored by your employer). Then select the
module you wish to study first and ensure it is suitable for you before following the registration procedure for that module.
During the registration procedure you will be asked to declare which qualification you are studying towards.
See a full list of modules available for this qualification