Description
This qualification is only available until 31 December 2017.
To claim this qualification, you must complete the required 240 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.
How are businesses organised? How do they develop strategies, handle risk and take decisions? And how do these factors impact on a business organisation? The Foundation Degree in Business will provide you with a general understanding of business organisations and their structures and cultures; wider considerations such as environments, markets and processes; and how all these work together to contribute to organisational success. This foundation degree course will also give you an insight into core business functions such as marketing, accounting and finance, and their relevance to working life.
The modules within this degree have been designed to allow you to study in a flexible manner through distance and work-based learning. Your study will be underpinned by tutor support and a wide range of supplementary resources, including online activities, enabling you to adapt your learning patterns to work within your own constraints.
As well as being an innovative and accessible introduction to the world of business, this degree will equip you to follow a number of further study options. When you’ve successfully completed the foundation degree, you can take a further 120 credits at Level 3 and complete a BA (Hons) Business Studies (B70).
The programme of study for this Foundation degree is also offered as the Diploma of Higher Education in Business (E42). The Diploma of Higher Education might be of particular interest to those living and working in Scotland.
Planning your studies
Whether or not you’re new to study with the OU we recommend that you start with a module at Level 1 and that you complete your Level 1 study before going on to Level 2.
For this Foundation Degree in Business you will start with An introduction to business studies (B120) (now discontinued) before continuing your Level 1 studies with either Management practice (B123) or with Working and learning: developing effective performance at work (BU130). As these have more than one start date in a year, you can spread your study throughout the year, if that suits you.
You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 80 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you. Before being awarded any intermediate qualifications, we advise you to check that you’ll have sufficient new credits to qualify for your foundation degree.
Career relevance and employability
The skills and knowledge you’ll develop by studying the Foundation Degree in Business are recognised by employers as having great value for work in management, related business professions such as marketing, accounting and HR in a variety of business sectors, and business consultancy.
This foundation degree course contributes to career development by building your cognitive skills – writing, critical thinking, analysis and evaluation – and ICT, presentation and basic numeracy skills. You’ll explore how business organisations think and work, developing an understanding of the function and contribution of such specialisms as marketing, HR, operations and finance. You can take optional modules in a number of subject areas, which will further increase your skills set.
Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.
Modules
For this 240-credit foundation degree you require:
60 credits from the following compulsory modules:
Level 1 compulsory modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- The discontinued module B120
|
30 |
|
and either |
- Management practice (B123)
|
30 |
|
- The discontinued module BU130 (or version BUXS130)
|
30 |
|
And at least 30 credits from the following optional modules:
Level 1 optional modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- An introduction to law (W101)
|
60 |
|
- An introduction to retail management and marketing (B122)
|
30 |
|
- Discovering mathematics (MU123)
|
30 |
|
- Essential mathematics 1 (MST124)
|
30 |
|
- Introducing the social sciences (DD102)
|
60 |
|
- Introduction to bookkeeping and accounting (B190)
|
10 |
|
- You and your money: personal finance in context (DB123)
|
30 |
|
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules B121, BD131, BXS121, DD100, DD101, DD121, DD122, DD131, DD132, E112, LB160, M150, MST121, MU120, SMK184, T121, T171, T172, T175, T185, T188, TU100, TU120, TXR248, U120, W150, Y154, Y157, Y159, Y162, Y165, Y166, Y179, Y182
And 120 credits from the following compulsory modules:
Level 2 compulsory modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- Business organisations and their environments (B201)
|
60 |
|
- The discontinued module B203
|
60 |
|
Please note that the discontinued modules B200 and B202 (previous versions of these modules) cannot be counted towards this foundation degree.
And a maximum of 30 credits of free choice from any OU modules (except B123, BU130 or BUXS130) to bring your total number of credits to 240.
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 completed some successful study at higher education level at another institution we may be able to give you credit for this study that you can count towards this Open University qualification. 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 will be awarded a Foundation Degree in Business and will be entitled to use the letters FD (Open) after your name.
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