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.
Retail is a dynamic, global industry – with innovative new markets constantly emerging to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated consumer behaviour. This foundation degree course is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in this competitive world. You’ll gain a clear understanding of the key management functions of a retail business and its trading environments, together with a sound knowledge of business disciplines. From an organisational viewpoint, you will study retail operations; processes; structures and cultures; and wider considerations such as trading relationships, environments, and markets – investigating how all these inform retail management practices. From an individual viewpoint, you’ll explore the management and development of people within and beyond the organisation. The Foundation Degree in Retail Management will also help you develop: an understanding of concepts and analytical approaches; problem-solving skills; and practical and professional skills that will enhance employability.
In addition to the knowledge and skills above, you will develop the necessary skills to engage in a process of lifelong learning, enabling you to develop as a reflective practitioner.
The modules that make up this foundation degree course are designed to allow you to study in a flexible manner through distance and work-based learning. Tutor support will underpin your studies and a wide range of supplementary resources, including online activities, are available to enable you to adapt your study patterns to fit your own learning situation.
The programme of study for this foundation degree is also offered as the Diploma of Higher Education in Retail Management (E65). 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, we recommend that you started with An introduction to business studies (B120) (now discontinued).
We recommend that you study the other compulsory Level 1 modules, Introduction to retail management and marketing (B122) and Working and learning: developing effective performance at work (BU130) after B120. BU130 is a work-based learning module: you apply your learning to your workplace with the support of your tutor.
All three modules have more than one start date – May and November – so you can spread your study throughout the year if you wish.
You can complete your Level 1 study by studying 30 credits of any subject you choose, which can include 10-credit modules, that enables you to gain credit for any previous vocational study you might have completed (e.g. VQ level 3 such as an NVQ or ILM qualification).
As well as being an innovative and accessible introduction to the world of retail, this foundation degree will equip you to follow either of these options for further study:
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 gain by studying this foundation degree course are recognised by employers as being of great value for work in the retail sector. They can also led to opportunities in specialist areas concerned with offering guidance to managers or businesses – for example, management consultancy or any customer-facing industry.
The Foundation Degree in Retail Management will contribute to your career development by enhancing your cognitive skills – writing, critical thinking, analysis and evaluation – as well as ICT, presentation and numeracy skills. You’ll explore how theories and ideas in business, leadership and management influence how retail organisations think and work. You can choose to take other modules in management, economics, social science, technology or law, 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 |
|
- An introduction to retail management and marketing (B122)
|
30 |
|
30 credits from the following compulsory modules:
Level 1 compulsory modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- Management practice (B123)
|
30 |
|
- The discontinued module BU130 (or version BUXS130)
|
30 |
|
And 120 credits from the following compulsory modules:
Level 2 compulsory modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- The discontinued module B203
|
60 |
|
- Making it happen! Leadership, influence and change in retailing (BXA204)
|
60 |
|
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 Retail Management 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