Undergraduate Certificate in Strategic Business and Management

To learn more about the programme and the student experience, watch the recording of our Undergraduate Info Session here.

The course guide below contains detailed information, including teaching dates. 

What will I be studying? 

Unit 1: Strategic Management

Start date:  Friday 6 October 2023

This module is made up of four study days spread across the term and interspersed with online engagement activities using forums. Study dates are to be confirmed.

Assignment submission dates

• TBC
• TBC

Making strategic business decisions

As a new or future manager you will need to think strategically, to evaluate and analyse issues from the perspective of the total enterprise, rather than from a narrow functional perspective. You must understand what makes a business or enterprise successful in a rapidly changing environment. Awareness of how your function or team can most effectively contribute will be critical. You are going to have to talk the language of the boardroom so that your ideas get heard and your specialist expertise valued. 

Unit 2: Accounting and Finance

Start date:  Week commencing 1 January 2024

This module is made up of four study days spread across the term and interspersed with online engagement activities using forums.

Assignment submission dates

• TBC
• TBC

Getting access to financial resources and managing them well

Whatever the nature and scale of the business you work in, you will need to engage with its financial structure with ease and confidence. That means understanding fundamental accounting concepts and using the tools of finance and financial reporting. With these essential skills you will be equipped to influence business decision-making for your area of responsibility, gain funding for your ideas and activities and account for income and costs in your project or department.

Unit 3: Marketing

Start date:  Week commencing 1 April 2024

This module is made up of four study days spread across the term and interspersed with online engagement activities using forums. Study dates are to be confirmed.

Assignment submission dates

• TBC
• TBC

Getting your product or service adopted by intended users

Communicating effectively in the business world and creating competitive advantage are integral to all functions. Internal service providers, suppliers and managers within big brand organisations have to analyse markets and individual user needs.  Specialist teams develop solutions (products and services) to solve consumer problems and get them out to the market. Knowledge of the key concepts of marketing and the tools marketers use, will bring you closer to decision-making at the higher levels of organisations and will ensure that your functional skills are fully aligned to the business’s ambitions and direction of travel.

These business and management skills are not particularly new or surprising.  It is their application within today’s very different business models and their integration with formerly separate specialist functions which make them critical to all aspiring professionals today.

Become more attractive to recruiters in the job market

The Undergraduate Certificate in Strategic Business and Management also provides transferable skills for further study and employability. For example, it will develop your:

• capacity for independent thought and judgement
• independent learning, study and time management skills
• skills in critical reasoning
• competence in using IT to support your work
• ability to work with others, productively and equitably
• qualities necessary for employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility and the demonstration of high levels of motivation and personal commitment through part-time study.

What can I go on to do?

There are two pathways to further study and qualifications:

1. Further studies at University of Cambridge, Institute of Continuing Education (ICE)

ICE offers a selection of undergraduate certificate courses (subject to availability), including the Undergraduate Certificate in Operational Business and Management and the Undergraduate Certificate in Venture Creation.

2. Further studies at other UK institutions
The award of our Undergraduate Certificate in Strategic Business and Management will give you 60 credits at FHEQ4 which is broadly equivalent to half a year of a full degree programme. You may choose to build on this by applying to other institutions for further study at Undergraduate level.

How will I be taught and assessed?

The content, activities and interaction for each of the three units will be taught remotely using video-based teaching platforms and an online course Virtual Learning Environment. You will have access to resources, discussion forums, and course tasks within ICE's Virtual Learning Environment. Teaching methods will include lectures, presentations by guest speakers and facilitators, interactive and experiential learning activities, reading and assignments to be completed by participants outside classroom sessions and online discussion forums.

All students are expected to take an active part in the course and submit work showing evidence of learning. Your learning will be enhanced by:

• engaging with scheduled teaching sessions; 
• participating in class activities and discussion;
• undertaking reading and assignments set by the tutor;
• accessing resources and submitting assignments through the VLE.

Provisional teaching dates and times

Unit 1

• 06/10/2023, 1-5.30pm
• 20/10/2023, 1-5.30pm
• 03/11/2023, 1-5.30pm
• 17/11/2023, 1-5.30pm

Unit 2

• 05/01/2024, 1-5.30pm
• 19/01/2024, 1-5.30pm
• 02/02/2024, 1-5.30pm
• 16/02/2024, 1-5.30pm

Unit 3

• 05/04/2024, 1-5.30pm
• 19/04/2024, 1-5.30pm
• 03/05/2024, 1-5.30pm
• 17/05/2024, 1-5.30pm

Assessment

During the course you will assessed by a series of assignments including individual essays, presentations, podcast recording and reflection & analysis report s(further details of which are given in the course guide). Students are asked to produce individual blogs linked to the weekly online learning programme.

You will need to set aside time for independent study. Credit is generally calculated in terms of hours of study and assumes that each credit is awarded for around 10 hours of successful learning; so, by this calculation, a 60-credit course will involve around 600 hours of successful study. Examples of how study may be broken down are: pre-class preparation, classroom time (lectures, seminars, discussion, presentations, debates, case-studies etc.); engagement with the VLE; peer-to-peer interaction, preparations for assignments, assignment writing and feedback and so on.

What is the status of this qualification?

The course is taught and awarded at first-year undergraduate level (FHEQ 4) and offers 60 credits within the Higher Education Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS). This is equivalent to half of the first year of full-time undergraduate study.

The tuition fee for the course is £3,400.  

You can pay in two ways: 

• in full on enrolment by credit or debit card 

• in three equal instalments (credit/debit card only): the first on enrolment, with the second and third instalment being taken on 1 January and 1 April . The exact dates will be confirmed in the student’s individual booking details. 

Please note your place on the course is not secured until payment is received by the Institute of Continuing Education and any necessary documentation, i.e. proof of English language proficiency. 

ICE Cancellations and Refunds policy 

Information on sources of funding, bursaries and Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) 

This course will require a minimum number of students in order to run. Applicants for this course will be notified one week after the application deadline if the course is not going to be running at which point students will be offered to transfer their application to another course or receive a refund of the fees they have paid so far (please see our ICE Cancellations and Refunds policy). 

Please apply via the link at the top of this page. Your application will be assessed and you will be notified of the outcome by email. If you are offered a place, you will receive instructions as to how to register and pay. Note that places are limited and on a first-come first-served basis. 

Closing date for applications

Applications for this course can be received until midday (12 noon) on Monday 4 September 2023. If you are offered a place on the course, we will ask you to complete your booking within a limited time and to pay the fees or if paying fees by instalments, the first instalment of fees to secure your place.