Watch Dr Christine Rivers introduce the course in this introductory video
So what will I be studying?
The course aims to provide you with fundamental knowledge in understanding of organisations, their management, the economy and the business environment. It will prepare you for working and developing a career in business and management or enhance your profile within your chosen specialist function. It will enhance a range of skills and attributes needed to become an effective global citizen, including awareness of ethics, sustainability and responsibility.
Unit 1: 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: 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: 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 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.
An accessible and flexible option to gain a University of Cambridge business and management qualification
This part-time course opens up a University of Cambridge experience to a wider audience of participants. You can take the course while continuing to work or looking for a placement or job. You will be required to attend live sessions on twelve days during a 12-month period of study. The rest of your studies involve working within a virtual learning environment and collaborating with other students and tutors remotely.
There are no formal entry requirements for this course. However, please be aware that the course is taught at university undergraduate level (FHEQ 4) and you should be able to meet the University of Cambridge English language requirements.
What can I go on to do?
There are two pathways to further study and qualifications:
Further studies at University of Cambridge, Institute of Continuing Education (ICE)
• Undergraduate Certificate in Operational Business and Management – to be launched in 2019 as a further pathway for those seeking business and management skills. The course will focus on Organisational Behaviour, Business Economics and Operations Management.
Further studies at other UK institutions
• The award of our Undergraduate Certificate in 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.
For more information about the course content, please download the Course Guide below.
