Business and Management Online Degree Pathway

Business and Management Online Degree Pathway

This Course at a Glance

• Globally recognised online alternative to Year 1 and Year 2 of university
• Get on the pathway to obtaining a BSc (Hons) Business Management degree
• In partnership with the international awarding organisation ATHE
• Complete Year 3 with the prestigious University of Bolton
• Flexible online study rather than on-campus lectures
• Get on the fast track to your university qualification
• Avoid rising loan repayment fees
• Save on expensive living costs associated with on-campus study

Achieving a degree in business management or a relevant subject can propel you towards a range of careers, such as data analysis, business development and more. With our online degree pathway, which consists of the first and second years of an Honours degree, removing in-person lectures and restrictive timetables, you have the option to complete Year 1 and Year 2 faster than at university.

About Your Online Degree Pathway

This undergraduate online degree pathway in business management is made up of 240 credits and is designed as an online alternative to completing Year 1 and Year 2 at university. Studying with us will fast-track you to the final year of an associated Honours degree, which can be completed online at our preferred university.

This has been made possible through our partnership with ATHE, an Ofqual-regulated global awarding organisation that spans more than 55 countries worldwide. ATHE partners with 25 UK and international universities, providing top-up degrees to learners seeking an alternative to traditional university learning.

The course is delivered online, through an engaging array of online learning materials. So, you will find your education both interesting and rewarding. As a self-paced online course, you can also work towards your qualification without pressure, around your existing commitments.

What Will You Learn?

In Year 1, you'll gain insights into the key aspects of business environments and the people within them. During your studies, you'll develop the necessary skills and knowledge to become an effective organisational manager and leader, while also understanding the communication challenges faced by modern businesses.

Moving on to Year 2, you'll delve deeper into complex organisational issues and opportunities in a global context. The units are designed to challenge you with real-world scenarios, enhancing your people management skills and equipping you with a strategic financial mindset. Throughout this part of the course, you'll be required to make judgments and provide practical and creative solutions to various challenges likely to be faced in a work setting.

University Progression

Upon successful completion of Year 1 and Year 2 with us, you will be guaranteed admission to complete Year 3 of your undergraduate degree with the University of Bolton, named in the top 30 best UK universities in The Guardian guide (2024).

For example, you could study:

BSc (Hons) Business and Management (top-up)

Want a complete online degree pathway experience? Year 3 can also be studied online at home with the University of Bolton. The fees for your third year are an additional cost and are paid separately to the university.

*On-campus options are available for Year 3, but prices vary.

Study for a Degree Without Expensive Fees

If you want to study for a degree in business management but don’t want to be saddled with rising student loan debt, then our Business and Management Online Degree Pathway is the perfect alternative for you. This is a degree programme that serves as an online alternative to the initial two years of university study, enabling you to complete two-thirds of your business degree remotely. By freeing you from the constraints of classes and timetables, you can efficiently work through the learning materials and reach your third year in a shorter timeframe.

We’re A High-Value Alternative

With student loan repayments set to double following a change in student finance rules, and repayments beginning at an annual salary of £25,000 as opposed to £27,660, you may be wondering if it’s possible to get a degree without having to deal with these rising costs.

With inflation and interest rates rising in the UK due to the ongoing cost of living crisis, university graduates are affected. For the 2022/23 academic year, there was a risk of student loan interest rates reaching 12%, further hitting the pockets of students.

Due to the current economic uncertainty, a university graduate could end up with an average of £42,900 of student loan debt, with tuition fees costing an average of £9,250 per year.

According to YouGov, 37% of people feel that current tuition fees are unfair, so it’s no surprise that many are looking for alternative options. Here at learndirect, we can offer you an affordable alternative that covers the first and second year of a degree for a fraction of the cost of the traditional route.

Please note, that once you complete our online degree pathway, you will need to pay your select university directly to study the third year of your course online. You can opt to complete your third year on campus, but prices vary.

Avoid Extra Costs of University Living

You won’t have to contest all the expenses that come with a full-term university stint. By studying Year 1 and Year 2, you’ll effectively be completing the first and second years from the comfort of your own home. This means that you won’t have to pay for student housing, there are no travel costs involved, and you can fit studying around your lifestyle as opposed to cancelling commitments to fit around a university timetable. So, if you’re currently working, you won’t have to give that up for university life.

Modules

Year 1 consists of eight units

Unit 1: The Business Environment

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand types of organisations, their purposes and responsibilities
• Understand the structure of organisations
• Understand the impact of the market environment on organisations
• Understand the nature of the national environment in which organisations operate

Unit 2: People in Organisations

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand communication within organisations
• Understand effective teamwork
• Understand the issues associated with remote working
• Understand how organisations monitor and support people in the workplace

Unit 3: Financial and Management Accounting Techniques for Managers

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand financial and management accounting systems
• Can assess business organisation performance
• Can apply management accounting techniques for decision-making

Unit 4: Communication Skills for Business

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand how internal communication takes place within organisations
• Understand how organisations communicate with customers
• Understand the factors that impact on the effectiveness of communications in business
• Can present oral information effectively
• Can communicate effectively in writing

Unit 5: The Marketing Mix

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the elements of the marketing mix
• Understand the application of the marketing mix
• Understand digital elements of the marketing mix

Unit 6: Corporate Social Responsibility

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand current corporate social responsibility issues facing business
• Understand the impact of corporate social responsibility policy on different stakeholders
• Can make recommendations for responsible business practice

Unit 7: Customer Relationship Management

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the importance of customer relationship management (CRM) to business
• Understand how effective customer relationship management is achieved
• Understand the use of loyalty schemes in customer relationship management
• Can plan improvements to customer relationship management in a named organisation

Unit 8: Managing Information and Knowledge

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the meaning and sources of information and knowledge for the workplace
• Understand how information and knowledge are shared and used in the workplace and why they are important
• Understand the importance of using current, valid and reliable information and knowledge in the workplace
• Understand policies, procedures, legislation and best practices for managing information

Year 2 consists of eight units

Unit 1: Business Organisations in a Global Context

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand global business operations
• Understand the impact of external factors on global business organisations
• Understand the impact of globalisation on the internal operations of business organisations
• Understand current issues impacting global business activities in a specified country

Unit 2: People Management

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand how organisational structure, culture and other factors impact on people in organisations
• Understand how to manage individuals and teams to achieve sustainable business performance
• Understand how to develop and motivate individuals and teams to achieve sustainable business performance
• Can review people management strategies in an organisation

Unit 3: Finance for Managers

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the sources of finance available to organisations
• Can assess an organisation’s financial performance
• Can use costing methods to make informed organisational decisions

Unit 4: Research Project

Upon completion of this unit, you will demonstrate that you:

• Can produce a research proposal
• Can undertake a research project
• Can evaluate research project outcomes
• Can present the research project outcomes to stakeholders

Unit 5: Managing Communication

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand channels and types of communication within and between organisations and their effectiveness
• Understand the factors that impact workplace communication
• Can develop own communication skills within the workplace
• Understand how to improve communication within an organisation

Unit 6: Marketing Principles and Practice

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the role of marketing in business
• Understand marketing principles
• Understand marketing methods
• Can develop a marketing plan for a specific product or service

Unit 7: Business Law

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the main principles governing the legal relationship between businesses and their consumers
• Understand rules governing consumer credit and the law of agency
• Understand rules relating to monopolies, mergers and anti-competitive practices
• Understand key provisions relating to intellectual property rights

Unit 8: Business Ethics

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand different ethical perspectives in business
• Understand business objectives from an ethical perspective
• Understand ethics in business and workplace relationships
• Can assess a current ethical issue in an organisation

Entry Requirements

You’ll need to possess an appropriate level of English and have prior qualifications, which can include:

• A GCE Advanced level profile with achievement in 2 or more subjects supported by 5 or more GCSEs at grades 4/C and above
• Other related level 3 subjects such as ATHE level 3 Diplomas
• An Access to Higher Education Certificate delivered by an approved further education institute and validated by an Access Validating Agency
• Other equivalent international qualifications

For individuals whose first language is not English, we recommend the following English language proficiency standards or an approved equivalent for this qualification:

IELTS: A score of 5.5 or higher

• Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR): Achieving at least B2 level
• Cambridge English Advanced (CAE): Scoring 162 or above
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic: Achieving a score between 42-49

Minimum Age Restriction

These qualifications are designed for learners aged 18 and older.

Average Completion Timeframe

ATHE qualifications typically take learners an average of 18 months to complete.

Assessment Requirements

There are no exams included in this study programme, instead, you will complete several written assignments.

Course Fees

All course fees, inclusive of all payment plans including our Premium Credit Limited option, must be settled before certification can be ordered.

*You will have access to the course for 24 months.

You will complete a series of assignments to demonstrate that you have successfully achieved the learning outcomes of each unit. 

ATHE

Upon successful completion of this online course, you will achieve two globally recognised ATHE qualifications:

• ATHE Level 4 Extended Diploma in Business and Management – Qualification Number: (610/2058/8)
• ATHE Level 5 Extended Diploma in Business and Management – Qualification Number: (610/2292/5)

Awards for Training and Higher Education (ATHE) is a global awarding organisation regulated by Ofqual and other United Kingdom and international regulators.

ATHE is a global awarding organisation regulated by Ofqual and other UK and international regulators since 2011. They work with more than 280 recognised centres in over 55 countries to complement our strong brand presence in the UK.

On completion of this online Business and Management Online Degree Pathway, you can go on to complete the third year of an undergraduate degree in the subject – or a closely related subject - at an array of UK universities.

This includes:

University of Bolton – BSc (Hons) Business and Management (top up) – Please note, this is delivered online.

Following completion of the final year of your degree, you'll be qualified to pursue career opportunities in:

• Accounting
• Business Consultancy
• Human Resources
• Marketing

For more insight on what your degree could lead to, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions