The Open University Business School Prospectus 2012/2013 Undergraduate and Postgraduate study INSPIRING LEARNING A world apart from any other way of learning Welcome to The Open University (OU), the UK’s largest university with over 250,000 students and the world’s leading provider of high quality, flexible learning Achieve your ambitions We help ordinary people achieve extraordinary things, so if you want to improve your prospects through getting a qualification then we’ll support you every step of the way And if you have a disability or additional requirements you will find a range of support services designed with you in mind Whatever your ambitions, make this the year you start to achieve them We make learning affordable Investing in your own future may be one of the best decisions you’ll ever make, but finding ways to pay tuition fees can be a challenge That’s why we ensure that you have as many options as possible to pay for your study, including access to government-backed finance schemes and fee support, as well as our own student budget account, OUSBA You can even use OU gift vouchers towards the cost of study We’re more local than you think Not only are we the UK’s largest university, but with an exceptional UK network of 7000 tutors, 350 tutorial venues and 13 national and regional centres, we’re more local than you may think If you’d like to speak with us in person, why not attend one of our regional events; these can be found at www.opennearyou.co.uk Students love studying with us That’s why they keep rating us so highly in the National Student Survey and their support has put us in the top three UK universities for student satisfaction since the survey began in 2005 The OU made me realise what I can achieve During my five years of studying I’ve been promoted three times and have become a really confident person Gerry McMurtrie, OU student Contents Why choose The Open University Business School? Professional skills 52 Clinical leadership 53 55 The business school that knows no boundaries Courses for people in the construction industry Our strength in research Finance 55 Corporate and employee development IT skills Your experience as a student Leadership 56 Your career Undergraduate study 10 Your guide to undergraduate qualifications 11 Undergraduate qualifications 14 Degrees 21 Certificates 24 Our Open qualifications 25 Stage undergraduate modules 27 Postgraduate study 32 Management 57 Management and people 59 Marketing 60 Personal development 61 14 Foundation degrees/Diplomas of higher education 56 Recruitment 62 Strategic management 63 Becoming an Open University Business School student 64 Studying with The Open University Business School 64 Fees and finance 64 If you have a disability or additional requirements 68 Worldwide study 69 European contact points for advice and registration 70 Your guide to postgraduate qualifications 33 Postgraduate qualifications 34 Management and leadership 34 The Open University Business School international partner organisations 71 Systems thinking in practice 38 What else you should know 72 Technology management 39 Development management 40 Research degrees 42 Postgraduate modules 43 Ordering other prospectuses Contact points for advice and registration  73 Back cover Open access: other ways to read this publication You may find it easier to access information from our website at www.open.ac.uk/study If you would like this publication electronically, please call +44 (0)845 300 60 90 or email us from our website at www.open.ac.uk/contact Other alternative formats are available on request Click www.open.ac.uk/study or call +44 (0)845 366 6035 Why choose The Open University Business School? Why choose The Open University Business School? The inspiring thing about studying with The Open University Business School is not just what you learn but how you learn We’ve taken flexible learning to a whole new level We’ll connect you with the things that inspire you, wherever you are and wherever you’ve come from The business school that knows no boundaries Our strong record of success over more than two decades has led to The Open University Business School becoming one of the world’s most prestigious centres of learning A world of change The business world is fast paced and ever changing The expansion of globalisation, advances in technology and the constant introduction of new rules and regulations mean we are continually extending our thinking and revising our teaching By regularly updating our programmes we ensure you will be equipped with the essential skills and knowledge that you need to place you at the forefront of international business and management practice International reach We are one of Europe’s largest business schools and the world’s leading exponent of practice-based learning Over 25 years we have grown in size and stature to become a true global presence, and we enjoy universal recognition as international experts in management education Together with our partners we deliver programmes across Europe, Africa and Asia Open University Worldwide (OU Worldwide) and The Open University Business School work in partnership with institutions to offer business school courses internationally, including: the Professional Certificate in Management; the Professional Certificate in Accounting; the BA (Hons) Business Studies; the BA (Hons) Leadership and Management; and the Master of Business Administration (MBA) OU Worldwide currently manages partnerships for more than 40,000 students studying with 15 partners in more than 23 countries For further information, click www.ouworldwide.com Why choose The Open University Business School? Our accreditation is your assurance of quality 90,560 qualifications have been awarded since we began In 2011 we reached around 22,300 MBAs The Open University Business School is one of a select group of schools worldwide accredited by the leading international accrediting bodies for business schools, based on the high quality of its programmes and teaching Further recognition The high quality of our programmes and teaching, which are fed by our research output, is recognised by all three of the world’s leading business and management education accreditation bodies; AACSB, EFMD and AMBA Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) We were the first exclusively flexible learning school to be awarded international accreditation by the AACSB The Association only grants this award to business schools meeting the wide-ranging quality standards valued by business and academic communities These include Harvard University, London Business School, Dartmouth College and Stanford University Among our strengths highlighted by the AACSB are: • our effective use of excellent flexible learning and practice‑based learning methods • the support, enthusiasm and involvement of our alumni • an ‘exemplary’ approach to the ‘team concept of curriculum development and its total stakeholder involvement’ • the commitment of our tutors, whom we refer to as Associate Lecturers to reflect their importance within our structure FACT: Our Professional Certificate in Accounting has been awarded exemptions from ACCA and CIMA and successful students will be eligible for IAB membership The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) rates us ‘excellent’ for teaching and support systems The Open University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), a recognised body in promoting and ensuring quality assurance in America and abroad MSCHE accreditation enables Open University students to transfer easily to a US qualification and to have their qualification recognised by US employers We are the UK’s largest university with over 250,000 students and thanks to their votes we’ve ranked in the top three of UK universities for student satisfaction every year since the National Student Survey began in 2005 FACT: The Open University School of Law The Open University Business School is also home to The Open University School of Law, offering amongst its programmes an LLB (Hons) – a Qualifying Law Degree in England and Wales, in collaboration with The College of Law Click www.open.ac.uk/study-law to discover more about our law programmes and qualifications You can request a Law Prospectus from the website or by calling +44 (0)845 366 6035 European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) We hold the prestigious EQUIS kitemark of the EFMD, Europe’s forum for information, research, networking and best practice in management development EQUIS sets the international standard for the auditing and accreditation of higher-education institutions in management and business administration Other holders include HEC School of Management Paris, IESE Business School and Judge Business School, Cambridge The Association of MBAs (AMBA) Independent accreditation by AMBA gives our MBA programmes real credibility in the international job market The Association is unique in representing the interests of MBA students and graduates, leading business schools and MBA employers Other holders include Henley Management College, Cranfield School of Management and London Business School Click www.open.ac.uk/study or call +44 (0)845 366 6035 Why choose The Open University Business School? Our strength in research World-class research ensures that our courses are innovative and relevant Research is a key part of The Open University Business School It contributes to our courses, ensuring that they are always fresh, innovative and relevant Recognised as world class, our research is widely sought after, and our academics are in demand, by a range of organisations These links provide further opportunities to ensure we stay up to date with new developments and leading edge thinking We regularly undertake collaborative research with international partners, both in other universities and in public, private and third sector organisations around the world Again, this ensures our courses reflect and incorporate the global nature of today’s business environment Our research is based around three themes: • Socially responsible management and regulation • Knowledge, innovation and entrepreneurship • International management practice, education and learning (IMPEL) These themes include traditional business disciplines such as strategy, finance and human resource management, and newer areas such as social marketing, social enterprise and management learning Sharing our research Our research is published widely – in books, leading academic journals, at conferences and online and of course, are included in our course materials Academics from the School also regularly write for leading newspapers and appear on radio and television As part of the OU’s partnership with the BBC, academics from the School are regularly involved as series consultants and academic advisors for OU/BBC co-productions This has included The Foods that Make Billions, the award‑winning The Virtual Revolution and three series per year of The Bottom Line radio programme Increasingly academics are using new media to make their research available to new audiences The School plays a very active part in iTunes U, and in the three years since it was launched, has been involved in over 150 tracks spanning 28 albums Corporate and employee development Training and development programmes for employees – good for business, good for staff Learning and development specialism Through its triple accredited business school and dedicated support for employers, the OU delivers world leading professional and management development The OU has been bringing academic integrity to corporate learning for over 25 years, creating programmes tailored to individual organisations Employers can also combine business focused training with sector specific development, such as health and social care, IT or engineering The OU’s employee development courses draw on real business practice so that new skills and knowledge can be immediately applied to the workplace, and OU learning facilitators are practising experts in their respective fields OU learning also offers minimal work disruption as there’s no need to release staff for full-time study and it is ideal for employees who travel or who work across different locations Employers recognise the value of OU study – 75 per cent of FTSE 100 companies have sponsored staff on our courses FACT: Account management For clients sponsoring significant groups of employees on our standard or customised training courses, we provide full account management services, including a password-protected Sponsor area on our Employers portal, www.open.ac.uk/employers Every workplace has its own blend of opportunities, business-critical issues and competitive challenges We need to understand your organisation before we can advise how employee development can help to improve it So we always listen to your needs before recommending learning solutions A corporate development manager (CDM) is dedicated to any organisation sponsoring professional development for groups of employees Our CDMs are an action-oriented, needs-responsive team who will: • provide a readily accessible, single interface with the OU • be aware of the tensions within your organisational context (for example, stakeholder and multiple funding issues in public and not-for-profit sectors) • explore your employee development needs with you • advise and match your requirements to OU capabilities and provision • enable organisations to identify how they can gain added value and benefit from our professional development programmes Why choose The Open University Business School? • use our extensive experience of working successfully with similar organisations to ensure that your needs are met • bring in other partners, as appropriate, to provide you with the right expertise and solutions What are the benefits of OU learning and development? • Our flexible programmes suit groups of learners, often geographically dispersed, who cannot or not want to be away from the workplace That’s the virtue of being an international university specialising in practicebased learning Our approach enables consistency of management and professional standards across locations while minimising work disruption • As well as minimising disruption, we maximise performance improvement By utilising work experience and encouraging project work wherever appropriate, we embed development directly into workplace practice This form of learning and development usually proves far more relevant, cost-effective and long lasting than sending staff on short courses • Because our style of flexible learning knows no geographical boundaries, it can also considerably reduce your carbon footprint • We can create learning and development solutions for you from a full range of course types and delivery methods: from flexible online business skills courses to demanding management development modules in our triple accredited MBA; from high quality printed workbooks to interactive course websites; from personal tutoring by a sector specialist to on- or off-site workshops Get in touch If you’d like to discuss how we can help you update or hone management skills in your organisation, please contact our Corporate Development Team: Call +44 (0)845 366 6053 Email do-business@open.ac.uk Your experience as a student A totally different way of learning We are the world’s leading provider of high quality, flexible learning What sets us apart from other universities is that we’re not campus based You can study in a flexible way that works for you whether you’re at home, at work or on the move Our innovative teaching methods and study materials bring your course to life in many different ways – just imagine learning about your favourite subject through podcasts, downloads and DVDs as well as course books We’ll challenge you, inspire you, stretch your understanding and make you question ideas that you’ve always taken for granted – it’s truly world-class learning FACT: About 70 per cent of OU students work while they study Our doors are open to everyone • There’s also a host of added value services which smaller providers will not be able to equal Such as a Learning Evaluation and Development Service; academic accreditation for your in-house courses or academic validation of your own qualifications; and access to our vast, accessible online library service If you think you’ve got what it takes to study with us, then so we In fact, over 40 per cent of new OU undergraduate students in the UK don’t have the formal qualifications they’d need to go through a traditional university application process There’s no doubt that studying with the OU takes hard work and dedication so you need determination and commitment Devising the right solution You’re never on your own Working in partnership with you, The Open University can deliver programmes and courses which develop those special skills that will help achieve your corporate objectives • junior or aspiring managers Although you work in your own environment, you’ll never be on your own You’ll have the opportunity to meet your fellow students in tutorials and online forums, and through OUSA (our student association) And there are growing informal networks and peer support groups on Facebook, LinkedIn and our own networking portal, Platform You’ll be joining the OU’s learning community – the largest in the world! • middle to senior managers who want to build leadership and other capabilities Support throughout your studies By carefully selecting or customising courses, we can improve the functional performance and career horizons of: • technical experts moving into management • employees seeking to improve their professional skills As an OU student you’ll enjoy full support throughout your studies – your tutor will guide and advise you, offer detailed feedback on your assignments, and help with any study issues Tuition might be in face-to-face groups, via online tutorials, or by phone Many of our students who’ve studied elsewhere have said that they’ve been better supported at the OU than at their campus-based universities Click www.open.ac.uk/study or call +44 (0)845 366 6035 Why choose The Open University Business School? Dr Venkatesha Murthy, OU student I’ve thoroughly enjoyed becoming a student again I found the online aspect really good for helping and learning from other students, and I always eagerly awaited each new podcast Top-class teaching The quality of programmes from The Open University Business School is world renowned Most of our tutors are practising business professionals with strong academic backgrounds As such, they bring a wealth of expertise to your learning experience You’ll examine tried and tested theories and applications, and enjoy challenging activities that stimulate your intellect You’ll acquire new skills and competencies that will help make you more confident in your performance and dealings with work colleagues You’ll also be fully equipped to meet the management and leadership challenges faced in today’s dynamic socially and environmentally responsible organisations Our teaching programmes are studied by thousands of managers across Europe and beyond From day one you can apply what you learn to your day-to-day professional life, whatever your location FACT: We have over 50,000 alumni worldwide and over 800 tutors working internationally Choice and flexibility As the UK’s largest university, we offer a wide choice of qualifications in a broad range of subjects Our flexible study means that you can vary the pace of study if life gets in the way of learning For example, you can complete most honours degrees in as little as three years or spread your study over a maximum of 16 years I would recommend The Open University to anyone because it’s so flexible and you can go at your own pace Penny Meiers, OU student Value for money We make sure great learning is also great value, so our tuition fees don’t just cover high quality education; they also include our study materials, support from study and careers advisers as well as access to free online resources and community forums Studying with us costs less than studying with most UK campus-based universities, especially as you won’t need to move away, or incur extra expenses for accommodation and travel And because you have the flexibility to carry on working, you can earn while you learn Your family and friends can support your study by buying OU gift vouchers for special occasions To buy or redeem vouchers, click www.openuniversity.co.uk/vouchers FACT: Financial support If you live in England and you’re studying for an undergraduate qualification that’s higher than any you already have, you may be eligible for a government-backed loan, which means you won’t have to pay your tuition fees upfront Alternatively, if you’re on a low annual household income, you may qualify for entry on to the Access to Success Route – our unique access provision designed for people who would benefit from the opportunity to develop their confidence and study skills before committing to a loan If you live in Northern Ireland, Scotland, or Wales, depending on your current circumstances, even if you’re in employment, you could be eligible for financial support to help pay towards your undergraduate tuition fees, study costs and other expenses To find out more about what support is available where you live at undergraduate or postgraduate level, see page 64 or click www.open.ac.uk/financialsupport Support for students with a disability or additional requirements Our expertise in flexible learning, combined with a wide range of multimedia materials and personal support, means that we offer a much more accessible system than traditional forms of study What’s more, depending on where you live, you may be eligible for extra help with study and travel costs For more information, see page 68 or click www.open.ac.uk/disability Why choose The Open University Business School? Steve McNeice, OU student FACT: When you first apply to the OU, on the form there’s a box to tick if you’re disabled I hesitated but when I did tick it the OU machine just kicked in I received a grant for a special headset and some other equipment I didn’t realise was available to aid my studies Around 13,500 of our students have a disability or additional requirement Help for carers We support lots of students who are looking after people for a variety of reasons, in a variety of circumstances If you have caring responsibilities and are thinking about studying with us, click www.open.ac.uk/studying-while-you-care to find out about the support we can offer you World-class library As an OU student you’ll have free access to the OU library (www.open.ac.uk/library) where information is available to you via the internet, rather than you having to visit in person This means you can access thousands of online ejournals, ebooks, databases and multimedia resources 24 hours a day, seven days a week, whenever you need it and wherever you are You can also visit the library at our Milton Keynes campus if you’re close enough I have been studying with the OU for five years and have now finished One of the things I will miss the most is the fantastic library offered by the OU! Although it is free to use the site, it will still be necessary to apply separately to the OU if you wish to study a creditbearing module with formal assessment See also Studying modules as standalone courses on page 13 We’re one of the first universities to offer free downloadable study materials via iTunes U In fact, we were the first university to hit 40 million downloaded tracks For more information, click www.open.edu/itunes FACT: Vibrant online community Platform, our social media website (www.open.ac.uk/platform), gives you the chance to get a flavour of OU life before you sign up for a course You will find expert comments on issues of the day as well as having the opportunity to meet and chat to the OU community When you get your qualification Once you’ve gained your qualification, you can keep in contact with other Open University Business School graduates and continue your professional development at workshops, seminars and lectures around the world The Open University Business School Alumni Association On obtaining a qualification you’ll automatically become a member of The Open University Business School Alumni Association This active association offers updating and professional and personal development activities as well as regional events and workshops Additional benefits include a dedicated website www.open.ac.uk/oubs-alumni, monthly enewsletter, discounted memberships to professional organisations and discounts for further study Email oubs-alumni@open.ac.uk for further information Our alumni include: Bart Knols, AMBA student of the year 2007; Air Chief Marshal Sir Brian Burridge; Paul Mylrea, Head of Press and Media Relations, BBC; and Maggie Miller CIO, Warner Group Music FACT: Joanna Regan, OU student Free online resources Try over 600 free online taster modules from the OU at www.open.edu/openlearn Available from introductory to postgraduate level, each takes between one and 50 hours to study You’ll be able to: • search for subjects that interest you • complete activities to assess your progress and compare your thoughts with sample answers • discuss ideas with other learners • find innovative tools to help you learn Click www.open.ac.uk/study or call +44 (0)845 366 6035 Your career Your career Your route to skills development and career enhancement Studying with The Open University Business School will equip you with skills, knowledge and qualifications which will improve your work performance and make a real difference to your career prospects Developing employability Whatever your motivations for study, your goals and career aspirations, you are entitled to supported personal development planning either as an intrinsic part of your programme of study or through signposted optional activities We will provide information explaining how particular study pathways can enhance employability and can develop your skills Opportunities are provided for you to reflect upon and articulate the skills that you have gained to communicate your learning effectively to prospective employers You can view the full OU Student Employability Policy at www.open.ac.uk/employability Your studies will help you develop a broad set of graduate level abilities that appeal to prospective employers For business and management students the particular employability skills you will develop that are highly valued by employers include the ability to: • understand key business functions such as marketing, human resources, information management, accounting and finance, and operations in their wider organisational and social context • put together reasoned arguments and question assumptions • draw together, analyse and critically evaluate information • understand the nature of leadership skills and behaviours within organisations • communicate effectively, clearly and accurately with others • use ICT to research, identify and present information • manage time and take responsibility for your own personal development Specific learning outcomes that relate to degrees in this subject area can be viewed on our website at www.open.ac.uk/study-busman Career opportunities Career opportunities are wide-ranging and precise entry points will depend on the qualification you have gained and also the previous experience and skills you have A qualification in business and management can lead to opportunities in areas such as: • middle and senior management positions across all sectors • advertising and marketing • accountancy • human resources • banking, including investment banking • sales and retail • management consultancy • business journalism • transport and logistics Employers are keen to utilise the commercial awareness and leadership skills that business and management graduates offer as increasing globalisation and changes in technology, communications, financial services and distribution of goods and services open up new opportunities in management and business Over 60 per cent of graduate-level jobs are open to graduates of any discipline Given the current economic climate and the increased competition for graduate jobs, it is important to consider a variety of occupational areas Bear in mind that many careers require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree To find out more about career opportunities related to business and management, click www.open.ac.uk/careers/business-and-management.php Destination statistics All UK graduates are invited to complete the Destinations of Leavers Survey six months after they graduate Of those OU business studies graduates who responded to the latest survey: • 69 per cent had studied with the OU for career related reasons • 93 per cent were working Only per cent were assumed to be unemployed – this compares favourably with the figure for unemployed business studies graduates from all UK universities at 9.7 per cent • 29 per cent had continued into further study in a variety of areas including business, finance, management, economics and teaching 60 Professional skills Successful team working (GB072) Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: Anytime Successful organisations rely on successful teams That is to say, successful organisations rely on collections of individual staff members who can recognise the difference between being a team member and merely being a member of a group, and those who can work together successfully Most staff members are, in fact, members of several different teams, working with different people on different things at different times and under different constraints In one team they might be the leader; in another, a team member This course is aimed at developing their skills and abilities to become effective and successful team players Time management for you and your team (GB057) Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: Anytime This course is for managers wanting to improve their own time management, and that of their staff A recent survey found that wasted time costs UK businesses a staggering £80 billion a year Not only can poor time management make your business inefficient and ineffective; it could also mean you incur penalties on contracts and even lose future business This course enables you to develop timemanagement techniques to enhance the effectiveness of meetings, improve how you allocate work, and help others use their time more productively Working across cultures (GB061) Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: Anytime What is culture? What about stereotypes? Do different nationalities work in specific ways? This course will explore the potential traps and opportunities in working across cultures, understanding the impact of culture on work-based relationships, identifying the logic behind multicultural behaviours and belief systems and recognising how different cultures perceive and develop trust in working relationships You will be introduced to a number of key techniques and competencies for successfully working across cultures and have the opportunity to use them in your real working context Marketing Marketing in practice (GB011) Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: Anytime Successful marketing is about much more than promotion and selling, and understanding how to use marketing ideas and techniques is one of the best ways to improve a business’s competitive advantage This course introduces a range of marketing concepts and tools, which you’re invited to apply to your own business It will be of interest to anyone needing to communicate with customers and understand their needs, including owners of small and medium-sized businesses, those working in professional practices, managers of business units dealing directly with external customers, and branch managers Social marketing (GB017) Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: Anytime This course examines the nature of social marketing, and how marketing concepts, frameworks and techniques developed for commercial marketers can solve social marketing problems It provides tools and ideas to help you apply social marketing to your own context – examining consumer behaviour, social marketing planning, situational and stakeholder analysis, segmentation and targeting, research, marketing mix, relationship marketing and evaluation The course will benefit those working within organisations seeking to effect social change or address specific social issues such as travel planning and health initiatives; including consultants working in appropriate professional contexts What you need to know about marketing (GB076) Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: Anytime In any organisation many staff become involved in marketing issues with colleagues from other areas of expertise within the organisation, in day-to-day discussions, within working groups or teams, and sometimes with external partners Non-marketing staff need to understand the basic concepts of marketing in order to contribute to these discussions This course is intended for managers in organisations where there is a degree of separation between functions and will explain marketing concepts and demystify marketing jargon in order to help them understand and contribute to marketing activities Professional skills Personal development How to design and analyse surveys (GT032) Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Discover and apply your creative skills (GB062) Start: 61 Anytime Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: Anytime Creativity, learning and development are all now taking far greater prominence in the role of the modern manager This course will help you to develop a more creative attitude at the personal level and have a positive impact on the creativity of those around you At a conceptual level, you will develop an understanding of some of the ways in which perceptions are influenced by history, culture, beliefs, cognition and life experience You will apply a range of techniques to a current issue to generate more creative solutions This course is aimed at middle and senior managers Effective decision-making skills (GB077) Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: Anytime As managers we make decisions every day Many of these are simple and routine, but take up a great deal of our time Others are more complex, involving strategic actions: launching a new product into a new market, investing funds or opening a new business unit This sort of decision can carry risks, especially in a climate that is experiencing turbulent changes and great unpredictability In this course we explore how you can reduce the time you spend on routine decision making This allows you to spend more time on considering the more challenging strategic decisions that you face How to be effective on a governing body: in 10 steps (GB064) Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: Anytime It can be a daunting experience starting out as a new member on a governing body, from the minute you receive documents through your door to when you attend your first meeting This course will equip you with the skills to feel confident in asking questions, and enable you to understand the relevant papers (i.e agenda, minutes etc), as well as financial matters The course will be of benefit to: • those just starting out as a new member on a board (school/college governors, health trust board members) particularly those with little experience of such matters This course examines the general principles and processes of designing and analysing surveys in order to design new services or measure response to services These are then applied to specific contexts such as travel planning or healthrelated services Throughout the course, activities require you to apply what is taught to your own situation and so develop and test a travel plan survey questionnaire The course will be of benefit to travel planners and coordinators, and health care professionals such as health centre or practice managers How well you communicate? Interpersonal communication at work (GK037) Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: Anytime Whatever your line of work, regardless of your role or the product or service your organisation provides, you’ll be communicating with other people for much of the time It follows that where interpersonal communication is poor or inadequate, the quality of work will suffer On the other hand, ensuring ‘good’ and ‘effective’ communication is a fundamental component of providing high quality services and products – it’s not a luxury or an optional extra, but essential for success This course is for those seeking to improve skills in communicating with work colleagues, customers, service users and external stakeholders Improving your negotiation skills (GB036) Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: Anytime This course will enable you to develop more effective negotiation skills in your own work setting It’s particularly suitable for managers who would like to improve this aspect of their work, or who are becoming more actively involved in negotiating roles You’ll explore stages of negotiation and a variety of negotiation techniques, as well as alternatives to negotiation through activities including case studies and scenarios The course will be of interest to: • first-line and middle managers in large organisations • those who have a management role in smaller organisations • organisations seeking to improve working relationships • members of voluntary sector management committees Click www.open.ac.uk/study or call +44 (0)845 366 6035 62 Professional skills Managing organisational politics (GB051) Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: Anytime Organisations are political arenas but we needn’t be frightened of that fact The reality of organisational politics is that it is about getting things done: about getting your views and ideas across, getting them listened to and getting them implemented After all, we are paid to have ideas Organisational politics should be of positive benefit to the organisation rather than a negative influence This course examines the Machiavellian myths of the ‘knife in the back’ and of ‘shady deals’, and sets about developing interpersonal skills that will help you and your organisation achieve its aims and objectives This course will be particularly beneficial to aspiring middle and senior managers Rural entrepreneurship: be your own boss (GB093) Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: Anytime Are you thinking about starting your own business? Do you live in a rural area? This course will not only take you through the decisions you need to consider when starting your own business, it will also look at how living rurally can impact on your business Based on traditional business models, this course will introduce you to some concepts that will help you work out what you want to with your business idea and how you might go about setting it up Recruitment Interviewing skills for successful selection (GB059) Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: Anytime The course will offer instant access to information, help and support for busy managers faced with the management task of participating in the recruitment and selection process Selecting competent staff is something that managers are required to all too regularly – often because they don’t get it right first time The interview is still the preferred way of selection, even if part of a wider process involving such additions as psychological testing and full assessment centres Many managers don’t have access to the latter and are left to their own devices in the interview Recruiting the best people (GB066) Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: Anytime It is vital to get the recruitment process right if you want to succeed This course covers all the important stages of the recruitment process from analysing the knowledge, skills and experience required for specific job roles, constructing a job description and attracting suitable applicants to dealing with their enquiries and applications efficiently so that the recruitment process becomes a vehicle for enhancing the image of your organisation This course is principally for: • managers and professional staff involved in recruiting staff • those without access to in-company training including those working in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or smaller voluntary sector organisations The course can be customised for corporate groups if required Professional skills Strategic management Influencing strategic thinking for finance professionals (GB027) Applying strategic thinking (GB010) Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: 63 Anytime Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: Anytime Businesses need clear strategies in order to survive and succeed As a manager, you need to think strategically and contribute to strategic decisions – whatever the size of your organisation This course will provide you with tools, frameworks and ideas to help you play a more effective role in contributing to strategic thinking It will be of benefit to anyone involved in developing an organisation’s strategic objectives and goals: senior and middle managers; high potential junior managers; entrepreneurs; and directors of small and medium-sized enterprises Corporate social responsibility in practice (GB070) Businesses need clear strategies in order to survive and succeed As a finance professional, whatever the size of the organisation you work for, you'll need to be able to think strategically and contribute to strategic decisions This course will provide you with tools, frameworks and ideas to help you influence strategic thinking The course has been developed in conjunction with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and will be of benefit to: senior finance professionals; high potential junior finance professionals; entrepreneurs; directors of small and medium-sized enterprises; other professionals involved in developing an organisation’s strategic objectives and goals Innovation for business results (GB053) Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: Anytime Start: Anytime Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is not new but nowadays it seems everyone is talking about it Organisations and businesses everywhere are urged to protect the environment, save energy, recycle, avoid waste, and use ethical trading methods Increasingly there are requirements to make public statements about such issues But why is this? Is it simply a transient ‘fashion’? And does it make a difference? This course is not aimed at those whose whole specialist brief is CSR but rather at those at all levels – in managerial positions or professional positions – who need to know enough about CSR to understand the debate and contribute to CSR policies and practices in their organisation Getting it right: consulting and communication inside organisations (GB043) All successful companies innovate and all innovate in their own way But there is also much that they have in common Would you like to get a good idea of the chances of success and failure of a proposed innovation? Would you like to know how to emulate your competitors’ success or parry their innovations? This course looks at various types and sources of innovation and how different organisations have grappled with the challenge of producing better products and services through innovation This course is suitable for middle and senior managers especially those involved in applying strategic thinking, managing organisational change or advancing professional leadership Leading organisational change (GB019) Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Credits: This is a non-credit bearing course Start: Anytime Start: Anytime Communication within organisations can be crucial to business success Organisations need to communicate formally with a range of stakeholders – including their employees Engaging employees in positive ways can have unexpected benefits; by harnessing the know-how of the real experts in your organisation, you can improve business results Effective two-way communication is the key This online course examines ways of communicating with employees, making the best use of today’s technologies You’ll discover that surprising outcomes can be achieved by being more open with your employees! ‘The only constant is change’ applies to all organisations in the twenty-first century At all levels, leading change has become an important part of a manager’s role This course will provide you with tools, frameworks and ideas to help you to lead change initiatives effectively It will interest those who need to understand the holistic approach to planning, managing and implementing major organisational changes through people, within resource constraints and in context This course will be beneficial to: • high potential junior managers • managers in small and medium sized organisations • professionals currently, or soon to be, involved in major organisational change • middle/senior management in large organisations The course will be of benefit to: • senior and middle managers Click www.open.ac.uk/study or call +44 (0)845 366 6035 64 Becoming an Open University Business School student Becoming an Open University Business School student Studying with The Open University Business School Contact points for advice and registration • Online at www.open.ac.uk/study • Call the Open University Business School Information Line on +44 (0)845 366 6035 (lines are open Monday to Friday 08:00 to 20:00, Saturday 09:00 to 17:00 – UK time) • Contact your local country representative (pages 70–71) If you are interested in sponsoring employees, please contact our Corporate Team on +44 (0)845 366 6053 or your local representative (see pages 70–71) When to apply Register as early as you can – particularly if you are applying for financial support, a student loan or wish to claim for credit for previous study Registration close dates are on our website at www.open.ac.uk/study, or you can call us for further information Entry and study requirements There are no formal academic entry requirements for most of our undergraduate qualifications, but in order to study at postgraduate level you’ll usually need an undergraduate degree or equivalent to gain entry However, even if there are no entry requirements, you need to ensure that you are sufficiently prepared for the level of study you have chosen The qualification descriptions at www.open.ac.uk/study will tell you more about our study requirements Computers and elearning You’ll need a computer and regular and reliable access to the internet in order to study with us We will use email to send you important information about your studies If you don’t have an email account we can provide one for you Credit for previous study If you have already completed some successful study at higher-education level at another institution anywhere in the world, we may be able to give you credit for it You’re strongly advised to investigate this option as soon as possible before you start your studies because the process may take some time, especially for non-UK qualifications For more information click www.open.ac.uk/credit-transfer, call +44 (0)1908 653077 or contact your local country representative (pages 70–71) Fees and finance Fees and finance for students studying undergraduate qualifications You may be aware that there are changes happening to how higher education is funded in the UK The arrangements for the funding of higher education are different across the four nations of the UK and internationally This means that, for the first time, the OU has introduced different undergraduate fees across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, reflecting the varying levels of funding in each nation In addition, the OU has announced fee levels for undergraduate students resident outside the UK This section explains how these changes will affect you if you are thinking about studying with us for the first time When you register for your qualification you pay your fees on a module-by-module basis The fees and funding available to you are based on where you are ordinarily resident: If you live in England How much will it cost? If you are studying with us for the first time our standard fee for 2012/2013 is £5000 – based on 120 credits of study – which is equivalent to a year’s full-time study at a campusbased university Of course you don’t have to study 120 credits a year and the price you pay will be proportionate to the standard fee, so, for example, if you only study 60 credits a year you will pay 50 per cent of the standard fee (£2500) And for 30 credits a year you will only pay 25 per cent of the standard fee (£1250) Study intensity1 Percentage of standard fee Cost per Time taken to year complete a 360-credit honours degree 120 credits 100% a year £5000 years full-time study 60 credits a year 50% £2500 years part-time study 30 credits a year 25% £1250 12 years part-time study Other study options are available – in most cases, the number of years you take to complete your qualification is flexible You don’t have to study the same number of credits each year Becoming an Open University Business School student Ways to pay Part-time Tuition Fee Loans You could be eligible to pay your tuition fees by taking out a fee loan which means you won’t have to pay your fees upfront To qualify you’ll need to study at a pace that’s equivalent to at least 25 per cent of a full-time student, for example an OU module worth 30 credits And you’ll need to be studying for an undergraduate qualification that’s higher than any you already have Key facts • Part-time Tuition Fee Loans are managed by Student Finance England You’ll apply for your fee loan directly from Student Finance England from July 2012 • Repayments are based on what you earn, not what you owe • You will not start to make repayments until you earn over £21,000 a year • Repayments will be deducted automatically by your employer through the UK tax system • You will start to repay your fee loan from the April four years after you start your qualification or the April after you leave the course, which ever comes first April 2016 is the earliest your payments will begin You can, however, pay off the fee loan early if you want to • If your income falls below £21,000, your repayments stop – for example if you take a career break or are unemployed – until you start earning £21,000 again Any outstanding balance is written off after 30 years • You repay nine per cent of your income above £21,000 The amount you repay depends on how much you earn, for example, if your income was £25,000, the nine per cent would only apply to £4000, meaning you would repay £30 a month • Interest (at a rate equal to the Retail Price Index (RPI) plus up to three per cent) is applied to your balance once the University confirms that you are participating on your qualification Example repayment amounts (for illustrative purposes only) Income each year before tax Amount of income from which 9% will be deducted Monthly repayment Up to £21,000 £0 £0 £22,000 £1000 £7 £25,000 £4000 £30 £30,000 £9000 £67 £35,000 £14,000 £105 £40,000 £19,000 £142 So, for example, if you plan to complete your OU honours degree in six years and have an income of £30,000 a year, you would begin repaying your fee loan from the April of your fourth year And because your repayments are based on what you earn and not what you owe, your monthly repayments would be £67 For more information about fee loans, call us on 0845 300 60 90 or contact Student Finance England directly on 0845 300 50 90 or click www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance 65 Pay upfront or by instalments If you don’t qualify for a student loan, or choose not to apply for one, you can pay your fees either upfront, by credit or debit card, or by monthly instalments through our Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA) For more information about paying by instalments, see page 68 Financial support The Access to Success Route If you have an annual household income of less than £25,000 and are new to higher education you may be eligible for a place on the Access to Success Route This financially supported entry route is designed to offer you the opportunity to develop your skills and confidence in preparation for further study towards an OU qualification Click www.open.ac.uk/study-access for more information If you live in Northern Ireland How much will it cost? The Northern Ireland Executive has announced there are no changes to the funding or support systems for higher education in Northern Ireland for 2012/2013 Therefore, fees for OU students in Northern Ireland will only change, as is normal, in line with inflation Study intensity1 Typical cost per year2 Time taken to complete a 360-credit honours degree 120 credits a year £1470–£2045 years full-time study 60 credits a year £735–£1080 years part-time study 30 credits a year £420–£540 12 years part-time study Other study options are available – in most cases, the number of years you take to complete your qualification is flexible You don’t have to study the same number of credits each year The fee ranges quoted represent the typical cost of study per year on our standard programmes Specialist programmes of study may have higher fees than the ranges quoted Ways to pay Pay upfront or by instalments You can pay your fees either upfront, by credit or debit card, or by monthly instalments through our Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA) For more information about paying by instalments, see page 68 Financial support Depending on your income and your course of study, you’ll be eligible to apply for: Fee grant and course grant – if you are on certain benefits or have a household income below £28,065 (plus allowances, where applicable) you can apply for some support towards your module fees and study costs Continued on page 66 Click www.open.ac.uk/study or call +44 (0)845 366 6035 66 Becoming an Open University Business School student Ways to pay Continued from page 65 Allowances are given for a partner and dependent children These are £2000 for a partner, £2000 for your first child and £1000 for each further child For example, if you have a partner and two children who are financially dependent on you, you could have a household income of up to £33,065 and be entitled to receive some financial support If you live with your parents, their income will not be included in any assessment of your household income You will need to be studying between 30 and 120 credits' worth of modules to qualify (usually with a minimum of 30 credits for any one module) Access to Learning Fund – students with a household income below £28,065 (plus allowances, where applicable) can apply for assistance from the Access to Learning Fund This fund is provided to assist students who are facing higher than expected costs as a result of their study It cannot be used to pay for tuition fees, but will support course-related costs such as travel, childcare and internet access Funding may be limited and is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis Keeping up to date To find the most up-to-date information on the financial support available to students in Northern Ireland visit our website at www.open.ac.uk/financialsupport, email us from our website at www.open.ac.uk/contact or call 0845 366 6035 If you live in Scotland How much will it cost? The Scottish Government has announced that there are no changes to the funding for students in Scotland Therefore, fees for OU students in Scotland will only change, as is normal, in line with inflation Study intensity1 Typical cost per year2 Time taken to complete a 360-credit honours degree 120 credits a year £1470–£2045 years full-time study 60 credits a year £735–£1080 years part-time study 30 credits a year £420–£540 12 years part-time study Other study options are available – in most cases, the number of years you take to complete your qualification is flexible You don’t have to study the same number of credits each year The fee ranges quoted represent the typical cost of study per year on our standard programmes Specialist programmes of study may have higher fees than the ranges quoted Pay upfront or by instalments You can pay your fees either upfront, by credit or debit card, or by monthly instalments through our Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA) For more information about paying by instalments, see page 68 Financial support Depending on your income and your course of study, you’ll be eligible to apply for: Part-time fee waiver – if you are studying an OU undergraduate qualification and are on certain benefits or have a household income of under £16,510 (or more if you have dependants) you could qualify for a module fee waiver, which will cover the total cost of your tuition fees for the module so you pay nothing Certain restrictions may apply Part-time fee grant – if your personal income is £22,000 or less a year, or you’re on certain benefits, you can claim up to £500 a year towards your module fees if you are studying at least 40 credits a year You will need to apply in time to complete your application by the final enrolment date of your module The threshold amounts and regulations for using a part-time fee grant may change For the most up-to-date information, click www.saas.gov.uk ILA Scotland learner accounts – ILA Scotland is a Scottish Government scheme for anyone aged 16 or over living in Scotland studying at undergraduate level If your personal income is £22,000 or less a year, or you’re on certain benefits, you can claim up to £200 a year towards a wide range of modules, where the amount of study is less than 40 credits You will need to apply in time to complete your application by the final enrolment date of your module The threshold amounts and regulations for using ILA Scotland learner accounts may change For the most up-to-date information, click www.ilascotland.org.uk Keeping up to date To find the most up-to-date information on the financial support available to students in Scotland – particularly any changes to income thresholds and deadlines – please see our website www.open.ac.uk/financialsupport Alternatively, contact The Open University in Scotland on 0131 226 3851, or email scotland@open.ac.uk Becoming an Open University Business School student If you live in Wales How much will it cost? The Welsh Government has announced that there are no changes to the funding or support systems for part-time students in Wales for 2012/2013 Therefore, fees for OU students in Wales will only change, as is normal, in line with inflation 67 Keeping up to date To find the most up-to-date information on the financial support available to students in Wales visit our website at www.open.ac.uk/financialsupport, email us from our website at www.open.ac.uk/contact or call 0845 366 6035 If you live outside the UK How much will it cost? Undergraduate fees for new students resident outside the UK and starting their studies after September 2012 will be the same as for new students in England: £5000 for 120 credits, £2500 (60 credits) and £1250 (30 credits) See page 64 Study intensity1 Typical cost per year2 Time taken to complete a 360-credit honours degree 120 credits a year £1470–£2045 years full-time study 60 credits a year £735–£1080 years part-time study Ways to pay 30 credits a year £420–£540 12 years part-time study You can pay your fees either upfront, by credit or debit card, or by monthly instalments through our Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA) For more information about paying by instalments, see page 68 Other study options are available – in most cases, the number of years you take to complete your qualification is flexible You don’t have to study the same number of credits each year The fee ranges quoted represent the typical cost of study per year on our standard programmes Specialist programmes of study may have higher fees than the ranges quoted Ways to pay Pay upfront or by instalments You can pay your fees either upfront, by credit or debit card, or by monthly instalments through our Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA) For more information about paying by instalments, see page 68 Financial support Depending on your income and your course of study, you’ll be eligible to apply for: Fee grant and course grant – if you are on certain benefits or have a household income below £28,180 (plus allowances, where applicable) you can apply for some support towards your module fees and study costs Allowances are given for a partner and dependent children These are £2000 for a partner, £2000 for your first child and £1000 for each further child For example, if you have a partner and two children who are financially dependent on you, you could have a household income of up to £33,180 and be entitled to receive some financial support If you live with your parents, their income will not be included in any assessment of your household income You will need to be studying between 30 and 120 credits' worth of modules to qualify (usually with a minimum of 30 credits for any one module) Financial Contingency Fund – students with a household income below £28,180 (plus allowances, where applicable) can apply for assistance from the Financial Contingency Fund This fund is provided to assist students who are facing higher than expected costs as a result of their study It cannot be used to pay for tuition fees, but will support course-related costs such as travel, childcare and internet access Funding may be limited and is allocated on a first‑come, first-served basis Fees and finance for students studying postgraduate qualifications How much will it cost? You pay for your postgraduate studies module by module, rather than for an entire programme upfront The module fee you pay is dependant on what you study and where you live To find the fee for your chosen module, see the module descriptions published on pages 43–51 Ways to pay You can pay in full when you register, by credit or debit card – in EU currencies, Swiss francs or US dollars It’s easiest to register online at www.open.ac.uk/study with a credit or debit card We can also offer flexible payment options, allowing you to spread the cost of your study with an Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA) For more information about paying by instalments, see page 68 Financial support If you are studying towards a taught masters or doctorate you won’t be eligible for financial support towards your module fees or towards most study costs If you are resident in Scotland, certain postgraduate modules may be eligible for help with fees For the most up-to-date information, click www.saas.gov.uk Other help If you are an OU graduate with an honours degree, support may be available from the Crowther Fund The Crowther Fund is intended to help OU graduates build upon their OU degrees, either by formal study or research or by generally broadening their experience through a period of voluntary work The fund doesn’t take account of financial circumstances The application closing date is 28 February each year For further information, please email ou-crowther-fund@open.ac.uk Click www.open.ac.uk/study or call +44 (0)845 366 6035 68 Becoming an Open University Business School student You may also need to budget for: travel to tutorials and residential schools – we can sometimes offer a choice of sites but you may need to travel some distance set texts – the main teaching texts are usually included in the fee Sometimes, those texts are supported by books that you have to buy yourself or borrow from a local library computer access – you need regular and reliable access to the internet and a computer equipment – for some study programmes you may need use of a television; DVD-video or audio-CD player; or a scientific calculator Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA) UK, European Economic Area and Switzerland students can defer or spread the cost of their tuition fees with a loan from Open University Student Budget Accounts Ltd (OUSBA) With OUSBA you can: Register now, pay later – OUSBA pays your full fee direct to us You repay OUSBA interest-free and in full just before your module starts Pay by instalments – OUSBA pays your full fee at registration and you repay the loan in monthly instalments Currently, interest is charged at 5.0 per cent (APR 5.1 per cent) Find out more at www.open.ac.uk/ousba or by calling 08457 697937 (UK only, local rate) or +44 (0)1908 655777 (outside the UK) OU gift vouchers OU vouchers make an inspiring present, ideal if you’re looking for an unusual gift for someone special Or ask family and friends to support your own study by buying vouchers for special occasions To buy or redeem vouchers, click www.openuniversity.co.uk/vouchers Sponsorship If you’re studying for vocational reasons your employer may be willing to pay part or all of your fees Call the Open University Business School Information Line on +44 (0)845 366 6035 for further information and advice If you have a disability or additional requirements When you register to study with us, we’ll ask you whether you have a disability, health condition, mental-health disability or specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) that might affect your studies or examinations If you do, we’ll direct you to more detailed information about the services we offer For information and advice about all services for students with disabilities, click www.open.ac.uk/disability Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) – UK students only Disabled Students’ Allowances help with study costs that result directly from your disability or specific learning difficulty Allowances are not means-tested and may go towards specialist equipment (such as an adapted computer), non-medical study support (for example, a sign-language interpreter; a note-taker or a dyslexia support worker) or other related expenses You can also apply for help with study-related travel costs that directly result from your disability Eligibility and allowances depend on where you live and what you’re studying In England, Wales or Northern Ireland you may be eligible for a DSA if you’re studying at least 30 credits towards an OU undergraduate or postgraduate qualification that lasts for more than one year In Scotland you must be studying at least 60 credits towards an OU undergraduate or postgraduate qualification that lasts for more than one year If you are eligible for a Disabled Students’ Allowance the University will only provide study support that cannot be provided by the allowance If you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland: call our DSA Office on 01908 654136 or email dsa-queries@open.ac.uk If you live in Scotland: call our Disability and Additional Requirements Team on 0131 226 3851 or email scotland@open.ac.uk Becoming an Open University Business School student 69 Residential schools Worldwide study Residence Undergraduate study All undergraduate qualifications featured in this prospectus are open to residents of the countries/territories listed below If you are interested in studying any of our undergraduate modules as standalone courses, please see www.open.ac.uk/worldwide for further information and availability Postgraduate study All postgraduate modules featured in this prospectus are open to residents of the countries/territories listed below Some postgraduate modules are also available for worldwide study Where this is the case, you will see this symbol alongside the postgraduate module descriptions in this prospectus Please see www.open.ac.uk/worldwide for further information Aland Islands1 Gibraltar Norway Andorra1 Greece Poland Austria Hungary Portugal Belgium Iceland Bulgaria Isle of Man Republic of Ireland Channel Islands Italy Romania Cyprus Latvia San Marino1 Czech Republic Liechtenstein Slovakia Denmark Lithuania Slovenia Estonia Luxembourg Spain Finland Malta Monaco Netherlands Not all modules have an examination For those that do, there is at least one established examination centre in each country listed on the left An additional fee will apply if you not take your examination in the centre allocated to you An additional fee will apply if you: • apply for an individual examination centre to be set up for you outside the UK in a country not listed on the left • apply for an individual examination centre to be set up for you in one of the European countries listed on the left • have paid UK fees but live in one of the countries listed on the left on a temporary basis and want to sit your exam outside the UK Switzerland Germany Examinations Sweden France For some study programmes, you may need to go to a residential school Some schools are outside the UK, but many are held on the UK mainland You’re responsible for making sure that you can get to them, including travel and visa costs and arrangements Please contact the Open University Business School Information Line for further information Vatican City State1 1 • are resident in the UK and wish to sit your examination at one of our established European examination centres The additional fee will be £210 for examinations held before 31 July 2012 From August 2012, this fee will be £216 For further information and advice, contact The Open University in Europe (see back cover) The Middle States Accreditation The Open University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA Examination centres not available in these locations For more information please contact your local country representative or coordinator See pages 70–71 In some countries, there may be both an Open University Business School Representative (specialising in Open University Business School programmes) and an OU Coordinator (able to advise on all OU courses) Tuition outside the UK Tutorial support will usually be provided by online forums or email There may be an opportunity for a face-to-face tutorial meeting depending on the number of students in your area, and you may also be able to organise your own informal student support group Once we know how many students are registered on your module we can confirm tutorial arrangements Click www.open.ac.uk/study or call +44 (0)845 366 6035 70 Becoming an Open University Business School student European contact points for advice and registration Austria Business School Representative Phone +43 533 2390 Email mba@openuniversity.at OU Coordinator Phone +43 533 2390 Email austria@open.ac.uk Belgium Business School Representative Phone +32 10 45 63 75 Email m.s.carolan@open.ac.uk Business School Representative (Bavaria and Baden Württemburg) Phone +49 89 89 70 90 48 Email t.sage@open.ac.uk OU Coordinator (central) Phone +49 221 1626 235 Email germany-central@open.ac.uk OU Coordinator (north) Phone +49 40 42883 2478 Email germany-north@open.ac.uk OU Coordinator (south) Phone +49 89 4583 5354 Email germany-south@open.ac.uk Gibraltar Business School Representative Phone +34 91 578 16 16 Email oubsgibraltar@open.ac.uk Greece OU Coordinator Phone +32 644 33 72 Email belgium@open.ac.uk OU Coordinator Phone +302 2970 26069 Email greece@open.ac.uk Czech Republic Hungary Business School Representative Phone +420 222 221 970 Email oubsczechrep@open.ac.uk Business School Representative Phone +43 533 2390 Email oubshungary@open.ac.uk Denmark Republic of Ireland Business School Representative Phone +49 172 216 4990 Email c.m.latham@open.ac.uk The Open University in Ireland Phone +44 28 9032 3722 Email ireland@open.ac.uk France OU Coordinator (Dublin) Phone (01)6785399 Email ireland@open.ac.uk Business School Representative Phone +33 41 74 81 30 Email b.a.wilson@open.ac.uk Italy OU Coordinator Phone +33 32 56 65 07 Email france@open.ac.uk Business School Representative Phone +39 049 933 88 49 Email t.a.odonnell@open.ac.uk Germany OU Coordinator Phone +39 02 813 8048 Email italy@open.ac.uk Business School Representative (Brandenburg, Vorpommern, Sachsen, Sachsen Anhalt, Thueringen, Nordrhein-Westfalen) Phone +49 211 913 7480 Email c.m.latham@open.ac.uk Business School Representative (Berlin, Hamburg, Niedersachsen, Bremen, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg) Phone +49 40 86 64 74 51 Email p.mendes@open.ac.uk Business School Representative (Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland) Phone +49 170 184 9553 Email c.courtney@open.ac.uk Latvia Business School Representative Phone +371 295 172 56 Email bou@delfi.lv Lithuania Business School Representative Phone +3705 213 33 24 Email admin@oubs.lt Luxembourg Business School Representative Phone +352 621 378 826 Email l.kennedy@open.ac.uk OU Coordinator Phone +352 444 091 801 Email luxembourg@open.ac.uk The Netherlands Business School Representative Phone +31 20 4121962 Email r.ensor@open.ac.uk OU Coordinator Phone +31 70 360 7443 Email netherlands@open.ac.uk Romania Business School Representative Phone +4021 252 5182/3/4 Email office@codecs.ro Slovak Republic Business School Representative Phone +421 69 2002 170 Email oubsslovakrep@open.ac.uk Slovenia Business School Representative Phone +386 2313 556 Email oubsslovenia@open.ac.uk Spain Business School Representative Phone +34 91 578 16 16 Email oubsspain@open.ac.uk OU Coordinator Phone +34 91 577 7701 Email spain@open.ac.uk Switzerland Business School Representative Phone +41 62 892 1700 Email c.foley@open.ac.uk OU Coordinator Phone +41 22 361 5774 Email switzerland@open.ac.uk Becoming an Open University Business School student For other European countries not listed Please contact: The Open University in Europe 71 Hong Kong www.ouhk.edu.hk The Open University of Hong Kong, 30 Good Shepherd Street, Ho Man Tin, Kowloon, Hong Kong Phone +852 271 12100 Email infoctr@ic.ouhk.edu.hk Phone +44 191 477 6100 Email europe@open.ac.uk OU Hong Kong is a university-wide partnership of which The Open University Business School is a contributor Modules from the OU’s MBA qualification form part of the partner’s masters provision British Forces outside the UK Japan Baltic Business Quarter, Abbots Hill, Gateshead, NE8 3DF, United Kingdom If you’re planning to study the Professional Certificate in Management or MBA, please contact The Open University in Europe Rest of the world In many other parts of Europe and the rest of the world, The Open University Business School offers courses in collaboration with partner institutions If a country has a partner institution, e.g Russia, contact the partner direct For enquiries from countries not listed on these pages, contact the Open University Business School Information Line on +44 845 366 6035 The Open University Business School international partner organisations Bulgaria www.um.nbu.bg New Bulgarian University, School of Management, 52A G.M.Dimitrov Blvd, Sofa 1125, Bulgaria Phone +359 873 5027 Email um@nbu.bg The Professional Manager and Corporate Management programmes are based on The Open University’s Professional Certificate and Diploma in Management, which the School of Management at NBU has developed and translated into Bulgarian for delivery by local NBU tutors Ethiopia www.britishcouncil.org/ethiopia www.openuniversity.jp NetLearning Inc Shinjuku-Kifu Building 3F, 2–4 Nishi Shinjuku, Chome, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan Phone +81 (0)3 5338 7411 NetLearning Inc and The Open University Business School work in partnership to promote the OU MBA in Japan NetLearning act as a local representative, marketing and recruiting to the programme and managing local logistics Students are directly registered with the OU, with the University retaining all responsibility for quality and for the provision and delivery of all content, including tuition Middle East www.arabou.org Arab Open University (HQ), PO Box 3322 Al-Safat, 13033, Kuwait Phone +965 25329013/8 The Arab Open University is an accredited Partner Institution of The Open University, delivering validated Open University qualifications across seven countries in the Middle East Two of the validated qualifications offered are The Open University Business School BA (Hons) Business Studies and Masters in Business Administration Romania www.codecs.ro CODECS, 37-39 Agricultori Street, Sector 2, Bucharest, Romania Phone +4021 252 5182/3/4 Email office@codecs.ro CODECS is The Open University Business School’s partner in Romania The Professional Certificate and Diploma in Management are offered in Romanian translation, taught by local Romanian tutors CODECS also recruit students for the MBA offered in English Tutorials are held in Bucharest by local CODECS tutors and The Open University Business School tutors The British Council Addis Ababa, PO Box 1043, Comoros Street, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Phone +251 11 662 0388 Email information@et.britishcouncil.org The Open University Business School collaborates with the Ethiopian Ministry of Education to provide the MBA programme in Addis Ababa Tutorials and residential schools are held in Ethiopia by Open University Business School tutors Click www.open.ac.uk/study or call +44 (0)845 366 6035 72 Becoming an Open University Business School student Russia www.link.msk.ru The International Institute of Management LINK, 8/1 Moskovskaya Street, Zhukovsky 140181, Moscow Region, Russian Federation, Russia Phone +7 495 781 2631 Email link@link.msk.ru Our partner in Russia is IIM LINK The BA (Hons) Business Studies, Professional Certificate and Diploma in Management are offered in Russian translation and taught by local Russian tutors The courses are offered in approximately 90 study centres across ten time zones in Russia and former SU states IIM LINK also recruits students for the OU MBA offered in English Tutorials are held in Moscow and St Petersburg by Open University Business School tutors South Africa www.edegree.co.za eDegree, Atlas Studios, 33 Frost Avenue, Cnr Owl Street, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg, South Africa Phone +27 11 628-8100 Email ou@edegree.co.za eDegree offer the Certificate and Diploma in Business Studies and BA (Hons) Business Studies in Uganda, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe, using a blended tuition model (online plus face-to-face support), and in South Africa using an online only tuition model What else you should know Equality and diversity We are committed to fulfilling our vision of a fair and just society We are creating an inclusive university community and a society where people are treated with dignity and respect, where inequalities are challenged and where we anticipate and respond positively to different needs and circumstances so that everyone is able to achieve their potential Open University Students’ Association (OUSA) You automatically become a member unless you choose to opt out – for more information, click www.ousa.org.uk Students under the age of 16 Very exceptionally, the University will consider applications from particularly gifted students who are under the age of 16 Applicants will be invited for an informal interview with their parent/guardian either at their nearest regional or national centre or by telephone Acceptance will be at the discretion of the University Our statements of service We are committed to working together as a community of learners and to developing our students through high quality teaching, learning and services Our Essential documents website www.open.ac.uk/our-student-policies provides more detailed information about what you can expect from us and what we expect from you Data protection We record your personal information when you contact us and use this to manage registration, study, examination and other services When you register, we’ll tell you more about how we process and use your personal information Recording phone calls We may record our phone calls with you to make sure that we’ve carried out your instructions correctly and to help us improve our services through staff training Freedom of information Information about the University can be found in our publication scheme, click www.open.ac.uk/foi You have a general right to information we hold that is not in our publication scheme Events near you Come and meet us at one of our events in the UK and Europe Our events give you an opportunity to meet with OU staff and discuss what it’s like to study with us, and to find out what qualifications we have to suit your needs For details of events near you, click www.open.ac.uk/events Ordering other prospectuses 73 Ordering other prospectuses This prospectus is one of a series of publications If you would like to find out more about our other study opportunities, and you’re living in the UK or any of the countries listed on page 69, please order one of the prospectuses listed below: Undergraduate Prospectus Subject-specific prospectuses An introduction to studying with The Open University Arts and Humanities Prospectus This prospectus is a brief overview of the subjects we offer, providing answers to your questions about studying with the OU, and explaining how you can work towards a qualification However, if you already know which subjects interest you, choose from our range of subject-specific prospectuses instead Childhood and Youth Prospectus Computing and IT Prospectus Education Prospectus Engineering, Technology and Design Prospectus Environment, Development and International Studies Prospectus Health and Social Care Prospectus Undergraduate Modules Prospectus Modules for study as standalone courses Discover our wide range of modules that can be studied on a standalone basis Fascinating to study in their own right, most modules are also part of one or more of our qualifications, so if you decide to register for an OU qualification in the future, the modules you’ve studied could count towards a certificate, diploma or degree Languages Prospectus Law Prospectus Mathematics and Statistics Prospectus Psychology and Counselling Prospectus Science Prospectus Social Sciences Prospectus Initial teacher education Access to Success Route (England) Professional Graduate Certificate in Education Prospectus A financially supported entry route to a qualification Access to Success is a low cost entry route to higher education and is an ideal starting point if you are on a low income and need to build your confidence in preparation for further study towards an OU qualification You must be resident in England to be eligible for a place Postgraduate Prospectus To find out more about our postgraduate qualifications in your choice of subject, choose from our range of subject-specific prospectuses listed above Alternatively, log on to our postgraduate prospectus online at www.open.ac.uk/postgraduate To download or order a printed prospectus … www.open.ac.uk/prospectus Research Degrees Prospectus +44 (0)845 300 60 90 Our Research Degrees Prospectus (PhDs, etc.) is wholly online at www.open.ac.uk/research-prospectus Click www.open.ac.uk/study or call +44 (0)845 366 6035 Contact points for advice and registration Please visit our website: www.open.ac.uk/study or, for students resident in the UK and Ireland, please call The Open University Business School Information Line: For Welsh speakers If you would prefer to discuss your study needs in Welsh, please contact: The Open University in Wales, 18 Custom House Street, Cardiff, CF10 1AP +44 (0)845 366 6035 Call 029 Our lines are open (UK time): Email wales@open.ac.uk Monday to Friday 08:00 to 20:00 Saturday 09:00 to 17:00 I siaradwyr Cymraeg Calls to this line are charged at the UK local rate when calling from a UK landline From the rest of Europe please contact your local Open University Business School Representative/ OU Coordinator (see pages 70 –71) or The Open University in Europe on +44 191 477 6100 Students resident outside Europe should contact their Open University Business School international partner organisation (see pages 71–72) or call +44 845 366 6035 Calls may be recorded for training and security purposes 2047 1170 Os ydych yn siarad Cymraeg a byddai’n well gennych drafod eich anghenion astudio drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg, cysylltwch â’n canolfan yng Nghaerdydd: Y Brifysgol Agored yng Nghymru, 18 Heol y Tollty, Caerdydd, CF10 1AP Ffôniwch 029 2047 1170 Ebost wales@open.ac.uk You can visit our website www.open.ac.uk/study by using your smartphone to scan this code The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England and Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302) While we have done everything possible to make sure the information in this publication is accurate, it may change due to regulations or policy, or because of financial or other reasons Designed by We Are 20:20 Printed by Belmont Press, Northampton Copyright © 2012 The Open University  SUP 029601 The Open University Business School Prospectus 2012/2013 Student Registration & Enquiry Service The Open University Business School Information Team PO Box 197 Milton Keynes MK7 6BJ United Kingdom ... www .open. ac.uk /study or call +44 (0)845 366 6035 Why choose The Open University Business School? Why choose The Open University Business School? The inspiring thing about studying with The Open University. .. satisfaction every year since the National Student Survey began in 2005 FACT: The Open University School of Law The Open University Business School is also home to The Open University School of Law, offering... Africa and Asia Open University Worldwide (OU Worldwide) and The Open University Business School work in partnership with institutions to offer business school courses internationally, including: the