Number of courses: 9
Duration: 54 weeks

Boost your employability, with the prospect of earning credit at Level 1 of The Open University’s Business Management BA degree

The Business and Finance Fundamentals program will help you develop valuable skills for today’s business environment.

From communicating with customers to managing projects with success, creating financial plans as well as weighing up investment options, you’ll gain an awareness of a wide range of business as well as finance areas, which will boost your effectiveness at work today as well as your long-term employability tomorrow.

Accessible for free on desktop, tablet as well as mobile and delivered in bite-sized chunks, the eight courses in this program provide a flexible way to support as well as demonstrate your continuing professional development (CPD).

For further information about registration, the final assessment course, your eligibility as well as the BA in Business Management, visit the Open University website.

Academic credit

If you are aiming to use your study of courses in the Business and Finance Fundamentals program to obtain academic credit, please be aware that the final planned presentation of the Open University Assessment Course BXM191 Business and Finance Fundamentals in Practice starts October 2020. Please ensure that you allow yourself enough time to obtain all eight Certificates of Achievement from courses in the program before registering for the Assessment Course. 

Holders of FutureLearn Certificates of Achievement for all eight courses can earn 30 UK credits towards The Open University Business School’s BA in Business Management by passing a linked Open University assessment course (requiring separate OU registration and fee).

What skills will I learn?

When you successfully complete the program, you will be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge as well as the understanding of the fundamentals of business as well as finance;
Analyse problems in business and finance as well as recommend plausible solutions;
Communicate as well as use information in a way appropriate to your subject, Purpose as well as audience;
Use digital tools as well as numerical skills for learning and working;
Articulate and engage with relevant professional as well as ethical issues in business and finance.

Courses on this program

8 courses + 1 assessment

Business Fundamentals: Effective Networking

Learn how to build as well as sustain your network to enhance your professional relationships as well as open up career opportunities.

Duration: 4 weeks
Study: 3 hrs per week

Business Fundamentals: Customer Engagement

Learn how to design business as well as marketing activities to engage customers through relationships instead of one-off sales.

Duration: 4 weeks
Study time: 3 hrs per week

Business Fundamentals: Effective Communication

Gain a practical grounding in communication to boost your personal effectiveness, save you time as well as reduce your stress levels.

Duration: 4 weeks
Study time: 3 hrs per week

Business Fundamentals: Project Management

Gain the basic skills to manage all phases of project lifecycles effectively, using the most appropriate methods as well as tools.

Duration: 4 weeks
Study time: 3 hrs per week

Finance Fundamentals: Financial Planning and Budgeting

With household budgets feeling the pinch this course shows how to bring order to your finances as well as make good financial decisions.

Duration: 4 weeks
Study time:  3 hrs per week

Finance Fundamentals: Investment Theory as well as Practice

Look at the investment choices open to you, as well as the risks and returns of each. Start managing your financial future effectively

Duration: 4 weeks
Study time: 3 hrs per week

Finance Fundamentals: Managing the Household Balance Sheet

Explore household assets (investments, property and pensions) as well as liabilities (debts). Find out how to manage each effectively.

Duration: 4 weeks
Study time: 3 hrs per week

Finance Fundamentals: Financial Services after the Banking Crisis

Explore the UK financial services landscape, how financial firms and products are regulated, as well as how consumers are protected.

Duration: 4 weeks
Study time: 3 hrs per week

Accredited by EOCCS

This program is accredited by EOCCS, the first international quality benchmark for online courses in business and management education.

Who developed the course?

The Business and Finance Fundamentals program has been developed by The Open University Business School – a pioneering institution triple-accredited by AMBA, EQUIS and AACSB.