Business and Management

The skills of business and management graduates are in demand and in the latest UK Destinations of Leavers Survey 93% of OU Business Studies graduates were in employment or combining work and study within six months of graduation.

Skills you can develop

As well as the specific subject knowledge gained from studying an OU degree, you'll develop many transferable and work-related skills that are highly valued by employers and which will increase your employability.

The OU Careers Advisory Service defines student employability as: ‘A set of capabilities and achievements that support students in developing their careers, raising their aspirations and enhancing their contribution to society’.

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. You can view the full Student Employability Policy Statement on our website.

For Business and Management graduates the employability skills you will develop 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 on responsibility for your own development.

The specific learning outcomes that relate to degrees in this area can be seen at

• Business studies
• Leadership and management

To check which work-related skills can be developed from studying a particular subject, look at the Student Employability Profiles (PDF 3MB) on the Higher Education Academy website. Although these are designed for higher education practitioners, the subject profiles can help you identify the transferable skills you will gain from studying this subject area.

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Career opportunities

In the UK over 60% of graduates enter employment where a degree in any subject would be acceptable. In this instance what they offer the employer is evidence of the range of competencies which have been developed through their academic study, rather than the specific subject content of their degree. This page will focus on careers directly related to business and management, however, if you want to explore all of the choices open to you, also refer to the 'Further Resources' section.

Given the current economic climate and the increased competition for graduate positions, it is important to consider a range of occupational areas. Bear in mind that many careers require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree.

We advise you to thoroughly research your career choices as early as possible, particularly in relation to experience required, any differences that relate to where you live, or where choice of courses may affect future opportunities.

Career opportunities in business and management are wide ranging and precise entry points depend on the qualification you have gained, and your experience and skills. 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.

Remember also that opportunities in careers related to business and management may not necessarily be via a graduate management scheme, but may be more appropriate to those who already have significant relevant experience and skills.

Use the Prospects website to explore career options related to this subject. Click on your subject to see examples of job roles and get information for further research.

If you live in Ireland look at the relevant information on career sectors and jobs with your degree on the Gradireland website.

To find out about ways of gaining experience through volunteering, see our voluntary work pages. You can also make use of the searchable databases on the following web sites:

• Do it!
• Volunteer Scotland
• Volunteer Ireland
• Volunteering Wales

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Your employers

Rigorous academic standards ensure that OU qualifications are recognised and valued by professional organisations and employers

As an OU student, you can access the Employer Showcase to find out about some of the employers who are keen to recruit OU graduates, including:

Employers featured on the Employer Showcase that are particularly relevant to Business and Management students include

• Bank of America
• Co-operative Group
• Enterprise
• KPMG
• Logica
• Royal Bank of Scotland Group
• Royal Mail Group
• Steer Davies Gleave
• Tesco
• Unilever

If you are a student you might want to see further advice from major employers on applications, the skills they require and the value of OU study. Go to our What employers say pages.

As an OU student you can also register for our online vacancy service and receive email notification about job opportunities.

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Further resources

Use the other sections of this web site to

• plan your career
• explore your career options 
• identify your achievements, skills and strengths
• get advice on job seeking 

Don’t forget to check the careers home page regularly for news of events, forums, careers fairs and short courses. If you are an OU student you can participate in and read entries on our online forums.

If you are a current student (or finished your studies within the last three years) you are entitled to a careers consultation with a careers adviser in your region or nation. This is designed to help you through the planning process and identify an action plan for your future. (Non-OU students should go to the Contact page of this website for other sources of careers advice.)

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