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Course type
Diploma  

Diploma

  • Widely recognised qualification.
  • Equivalent to the first two thirds of an honours degree.
  • Enhance your professional and technical skills or extend your knowledge and understanding of a subject.
  • Study for interest or career development.
  • Top up to a full honours degree in just two years.
Credits
240  

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long it takes
Part-time study – 4 years
Full-time study – 2 years
Time limit – 12 years
Study method
Distance learning
Entry requirements
Find out more about
Entry requirements
Ask a question

Diploma of Higher Education in Business and Law

Course code: W99

Whether you're starting out or building on experience, this dynamic diploma offers a solid foundation in business and law. You’ll explore how organisations function, study marketing and strategy, and develop your understanding of civil justice, contract, and employment law. Along the way, you’ll strengthen your critical thinking and problem-solving skills while learning how business and legal systems interact. Through case studies and real-world examples, you’ll gain the tools to navigate complex challenges with confidence. Whether you’re aiming for a new career, further study, or professional development, this diploma prepares you to succeed in today’s fast-evolving business and legal landscapes.

  • Explore how legal principles and business strategies apply to real-world challenges
  • Develop critical thinking and problem-solving through applied legal and business learning
  • Understand how businesses operate within legal and regulatory frameworks
  • Gain skills for further study or career progression in business, law, or regulation
Course type
Diploma  

Diploma

  • Widely recognised qualification.
  • Equivalent to the first two thirds of an honours degree.
  • Enhance your professional and technical skills or extend your knowledge and understanding of a subject.
  • Study for interest or career development.
  • Top up to a full honours degree in just two years.
Credits
240  

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long it takes
Part-time study – 4 years
Full-time study – 2 years
Time limit – 12 years
Study method
Distance learning
Entry requirements

Find out more about Entry requirements

Ask a question

This diploma has two stages, each comprising 120 credits.

  • You’ll start Stage 1 with an introduction to business and management and a grounding in civil justice and tort law.
  • Next, in Stage 2, you’ll study the essential functions of an organisation and the laws that control businesses.

Prepare for OU study with an Access module

We offer two starting points depending on how confident you are or how long it’s been since you last studied. Choose to dive straight in at Stage 1, or if you’d prefer some extra preparation, you can get started with an optional Access module. See Entry requirements for more details.

In Stage 1, you’ll explore key areas of business and management, beginning with the question, ‘What is a business?’ You’ll then be introduced to civil law, gaining an understanding of the justice system and key areas of tort law, including negligence, nuisance, and defamation.

Stage 1 modules
ModulesCredits
You'll study the following:
An introduction to business and management (B100)60
Civil justice and tort law (W112)60

Stage 2 begins with an exploration of an organisation’s core functions and how they work together to support effective management. You’ll then study contract law – how contracts are formed, what terms mean, and how agreements can end. Finally, you’ll examine broader legal rules that affect business operations, including those regulating employment relationships. 

Stage 2 modules
ModulesCredits
You'll study the following:
Shaping business opportunities (B207)60
Contract law (W212)30
Business and employment law (W240)30

We regularly review our curriculum; therefore, the qualification described on this page – including its availability, its structure, and available modules – may change over time. If we make changes to this qualification, we’ll update this page as soon as possible. Once you’ve registered or are studying this qualification, where practicable, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes. If you’d like to know more about the circumstances in which the University might make changes to the curriculum, see our Academic Regulations or contact us. This description was last updated on 6 May 2025.

Accessibility

Our qualifications are as accessible as possible, and we have a comprehensive range of support services. Our Diploma of Higher Education in Business and Law uses a variety of study materials and includes the following elements:

  • Online study – most modules are online; some have a mix of printed and online material. Online learning resources could include websites, audio/video, and interactive activities
  • Pre-determined schedules – we’ll help you to develop your time-management skills
  • Assessment in the form of short-answer questions, essays, and examinations
  • Feedback – continuous assessment includes feedback from your tutor, and using this to improve your performance
  • Using and producing diagrams and screenshots
  • Finding external/third-party material online
  • Accessing online catalogues and databases
  • Online tutorials
  • Group-work

Every module has its own Accessibility Statement with more detailed accessibility information – you’ll find these on individual module descriptions.
Visit our Disability support page to learn about our services.

Learning outcomes, teaching and assessment

This qualification develops your learning in four main areas:

  • Knowledge and understanding
  • Cognitive skills
  • Practical and professional skills
  • Key skills
Read the detailed learning outcomes here

Credit transfer

If you’ve already completed some university-level study somewhere else, you may be able to count it towards this qualification – which could save you time and money by reducing the number of modules you need to study. At the OU we call this credit transfer.

It’s not just university study that can be considered, you can also transfer study from a wide range of professional or vocational qualifications such as HNCs and HNDs.

You should apply for credit transfer before you register, at least 4 weeks before the registration closing date. For more details and to download an application form, visit our Credit Transfer website.

On completion

On successfully completing this course, we’ll award you our Diploma of Higher Education in Business and Law.

You’ll have the opportunity to attend a degree ceremony.

International recognition

If you intend to use your Open University qualifications to seek work or undertake further study outside the UK, we recommend checking whether your intended qualification will meet local requirements for your chosen career. Find out more about international recognition of Open University qualifications.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website. 

There are no formal entry requirements for this qualification.

At The Open University we believe education should be open to all, so we provide a high-quality university education to anyone who wishes to realise their ambitions and fulfil their potential.

Even though there are no entry requirements, there are some skills that you’ll need to succeed. If you’re not quite ready for OU study we can guide you to resources that prepare you, many of which are free.

Answer a few quick questions to check whether you’re ready for study success

How much time do I need?

  • Most of our students study part time, completing 60 credits a year.
  • This will usually mean studying for 16–18 hours a week.

Find out if you have enough time to study with our time planner

Preparing for study with an Access module

Students who start their study with an Access module are more likely to be successful when they advance to Stage 1 of their qualification. They’re specially designed to give you a gentle introduction to OU study, boost confidence in your study skills, and help you gain a broad overview of your chosen subject area.

You’ll also benefit from:

  • feedback from your tutor through regular one-to-one phone tutorials
  • support from a dedicated team throughout your study
  • detailed written feedback on your work.

The Access module we’d recommend studying in preparation for this qualification is our:

Business and law Access module

What you will study

This multidisciplinary module provides an excellent introduction to studying with The Open University as you'll use printed and online materials to cover a wide range of topics in law and business.

View full details of Business and law Access module

How much will it cost in England?

We believe cost shouldn’t be a barrier to achieving your potential. That’s why we work hard to keep the cost of study as low as possible and have a wide range of flexible ways to pay to help spread the cost.

  • A qualification comprises a series of modules, each with an individual fee. Added together, they give you the total cost.
  • Fees are paid on a module-by-module basis – you won't have to pay for the whole of your qualification up front.
  • Our current fee for 60 credits is £3,892*.
  • Our current fee for 120 credits, which is equivalent to a year’s full-time study, is £7,784*.
  • At current prices, the total cost of your qualification would be £15,568*.

*The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2026. Fees typically increase annually. In England, fees are subject to the part-time fee limit, as set out in section 5 of the University's Fee Rules.

Additional costs

Study costs

There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.

If your income is not more than £25,000 or you receive a qualifying benefit, you might be eligible for help with some of these costs after you start studying.


How will I study this course?

With our unique approach to distance learning, you can study from home, work or on the move.

You’ll have some assessment deadlines to meet, but otherwise, you’ll be free to study at the times that suit you, fitting your learning around work, family, and social life.

For each of your modules, you’ll use either just online resources or a mix of online and printed materials.

Each module you study will have a module website with

  • a week-by-week study planner, giving you a step-by-step guide through your studies
  • course materials such as reading, videos, recordings, and self-assessed activities
  • module forums for discussions and collaborative activities with other students
  • details of each assignment and their due dates
  • a tutorial booking system, online tutorial rooms, and your tutor’s contact details
  • online versions of some printed module materials and resources.

If you have additional needs, we can also provide most module materials in alternative formats. Find out more about materials on our accessibility webpage.

See how our module websites work.

Tutor support

Student, Joe, talks about balancing working at the NHS and studying with the OU and how he has the best of both worlds.

You’ll have a tutor for each module, who will introduce themselves before the module begins.

Throughout the module, they will:

  • mark your assignments and give feedback to help you improve
  • guide you to learning resources
  • support you, whether with general study skills or help with a specific topic.

Tutorials

Tutorials usually take place online, and they’re always optional.

Online tutorials are live presentations with module tutors in dedicated online tutorial rooms and are sometimes recorded.

Assessment

Our assessments are all designed to reinforce your learning and help you show your understanding of the topics. The mix of assessment methods will vary between modules.

Computer-Marked Assignments

  • Usually, a series of online, multiple-choice questions.

Tutor-Marked Assignments

  • You’ll have a number of these throughout each module, each with a submission deadline.
  • They can be made up of essays, questions, experiments or something else to test your understanding of what you have learned.
  • Your tutor will mark and return them to you with detailed feedback.

End-of-Module Assessments

  • The final, marked piece of work on most modules.
  • Modules with an end-of-module assessment won’t usually have an exam.

Exams

  • Some modules end with an exam. You’ll be given time to revise and prepare.
  • You’ll be given your exam date at least 5 months in advance.
  • Most exams take place remotely, and you will complete them at home or at an alternative location.
  • If a module has an in-person exam (that you must take at one of our exam centres) or is invigilated online, we’ll make this clear in the module description.

Progressing to a point where I felt more comfortable writing my assignments, and having my scores reflecting that, made me quite happy because it showed the hard work was being rewarded.

Patrick ‘Ricky’ Skene, BSc (Hons) Sport, Fitness and Coaching

Other support and resources

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to our subject-specific Student Support Teams.

They’ll help you with any general questions about your study and updates to your OU account.

To help with your studies, you’ll also have access to:

  • our online library, with high-quality online resources to support your study
  • other university libraries in the UK and Ireland
  • the online Help Centre, which has general information about OU study and support, along with study skills advice
  • free Microsoft Office 365 software
  • IT and computing support from our Computing Helpdesk.

Find out more about student support and being a part of the OU community.

Having a course that was really varied and studying in a style that worked for Nick, was key to him launching his own business and becoming an entrepreneur.

Skills for career development

This diploma helps you develop the core skills needed to succeed in business or legal environments. You’ll strengthen your critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills while learning to apply business and legal concepts to real-world situations. You’ll also gain confidence in understanding contracts, employment rights, business operations, and how law affects decision-making.

By combining practical learning with theory, this diploma builds your ability to manage challenges, work effectively with others, and make informed decisions. It provides a strong platform for further study or entry into a wide range of roles across business, legal support, or the public sector.

Career relevance

The skills and knowledge gained from this diploma can open doors to various career paths. A qualification in business and law can equip you well for roles in:

  • middle and senior management across sectors
  • regulation, governance and compliance
  • contract management
  • legal services
  • advertising and marketing
  • accountancy
  • human resources
  • policy advice and development
  • sales and retail
  • management consultancy

Accreditation

The Open University Business School is also one of the few institutions worldwide that is triple-accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA), the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). These are internationally recognised quality standards which independently validate the quality of the School’s teaching, research and operations. The School undergoes regular reviews to ensure that standards are maintained and has successfully retained its triple accredited status since 2004. This qualification is accredited through inclusion in these reviews.

Other careers

Employers highly value individuals with business and law qualifications for their commercial and legal awareness. Many roles, particularly in business, management consultancy, and the public sector, are open to applicants from any discipline, offering a wide range of career possibilities. 

Exploring your options

Once you register with us (and for up to three years after you finish your studies), you’ll have full access to our careers service for a wide range of information and advice. This includes online forums, website, interview simulation, vacancy service as well as the option to email or speak to a careers adviser. Some areas of the careers service website are available for you to see now, including help with looking for and applying for jobs. You can also read more general information about how OU study enhances your career.

In the meantime if you want to do some research around this qualification and where it might take you, we’ve put together a list of relevant job titles as a starting point. Some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your diploma.

  • accountant
  • advertising account manager
  • business development officer
  • civil servant
  • compliance officer
  • contracts manager
  • corporate governance officer
  • human resources manager
  • management consultant
  • paralegal
  • policy advisor
  • regulatory affairs specialist
  • risk analyst

Register for this course

Start dates
Credit transfer: apply by 14/08/2025
Credit transfer: apply by 04/12/2025

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