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Accessibility statement

This Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course comprises eight units:

Unit 1: Digital communications, marketing and the individual

The opening theme is communications tools changing over time. We'll consider the five phases of digital communication and how they affect consumers before switching to how you might make the most of digital communications from the perspective of an individual in the world of work. This unit raises complexities and challenges of surviving and thriving in a digital society and explore associated trends affecting people.

Unit 2: Brand communication through individuals

We'll now look at digital communications from the organisational perspective, from carefully planned marketing online to having to react to two-way digital communications. We’ll also look at the implications for organisations having a face to represent their brand and the rise of professional digital communicators as influencers in our hyperconnected world.

Unit 3: Professional communicators

In this first of two units on activities undertaken by professional communicators, we will focus on several jobs as case studies to demonstrate challenges and changes in a digital world, including the work of professional negotiators and how this has changed.

Unit 4: Communicating through counselling

We will continue to highlight the work of professional communicators, looking at the work of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and hear from a counsellor about how digitisation has offered challenges and opportunities in her role. We’ll also use video to understand how counselling can be undertaken online so you can explore the complexities of project communication interactions between the virtual world and the material one of people and places.

Unit 5: Strategic communications

We will look at strategic-level communications in a digital world, using a model to help us organise our ideas. The five tenets of strategic communication will help us explore message design, platform, timing, audience issues and planning and measuring impact. We'll look at how these factors interact with organisational stakeholders to help you analyse how to get the best from communications planning and organisation.

Unit 6: Making communications work

We will consider how the theories of communication might work in practice, using a series of mini case studies and video examples to unpack supply chain, customer, employee, and external relations in turn. They will help you understand the benefits of holistic approaches to communication for organisations.

Unit 7: Public sphere of digital communications

This unit considers communication in the public sphere and how technologies are blurring traditional boundaries and what we know – or think we know – about communication activities in public life.

Unit 8: Bringing communication together

We turn to the practical part of the theories we have studied in unit 7 and use case studies to explore how online interactions were seen as a game changer in the election of Donald Trump in the US in 2016.

By studying this CPD course, you'll have the ability to:

Expert, confidential learner support is available when you need it from a learning adviser, who will respond to you directly. Other support is available via the course forum, dedicated website and computing helpdesk.

There is a practice-based assignment (PBA) which you complete at the end of the course to demonstrate how you have applied, or are intending to apply, the theories and models you have learnt. Once completed and successfully passed you will receive a digital badge and a course completion certificate which you can download as a record of your learning.

The course will require around 20 hours to complete.

You can begin at any time during the life of the course and study at your own pace. The course will be open to you for a time period of between 6 and 18 months, depending on your course registration date, and you will be advised of the specific time limitations upon enrolment.

All learning materials, exercises, study support and practice-based assignment are delivered entirely online.

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

There are no formal academic requirements.

If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact us.

The course is delivered online and makes use of a variety of online resources. If you use specialist hardware or software to assist you in using a computer or the internet you are advised to contact us about support which can be given to meet your needs.

The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying BGXC006 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.

Start	England fee
At anytime before 31/07/2026	£250

We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron.

If this course is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could ask your employer to sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees. Your sponsor just needs to complete a simple form to confirm how much they will be paying and we will invoice them.

The fee information provided here is valid for short courses starting in the 2025/26 academic year. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our

Fee Rules

You can start this course anytime.