Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration | Open University

England

Please tell us where you live so that we can provide you with the most relevant information as you use this website.

If you are at a BFPO address please choose the country or region in which you would ordinarily be resident.

Accessibility statement

An image to illustrate the Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration

This qualification will enable you to make a real difference within your management practice through active use of frameworks, theories and tools. It will help you to develop a good grounding in the theory and practice of managing and leading, covering the core functions and disciplines of management and helping you make the connections between them. It also provides a framework for a year-long process of professional development. You'll be challenged to actively engage with a wide variety of ideas and develop a repertoire of techniques and approaches best suited to your own situation and management context.

You'll be learning from experts at a top triple-accredited business school:

This certificate is the first stage of our triple-accredited MBA qualification.

To gain this qualification, you need 60 credits. You'll study two compulsory 30-credit business management modules.

Modules	Credits	Next start
You'll study the following:
Managing in a changing world (B870) This module challenges existing assumptions about managing and will develop your theoretical and practical knowledge of how to manage in a modern dynamic environment. Next start date: 02 May 2026 See full description	30	02 May 2026
Creating and sustaining value (B872) This module allows you to critically explore the ways organisations create, sustain and expand value in an increasingly complex and dynamic business environment. Next start date: 02 May 2026 See full description	30	02 May 2026

This version of the Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration will no longer be available to new students after 15 October 2026. You must complete your study by 31 December 2027. If you would like to discuss your options with one of our advisers, please contact us.

By studying the Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration, you’ll:

You’ll learn through tutor-supported study, case studies and activities designed to link theory to your management context.

You’ll be awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration upon successful completion. You’ll be entitled to use the letters PG Cert Bus Admin (Open) after your name.

Your postgraduate certificate may be awarded with a distinction or a merit. The qualification regulations explain the criteria you’ll need to meet to earn one of these classifications.

If you plan to work or study outside the UK, we recommend checking whether this qualification meets local requirements. Find out more about the international recognition of Open University qualifications.

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.

We regularly review our curriculum to keep it up to date. This means the structure, availability, and content of the course or modules may change. We’ll update this page as soon as possible if there are any changes. If you have already registered for this qualification, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes where practicable. For more details, see our

Academic Regulations

contact us

Most students study the Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration part-time, completing 60 credits over a one-year period. Typically, this translates to 12–14 hours of study per week.

You can also complete this qualification in six months by studying both 30-credit modules concurrently. If you wish to stay at this faster rate, you will need to devote 24–28 hours a week to your studies.

The recommended hours include time to work through that week’s online study planner, complete recommended reading, and attend tutorials.

You must complete the Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration by 31 December 2027.

At the OU, flexibility and support go hand in hand. You’ll be in control of when and where you study, with clear deadlines to guide your progress. Whether you’re balancing work, family or other commitments, our approach helps you fit learning into your life. Students consistently praise the support we provide, and from the very start, you’ll be part of a vibrant OU learning community.

As you progress through your qualification, you’ll have access to a dedicated online study space, expert tutor guidance, optional live tutorials, and a wide range of resources to help you succeed. The sections below outline what you can expect.

Your module website will be a central hub for your learning, giving you easy access to:

Discover how the OU’s module websites, course materials, and support tools help you study online with confidence.

Each module has a dedicated tutor who will guide you through your studies. They’ll provide feedback, help you find resources, mark your assignments and support your learning journey.

For extra support, you can attend optional live tutorials with your tutor. These are usually conducted online, and most are recorded so you can review them later.

See how OU tutors and tutorials help you build confidence, connect with others, and get the support you need to succeed in your studies.

Our assessments reinforce what you’ve learned and show your understanding. Assessment types vary by module and may include:

The Open University provides advice and guidance to help students who have disabilities, long-term health conditions, specific learning difficulties or mental health difficulties.

For more information, visit our Disability support page.

Discover how the OU’s Disability Support Team helps students with advice, adjustments and resources.

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to a wide range of support services and be part of a vibrant learning community. Our subject-specific Student Support Teams can help with general queries and any updates to your OU account. You’ll also benefit from:

Discover the support network and learning tools you'll have access to throughout your studies.

You’ll be eligible for this postgraduate certificate by satisfying the following academic, work experience and language requirements.

The modules that you study for this certificate are also compulsory modules in both the MBA (F61) and Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration (E80). It is possible to claim the certificate, the diploma and the MBA.

Academic requirements
There are three ways to meet the academic requirements:

1: Bachelors degree with honours
You'll need to have a bachelors degree with honours awarded by a UK university or equivalent.

2: Bachelors degree without honours
You'll need to have a bachelors degree without honours awarded by a UK university or equivalent and you'll need to have completed one of the following:

3: No Bachelors degree
If you don’t have a bachelors degree you'll need to have completed one of the following:

*See our

Microcredentials

page for further information.

Work experience requirement
You’ll need to have gained a minimum of three years’ experience in a managerial, technical or professional role, so that you have a practical business base on which to build your learning.

Language requirement
Your spoken and written English must be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, we recommend that you will need a minimum score of 6.5 under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Please see their website for details.

Acceptance onto the programme
You’ll be required to show how you meet these requirements. You will be asked to submit your CV and proof of qualifications, including English translations of non-UK degrees. Evaluation of the evidence will take place before you’re accepted onto the programme.

If you would like to discuss making an application and require further information, please call The Open University Business School information line on +44 (0)300 303 0065. Lines are open (UK time): Monday to Friday 08:00 to 17:30

If you’ve studied at university level before, you may be able to transfer the academic credit you've been awarded towards an OU qualification. This could save you time and money by reducing the modules you need to study.

You should apply to transfer credit before registering, at least four weeks before the registration closing date. We will need to know what you studied, where, and when, and you will need to provide evidence of your previous study.

For more details and to download an application form, visit our Credit Transfer website.

You’ll pay for your qualification one module at a time, rather than the full cost upfront. The fee for each module is listed in its description.

£7,340*

Your module materials, tuition, assessment and exams are all included in our module fees.

There are some additional costs that aren’t included.

Further information is available in the module descriptions.

*The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2026. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our

Fee Rules

Learn more about spreading the costs with monthly instalments and our other funding options below.

Pay for each module with a debit or credit card in one quick, simple payment.

More than 1 in 10 OU students are sponsored by their employer.

We’ll show you how you can pay by bank transfer or combine payment methods.

You may be eligible for:

This certificate is designed for professionals from a wide range of contexts and backgrounds who need to actively engage with the challenges of managing in the twenty-first century. It will enable you to develop your management skills and knowledge of management frameworks, theories and tools and to use these appropriately in order to make a real difference in your own practice.

The Open University Business School is also one of the few institutions worldwide that is triple-accredited by AMBA, EQUIS and the AACSB. These internationally recognised quality standards 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.

Association of MBAs (AMBA)

European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS)

Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

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 – including 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.

Select the module you will study first, read the full description, and follow the instructions to register.

Ask a question

Our prospectuses help you choose your course, understand what it's like to be an OU student and register for study.

Request a prospectus

Select the module you will study first, read the full description, and follow the instructions to register.