Business Skills for the Workplace (Full-time) (CertHE)
If you’re looking to develop your business skills and build a strong foundation for your career, our Business Skills for the Workplace CertHE could be the right choice for you. Based in Birmingham, this programme provides a comprehensive understanding of the business environment while giving you the tools to succeed in a variety of industries.
This course is designed to offer a broad overview of business, helping you gain insight into how organisations operate and are managed. Through engaging modules, you’ll explore essential areas like finance, human resource management, and marketing. You’ll also work on your communication skills, learning how to effectively convey ideas and work within teams.
An important focus of the course is problem-solving and decision making, helping you to think critically and tackle challenges confidently. You’ll also learn about management, gaining a solid understanding of leadership and performance management. These skills will be crucial whether you’re leading a team or working independently within an organisation.
The course is structured to ensure you develop both practical and academic skills. You’ll engage in real-world work experience with employers from different sectors, giving you the chance to apply your knowledge in professional settings. This practical approach is key to improving your employability and building the skills needed for a successful career.
Throughout the course, you’ll also learn about business culture, enterprise and entrepreneurship, giving you a foundation to understand how businesses innovate and grow. You’ll develop digital skills to help you keep up with the demands of today’s fast-moving business world, and focus on effective teamworking and communication, ensuring you’re ready to collaborate in any professional environment.
The CertHE is an excellent entry point into higher education. With a focus on academic skills and practical application, you’ll be prepared for further study or to step directly into a business career. Whether you’re interested in starting your own business, taking on a leadership role, or simply developing your understanding of the workplace, this programme offers the key tools and insights needed to succeed.
This course equips you with a broad range of transferable skills, allowing you to confidently pursue opportunities across various fields, from management to entrepreneurship.
Course details
- On-campus
- Full-time
- English
Undergraduate Fees
Home (Full-time): £9,535 per year
Overseas (Full-time): £15,525 per year
Why choose this course?
What you will learn
Our approach to learning is centred on developing practical skills alongside academic knowledge, ensuring that you are fully prepared for the workplace. We focus on creating an engaging and supportive learning environment where you can build business skills that are relevant to today’s dynamic business environment.
During your first year, you will focus on developing key academic skills and digital skills that will form the foundation of your learning. You will improve your ability to work effectively in teams through effective teamworking and communication modules, while enhancing your problem-solving and decision-making abilities. The course also emphasises employability and career development, helping you to prepare for future opportunities.
In addition, you will explore enterprise and entrepreneurship, gaining an understanding of how to innovate and create business ventures. This year aims to equip you with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills to navigate the modern business world, giving you the confidence to thrive in a range of professional settings.
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
Disclaimer
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The modules outlined above provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this course based on recent academic teaching. We continuously review our courses to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Where your course includes optional modules, these are to provide an element of choice within the course. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed.
You’ll typically complete 120 credits per year of study on a full-time course. For more information visit our Student Agreement.
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Staff
Our People
You will be taught and supported by a wide range of professional staff and teams here to help you get the university experience you are looking for. Our teaching staff were ranked 2nd in Wales for Teaching, Assessment and Feedback and Academic Support (NSS 2024) meaning that the support and feedback you get will help you learn and develop strong academic skills. Our students have placed us 1st in Wales for Learning Opportunities and Student Voice (NSS 2024) meaning that there are a wide range of opportunities available to enhance your studies and that students play an active role in shaping their learning experiences. Our commitment to your learning has seen our students place us as 1st in Wales and joint 3rd in the UK for student satisfaction (Times Higher Education, 2024, ‘Overall Positivity’ measure). Find out more about our academic staff who teach across our courses.
Further information
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This programme is available to Home and International applicants.
A wide range of international qualifications which are equivalent to two A-Level passes, including International Baccalaureate and European Baccalaureate are recognised. The University will normally accept students who have completed a recognised International Foundation Programme, for example, those offered by UK Further Education Colleges, Universities, and Colleges of Higher Education.
Progression
Once you have successfully completed your CertHE studies, you will be eligible to progress for the remaining two years of the bachelor’s degree. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
These are ideal routes if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied this subject, or if you did not achieve the grades you need for a place on this degree.  
Admissions Advice and Support 
We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, such as your background, experiences and individual circumstances. This is known as ‘Contextual Admissions’. For specific advice and support you can contact our enquiries team for more information about entry requirements. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
English language requirements 
If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.0, with not less than 5.5 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Visit the International Applications section of our website to find out more about our English Language Requirements and pre-sessional English Language Courses.
Visa and funding requirements 
If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
For courses of more than six months’ duration you will require a Student visa. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship.  
For full information read our visa application and guides. â¶Ä¯â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.
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This programme offers an academically challenging, vocational experience which incorporates innovative teaching and assessment methods. Students will be expected to be active in managing their learning experience, to be creative and to take initiatives to develop themselves. The modules undertaken by our students within this programme are assessed formatively and summatively in line with the specific module assessment strategy.
The assessments vary but are not limited to the following: assignments, presentations, discussions, workshops, multiple-choice questions, online discussions, wikis, blogs, and a written research project. Students will receive feedback on all assessments undertaken which will come in the form of oral and/or written feedback.
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There will be no mandatory additional costs to study beyond the payment of tuition. Students should be prepared to incur the basic costs associated with study such as transport and may wish to purchase coffees, snacks or other sundry items on campus.
Many students also choose to invest in study support tools such as laptops over the course of their study, though this is not a programme requirement. Any activities related to study or student life which bear a cost beyond tuition will be optional, and the expense shall be clearly communicated to students at the time of registration.
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You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit our finance section.
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The programme boasts a high employability rate for graduating students who are in work within six months of completing the degree. A significant number of graduates also progress to postgraduate studies at this and other universities. Graduates will apply their knowledge and skills in the following fields:
- Human Resources
- Marketing and Sales
- Financial Services
- Public, private or third sector management
- Business Consultancy
- Postgraduate study/research