OTHM Level 3 Diploma in Business Studies
Course overview
The objective of the OTHM Level 3 Diploma in Business Studies qualification is to provide learners with an in depth understanding of the operations and structure of businesses. Successful completion of this qualification will equip learners with the underpinning knowledge and skills required to succeed in employment or further studies.
OTHM Qualifications are approved and regulated by Ofqual (Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation). OTHM has progression arrangements with several UK universities that acknowledge the ability of learners after studying Level 3 to 7 qualifications to be considered for advanced entry into corresponding degree year / top-up and Master's / top-up programmes.
Equivalence. OTHM qualifications at Level 3 represent practical knowledge, skills, capabilities and competences that are assessed in academic terms as being equivalent to GCE AS/A Levels.
Entry requirements
The Level 3 Diploma in Business Studies qualification can be offered to learners from age 16. OTHM does not specify entry requirements for these qualifications, but delivery centres are required to ensure that learners admitted to the programme have sufficient capability at the right level to undertake the learning and assessment.
Centres must ensure learners are recruited with integrity onto appropriate qualifications that will:
Structure & units
The Level 3 Diploma in Business Studies qualification consists of 4 mandatory units plus 2 optional units for a combined total of 60 credits, 600 hours Total Qualification Time (TQT) and 360 Guided Learning Hours (GLH) for the completed qualification.
Mandatory
Unit aims. The aim of this unit is to provide learners with a grounding in the key research and academic skills required for successful study at this level and subsequent employment and/or further study.
- Identify useful information from a range of different sources.
- Record key points when listening to information being given.
- Use notes to accurately summarise information given.
- Collate information using a range of reliable sources.
- Describe the common steps in producing academic work.
- Explain what constitutes plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct.
- Create a timetabled plan to meet the requirements of an academic assignment.
- Evaluate own work against criteria given.
- Use academic referencing.
- Present a completed piece of academic work to others.
- Explain the idea of multiple intelligences.
- Describe a range of learning styles.
- Identify own preferred learning style.
- Identify own study strengths and weaknesses.
Mandatory
Unit aims. The aim of this unit is to familiarise learners with the use, application and development of core IT skills, including preparation for presentations, and formats for business writing such as a report.
- Describe the main functions within a word processing package.
- Insert pictures and symbols in a word-processed business document.
- Use common functions to manipulate and evaluate text in a business document.
- Use of a range of functions to alter the presentation of word processed business documents.
- List a range of search engines which can be used to find specific information.
- Extract relevant information from a web source.
- Use website information in a word-processed business document.
- Describe how website text should be presented in academic work in order to avoid plagiarism.
- Describe the main functions of spreadsheet.
- Format cells, rows, columns and worksheets.
- Explain a range of formulae that can be applied to data in a worksheet.
- Use a range of functions to improve the presentation of data in a worksheet.
- Open, save and close a presentation slideshow.
- Insert and duplicate slides.
- Incorporate animation into a presentation.
- Create a business presentation with text, graphics and animation.
Mandatory
Unit aims. The aim of this unit is to provide learners with an understanding of the basic principles of economics and accounting in a business environment. Learners will also develop an understanding of the content of basic financial statements and the principles of recording financial transactions.
- Define the term ‘accounting’.
- Explain a range of common accounting terms.
- Describe the different forms of business unit.
- Describe the different measures of money.
- Explain why interest rates are important to government and businesses.
- Explain how ‘exchange rates’ can potentially affect businesses.
- Describe the effects of inflation on a business.
- Process simple accounting statements using the double entry system.
- Balance a business account.
- Produce a trial balance.
- Calculate period end adjustments.
- Interpret a financial statement.
- Produce a financial statement.
Mandatory
Unit aims. The aim of this unit is to enable learners to understand different types of businesses, their functions and structures, as well as an introduction to basic marketing principles. They will be required to explore the micro and macro business environment, understand the concept of quality and carry out basic business analyses.
- List different types of businesses found in the public and private sectors.
- Identify the various stakeholders involved with a business.
- Describe an organisation’s business objectives.
- List a range of benefits of socially responsible business behaviour.
- Explain the function of different business departments.
- Explain an organisation’s staffing and management structure.
- Describe a range of factors that can influence business culture.
- Define the term ‘marketing’ in relation to a business.
- Define ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ in relation to marketing.
- Identify a range of market segment categories.
- Explain market research and the ‘marketing mix’.
- Explain the difference between a micro and macro business environment.
- Explain why quality is important in business.
- Carry out a SWOT analysis for an organisation.
- Carry out a PESTLE analysis on an organisation.
Optional
Unit aims. The aim of this unit is to develop the learners’ understanding of the principles that apply to customer service delivery in organisations across different sectors. Learners will understand how to propose and implement improvements to customer service.
- Describe the services and/or products of an organisation.
- Explain how an organisation develops its service offer.
- Evaluate how an organisation’s policies and procedures ensure consistent service delivery.
- Explain the main communication techniques and how they meet the needs of customers.
- Assess how communication techniques and individual behaviour affect the implementation of improvements to service delivery.
- Evaluate the customer service approach of different sectors.
- Describe the difference in the needs and expectations of customers of organisations in different sectors.
- Explain the formation of customer expectations.
- Identify the organisational policies, procedures and practices that need to be considered when recommending improvements to customer service.
- Explain the organisational process for recommending improvements to customer service.
- Assess the effect of internal and external requirements when recommending improvements to customer service.
- Explain how to involve others when implementing improvements to customer service.
Optional
Unit aims. The aim of this unit is to develop learners’ understanding of the principles that apply to the planning and management of events in a range of business sectors. It explores reasons why businesses hold events and why these have become more prominent in recent years.
- Describe the different categories of business event.
- Explain the growth of the business events sector.
- Justify why businesses hold events.
- List the requirements of business events.
- Explain the principles of venue selection.
- Identify the markets for business events.
- Describe the principles of event operations management.
- Identify key factors in the management of live events.
- Discuss how to manage customer service at business events.
- Explain why it is important to evaluate business events.
- List key event evaluation techniques.
- Explain the choice of event evaluation techniques.
- Describe the process of event evaluation.
Optional
Unit aims. The aim of this unit is to develop the learners’ understanding of the principles that apply to marketing in a business environment, including marketing models, sales principles, and marketing planning.
- Describe the role of marketing in a business.
- Explain the key roles of a marketing department.
- Identify the principles of the marketing mix for a business product or service.
- Describe the concept of the marketing mix.
- Explain the core elements of the marketing mix.
- Develop a coherent marketing mix for a new business product or service.
- List the different approaches to business sales.
- Explain the importance of sales targets in a business.
- List the key elements of a sales plan.
- Explain the importance of marketing planning.
- List the key components of a marketing plan.
- Explain the role of market research in marketing planning.
Optional
Unit aims. The aim of this unit is to develop learners’ understanding of the principles that apply to the management of people in a range of business sectors. It also introduces concepts such as reward, motivation and leadership.
- Explain the role of people management in an organisation.
- Describe the core human resource functions.
- Describe key pieces of legislation that affect people management in a business, including the importance of diversity.
- Describe the characteristics of an effective performance management system.
- Describe best practice in conducting staff appraisals.
- Explain the importance of disciplinary and grievance procedures.
- Describe the relationship between motivation and reward.
- Explain different types of pay schemes.
- List the ways in which businesses can recognise excellent performance.
- Explain the role of leadership in a business.
- List different leadership styles.
- Describe the personal characteristics of leaders.
- Determine whether leadership can be taught.
All units are internally assessed by the centre and externally verified by OTHM. The qualification is criterion referenced; to achieve a pass, learners must provide evidence to demonstrate they have fulfilled all the learning outcomes and met the standards specified by all assessment criteria. Assessment is by coursework (approximately 2000 words per unit).
Progression
Successful completion of the Level 3 Diploma in Business Studies qualification enables learners direct entry into Year 1 of a three-year UK Bachelor's degree or to pursue Level 4 Diplomas. As this qualification is approved and regulated by Ofqual, many universities acknowledge the ability of learners after studying the Level 3 Diploma in Business Studies and consider them for direct entry into a range of their Bachelor's degree programmes.
Degrees you can progress to
Our students progress to
- AUArden University
- ARAnglia Ruskin University London
- LMLondon Metropolitan University
- USUniversity of Sunderland London
Career opportunities
Completing this course opens up a range of career opportunities across many industries.
After completing this qualification, you may pursue entry-level roles such as:
These roles exist across a wide range of industries, including business, healthcare, education, retail and the public sector, where digital and IT skills are increasingly in demand.
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