Certificate Higher Education Business (OERu)
The Certificate Higher Education Business (OERu) is an introductory level qualification in business and management studies which provides a general overview for a possible career in business across a wide range of sectors and industries.
Overview
The qualification comprises 120 credits at the first-year Bachelor’s degree level.
- The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) will assess 60 credits for the qualification.
- OERu partner institutions will assess the remaining 60 credits for the qualification. OERu partner institutions will issue transcript credit for learners who successfully achieve the assessed learning outcomes for the courses listed below. The transcripts for assessed learning will be recognised for transfer credit into the Certificate Higher Education Business (OERu) at the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI).
Qualification structure
To obtain the Certificate Higher Education Business (OERu) you need 60 credits from UHI core courses and a minimum of 60 credits from the optional courses. You need to:
- Complete the three core UHI 1st year-level core courses:
- Introduction to business (20 credits)
- Introduction to customer centred business (20 credits) and
- Introduction to operations management (20 credits).
- Choose which of the following optional courses you want to study. You need to select courses that add up to a minimum of 60 credits.
- Principles of corporate communication (12 credits)
- Introduction to entrepreneurship (12 credits)
- Learning in a digital age (16 credits)
- Principles of macroeconomics (12 credits)
- Principles of management (12 credits)
- Principles of microeconomics (12 credits)
- Principles of marketing (12 credits) or
- Introduction to project management (16 credits).
Course summaries and launch schedule
| Course | Micro-courses |
|---|---|
|
(Mar - June 2018) |
Digital literacies for online learning (LiDA101) |
|
Introduction to project management (Sept - Dec 2018) |
The role of the project manager (IPM101) |
|
Introduction to entrepreneurship (March 2019) |
Becoming an entrepreneur (IENT101) |
|
Principles of corporate communication (May - June 2019) |
Writing for business success (CCOM101) |
|
Principles of management (May - June 2019) |
Introduction to Management (PMAN101) |
|
Principles of marketing (July - August 2019) |
Core foundations of successful marketing (PMKT101) Market research and customer insights (PMKT102) Launching projects and generating market demand (PMKT103) |
|
Principles of microeconomics (Sept 2019) |
Introduction to principles of microeconomics (MIEC101) |
|
Principles of macroeconomics (Oct 2019) |
Introduction to the principles of macroeconomics (MAEC101) |
|
Introduction to business (Dec 2019) |
To be listed |
|
Introduction to customer centred business (Jan 2020) |
To be listed |
|
Introduction to operations management (March 2020) |
To be listed |
Four steps to graduating
A key feature of open education at the OERu is that you can explore the course materials online without the need to register.
- If you study the course materials you are a learner.
- If you decide to apply for assessment you become an assessment candidate. Assessment candidates pay for assessment of their work and if successful will receive transcript credit for each course.
- Once you have met the academic credit requirements for the award and wish to apply for the qualification, you become a credential candidate. Credential candidates pay an application fee that covers checking you have met the requirements and (if everything is in order) issuing the award.
- Once you have received the award you become a graduate of the University of the Highlands and Islands.
OERu micro-courses
OERu courses are assembled from individual micro-courses to provide flexible options for learners to plan participation and completion of study according to their own schedule taking personal commitments into account.
Each course comprises three, four or five micro-courses as specified in the list of courses. Learners are required to successfully complete the set of designated micro-courses and corresponding assessment(s) associated with each course before transcript credit will be issued. Some partner institutions may offer micro-credentials for assessed learning of individual micro-courses.
Modes of study
All the courses have been designed for independent study without tutorial support. The course resources are open to everyone and are free of charge. You may study the courses and in any order, at any time, at your own pace. OERu courses are offered in two modalities, cohort-based independent study with peer learner interactions and self-directed study.
During the phased launch of the CertHE, OERu courses will first be offered as a cohort-based courses whereafter they will be accessible for self-directed study.
Cohort-based independent study with peer learner interactions and support
The open online courses have designated start dates and you will work through the materials with an international community of learners. OERu micro-courses are typically offered over two to three weeks of interaction. See the https://oeru.org/courses for start dates of individual cohort-based courses.
Self-directed study
As an open course, registration is not mandatory and course materials are available on the open web without password access. You start your learning journey at any time and work at your own pace.