Level 3 Diploma in Business Studies
OTHM Level 3 Diploma in Business Studies, awarded by OTHM and listed on the Ofqual register. The facts and unit list are below; the fuller account of what studying it with London School of Planning and Management involves is still being written.
Its 60 credits add nothing to a points total and will not satisfy a university offer expressed in points. What it does lead to is a Level 4 diploma delivered by London School of Planning and Management (LSPM), or first-year university entry where a university chooses to allow it. If you need Tariff points, this diploma is the wrong programme for you.
At a glance
- Level3 (RQF)
- Credits60
- Total qualification time600 hours
- Guided learning hours360 hours
- Awarding bodyOTHM
- Ofqual number603/2171/4
- Units4 mandatory, 4 optional
- UCAS TariffNone
- Duration9 months (standard) or 6 months (fast track)
- Study modesOnline, Blended, Evening classes
- FeesFrom £999 (9 months, standard) or £1,299 (6 months, fast track)
- Next intakeRolling intake — course starts when the fee is paid
Level, credits, hours, Ofqual number and unit list are taken from the OTHM qualification specification (PDF) and the Ofqual register. Duration, study modes, fees and intake dates are set by LSPM, not by this site, and are confirmed by its admissions team.
What you study
four mandatory units of 10 credits each. Optional units: Choose any TWO.
| # | Unit | Type | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Research and Academic Skills | Mandatory | 10 |
| 2 | Using IT for Business | Mandatory | 10 |
| 3 | Introduction to Economics and Accounting | Mandatory | 10 |
| 4 | Introduction to the Business Environment | Mandatory | 10 |
| 5 | Introduction to Customer Service | Optional | 10 |
| 6 | Managing Business Events | Optional | 10 |
| 7 | Introduction to Marketing | Optional | 10 |
| 8 | Introduction to People Management | Optional | 10 |
| Total | 8 units | 60 |
Unit titles and credit values from the OTHM qualification specification (PDF).
Entry requirements
OTHM sets the formal entry criteria for this qualification and LSPM, as the approved centre, applies them when it admits learners. As published by the awarding body:
- OTHM Level 3 qualifications can be offered to learners from age 16. OTHM does not specify entry requirements for these qualifications. OTHM ensures that learners admitted to the programme have sufficient capability at the right level to undertake the learning and assessment criteria.
- OTHM Centre must ensure learners are recruited with integrity onto appropriate qualifications that will meet their needs, enable and facilitate learning and achievement enable progression. The qualification is offered in English.
- English requirements: If a learner is not from a majority English-speaking country must provide evidence of English language competency. For more information visit English Language Expectations page.
Source: the OTHM qualification specification (PDF), which is the definitive statement of the awarding body's criteria. LSPM's admissions team decides eligibility; ask us first if you are unsure whether you meet them.
How you are assessed
Units are assessed by written assignment set by LSPM against the awarding body's learning outcomes. LSPM's tutors mark the work and moderate it internally, and OTHM samples it externally before results are confirmed. The specification sets no timed examinations.
Assessment is regulated by OTHM under Ofqual's conditions. How awarding bodies and regulation work.
Where it leads
Completing the Level 3 Diploma in Business Studies qualifies you to progress to a Level 4 diploma delivered by LSPM, in business and management or a related subject. It carries no UCAS Tariff points. Any university that considers a holder for first-year entry does so at its own discretion, and we name none.
Also in Business and Management
Not sure which route fits? Ask someone who will tell you straight.
We are an independent agent, not LSPM's sales team, and we will say whether a UCAS application, an Access course or a Level 3 diploma is the better option for you, even when the answer earns this site nothing. Replies within two working days.