Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration, by distance learning
1 year
Course information
UK fee £7,200
International fee £7,200
Taught by School of Business
Admissions enquiries
+44 (0)116 252 5281
Submit a course enquiry
Course enquiries
+44 (0)116 2522041
ulsb@le.ac.uk
Course description
Course description
The Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration allows you to take the first steps in pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme whilst keeping your future study options open. It is ideal if you are unable to commit to undertaking the MBA in one go.
Studying online with recorded lectures and live seminars means you can study anytime and anywhere. You can supplement your studies with face-to-face learning at our residential workshops and the annual Leicester Masterclass, held at Brookfield, our new £16 million School of Business campus.
You will be taught by academic staff who combine teaching and research and who bring the latest knowledge and skills to their teaching. Studying in small groups allows extensive opportunities for teamwork and building your professional networks with tutors and international business leaders.
The programme takes 12 months to complete and consists of three modules. You will start with a three-week induction into your studies before moving on to focus on people management, leadership and developing your 'soft skills'. In module two you will combine the areas of entrepreneurship and innovation, marketing and operations so you can familiarise yourself with the process of product and service development, from inception to execution. Your Learning and Professional Development Portfolio runs across each module. In your portfolio you will collect evidence of your knowledge and skill development on the programme. You will evidence this through reflective exercises undertake in your modules and is an excellent way to demonstrate your achievements to current or prospective employers.
Flexible, distance learning study allows you to continue to work whilst gaining a valuable qualification and offers a great return on investment. Your team and company will benefit from your newly gained knowledge and skills and you can apply real-world situations and problems to your assignments, given you the opportunity to look at topics relevant to your work and professional career aspirations.
Upon successful completion of your Postgraduate Certificate you can progress onto the Leicester Global MBA Programme.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
You will need to have at least one of the following academic or professional qualifications:
- First or second class honours degree from a UK university, or
- Equivalent degree from a non-UK university or academic institution, or
- Postgraduate degree or diploma from a recognised institution, or
- Equivalent graduate level professional qualification, such as the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Chartered Certified Accountant qualification or Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) Professional Qualification.
You will also need a minimum of three years' appropriate and relevant postgraduate work experience (defined as having worked in a supervisory, managerial or professional role).
All unconditional offer holders will have the opportunity to benefit from a 20 minute online welcome conversation with the Leicester Global MBA Deputy Director before starting their studies.
Reference
Your application must include a signed and dated reference (or contact details for someone who will provide a reference). Your referee could be a manager, supervisor, mentor or work colleague. They should be able to confirm your professional or managerial work experience and your suitability for this degree.
English Language Requirements
IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability.
Fees and funding
Fees and funding
UK Students
Starting in October 2025 or April 2026
- PG Cert: £7,200
Additional costs
- Your course fee includes residential workshops, exams and study materials. There is a separate charge for the Leicester Masterclass.
- The fee does not include travel to, or accommodation at, residential workshops or the Leicester Masterclass.
Scholarships and funding
- Find out more about how to pay and scholarships and funding.
- Did you know you can apply for a Government Postgraduate Loan? Find out if you’re eligible.
International Students
Starting in October 2025 or April 2026
- PG Cert: £7,200
Additional costs
- Your course fee includes residential workshops, exams and study materials. There is a separate charge for the Leicester Masterclass.
- The fee does not include travel to, or accommodation at, residential workshops or the Leicester Masterclass.
Scholarships and funding
- Find out more about how to pay and scholarships and funding.
- The School of Business also offers the Global Networks Incentive - 15% off the course fee for applicants who are residents of certain eligible countries.
Careers and employability
Careers and employability
We recognise that career development is a major factor in your decision to embark on a business administration programme. At ULSB, we develop graduates who have knowledge and skills to:
- Lead individuals, teams and organisations to both achieve organisational objectives and improve the wellbeing of individuals, organisations, communities and societies.
- Think critically, reflectively, and strategically.
- Make decisions and manage decision-making in an evidence-based way.
- Manage and integrate across functional areas.
- Work for an inclusive and sustainable global economy and be generators of sustainable value for their organisations and society at large.
- Manage their careers and professional development and engage in life-long learning.
When you choose Leicester, you will have support from the School of Business dedicated Careers Team who will provide you with personal and professional development guidance throughout your MBA. Working closely with the academic team, the Careers Team run a number of initiatives including:
MBA Executive Group Coaching
Aligned to module delivery and the stage you have reached in your programme, our expert-led MBA Executive Group Coaching is an opportunity to support you in your personal and professional development and to enhance your academic study.
Tailored to the current business climate, the session focus is to:
- Increase individual confidence levels and personal empowerment.
- Promote collaborate problem-solving and create team cohesiveness.
- Facilitate networking.
- Offer an opportunity to share experiences and differing perspectives.
Business-Focused Events
We work closely with business contacts to give you opportunities to interact with industry professionals and alumni and gain insights into a wide range of business areas including sector insights, leadership essentials and journeys along a variety of potential careers paths. Through events, including our Career Development Exhibition, Investment Conference and Management Conference, you will have the opportunity to network with business representatives at all levels from SMEs to large corporates. Previous organisations represented have included J P Morgan, Santander, Lloyds, GSK, Goldman Sachs, Boots, NatWest, DPD, British Gas, National Grid, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Cummins, LinkedIn, Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ericsson and M&C Saatchi.
AMBA and Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Career and Professional Development Resources
AMBA and CMI give you access to a wide range of online resources to support:
- Academic studies
- Job search, recruitment and selection and career change
- Skill development
- Business insight
- Events and networking opportunities
Career and Professional Development Resource
Our on-line resources contain a wealth of resources to inform and guide you at every stage of your career journey. There are links to available opportunities, upcoming careers and employability events, awards and competitions, together with recordings of careers sessions and seminars. A selection of interviews with industry professionals and University alumni provides a first-hand insight into a range of business sectors and career success stories. You will also find resources to support you in skills and career planning, including CV and application advice and interview tips.
Through this structured framework of online expert-led sessions, professional development events, and online resources, the aim of the personal and professional development support is to:
- Identify strengths and weaknesses to enable you to progress in a positive direction.
- Develop confidence to support leadership.
- Underpin the ability to implement and drive change.
- Explore strategies to expand networks to enhance career progression and support business development.
- Build lifelong learning and career management skills.
Additional resources:
Career Hub
If you are ever visiting Leicester, our Career Hub @ Brookfield is open Monday to Friday 11:00 to 14:00, no need to make an appointment. The Hub, staffed both by members of the ULSB Careers Team and our student Future Makers, provides an opportunity to talk about all things careers and employability-related and signpost you to available opportunities and further areas of support.
Business Start-up and Enterprise Support
We offer support if you are considering starting your own business, are in the early stages of business or how have an established business you wish to develop. Support includes events, online resources and our Entrepreneurs in Residence programme.
Lifelong Support
Our careers support to you is lifelong and continues even after you have completed your studies and we have welcomed you into our alumni community.
Our award-winning University Careers and Employability Team is here to support you – by email, phone or skype – with advice on interviews, CVs, work experience and more. From registration to graduation and beyond, they are here to help you reach your professional goals.
Course structure
Modules
Modules
- Managing and Developing People and Organisations
- Managing Value Creation Processes from Idea to Market
- Learning and Professional Development Portfolio
Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.
Why Leicester?
We have over 30 years’ experience of offering high quality flexible, distance learning courses. Our courses have been specifically designed to be studied at a distance, giving you the flexibility to study from any location within a structured and supportive framework.
The School of Business attracts students and academics from all over the world, ensuring a truly global feel and letting you become part of an inclusive, diverse and professional international network.
You'll have the opportunity to visit the School of Business to attend our week-long Leicester Masterclass held every August at Brookfield. The Leicester Masterclass is a great opportunity to meet your tutors and network with your distance learning students.
We are a proud signatory to PRME – the Principles for Responsible Management Education, organised by the United Nations and business schools worldwide.
Teaching and learning
You will be taught by academics who have international research and teaching expertise, as well as practical experience in their respective fields. You will also have an academic personal tutor who will provide support and guidance to enable you to make the most of your studies.
Our programme gives you the flexibility to fit your studies around your professional and personal commitments, while ensuring that you meet the learning and progression requirements.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration has two modules, each taking 6 months and each week you will have either a two-hour recorded lecture or participate in a one-hour live online seminar. These will be further supported by our online study guide, additional learning materials, and online forum discussions with your tutors and peers. Online teaching takes place via our Leicester learning environment, which also houses your learning materials. Live seminars are undertaken in small study groups and scheduled so that they are convenient for different time zones.
During each module you will have the opportunity to participate in a weekend-long residential workshop, held in February and August. Once a year you will also have the opportunity to attend a Leicester Masterclass, held at the University of Leicester in mid/late August/early September. The residential workshops and Leicester Masterclass form a valuable part of your learning and allow you to benefit from face-to-face interaction and networking with your tutors and fellow students. Currently both the residential workshops and Leicester Masterclass are being offered online only.
Your two core modules are assessed by both a mid-term online open-book examination and an individual assignment, submitted at the end of your module.
Distance Learning
Online learning is an important feature of this course, therefore it is essential that you have reliable, regular access to the internet (preferably with a broadband connection) in order to participate.
As a distance learning student, you will have access to the University Library's electronic service, the Leicester Digital Library, which includes a large number of e-journals and e-books.
If you live close to Leicester you can, of course, visit the Library in person. For UK-based students who wish to use other libraries, we can issue you with a card which allows you to do so. This is a national scheme which allows distance learning students to borrow material from up to three other participating libraries.
Key dates
April 2025
Start date: 7 April 2025
Application deadline: 17 March 2025
Payment deadline: 31 March 2025
Registration deadline: 2 April 2025
October 2025
Start date: 6 October 2025
Application deadline: TBD
Payment deadline: TBD
Registration deadline: TBD
April 2026
Start date: 6 April 2026
Application deadline: TBD
Payment deadline: TBD
Registration deadline: TBD
Enquire now
Apply now
| Course | Qualification | Duration | Start Dates | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course Business Administration | Qualification PGCert | Duration 1 year, part-time | Start Dates April and October each year | Availability Apply Now |
