ICM Certificate Business Studies

ICM Certificate Business Studies

The Institute of Commercial Management’s (ICM) Certificate in Business Studies offered by NCBA introduces students to the academic disciplines that underlie effective business management. The aim of the course is to provide prospective business and management students with a body of knowledge which will:

a) increase their employment opportunities

b) prepare them for eventual supervisory and management careers in industry and commerce

c) provide them with a qualification which will enable them to progress to higher level general management or specialised business programmes at a later stage in their business or academic careers.

This is an 800 Guided Learning Hour programme. Learning takes place on a number of levels through lectures, class discussion including problem review and analysis. Formal lectures provide a foundation of information on which the student builds through directed learning and self managed learning outside of the class. The students are actively encouraged to form study groups to discuss course material which fosters a greater depth learning experience. Students are required to attend 15 hours of lecture hours per week for 25 weeks to support their studies, and will receive guidance to complete the learning hours.

Entry Requirements

NCBA operates an ‘Open Entry’ policy in respect to this course but prospective students should have at least English IELTS 5

Exam and Membership Fees

Exams are externally set and marked by ICM. Examinations are held in March, June, September and December each year. Candidates must be registered and paid-up Student Members of the Institute at the time they undertake the examinations. Membership to ICM cost £50 sterling per year. Exams cost £25 sterling per exam. All four modules must to sit and passed in order to achieve the Certificate. These fees are not included in tuition fees.


Syllabus Overview

There are four Compulsory Units:

International Business Communications

The aim of this unit is to prepare students to address business communication situations encountered in their careers through the writing of memoranda, letters, reports, resumes, electronic messages; manuals withterms, mechanisms and instructions; process analysis; proposals; web portfolios; delivering oral presentations, in order to develop interpersonal skills and to foster critical thinking and problemsolving skills through the writing of effective communication for assigned business scenarios / situations.

Business Management & Administration

The unit introduces the student to a range of studies which are useful in understanding people in the workplace. It examines the concept of management within the global business environment and through the appraisal of business cases, a variety of approaches are considered.

The unit prepares students for their likely future roles as managers in organisations. It encourages them to synthesize knowledge and experience gained in other units by considering competing perspectives on the nature of management. It encourages them to reflect upon the contribution that they might make as individuals to the management process, and to explore their own skills as potential managers, within the context of their peer group. The unit touches practical, moral and ethical dimensions of the management role and examines the key problems and dilemmas that may emerge for stakeholders in contemporary organisations.

Interpreting & Analyzing Information (Numeracy & Statistics)

The aims of this unit are to equip students the necessary skills to interpret information, carry out calculation and interpret the results of that information and later, to equip students with some of the analytical skills that are relevant to the study of Business Studies as a whole.

Marketing Principals

To provide students with a foundation for the analysis of marketing within organizations including decision making processes, segmentation, the role of information and the marketing information system, the marketing mix, internal and external influences affecting strategy, competitor analysis and positioning.