What you will learn
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Level 4, Unit 1: The business environment
In this first module, you’ll consider what is meant by the ‘business environment’, both internally and externally, and how these surroundings influence a business’s operation.
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Level 4, Unit 2: Customers and customer service
Here, you will understand how customers make purchasing decisions and the factors that persuade them to buy specific products. You’ll also understand the considerations that businesses make when it comes to major purchases and decisions, such as implementing new computer systems, and the benefits that these need to bring.
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Level 4, Unit 3: Marketing Mix
You’ll understand the marketing variables that companies are faced with on a daily basis. These are concerned with the external environment – factors such as political, economic, socio-cultural, and technological dimensions – and operational values – the factors the company can directly control.
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Level 4, Unit 4: Marketing and sales planning
Regardless of sector, businesses rely on sales and marketing to succeed. Whether that is for profit in the case of the private sector, or achieving customer satisfaction as is the case for public and charity sector organisations. Marketing is increasingly playing a key role in the non-profit sector to build awareness of issues and promote causes and encourage donors to show support.
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Level 4, Unit 5: IT in business
Information technology, or IT, has been shown to give companies a competitive edge. Managers need to be aware of these advantages and this module explores how they can be utilised for business growth. You’ll also understand the processes required in order to deliver better value to the end customer.
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Level 4, Unit 6: Managing and using marketing
This module provides a comprehensive introduction to marketing. It is intended to be relevant to the management and operation of various organisations including non-profit.
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Level 4, Unit 7: Customers and their needs
Here, you’ll understand how modern marketing is used to identify and satisfy customers’ needs and wants. You’ll explore how this is done by building relationships and using them to instil communication that ultimately leads to the desired result for all sides.
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Level 4, Unit 8: E-marketing communications
This module examines the success of the Internet and how it is now almost an essential aspect of daily life. You’ll learn about the support that technology provides for businesses in a host of traditional operations, such as sales, communications, marketing and customer service.
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Level 4, Unit 9: High performance sales
In this unit, you’ll gain an understanding of why business success is influenced by numerous factors, one of the most common being sales growth. You’ll learn why this is an indication of how an organisation maintains its existing customers but also attracts interest from new markets.
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Level 4, Unit 10: Marketing strategy
The final Level 4 module explores how organisations develop strategies in a complex marketing environment. You’ll also address key questions surrounding opportunities and threats, markets and segments, and how to continue delivering long-term value.
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Level 5, Unit 1: The entrepreneurial manager
This first Level 5 module explores the skills and qualities of entrepreneurship.
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Level 5, Unit 2: Organisation structures
You’ll understand why organisations are structured in a certain way and what determines an optimum business structure, using numerous models and key theories.
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Level 5, Unit 3: Practical accounting analysis
In this module, you’ll complete a series of accounting exercises to understand the information these can present and how to conduct the analysis that is needed.
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Level 5, Unit 4: Business planning and goal setting
You’ll address key questions within a business’s goal-setting and aim to create clear plans to achieve vital objectives.
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Level 5, Unit 5: Politics and business
Here, you’ll understand the influence politics plays in business and how helps and hinders operations.
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Level 5, Unit 6: Business Law
This module introduces you to the statutory responsibilities of managers and the legal requirements of individual business executives.
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Level 5, Unit 7: Managing in today’s world
This module focuses on the importance of governance and equality and why these are essential when conducting business ethically and responsibly.
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Level 5, Unit 8: Performance management
Here, you’ll understand how businesses grow with their people and explores how measures such as CPD and reward structures are key in this growth.
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Level 5, Unit 9: Marketing and sales planning
This module examines how you can analyse markets, customer data, and competitors, and bring this information together into a cohesive plan.
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Level 5, Unit 10: Quantitative skills
By successfully completing this final Level 5 module, you’ll have complete knowledge of various numeric exercises and how you can use these within the wider context of business.
Awarding Body
Qualifi is a leading 21st century Awarding Organisation founded to meet the developing education and training needs of learners and employers from the UK and around the globe serving the needs of learners and employers in the UK and worldwide every year.
This online course also carries up to 240 UCAS credits, which are used as part of university applications.
Course Outcome
This combined Level 4 and 5 combined diploma in sales & marketing is the equivalent to the first two years of undergraduate study. You can then progress to complete your degree at one of the UK’s top universities.
How is this course assessed or examined?
This course is made up of a total of 20 modules – 10 at each level. The two levels are each worth 120 UCAS credits. Should you only wish to study at Level 4, you can apply for an exemption from the first year of a university degree and still receive up to 120 credits and four written assignments at each level.
Each module consists of approximately 40 guided learning hours of material with an additional 30-50 hours of optional learning material.
Entry requirements
To enrol on the Level 4 course, you must be at least 18 years of age and have a full secondary education. Before enrolling in level 5, you must complete level 4.
