BA Business and Law

About this course

Business and law is a combination that recognises how deeply intertwined commercial activity and legal regulation are in practice. Every business transaction occurs within a legal framework, and effective management requires both an understanding of what legal rules apply and the commercial judgement to act sensibly within or around them. Studied together, business and law produce a graduate who can think both analytically about legal principles and practically about organisational strategy, a combination that is genuinely useful across a wide range of professional contexts. The Open University offers this programme through distance learning and part-time study, making it accessible to people who are managing work, family, or other commitments alongside their education. The flexibility of part-time distance learning is particularly well suited to this subject combination, since many students studying business and law are already working in commercial or professional environments where they can connect their academic learning to real experience. The OU's track record in delivering serious academic study at a distance is well established, and the support structures for distance students are strong. You will study the core subjects of business management, including strategy, marketing, finance, operations, and organisational behaviour, alongside the foundational areas of English law, including contract law, company law, employment law, commercial law, and the sources and institutions of the English legal system. The combination is designed to develop both analytical rigour and practical judgement, and the skills you acquire, including the ability to read legislation and case law, to construct arguments from authority, and to evaluate commercial options critically, are directly applicable in many professional roles. Graduates in business and law are well placed for careers in the legal sector, including roles in legal practice where a business background is valued, as well as in the compliance, legal, and commercial functions of organisations in financial services, technology, retail, and the public sector. Some graduates pursue professional legal qualifications, including the Solicitors Qualifying Examination, after the degree. Others go directly into management roles in business where legal literacy is an asset. Postgraduate study in law, business, or a specialist area such as commercial law or employment law is another option.

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