Diploma Business Continuity Management

The Business Continuity Institute

The Business Continuity Institute (BCI) was established in 1994 to enable individual members to obtain guidance and support from fellow business continuity practitioners. It is the world’s most eminent BCM institute and is instantly recognised as standing for good practice and professionalism within continuity and related industries.

The wider role of the BCI is to promote the highest standards of professional competence and commercial ethics in the provision and maintenance of business continuity planning and services.

This short course is taught by the University’s academic team, who have strong industry and academic experience in business continuity management and associated resilience disciplines. The tutors consult closely with industry and sector practitioners through the BCI.

Diploma students can apply for free BCI Student membership for the duration of their studies to access a range of resources available in the BCI Members Area.

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?  

This course:

• provides academic recognition – earn an officially recognised academic qualification in business continuity.
• fits your schedule – distance-learning allows you to schedule studies when they work for you. You can communicate with tutors online.
• provides membership status – after completing the Diploma, you could be eligible to apply for MBCI or AMBCI membership.
• provides proof of expertise – DBCI is evidence of an in-depth knowledge of business continuity.

This is an online learning and educational programme consisting of three 10-week modules.

You are expected to complete the modules in sequence achieving all three before the Diploma can be awarded. Guidance and advice is provided to students by the module tutors via email, telephone and or VoIP (Skype).

Learning material is accessed via the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) ‘Blackboard’ and library where the VLE will incorporate adaptive release sub-modules which will be provided to students on a weekly basis and supported by extensive electronic files, audio video resources and linkages to the Business Continuity Institute online presence.

What will I study?

Module 1: Business Continuity Management Best Practice and History The aim of this module is to contextualise learning and knowledge of the Business Continuity Management (BCM) Lifecycle, its context and history. In particular the Professional Practices (1-6) and how they shape the management aspects of Business Continuity: PP1: Policy and Programme management, PP2 Embedding BCM in organisational culture and the four technical elements; PP3 Analysis, PP4 Design, PP5 Implementation and PP6 Validation. You are encouraged to explore business continuity practices within your own organisation (or one which you are familiar with), to complete the tasks for this particular module.

Module 2: Business Continuity Management – Emerging Solutions This module provides the opportunity to research the practice of business continuity in more detail. You are encouraged to develop a detailed academic approach to your studies, by researching, reviewing and analysing a range of current and predicted BCM and resilience issues. In this phase of the Diploma you will be encouraged to develop the ability to present arguments, and theories via a range of formative tasks.

Module 3: Business Continuity Management – Essay You will have the opportunity to identify a topic associated with business continuity to produce a paper based to demonstrate the ability to analyse, review and evaluate secondary research findings. The paper should also present recommendations and conclusions based on related theories to support a sound knowledge and understanding of the subject.

How will I be taught and assessed?

You are expected to participate in formative activities aimed at developing knowledge and understanding of Business Continuity, leading to the completion of the summative assignment at the end of Module 1 and 2. Module 3 provides the opportunity to research a particular area in more detail with the submission of a final assignment essay.