Anglia Ruskin University has expanded the scope of available jobs and careers training by offering the first fully online degree in sales. The Essex university has joined forces with London’s most famous department store, Harrods, to develop the unique BA (Hons) Sales qualification. The degree course is fully endorsed by the Institute of Sales and Marketing Management (ISMM), the UK’s only professional body for sales and marketing management. Based on Anglia Ruskin’s existing degree in salesmanship, the flexible course enables aspiring salespeople to combine work and study at the same time. The course will be taught entirely online through Anglia Ruskin’s interactive virtual learning environment. Participants will be fully supported by tutors. As well as the mandatory sales modules, participants will be able to choose from a selection of specialist topics, including psychology of sales, retail marketing, and digital sales and marketing, depending on their specific area of professional interest. Participants will also become members of the ISMM for the duration of their course, allowing access to quarterly mentoring by a fellow of the institute, along with online resources and the ISMM Sales Success seminar programme. Jan Skene, head of degrees at work at Anglia Ruskin University, said: “We are confident that this first fully online sales degree will open doors for people to become professional salespeople, without having to compromise their working hours or manage the cost of campus-based study. “Our BA Sales degree has seen us work successfully with Harrods, to ensure that future graduates are of an extremely high standard and are much sought-after by top firms nationally and beyond. “The UK economy is becoming increasingly sales-driven. This means that high-calibre sales people are in demand across a wide range of organisations and industries. This course will provide students with the skills, knowledge and personal development to maximise career opportunities.”