Business (AS/A level)

Specific Entry Criteria

Grade C in English Language and Maths.

About the Subject

This subject investigates real business situations to gain an understanding of how they operate. This will allow you to make a practical application of business concepts to make decisions in a range of situations. This course will also give you a real insight into the role of the entrepreneur by designing your own business idea. It will also allow you to look at the operations inside a business to generate ideas to improve a business. You will also in research the world outside of the business to gain a complete understanding of the business environment. Research areas might include the impact on a business of health scares, the economy, overseas imports, or competitor actions.

Business Studies is a popular subject at both AS and full A level. Many students are particularly motivated by the subject matter and are planning on taking a business related course at university. Others see business as a valuable AS subject to complement their main interests which may lie in other areas.

Course Content

Year 1

At AS level there are two modules studied. The first area of study is ‘Planning and Financing a Business’. In this module you will plan to start a new business. By carrying out research you will find out if there is customer interest in your idea and assess the threats posed by competitors. You will also undertake a financial analysis of the idea to see if it will be successful. This module will be assessed by a one hour external examination.

In January you will start the second module, ‘Managing a Business’. In this module you will explore the internal functions of the business. Your focus will be to identify how the effective management of these functions can improve business performance. Your investigations into businesses will be based around four areas: people, operations management, finance and marketing. This module is examined in June the exam paper consists of two multi-answer case studies.

The year ends after the AS examinations by spending some time starting on second year work and in particular getting started on the A2 research topic given by the examination board and undertaking a work experience placement.

Year 2

At A2 students are encouraged to think at a higher level, to analyse information and data, to evaluate different business issues, to recommend and justify courses of action, always presenting their case and supporting it with appropriate business theory. Both second year modules pick up on themes developed at AS but places the focus on problem solving in large organisations and developing the concepts to a much higher level. There will be an element of independent research into an exciting research activity based around external influences affecting businesses, which is vital for success in the final examination. In the second year, two modules are studied each one is assessed by an external examination.

Assessment

All modules are assessed by an external examination. The style of examination is different for each paper.

At AS there are two examinations. Module one is a one hour paper. Module two is one hour thirty minutes. At A2 there are two examinations. Unit three and unit four examinations are both one hour and forty five minutes.