Business A-level

Subject: Business

Qualification Level: A Level

Qualification Duration: 2 years

Exam Board: Pearson Edexcel

Overview:

This course looks at how real businesses start, operate, grow and compete, both in the UK and globally. You'll learn about marketing, people, finance, operations and strategy, and apply them to real-world case studies. It suits students who enjoy analysis, discussion, extended writing and some maths, such as interpreting data and financial calculations. It is assessed by three 2-hour written exams, each worth a third of the grade, and there is no coursework.

Year 1 content:

• Theme 1: Marketing and people
  • Meeting customer needs
  • Market research and segmentation
  • The marketing mix and strategy
  • Managing people: motivation, leadership and recruitment
  • Entrepreneurs and business start-ups
• Theme 2: Managing business activities
  • Raising finance
  • Financial planning: budgets, cash flow and break-even
  • Managing finance: ratios and profitability
  • Resource management: operations, quality and supply chains
  • External influences: economic, legal and competitive factors

Year 2 content:

• Theme 3: Business decisions and strategy
  • Business objectives and strategy
  • Business growth, including mergers and takeovers
  • Decision-making techniques such as investment appraisal and decision trees
  • Assessing competitiveness
  • Managing change
• Theme 4: Global business
  • Globalisation
  • Global markets and expansion
  • Global marketing
  • Multinational companies
• Paper 3 preparation: Investigating business in a competitive environment. This draws on all four themes and uses a pre-released context document in the exam.

Trips and other costs:

The department is hoping to offer enrichment opportunities linked to the course, such as walking trips in London to see businesses and brands in action, and visits connected to the finance sector. These are still being planned and are not yet confirmed, so dates, locations and costs will be shared with students once they are finalised.

Any trip costs will be communicated in advance. Other costs are usually minimal, such as a calculator for the financial content, stationery and an optional revision guide. A textbook is normally provided or loaned.

Career and further study:

• Degrees:
  • Business management, marketing, accounting and finance, economics, human resources, entrepreneurship and international business.
  • It also combines well with languages, law and politics.
• Other routes:
  • Degree apprenticeships and school-leaver programmes in finance, consulting and management.
• Careers:
  • Marketing, accountancy, banking, HR, management consultancy, operations, retail management, project management, or starting your own business.

Combines well with: Economics, Maths, Geography, Psychology and English.