Business

Business Studies A-level

Edexcel (9BSO)

Why choose this course?

Business Studies is a highly transferable subject which opens up many routes into employment and supports the study of Business at university, where Business Management degrees are popular. Furthermore, to those students seeking to enter the world of work after A-levels, it provides valuable grounding in key terms and areas that will affect them during their careers. The course aims to encourage students to develop a range of essential soft skills for higher education and the world of work through content which is relevant to any citizen in the 21st century and through practising communication skills. Through exciting and relevant topics, such as marketing, human resources and finance, students will understand the broad nature of business whilst focusing on some key areas, including language and the creation of balanced arguments with clear and seasoned judgements.

Course content

The course is broken up into four themes: • Theme 1: Marketing and people • Theme 2: Managing business activities • Theme 3: Business decisions and strategy • Theme 4: Global business

Enrichment opportunities

Revision sessions are available to support students and Enterprise provides an opportunity for them to engage in practical business activities.

Course assessment

Three two hour written examinations at the end of the course, with 100 marks available on each. Papers 1 and 2 are each worth 35% of the total qualification. Paper 3 is worth the remaining 30%. Paper 1: Marketing, people and global business. Questions will be drawn from themes 1 and 4. The paper comprises two sections, A and B. Each comprises one data response question broken down into a number of parts, including one extended open-response question. Paper 2: Business activities, decisions and strategy. Questions will be drawn from themes 2 and 3. The paper comprises two sections, A and B. Each comprises one data response question broken down into a number of parts, including one extended open-response question. Paper 3: Investigating business in a competitive environment. Questions will assess content across all four themes. For paper 3, questions will be based on a pre-released context document. The paper has two sections, with both comprising a data response question broken down into parts, including one extended openresponse question.

Progression routes

Degrees and HNDs in Business and Management Studies, Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Human Resource Management, Economics, Psychology etc. Business Studies is particularly useful for studying with another subject for a combined/joint degree e.g. Business and French, Business and Finance etc.