Business Studies A Level
Course Overview
Business A Level lifts the lid on business organisations and investigates what makes them tick. Functions such as marketing, human resources, operations and finance all have to work closely together in order to achieve the aims and objectives of a company. You will also look at influences inside and outside the business that might affect it, such as the economy.
In your first year, you will learn what a business is and the types of business organisations there are along with how they are managed and led. You will then look at financial aspects of business along with the marketing, human resources and operational areas.
The second year of the course considers a broader overview of business strategies, economic influences on the business, and how the different parts of the business react to these issues, as well as learning tools to analyse and judge the success of a business.
Throughout the course you will learn about different models and theories within the units covered. There is also a high emphasis on business and economic current affairs as these help bring the subject to life!
Course Components
Year 1 Units
- 3.1 What is business?
- 3.2 Managers, Leadership and Decision Making
- 3.3 Decision making to improve marketing performance
- 3.4 Decision making to improve operational performance
- 3.5 Decision making to improve financial performance
- 3.6 Decision making to improve human resource performance
Year 2 Units
- 3.7 Analysing the strategic position of a business
- 3.8 Choosing strategic decisions
- 3.9 Strategic methods: how to pursue strategies
- 3.10 Managing strategic change
Key Info
Minimum Entry Requirements
Five GCSEs at Grade 4 or above including:
- GCSE grade 4 in Business
- Or GCSE grade 4 in Mathematics and English Language if Business not studied at GCSE
Assessment
- 100% Exam
- Exam Board: AQA
Subject Lead
Mrs N Daglish & Miss J Hyland
Why Choose this course?
This course is for you if you have an interest in current affairs and like strategising. The subject is based on logic and how to solve issues raised through your subject knowledge. It’s important that you are interested in the economy and business news. Solid mathematical ability will help you considerably, as will a willingness to share your ideas with other members of the group and work hard.
Skills You Gain
- You will be able to calculate and analyse the financial performance of a range of businesses.
- You will learn how to make a decision and justify the best course of action based on your analysis.
- You will learn how to calculate a wide range of financial & business performance formulae and how to apply your calculations in context.
- You will also have the opportunity to improve your written and oral communication skills through presentations and group work.
- You will learn how to apply real life case studies to business concepts within your written work.
After Northgate
Progression routes are University, apprenticeships or employment.
Students go to a wide variety of destinations for university.
Plenty of students progress to Russell Group universities to study Business-related courses at the Universities of Manchester and Leeds, for example.
“Business really gives you an insight
into the real world”