Business Studies A Level

You will develop a good understanding of business issues and obtain the skills necessary to start up a business. You will learn how individuals obtain finance to start a new business and how existing businesses respond to opportunities and threats. Studying A Level Business Studies will help you develop a range of skills such as analysis and evaluation of written and numerical data, which are skills highly valued by universities and, of course, by your future employer. Business Studies is a subject for students who have an interest in setting up their own business or who want to learn more about how large companies such as Microsoft operate.

Entry Requirements

A minimum of 38 points for your average GCSE score, Mathematics and English Language at grades A*-C plus at least three other GCSEs from our specified range of GCSE subjects and a satisfactory reference.

International Entry Requirements
IELTS 5.5, High School Certificate Grade C or above (or equivalent)

Content and Assesment

Four units are examined, two for the AS and two more for the full A Level. The AS content focuses on starting up and managing a business.
Unit 1 concentrates on the challenges of starting a new business, especially obtaining adequate finance.
Unit 2 focuses on managing an existing business, in particular planning staff levels. The emphasis in the second year is on evaluating businesses' strategies to cope with a changing world.
Unit 3 deals with the strategies large businesses use in planning their finance, marketing and recruitment policies.
Unit 4 concentrates on how businesses respond to changing opportunities and threats.
You will broaden and develop your intellectual skills in this subject; you will learn how to analyse financial data, how to construct an argument and how to evaluate the implications of implementing different business proposals. The majority of the assessments are based on real life case studies and therefore you will be expected to read about business events in newspapers and journals and to watch business programmes such as 'The Apprentice' and 'Dragons Den'.

Course Duration

The A level qualification ia a full-time course achieved over a two year period. In the first year you study the AS modules and in the second year you will study the A2 modules. The year begins in September and runs through to the beginning of July.

Progression

Business Studies combines well with many A level subjects including Statistics and ICT. Business degrees are widely available and are amongst the most popular subjects at university; many universities offer combined options. A future in the corporate world of business or perhaps in a smaller business enterprise requires the skills this subject provides.

Additional Information

The exam board is AQA. The Specification is AS/A Level Business Studies AQA 2130. You can find more information at www.aqa.org.uk

There is no coursework for this qualification.

Admissions

Pleae apply for our A level course (minimum three subjects) on-line through our website, www.kingston-college.ac.uk or by following the link to the right of this page.