Business AS Level

BUSINESS (VOCATIONAL) AS Level (Year One)

• Level 3 course
• Double one year (ASx2) or two years (A level x2)
  Single one year (AS) or two years (A level)
• Progression higher education and employment
• Exam board AQA
• 5 periods a week (single award)
• 10 periods a week (double award)

Applied Double AS Level

Course outline
Three Core Units:
Unit 1 Investigating business (portfolio)
Students explore the aims and objectives of businesses, the needs of their customers and how they are met. They investigate how businesses deal with competition from other businesses and how external factors, such as changing social values, can affect business. Students will also look at the meaning of enterprise and enterprising behaviour and why individuals and teams are vital to the success of a business.

Unit 2 People in business (portfolio)
Students study the roles and responsibilities of people in business, such as the qualities an employer looks for in its employees and the training and development opportunities available to individuals. This unit gives students the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge needed to carry out the activities associated with the recruitment process.

Unit 3 Financial Planning and Monitoring (external test)
Students learn how to calculate business costs, revenues and profits, and how managers use this information in decision making. They investigate the ways in which businesses plan their finances by, for example, drawing cash flow forecasts or budgets, and how businesses use this data to monitor the performance of the organisation.

Three optional Units:
Unit 4 Meeting Customer needs (external test)
Unit 5 Business Communication and Information systems (external test)
Unit 7 Career Planning (portfolio)
For the Applied Single Award, the core Units 1, 2 and 3 will be completed

Subject features
To enable students to develop a broad understanding of Applied Business principles. To encourage students to develop skills, knowledge and understanding of realistic business contexts through a variety of approaches from theoretical to practical emphasis. Students will be encouraged to develop knowledge and understanding of -
The practices and techniques used within marketing, finance, operations management, human resource management and the links between them
The processes of setting up an enterprise
The relationship between business and the changing environment
Social and ethical issues in business.

Teaching styles
Students will learn through variety of teaching methods with teacher led lessons. Individual projects and assignments are produced involving students own research and so students are expected to do work on their own account. The nature of the course is directed to application of business theory and concepts. As such, use of case study assignments, links with local businesses and research into businesses is an integral part of the course. Use is made of ICT to conduct research and practical use of software is expected.

Assessment
The AS double Award comprises three portfolio assessment units, and three externally examined assessment units.
Unit 1 Portfolio 70 marks
Unit 2 Portfolio 70 marks
Unit 3 Exam 60 marks
Unit 4 Exam 60 marks
Unit 5 Exam 60 marks
Unit 7 Portfolio 70 marks
Written tests are 1 hour in length, apart from Unit 5 which is 1 hours.
All units contribute 16 2/3% of the total Double AS Award
All units are aggregated to each provide 8 1/3% of the total A level marks

Subject combinations
The course fits well with other vocational A Level courses.
It can alternatively be sat as a Single Award (AS Single Applied Business course, with 3 units studied in year 1, followed by A2 Single Applied Business, with 3 units studied in year 2). This route enables flexibility in the range of subjects being studied.

Progression
Students will be able to progress into higher education. Successful completion of the AS and A2 Applied Double (or Single) Award earns the same UCAS tariff structure as conventional A level examination routes. The Double Award is equivalent to 2 x A2 levels, the Single Award is equivalent to 1 x A2 level. Students will be able to follow a degree course in any business related field.
Students can alternatively enter employment routes, with a qualification recognisable by industry.

Resources and facilities
Laptops/pcs available in the department and portable projector equipment.
Course texts provided to students to assist in their studies.
Handouts are provided as required throughout the course.

Key features
The essential feature of this course that it is applied to businesses. It is expected that students will apply theory and concepts to business situations throughout the course, both in the external tests and in their portfolio work.
Wider skills are encouraged throughout the course, including use of ICT to develop presentation skills, group work, working with others, interviewing skills, researching and collating research evidence collected, presentation of reports and practical application of ICT.
Contact with business is encouraged, through visits to or from businesses and use of practical business scenarios through case study material.
Students are encouraged to develop an awareness of the business world, including businesses in the local area; further field visits/trips to businesses are encouraged; and Tuesdays on the Terrace workshops offered by De Montfort University providing talks from local entrepreneurs.
The course is run by experienced teaching staff including current examining and moderating personnel with the AQA exam board.

BUSINESS (VOCATIONAL) A2 Level (Year Two)

Course outline
One core unit:
Unit 8 Business Plan (portfolio)
Students are given the opportunity to produce a structured business plan for a new product or service and to apply the skills and knowledge learnt through other units.
Five optional units:
Unit 10 Promotional activities (portfolio)
Unit 12 Managing People (external exam)
Unit 14 Managing Change (portfolio)
Unit 15 Financial Accounting for Managers (external exam)
Unit 16 Managing Resources (portfolio)
(for the Applied Single A2 Award, 3 of these units will be studied, including Unit 8 (synoptic core unit)

Assessment
The Advanced Level Double Award comprises six units from the AS Scheme of Assessment and six units from the A2 Scheme of Assessment
Individual units contribute 8 1/3 %
of the total A level marks.
Unit 8 Portfolio 70 marks
Unit 10 Portfolio 70 marks
Unit 12 Exam 80 marks
Unit 14 Portfolio 70 marks
Unit 15 Exam 80 marks
Unit 16 Portfolio 70 marks
Written tests are 1 hours in length.

Entry requirements
A pass in the AS level