Business Vocational

Why study a Business Vocational Course?
These courses offer vocational learning as well as providing you with useful job and study skills which will help to provide opportunities in the workplace.
They are aimed at students who want to keep open their options: this course allows you to either:

• study for one year, gain advanced qualifications including one in a vocational area, and then seek employment
  or
  
• study this course for one year, then stay on in College for a second year. This way you gain advanced qualifications including one or two in vocational areas, plus other useful subjects, and can then seek employment or go to university.

Is this subject right for me?
Do you prefer coursework to exams?
Do you want a chance to combine College with a work placement?
Do you respond positively to tight deadlines?

Level 3 (Advanced: Equivalent to one A level in one year)

To gain the OCR National Certificate Level 3 (equivalent to one A level) you must successfully complete a range of four compulsory units and two optional units. You will be assessed by coursework only, which is set and marked to strict time deadlines. The units currently offered are:

Compulsory Units
Investigating Business
Customer Service
Business Communication
Finance for Business

Optional Units
Marketing
Recruitment and Selection

Each unit clearly sets out the learning you must cover to produce assessment evidence. Assessment objectives used to measure your ability to apply skills, knowledge and understanding in a business context. A Technical Certificate qualification linked to this vocational course will also be awarded.

Alongside the National Certificate and the Technical Certificate you will take one AS subject or one GCSE subject. If you don†t have an Information and Communication Technology qualification, you will also study for Key Skill ICT.
If you want to stay on for a second year, you might then take a different vocational subject (or convert your first year AS into an A level), plus two further subjects at AS or GCSE.

Level 2 (Intermediate)

To gain the OCR National Certificate Level 2 (equivalent to four GCSEs at grade C) you must successfully complete a range of four compulsory units and two optional units. Coursework is set and marked to strict time deadlines.

The Units currently offered are:

Compulsory Units
Investigate how Businesses Work
How Businesses Develop
Business Finance
People in Business

Optional Units
Customer Service
Promotion

Each unit clearly sets out the learning you must cover to produce assessment evidence. Assessment criteria are used to measure your ability to apply skills, knowledge and understanding in a business context. A Technical Certificate qualification linked to this vocational course will also be awarded.
If you don†t have an ICT qualification, you will also study for Key Skill ICT.

If you want to stay for a second year then you might move on to a Level 3 Vocational course, or to a course made up of several AS subjects.

If you want to stay for a second year then you might move on to a Level 3 Vocational course, or to a course made up of several AS subjects.

How will your work be assessed? (Level 3 and Level 2)

Assessment is exclusively through coursework.
Completed units are assessed by means of unit specific grading criteria; the meeting of an increasing level of complex evidence will lead to a higher grade. Grading will be Pass, Merit and Distinction.
The final course grading will be judged against the total number of points you have been awarded.

What are the entry requirements?

Level 3
You must have at least 4 grade Cs in 3 different subjects at GCSE

Level 2
Students require at least 2 grade Ds and three grade Es at GCSE level.

10/09