A-Levels: Business Studies

Why study Business Studies?

AS/A2 Business Studies will give you the opportunity to study many aspects of commercial life and real-life business scenarios. It has a practical focus, which will enable you to look at businesses with a critical eye. The variety of topics studied is looked upon favourably by universities and employers and the subject sits well alongside the study of most other A-level subjects.

What do I study?
Year 1 (AS)
Unit 1: Planning and Financing a Business
- starting a business
- financial planning
Unit 2: Managing a Business
- people
- operations management
- finance
- marketing and competition
Year 2 (A2)
Unit 3: Strategies for Success
- financial strategies and accounts
- marketing strategies
- operations strategies
- human resources strategies
Unit 4: The Business Environment and Change
- external influences
- leadership, corporate culture and ethics
At A2 you will study in greater depth and develop higher level skills. Assessment is by a combination of data response questions, case studies, multiple choice questions and essay-style questions.

Where does Business Studies take me?
Business Studies can be combined with Arts, Humanities, Languages or Sciences. You can go on to Higher Education courses such as Business, Management, Law and Marketing. It is helpful for careers in Accounting, Marketing, Banking and Human Resource Management.

What do I need?

You will need to have an interest in current affairs and the world of business in general, but it is not necessary to have studied Business before.