Applied Business

What do I need to know or be able to do before taking this course?

You would benefit most from a GCE in Applied Business if you have one or more of the following:

· a profile of GCSEs at grade A*-C which might include GCSE in Business at grade A* - C

· other level 2 qualifications such as GCSE (Double Award) in Applied Business at grades AA-CC; Intermediate GNVQ in Business; an Edexcel BTEC First Certificate or Diploma in Business

You should also have an interest in exploring the world of business in a highly practical way.

What kind of student is this course suitable for?

You will enjoy this course if you would like to:

· develop an understanding of how business works in the real world

· discover the problems and opportunities faced by local, national and international businesses

· have an opportunity to organise an enterprise activity

· learn about how business functions such as marketing, finance, human and physical resources work together as part of a whole business

· take part in practical activities such as planning and running a business, organising an event or planning and setting up a website

Is the qualification structured like other GCEs?

Yes, the qualification has an AS/A2 structure. AS is short for Advanced Subsidiary. This is the first half of the Advanced GCE course. It is a stepping stone to the full Advanced GCE qualification. You can also decide at the end of the AS course to continue with the course and take the A2 units for the full Advanced GCE qualification.

You can study for:

Single Award AS GCE	3units	Units - 1 – Investigating People at Work, 2 – Investigating Business, 3 – Investigating Marketing
Double Award AS GCE	6 units	Units - 1 – Investigating People at Work, 2 – Investigating Business, 3 – Investigating Marketing, 5 – Investigating Customer Service, 6 – Investigating Promotion and 7 – Investigating Enterprise
Single Award Advanced GCE	6 units	Units - 1 – Investigating People at Work, 2 – Investigating Business, 3 – Investigating Marketing, 8 – Business Development plus two additional units taken from units 9 -14
Double Award Advanced GCE	12 units	Units - 1 – Investigating People at Work, 2 – Investigating Business, 3 – Investigating Marketing, 5 – Investigating Customer Service, 6 – Investigating Promotion and 7 – Investigating Enterprise, 8 – Business Development, 10 – Marketing Decisions plus four additional units taken from units 9, 11-14

How is this course taught?

You will base much of your work on real businesses, which you will visit or attend presentations by visiting speakers. Some of the visits will be arranged by your tutors but as the course progresses you should start to develop your own business links.

You will be expected to build a portfolio of evidence of your research into topics studied. This will include information you have gained from people employed in various business sectors, information delivered by course tutors using case studies and text books, your own research using current publications and the internet and discussion groups with other students.

The emphasis of all vocational courses is for you to develop the skills to become an independent learner and so produce work that is current, original and interesting.

How will I be assessed?

You will have an examination in Units 1,6,10 and an assignment set by Edexcel for Unit 8. For the other units you will be assessed by coursework.

What could I go on to do at the end of my course?

The GCE in Applied Business qualifies for UCAS points so if you complete it successfully you could move on to study for a degree or BTEC Higher National Diploma. You could also go on to a Modern Apprenticeship in related subjects such as Administration or Management or on to relevant employment.