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Business
Business offers a new and dynamic challenge to students who are looking for a more practical discipline. It covers all aspects of business and the likely challenges, from the start-up right through to the challenges facing multi-national businesses.
Through the study of Business students leave St. Mary’s not only with a qualification that can be used beyond the classroom but with the skills and confidence to use the theory that is taught. Many students go on to study a business related degree and they find the A Level Business course has prepared them very well for this.
In more recent years a number of students have gained employment through degree apprenticeship schemes in companies including IBM, BAE and Royal Sun Alliance. These prestigious schemes provide students with free university education as well as paid employment and Business is often cited as a desired subject.
Business complements many other A Level subjects such as Information Technology, Design & Technology, Mathematics, Sciences and Languages. And it provides a useful foundation for many degree courses such as Accountancy, Management, Information Technology, Law, Economics and of course Business.
A Level
Students follow the AQA A Level Business course and topics covered include:
- What is business?
- Management, leadership and decision making
- Decision making to improve financial performance
- Decision making to improve HR performance
- Decision making to improve operations
- Decision making to improve marketing
The course is taught using a series of purpose-made publications covering the course content alongside past exam papers, individual research projects and the preparation of presentations.
Assessment
Paper 1 – Business 1
33.3% of A Level / 90 marks
2 hour written examination
Two case studies. Each case study will be followed by five compulsory questions worth 45 marks in total.
Paper 2 – Business 2
33.3% of A Level / 90 marks
2 hour written examination
Two case studies. Each case study will be followed by five compulsory questions worth 45 marks in total.
Paper 3 – Business 3
33.3% of A Level / 90 marks
2 hour written examination
Two case studies. Each case study will be followed by five compulsory questions worth 45 marks in total.