Overview
Do you have a head for figures or an interest in marketing? Or perhaps you can picture yourself running a business one day or playing a crucial role in the growth and success of an organisation. Whatever the case may be, this GCSE Business Studies course is one for all budding entrepreneurs!
The skills you'll learn along the way are highly prized by colleges and universities. They're also in demand in a vast array of professions such as accounting, law, management consultancy, stockbroking, and human resources.
What you'll learn
What is business? This unit will answer this question, taking you through the purpose of business, the concept of entrepreneur and enterprise and business planning. You’ll also be able to identify the categorisation of different businesses and the similarities and differences they have, looking closely at the beginnings of a business, business types and goal setting.
During this unit, you’ll be looking at the range of outside influences (economy, technology, consumer income, changes in law, ethics and globalisation) on a business and how this can affect business operation. You’ll understand how technology has an important role to play, making it more efficient in development, consumer journeys and operations.
The third module covers production processes, the role of procurement, the concept of quality and good customer service. You’ll understand how processes might be made more efficient by the use of lean production techniques, analyse the factors which affect choosing a supplier, and learn how businesses identify and address quality issues.
During this module, you’ll be exploring organisational structures, as well as the recruitment, selection, motivation, and training of employees. You’ll appreciate how organisational structure can affect the way in which a business is managed, the benefits of a highly motivated workforce, and learn about financial and non-financial methods of motivation.
In module five, you’ll learn how to understand and identify customers, the purpose and methods of market research, the ‘four Ps’ of business, and how businesses use segmentation to target customers. You’ll recognise the
importance of identifying and satisfying customer needs, the difference between qualitative and quantitative research, and appreciate the significance of USPs in the competitive market.
The final module focuses on sources of finance, cash flow, financial terms and calculations. You’ll gain an understanding of the main internal and external sources of finance, the consequences of cash flow problems, and the concepts of revenue, costs, profits, and loss. You’ll also learn about the differences between assets and liabilities, and how to calculate gross and net profit margins.
Extra info
Awarding Body
AQA qualifications are internationally recognised and taught in 30 countries around the world, highly valued by employers and universities and enable young people to progress to the next stage of their lives. AQA qualifications suit a range of abilities and include GCSE courses, IGCSE courses and A-level courses.
Course Outcome
Upon successful completion of this home learning course, you will receive an AQA Business Studies GCSE, issued by AQA. This syllabus (8132) has been chosen specifically because it is best suited to distance learning.
How is this course assessed or examined?
You can enrol now for examinations for Summer 2024.
For this course, you'll be required to complete two standard AQA Business GCSE written exams.
- Paper 1: Written exam lasting one hour 45 minutes, 90 marks, 50% of GCSE
- Paper 2: Written exam lasting one hour 45 minutes, 90 marks, 50% of GCSE
We provide a guaranteed exam space in one of our partner exam centres around the UK. Check where your closest exam centre is.
During your course, you'll be required to complete various assignments. These do not contribute to your final grade but provide you with an opportunity to submit work to your tutor for marking and feedback. This will help you to monitor your progress and will be used to produce predicted grades if needed.
Entry requirements
While there are no strict entry requirements for this level two GCSE Business course, it is strongly recommended that you have the ability to effectively read and write in English.
