Business Studies:Single

Course summary

The course provides a bridge between the educational requirements of a sixth-year former and the needs of life after school. It has proved to be of interest and help both to those going on to university and those going on to full-time employment. The former will find there is now a wide variety of courses in Business and Management (often linked to other courses) for which the A Level is an excellent preparation. For the latter, the A Level provides a very useful grounding in the intricacies of the business world. It is geared toward teaching and developing the skills needed in later life, especially the management of information and knowledge, analysis, evaluation and decision-making. The course is designed to encourage candidates to: • develop a critical understanding of organisations, the markets they serve and the process of adding value through consideration of the internal workings and management of organisations and, in particular, the process of decision-making in a dynamic external environment; • be aware that business behaviour can be studied from the perspectives of a range of stakeholders; • acquire a range of skills, including decision-making and problem-solving in the light of evaluation and, where appropriate, the quantification and management of information; • be aware of the current structure of business and business practice as reflected in events and issues affecting organisations, large and small; manufacturing and service; local, regional, national and multi-national; profit-making and non-profit-making. • be aware of the economic, environmental, ethical, governmental, legal, social and technological issues associated with business activities. Candidates will be required to:- • demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the specified content; • apply this to problems arising from both familiar and unfamiliar situations; • analyse problems, issues and situations; • evaluate, and distinguish between fact and opinion, and assess information from a variety of sources. The Department is active in several other areas including Young Enterprise (open to all those in the Lower Sixth, irrespective of whether they are doing Business A Level). We also arrange speakers and trips and take part in various competitions, such as the Target Two Point Zero game.