Business Studies:Single

Course summary

The Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Business is structured into four themes and consists of three externally examined papers. In the LVI, students are introduced to business in Themes 1 and 2 through building knowledge of core business concepts and applying them to business contexts to develop a broad understanding of how businesses work. In the UVI, breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding, with applications to a wider range of contexts and more complex business information, are developed in Themes 3 and 4, requiring students to take a more strategic view of business opportunities and issues. Students are encouraged to use an enquiring, critical and thoughtful approach to the study of business, to understand that business behaviour can be studied from a range of perspectives and to challenge assumptions. As you are expected to apply your business knowledge to a variety of local, national and global business contexts in both manufacturing and service sectors you must keep up to date with business stories in the news. You should also have an awareness of how the wider economy influences these businesses and critically evaluate your own experiences of interacting with a variety of firms. This will include the internal and external factors that might influence the decisions taken and how any changes might be implemented. This strategic focus will be driven by your detailed analysis of current business performance. Assessment is based around the analysis of real business situations and you should be prepared to read widely to understand a variety of business contexts so that you can demonstrate your understanding. You should also be able to compare and contrast the approaches taken by different businesses.