Applied Business

A GCSE in Applied Business is a nationally recognised work-related qualification designed to provide you with a choice of routes into further education or employment. It is made up of three units.

A double award is a qualification equal to two GCSEs - it is twice the size of most GCSEs. You do not need to have studied business before starting the GCSE. It is important that you have a lively and enquiring mind, an interest in business, a willingness to explore new ideas and an ability to communicate your ideas effectively.

You will:

* gain an understanding of business
* investigate the part people play in business
* have an opportunity to apply learning in a practical and realistic way
* follow a programme of study that enables progression to further courses and employment in business
* develop Key Skills which are highly valued by employers and further education
* gain confidence by developing independent learning skills.

This course will appeal to you if you:

* have a keen interest in business and how it operates
* enjoy studying a subject that is relevant to your life and experiences
* want to find out more about business through personal investigation
* are interested in developing an understanding of how businesses work, develop and make a profit
* want to study a course that is active and enjoyable
* want to move on to a related career or further education
* wish to build up a qualification by studying individual units

Unit 1: Investigating Business

This unit will help you to understand the different types of businesses and their aims, such as make a profit or provide voluntary or charitable services. You will look at how they organise themselves, the departments that make up a business, what they are called and what their activities are. You will learn about how outside influences affect the decisions that businesses make, for example the reason why a business locates in a particular place.

Unit 2: People and Business

One of the most valuable resources of any business is its people. This unit helps you to understand the roles played by people with different interests in a business and to look in detail at employers and employees. It helps you to think about workers, about the recruitment and training process and how you might apply for a first job.

Unit 3: Business Finance

This unit introduces you to business finance. You will learn to identify the main costs and revenues of a business and how these figures can be included in what is known as a profit and loss account. You will learn how to estimate future costs and revenues and how to calculate at what point a business starts to make a profit.
The GCSE in Applied Business is a double award so is awarded two grades. The grades will be the summary of your results for each of the three grades for each unit. These will be reported as A*A* through to GG depending on how well you have done in each of your three units.

During the course you will carry out a number of assignments based on Units 1 and 2. In Unit 1, for example, you could be a consultant who has been asked by a local company to look at possible opportunities and problems the company might face in the future and write a report for the management. For Unit 2 you might take the part of a manager interviewing a school leaver for a job and record your involvement. After completing your assignment your teacher will mark your work. During your course you will build up a folder (portfolio) containing your work for Units 1 and 2. This portfolio will count towards your final grade. As part of your course you will take a written exam paper based on Unit 3, set and marked by Edexcel. The mark for your written exam will also count towards your final grade.

As well as covering aspects of business, you will also develop your Key Skills in the areas of:
* Communication
* Application of Number
* Information Technology
* Problem solving
* Working with others
* Improving own learning and performance

If you take part in a discussion or role play or write a report as part of your course, for example, you will develop your Communication Key Skill. Collecting and analysing information is part of the Application of Number Key Skill, and if you present this using IT, you are starting to develop your Information Technology Key Skill.