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Business & Management

Business Studies A Level

The Business Studies A-Level course has been designed to provide students with an overall understanding of business studies.

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Level 3 / Edexcel A Level / OSC23

Buying options

Special offer
Online study
Paper study
Online study
Pay in full
Pay monthly
Pay in full

over 12 months and £ deposit

over 12 months and £ deposit

 

Course summary

tutor

Course support

24 months expert tutor support

tutor

24 hour access

Unlimited Submissions

qualification

Accreditation

Fully accredited course

award

Awarding body

Pearson Qualifications

Course introduction

Business Studies A Level

Do you need an A Level to get into University?

We offer a range of A Levels where we guarantee to prioritise the marking of your coursework so you are fully ready to take your exams in June of each year

WE DO NOT CHARGE EXTRA FOR THIS SERVICE.

An Advanced Level in Business Studies is a perfect qualification for those wishing to acquire knowledge and understanding of the subject to enable them to study at a higher level at university. It also provides a progression route for further training whilst in employment

This specification is designed to:

- Enable candidates to focus on the dynamic nature of the contemporary business world
- Provide opportunities for research into topical business issues
- Offer opportunities for the development and application of a full range of academic skills
- Explore real business situations
- Be practical in the application of business concepts
- Understand the role of the entrepreneur and business in society

This course allows learners to earn UCAS points depending on the grade gained:

A* – 56
A – 48
B – 40
C – 32
D – 24
E – 16

Qualification Code: 9BS0

Please note:
Students are fully responsible for the arrangement and funding of any examinations required.

Next Examination Period: 
Summer

Required knowledge

Students need to have GCSE level mathematics skills to do well on the course. There is no difficult mathematics but there is a need to have a go at interpreting figures and performing simple calculations.

Assessment

Paper 1 - Marketing, people and global business *Paper code: 9BS0/01
35% of A-Level
100 marks
Written exam: 2 hours

What is assessed?:
Questions will be drawn from Themes 1 and 4, and from local, national and global contexts.

Paper 2 - Business activities, decisions and strategy *Paper code: 9BS0/02
35% of A-Level
100 marks
Written exam: 2 hours

What is assessed?:
Questions will be drawn from Themes 2 and 3, and from local, national and global contexts.

Paper 3 - Investigating business in a competitive environment *Paper code: 9BS0/03
30% of A-Level
100 marks
Written exam: 2 hours

What is assessed?:
Questions will be drawn from all four themes, and from local, national and global contexts.

Please note: Students are fully responsible for the arrangement and funding of any examinations required.

Next Examination Period: 
Summer

Awarding organisation

Edexcel is part of Pearson, the world’s leading learning company which has an educational heritage rooted in names like Longman, Heinemann and Prentice Hall. Edexcel is the UK’s largest awarding organisation, offering academic and vocational qualifications and testing to schools, colleges, employers and other places of learning in the UK and internationally.

Course modules

The AQA A Level Business specification is structured into four themes, assessed across three examinations. This course has been designed to reflect this, and will take students through each topic, as listed below:

Theme 1: Marketing and People
Students will develop an understanding of:
Meeting customer needs
The market
Marketing mix and strategy
Managing people
Entrepreneurs and leaders

Theme 2: Managing Business Activities
Students will develop an understanding of:
Raising finance
Financial planning
Managing finance
Resource management
External influence

Theme 3: Business Decisions and Strategy
This theme develops the concepts introduced in Theme 2. Students will develop an understanding of:
Business objectives and strategies
Business growth
Decision-making techniques
Influences on business decisions
Assessing competitiveness
Managing change

Theme 4: Global Business
This theme develops the concepts introduced in Theme 1. Students will develop an understanding of:
Globalisation
Global markets and business expansion
Global marketing
Global industries and companies (multinational corporations)

Learner support

- The course comes to you as a proper paper-based pack, not as an electronic password
- The course materials and support will be provided by OSC
- You will get full tutor support via email
- You will receive feedback on your assignments from our experienced tutors
- You will be given guidance through the Study Guide on the nuts and bolts of studying and submitting assignments
- Postal assignments cannot be accepted without prior permission from the tutor
- You must have access to email in order to contact your tutor.
- Our A Levels come with tutor support for 24 months.

You will have access to a tutor via our student portal who will mark your work and guide you through the course to help you be ready for your examinations. In addition you will be supplied with a comprehensive Study Guide which will help you through the study and assessment process.

FAQs

What does NCC stand for?

NCC originally stood for the National Consortium of FE (Further Education) Colleges. This brought together the FE Colleges to achieve the best provision. Regular national meetings were attended by both Colleges and Government agencies who funded them. This was very helpful to them both to best deliver training to their students.

For more than 25 years NCC has supplied FE Colleges with learning materials as well as student marketing.

NCC now specialise in online training of a very high quality to students both self-funded, paid for by schools, employers and training providers.

What is distance learning?

Distance learning is the most flexible and convenient approach to studying. There is no need for you to attend college and you can study anytime, anyplace, anywhere that fits in with your lifestyle. Distance learning programmes are ideal for people who may have a job, family commitments, or any other commitment that won’t allow them time off to study.

What is the difference between the online and paper versions of courses?

Both our online and paper courses are completed via an online learning portal (LMS) which you can access after you receive your login details by email. Please ensure that you check your junk email if you do not receive your login details within 48 hours.

All learners will submit their assignments, receive feedback and correspond with their tutor directly through the LMS. If you require help from our support team, then simply email [email protected].

If you opt for the online course, you will not receive any course materials through the post. Everything is available via the LMS.

If you opt for the paper version, you are simply paying for a study book to be printed and posted to your home, or place of work. You will use this book as a reference guide, but you will still be required to upload your assignments and correspond with your tutor via the LMS.

If you are unable to access our online LMS, we do have alternative options available, so please email [email protected] in order to request further support.

What do I need to do to get started?

We recommend that you choose a course that will interest you and help you to achieve your ambitions. If you would like some advice, or further information, contact us here or dial 0333 3445 690.

To purchase a course, simply click on the ‘Buy now’ button against your chosen course and follow the on screen instructions. Alternatively if you would prefer to purchase the course over the phone, call 0333 3445 690 and speak to one of our expert course advisors.

How much will it cost?

The cost largely depends on the type and size of the course. The course cost is determined by the expenses associated with its provision, taking into consideration the course's size and complexity, development costs, the presence of a study materials, and the level of tutor support required. Some courses also necessitate additional in-person assessments by assessors, which incur additional expenses and consequently affect the course's cost.

All prices are clearly stated on the course description page and will always be displayed prior to you committing to purchase a course.

Please note that there may be additional fees required should your course require an external invigilated assessment, such as A Levels, ICB qualifications etc. To clarify, please speak to a course advisor.

How do I enrol?

Once you've chosen your course, you have two options for enrolment:


  1. You can purchase the course online by clicking the "Buy now" button, which will enrol you automatically.
  2. Alternatively, you can call our helpline at 0333 3445 690, and our expert course advisors will assist you in signing up for the course and arrange for the delivery of any requested additional learning materials to your address.

All courses are available to purchase in full or via affordable monthly payments over 12 months. A £29 non-refundable deposit is required for monthly payments, and you will be required to set up a monthly direct debit.

We do not require you to complete a credit check to sign up for monthly payments.

How quickly will I receive my course materials?

We guarantee that you will receive any course materials ordered within 5 working days of registering, but for many of our courses it may take no more than 48 hours.

The course materials are always sent to you via a tracked courier service, to ensure that you receive your study book within our stated period.

Do I need any additional books or equipment to do my course?

All the relevant information required to complete your course is available via the LMS. Additional research via the internet is encouraged, depending on the level you are working at, to bolster knowledge of the subject area.

There is no requirement to purchase any additional materials.

What support will I receive?

You will have access to a dedicated personal tutor whom you can contact through the Learning Management System (LMS) for assistance and guidance on any course-related matters. Your tutor will only initiate contact in response to your messages. If you encounter any difficulties reaching your tutor, please don't hesitate to email us at [email protected]

Many courses require you to submit work to your tutor during the period of study, and your tutor will assess your work and provide feedback to you within 10 working days. Your tutor is available to you as much as you need them.

Please note that the course includes tutor support for a duration of 12 months. If you require additional time, please inform us, and we will make every effort to provide you with an option for a paid extension, if feasible, to assist you in completing your course.

Please be aware that our tutors are actively assisting multiple learners, and to ensure they are not inundated with excessive workloads, we have implemented a policy limiting learners to submitting a maximum of three units of work for evaluation at any given time. We recommend that you upload your completed units as you finish them. This way, you can benefit from your tutor's feedback to enhance your future assignment submissions.

How long will it take for my work to be marked by my tutor?

Your work will be marked and feedback returned to you within 10 working days after submission. This is because our tutors are required to provide detailed, considered feedback to our learners that may take a while to formulate. We find that by working this way, our learners actually complete their course in less time, as they rarely need to submit an assignment more than twice.

Whilst it is possible to submit multiple assignments at the same time, we advise that our learners submit only one at a time. We want our learners to develop as they progress through their course, and find this is best achieved when a student embarks on a new module having taken into account tutor feedback from the previous submission.

Kindly note that our tutors are currently supporting multiple learners simultaneously. In order to maintain a balanced workload for them, we have established a policy that restricts learners to submitting a maximum of three units of work for evaluation at any given time.

How long should it take to complete a course?

Depending on the course you have chosen, and the amount of time you can commit, it could take from 6 weeks to 12 months to complete your course. Your end of support date is when you need to have your course copmpleted by in order to be able to be certificated, this is usually 12 months from purchase.

The duration of the course is largely down to you. The beauty of home learning is that it allows you complete flexibility to fit your studies around your lifestyle and other commitments. You can dedicate as much, or as little, time as you want to your studies - no one will be chasing you for your work or asking why you haven’t submitted an assignment.

We do strongly recommend, though, that before you purchase a course you assess your ability to commit the necessary time to completing the course in a timeframe that will not leave you losing your motivation.

Will I have to sit an examination?

All of our courses are accredited, so you need to show that you have acquired the knowledge to pass the course – this may involve sitting an examination, but it depends on the course you have chosen.

Some courses require you to be continually assessed throughout the course, while others may require an end of course exam or assignment (which may be completed at home) to be submitted to your tutor.

Certain types of qualifications, A-levels and GCSEs for example, do require you to sit invigilated exams at a registered test centre. You will need to organise and pay for the examinations yourself, however full details of what you need to do will be available from the centre who are delivering the qualification.

If in doubt, please email [email protected], NCC can then discuss or put you in touch directly with the course provider.

Will I receive a qualification when I complete the course?

All of our courses are accredited and you will receive a certificate upon successful completion of the course.

For more information about this please see the section of the website that details how awarding bodies work and what the different types of qualifications are: https://www.ncchomelearning.co.uk/awarding-organisations

Can I take more than one course at a time?

Yes, you can take as many courses as your time allows, but we would recommend that you clearly evaluate how much time you can commit to your courses of study.

The good news is that if your circumstances change you can always take a limited break and come back to your studies to save your paid for support.

If you decide to enrol on more than one course at the same time, speak to our enquiries team for any bundle deals or offers.

Can I study from outside the UK?

Certainly, in most instances, there are no geographical constraints on where you can undertake your studies. However, it's important to note that specific courses may be subject to geographical limitations imposed by the Awarding Organisation, and these restrictions will be clearly stated in the course description.

You just need to be aware that all tutors are based in the UK and work may need to be submitted to them via post, although in most cases e-mail can be used.

Where the course requires that you sit an invigilated exam at a test centre, there are many exam centres outside of the UK. However, we would advise that you check with us before purchasing one of these courses if you want to study from abroad.

What if I’ve chosen the wrong course?

If, after receiving the course, you decide it isn’t the right course for you, you may return the materials within 14 days, provided you have not yet submitted any coursework for evaluation. Please note that you will be responsible for covering the return shipping costs. We will refund your payment, minus a non-refundable deposit of £29. Additionally, you have the option to select an alternative course that better matches your goals and aspirations.

For any help on cancelling your course please email [email protected], we will only deal with cancellation enquiries via email.

What is a Totum Card?

Totum is the new brand for UK student cards and replaces the old NUS student card. NCC students are eligible to sign-up for the Totum card where applicable, giving access to a multitude of retail, food and travel special discounts. For more information, you can visit their website: https://www.totum.com/

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