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Sale! GCSE Business Studies
Course Codes
OSC1428 / OSC1429
Achieve your GCSE Business Studies qualification from home, without needing to attend school or college!
- Achieve this internationally recognised GCSE Business Studies qualification from AQA.
- Explore topics such as human resources, marketing, and finance.
- Ideal for anyone wanting to study business-related subjects at A Level and beyond.
- If you add on your exams, we will book and pay for them for you!
- Study from the comfort your own home, at your own pace.
Course overview
This online GCSE Business Studies course is perfect for anyone looking to develop their knowledge of the business world and potentially progress to studying related subjects at A Level and beyond. This course is also ideal for anyone looking to learn more about how businesses work and operate to help them in their career.
During this course, you will explore topics such as the various factors affecting businesses such as technology, ethics, and the economy. You will also learn more about the marketing mix, recruitment and selection, and cash flow.
This AQA GCSE Business Studies course is the same course as the one offered in schools throughout the UK. This online GCSE allows you to study the same syllabus from home at your own pace, without needing to attend classes. This means that you will sit the same exams and achieve the same recognised qualification.
Please note that you must complete the exams to achieve the full GCSE qualification. You can choose to add your exams to your enrolment, and we will save you the hassle of booking them, giving you more time to dedicate to your studies. If you do not add your exams to your enrolment, you will be responsible for booking and paying for your exams by liaising directly with your chosen exam centre.
Course Duration
Up to 12 months.
Course Outcome
Once you have successfully completed your exams, you will receive your GCSE Business Studies qualification.
Entry Requirements
There are no entry requirements to study this course.
Assessment
Two written exams.
Course content
Specification code: 8132
- The purpose and nature of business
- Business ownership
- Setting business aims and objectives
- Stakeholders
- Business location
- Business planning
- Expanding a business
- Technology
- Ethical and environmental considerations
- The economic climate of businesses
- Globalisation
- Legislation
- Competitive environment
- Production processes
- The role of procurement
- The concept of quality
- Good customer services
- Organisational structures
- Recruitment and selection of employees
- Motivating employees
- Training
- Identifying and understanding customers
- Segmentation
- The purpose and methods of market research
- The elements of marketing mix: price, product, promotion, and place
- Sources of finance
- Cash flows
- Financial terms and calculations
- Analysing the financial performance of a business
Extra info
Course duration
You will have up to one year to complete your GCSE Business Studies course from the date you receive your materials.
With this course, you will have the flexibility to study at your own pace, and your only deadlines are the GCSE exams, which typically take place during the summer exam period (May/June).
Study method
This course will be studied entirely via distance learning, meaning you will complete your learning either from home or a place that suits you. Full tutor support will be available via email, so if you have any questions or need some guidance, your tutor will be here to help. Your course materials will include a series of self-assessment exercises and tutor-marked questions to allow both yourself and your tutor to monitor your progress.
The study method you choose depends on your personal learning style. Your options are:
- Study pack: if you choose the study pack option, you will be sent a set of printed course materials.
- Study online: if you choose this option, you will be sent your login details to our online portal through which you will access your course materials digitally. You can access your course via a desktop/laptop computer, tablet, or smartphone.
Assessment
To achieve your GCSE Business Studies qualification, you must complete the exams. There are two written exams for this course which will cover the topics studied on this course. A breakdown of the exam papers can be found in the following section.
When you enrol on your course, you will have the option to add your exams to your enrolment, or you can select the course-only option.
Choosing to add the exams package
If you choose to add your exams on to your enrolment, all you need to do is contact us when you are ready to sit your exams, we will book and pay for them on your behalf. Please note that the GCSE exam timetable typically takes place during May and June each year. You are advised to contact us well in advance of when you intend to sit your exams so that we can confirm your place with the exam board – cut-off dates apply.
Please note, our GCSE exam centre locations for this course are as follows:
- Birmingham
- Coventry
- Doncaster
- Bolton
- Wimbledon
- Taunton
- St Neots, Cambridgeshire
- High Wycombe
- Belfast
- Bristol
- Romford
The course-only option
If you do not add your exams to your enrolment, you will be responsible for booking and paying for your exams yourself. If you select this option, you must source and liaise with your chosen exam centre in order to book your exams, Open Study College will not be able to book your exams for you. In this instance, you are advised to contact AQA exam centres well in advance of their intended exam dates, as cut-off dates sometimes change.
Course outcome
Upon successful completion of your exams, you will be awarded GCSE Business Studies qualification issued by AQA.
What next?
After completing this course, you can develop your knowledge further by progressing to studying the subject at A Level, or an alternative level 3 route.
This course will also benefit those looking to expand their business knowledge to enhance their career prospects or knowledge.
The knowledge and skills acquired during this course are transferable and highly applicable to careers in business management, marketing, economics, and human resources.
Exam details
Paper 1: Influences of operations and HRM on business activity
Type: written exam
Duration: 1 hour 45 mins
Weighting: 50%
Total marks: 90
What’s assessed: A mix of multiple choice, short answer questions, and long answer questions, including questions based on a case study and/or data response stimuli. Section A is worth 20 marks, section B is worth 34 marks, and section C is worth 36 marks. Topics assessed during this exam will be:
- Business in the real world
- Influences on business
- Business operations
- Human resources
Paper 2: Influences of marketing and finances on business activity
Type: written exam
Duration: one hour 45 minutes
Weighting: 50%
Total marks: 90
What’s assessed: A mix of multiple choice, short answer questions, and long answer questions, including questions based on a case study and/or data response stimuli. Section A is worth 20 marks, section B is worth 34 marks, and section C is worth 36 marks. Topics assessed during this exam will be:
- Business in the real world
- Influences on business
- Marketing
- Finance
Q&As
Yes! This course is the same as the GCSEs you would study at a traditional school. The only difference is that this course is designed to be studied from home and you receive full tutor support via email.
You do not need any previous knowledge to enrol on this course.
You will have 12 months from enrolment to complete this course.
- Dedicated personal tutor support.
- Dedicated learner services.
- Assignment marking and feedback.
- FREE XO Student Discounts membership.
- FREE CV critique service.
- FREE employability guide to help you impress future employers.
- Student guide
- Exclusive Open Study College study pack, including pen and notebook*
* Only available with the study pack option.
Yes, in order to achieve your GCSE qualification, you must complete the exams required by the course’s exam board. GCSE exams take place during the summer exam period which typically falls in May and June each year.
You can choose to add your exams to your enrolment with us, in which case we will book and pay for your exams for you when you are ready. Alternatively, if you choose the course-only option, you will be responsible for booking and paying for your exams which can be done directly with your local exam centre.
Please note: if you add on exams you will need to sit these exams in either the Birmingham, Coventry, Doncaster, Bolton, Wimbledon, Taunton, Belfast, High Wycombe, Romford, Bristol, or St Neots, Cambridgeshire examination centre.
If you select the course-only option when enrolling on your GCSE, you will need to book directly with the exam centre and pay for your exams yourself. We highly recommend researching your options before enrolling as costs can vary between centres. However, if you choose to add the exams package to your enrolment, we will take care of booking and paying for your exams for you when you are ready.
You may want to purchase textbooks to supplement your course, but this is entirely optional.
You are still able to study our GCSE courses abroad, however, you must sit your exams within the UK at an official exam centre.
It's not a problem. We offer a course replacement service, so if you get into trouble and your course pack is lost or damaged, our Student Support Team can provide you with a new set of materials for a one-time additional fee.
That's not a problem. We want to make sure you're 100% confident about enrolling on the course and starting your study. So, just give our team of education specialists a call on 03300 563 100 and they'll do their best to help.