Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate in Business (Level 3)

Why study this subject

Business is one of the most interesting, relevant and varied subjects available. Newspaper and television headlines offer continual reminders of how important the business world is to us all. In recent years much attention has been directed to issues such as fair trade, business ethics, globalisation and e-commerce.

The Cambridge Technical course covers all the key areas of business – marketing, human resources, production, finance, the external environment and communication. In addition there is the opportunity to focus on specific areas of business in more depth through the optional units. The course is ideally suited to those students who would prefer to be assessed through a mixture of examination and coursework projects. Unlike the A level Business course, 50% of the assessment is through coursework, with the remaining 50% assessed through examinations. This is a more practical course than the A level and students will need to research and visit local businesses in order to complete their coursework projects.

Enrichment Opportunities & Trips

The Business department offers an extensive range of subject-specific enrichment activities. In the ICAEW National Schools Business Competition our teams have won the regional finals four times and were runners up nationally. Students have won three awards during the world finals of the Global Student Challenge in Hong Kong on two occasions. Their business plan came third in the world and won the best environmental business award out of 191 teams. In addition we run a wide range of activities within college: Young Enterprise, Stock Market Challenge, The Apprentice, World of Business.

The department gives every student the opportunity to visit famous businesses and speak first hand with entrepreneurs. First year students have been visited by local entrepreneurs including Nicola Mellor of Pepamint Marketing and the designer Stefanie Smith. Second year students have visited entrepreneurs Kirsty Henshaw, Dean Hoyle and Theo Paphitis at local events. Recent trips have included Jaguar Land Rover, Coca Cola, Manchester United, Nissan, IKEA and JCB. Further afield we have been to Shepherd Neame brewery in Kent and the Crystal D’Arc glass factory in France. Second year students have the opportunity to visit New York with visits to the Federal Reserve Bank and Macys department store.

Should I study Business A level or the Cambridge Technical course?

Both subjects are similar in that they allow you to earn UCAS points, to enable you to access university courses. The content of the 2 courses does have similarities, but do check the content of the different specifications. There are also differences in terms of assessment and the grades awarded.

	Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate – Level 3	Business A level
Exam board	OCR	Edexcel
Assessment	50% Coursework, 50% exams	100% exams
Grades awarded	Distinction*, Distinction, Merit, Pass	Grades A* to E

Can I progress to university after completing the course?

The course is well regarded by universities. It is similar to university courses in terms of how it is assessed; through a combination of assignments and examinations. This gives students the ideal preparation for studying at university.

University Points	Cambridge Technical	Business A level
56	Distinction *	A*
48	Distinction	A
32	Merit	C
16	Pass	E

Topics you will cover

The course covers 5 units of assessment, with 50% of assessment through coursework.


Unit	Title	Outline of content	Assessment
1	The Business Environment (worth 2 units)	How businesses operate, including: types of businesses and objectives, functional areas, organisational structures, use of financial information	Exam
2	Working in Business	How to work effectively within a business environment, including arranging meetings, working with business documents, making payments, prioritising business activities and communicating with stakeholders	Exam
4	Customers and Communications	Methods and importance of communication in business and the appropriateness of different forms of communication for different situations. Students will take part in a role play, which involves dealing with a customer, and will perform an oral presentation.	Coursework
Plus	Option 1	Focussing on one particular aspect of Business Management	Coursework
Plus	Option 2	Focussing on another particular aspect of Business Management	Coursework

Entry Guidelines

Other than the College’s general entry requirements there are no additional qualifications needed to study the Business Cambridge Technical Level 3 course.

Ideally students should have sound basic numeracy and literacy skills and a genuine interest in the business world.