Business Studies

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Business Unit 1: Content Overview

• Meeting customer needs
• The market
• Marketing mix and strategy
• Managing people
• Entrepreneurs and leaders

Business Unit 1 description:

In this unit, students are introduced to the market, explore the marketing and people functions and investigate entrepreneurs and business start-up. This unit enables students to understand how businesses identify opportunities and to explore how businesses focus on developing a competitive advantage through interacting with customers.

Students develop an understanding of how businesses need to adapt their marketing to operate in a dynamic business environment. It also considers people, exploring how businesses recruit, train, organise and motivate employees, as well as the role of enterprising individuals and leaders.

Students should investigate different types and sizes of organisation in various business sectors and environments, and in local, national and global contexts. Students need to have acquired competence in quantitative skills that are relevant to this unit. A full list of quantitative skills will be provided at the start of the course.

Business Unit 2: Content Overview

• Planning a business and raising finance
• Financial planning
• Managing finance
• Resource management
• External influences

Business Unit 2 description:

In this unit, students explore the finance and operations functions, and investigate external influences on business. This unit enables students to develop an understanding of raising and managing finance, and measuring business performance. It outlines the importance of using resources efficiently within a business to ensure that goods or services can be delivered effectively and efficiently, and to a high quality. Students also consider the external influences that have an impact on businesses, including economic and legal factors.

Students should investigate different types and sizes of organisation in various business sectors and environments, and in local, national and global contexts. Students need to have acquired competence in quantitative skills relevant to this unit. A full list of quantitative skills can be found in Appendix 7: Quantitative skills. For this unit, students will also need to be able to apply the accounting ratios of Financial statements and accounting ratios. These ratios will not be supplied in the examination.

Business Unit 3: Content overview

• Business objectives and strategy
• Business growth
• Decision-making techniques
• Influences on business decisions
• Assessing competitiveness
• Managing change

Business Unit 3 description:

In this unit, students develop their understanding of the concepts introduced in Units 1 and 2, and explore influences on business strategy and decision-making. This unit moves from functions to strategy, enabling students to develop their understanding of the core concepts and to take a strategic view of business opportunities and issues.

Students analyse corporate objectives and strategy against financial and non-financial performance measures and how businesses grow, and develop an understanding of the impact of external influences. The unit also covers the causes and effects of change and how businesses mitigate risk and uncertainty.

Students should investigate different types and sizes of organisation in various business sectors and environments, and in local, national and global contexts.

Students need to have acquired competence in quantitative skills that are relevant to this unit. A full list of quantitative skills can be found in Appendix 7: Quantitative skills. For this unit, students will also need to be able to apply the accounting ratios from Financial statements and accounting ratios. These ratios will not be supplied in the examination.

Business Unit 4: Content overview

• Business objectives and strategy
• Business growth
• Decision-making techniques
• Influences on business decisions
• Assessing competitiveness
• Managing change

Business Unit 4 description:

In this unit, students develop their understanding of the concepts introduced in Units 1, 2 and 3, and explore business activity in a global context.

Students investigate businesses that trade on a global scale and explore their reasons for doing so. Students develop an understanding of the globally competitive environment and consider the ethical and moral dimensions of global business activities. In this unit, it is important to note that the impacts of globalisation and global markets covered in 4.3.1 and 4.3.2 will need to be understood in relation to businesses.

Students should investigate different types and sizes of organisation in various business sectors and environments. Students need to have acquired competence in quantitative skills relevant to this unit.

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Accounting

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Accounting Unit 1 Content Overview

Students will be assessed on their knowledge, understanding and skills of accounting systems and costing.

This unit is divided into six topics:

1. Principles of accounting and double entry bookkeeping

2. Control procedures

3. Financial statements of organizations

4. Introduction of costing

5. Analysis of accounting statements

6. Social and ethical accounting

Accounting Unit 2: Contect Overview

Students will be assessed on their knowledge and understanding of and skills in corporate and management accounting.

This unit is divided into nine topics:

1. Limited Companies

2. Investment ratios

3. Statement of cash flows​​​​​​

4. Budgeting

5. Standard costing

6. Project appraisal

7. Break-even analysis

8. Marginal costing and absorption costing

9. Information and communication technology (ICT) in accounting.

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Economics

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Economics Unit 1: Content Overview

• Introductory concepts

• Consumer behavior and demand

• Supply

• Price determination

• Market failure

• Government intervention in markets

Unit 1: Description

This unit gives students an introduction to the nature of economics and examines how the price mechanism allocates resources in local, national and global markets.

Students will learn to apply supply and demand analysis to real-world situations, and will be able to suggest reasons for consumer behavior.

This will involve looking at how consumers act in a rational way to maximise utility and how firms maximise profit but also why consumers may not behave rationally. Students will analyse the nature and causes of market failure and understand the strengths and weaknesses of possible policy remedies.

Students will need to be able to apply relevant quantitative skills to the content covered in this unit, including calculations, the use of data and the drawing of diagrams

Economic Unit 2: Content Overview

• Measures of economic performance

• Aggregate demand (AD)

• Aggregate supply (AS)

• National income

• Economic growth

• Macroeconomic objectives and policies

Unit 2: Description

This unit introduces the key measures of economic performance and the main objectives and instruments of economic policy in an international context. Students will learn how to use a basic AD/AS model to analyse changes in real output and the price level.

Students will look at when demand and/or supply side policies may be appropriate ways of improving an economy’s performance; consider these policies in an historical context; predict the possible impact of such policies and recognize the assumptions involved. Students should understand different approaches that may be used by policy makers to address macroeconomic problems and to identify criteria for success.

Students will need to be able to apply relevant quantitative skills to the content covered introduced in this unit, including calculations, the use of data and the drawing of diagrams.

Economics Unit 3: Content Overview

• Types and sizes of businesses

• Revenue, costs and profits

• Market structures and contestability

• Labour markets

• Government intervention

Unit 3: Description

This unit develops the content of Unit 1 and examines how pricing and the nature of competition between firms is affected by the number and size of market participants. At the end of this unit, students should be able to analyse and evaluate the pricing and output decisions of firms in different contexts, and understand the role of competition in business decision-making.

They should also be capable of making an appraisal of government intervention aimed at promoting competitive markets.

Students will need to be able to apply relevant quantitative skills to the content covered introduced in this unit, including calculations, the use of data and the drawing of diagrams.

Economics Unit 4: Content Overview

• Causes and effects of globalisation

• Trade and the global economy

• Balance of payments, exchange rates and international competitiveness

• Poverty and inequality

• The role of the state in the macro economy

• Growth and development in developing, emerging and developed economies

Unit 4: Description

This unit develops the knowledge and skills gained in Unit 2. The application, analysis and evaluation of economic models is required, as well as an ability to assess policies that might be used to deal with economic problems. An awareness of trends and developments in the global economy over the last 40 years, including contemporary issues, is required.

Wider reading and research will enable students to use up-to-date and relevant examples in their analysis and evaluation of issues and developments in the global economy.

Students will need to be able to apply relevant quantitative skills to the content covered in this unit, including calculations, the use of data and the drawing of diagrams.

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Mathematics - Statistics - Progression for Students with a background in Commerce in O-levels

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TO BE UPDATED

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Physics

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TO BE UPDATED

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Biology

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TO BE UPDATED

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Chemistry

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Chemistry Unit 1 Unit 1: Content Overview • Formulae, Equations and Amount of Substance • Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table • Bonding and Structure • Introductory Organic Chemistry and Alkanes • Alkenes Unit 1: Description This unit gives students opportunities to develop the basic chemical skills of writing formulae and equations, and calculating chemical quantities. The study of atomic structure includes a description of s , p , and d orbitals and shows how electronic configurations can account for the arrangement of elements in the Periodic Table. This leads to an appreciation of one of the central features of chemistry: the explanation of the properties of elements and the patterns in the Periodic Table in terms of atomic structure. An understanding of the electronic structure of atoms leads to an appreciation of the three types of strong chemical bonding: ionic, covalent and metallic. Following from this, shapes of molecules can then be considered. The basic principles of organic chemistry are covered and students study alkanes and alkenes, and will begin to develop a mechanistic approach to organic chemistry. Chemistry Unit 2 Unit 2: Content Overview • Redox Equilibria • Transition Metals and their Chemistry • Organic Chemistry: Arenes • Organic Nitrogen Compounds: Amines, Amides, Amino Acids and Proteins • Organic Synthesis Unit 2: Description This unit develops the treatment of chemical bonding by introducing intermediate types of bonding and by exploring the nature and effects of intermolecular forces. Study of the Periodic Table is extended to cover the chemistry of Groups 1, 2 and 7, where ideas about redox reactions are applied to the reactions of halogens and their compounds. The study of energetics in chemistry is of theoretical and practical importance. In this unit, students learn how to define, measure and calculate enthalpy changes. They will see how a study of enthalpy changes helps chemists to understand chemical bonding. The unit also develops an understanding – mostly at a qualitative level – of the ways in which chemists can control the rate, direction and extent of chemical change in reactions. The organic chemistry in this unit covers halogen alkanes and alcohols, and explores the mechanisms of selected reactions. The study of spectroscopy gives further examples of the importance of accurate and sensitive methods of analysis, which can be applied to study chemical changes but also to detect drugs such as ethanol. Chemistry Unit 3 Unit 3: Content Overview Students are expected to develop experimental skills, and a knowledge and understanding of experimental techniques, by carrying out a range of practical experiments and investigations while they study Units 1 and 2. This unit will assess students’ knowledge and understanding of experimental procedures and techniques that were developed in Units 1 and 2. Unit 3: Description This unit consists of a written practical examination, covering the skills and techniques developed during practical work in Units 1 and 2. Although the unit content contains eight core practical activities, the examination will not be limited to recall of these core practicals but may include questions where students are expected to apply their knowledge to new practical situations. Students should, therefore, develop their practical skills by completing a range of different practical’s that require a variety of different techniques. As students carry out practical activities, they should be encouraged to write laboratory reports using appropriate scientific, technical and mathematical language, conventions and symbols. Chemistry Unit 3 Unit 4: Content Overview • Kinetics • Entropy and Energetics • Chemical Equilibria • Acid-base Equilibria • Organic Chemistry: Carbonyls, Carboxylic Acids and Chirality Unit 4: Description In this unit, students make a quantitative study of chemical kinetics and extend their study of organic reaction mechanisms. The topics of entropy and Equilibria show how chemists are able to predict quantitatively the direction and extent of chemical change. The unit tests the equilibrium law by showing the degree to which it can accurately predict changes during acid-base reactions, notably the changes to pH during titrations. The organic chemistry in this unit covers carbonyl compounds, and carboxylic acids and their derivatives. Students are required to apply their knowledge gained in Units 1 and 2, to all aspects of this unit. This includes nomenclature, ideas of isomerism, bond polarity and bond enthalpy, reagents and reaction conditions, reaction types and mechanisms. Students are also expected to use formulae and balanced equations and calculate chemical quantities. Chemistry Unit 5 Unit 5: Content Overview • Redox Equilibria • Transition Metals and their Chemistry • Organic Chemistry: Arenes • Organic Nitrogen Compounds: Amines, Amides, Amino Acids and Proteins • Organic Synthesis Unit 5: Description In this unit, the study of electrode potentials builds on the study of redox in Unit 2, including the concept of oxidation number and the use of redox half equations. Students will study further chemistry related to redox, including transition metals. The organic chemistry section of this unit focuses on arenes and organic nitrogen compounds such as amines, amides, amino acids and proteins. The organic synthesis section requires students to use the knowledge and understanding of organic chemistry that they have gained over the entire specification. This unit draws on all the other units in the International Advanced Level in Chemistry and students are expected to use their prior knowledge when learning about the areas in this unit. Students will, again encounter ideas of isomerism, bond polarity and bond enthalpy, reagents and reaction conditions, reaction types and mechanisms. Students are also expected to use formulae and balanced equations, and calculate chemical quantities. Chemistry Unit 6 Unit 6: Content Overview Students are expected to develop further the experimental skills and the knowledge and understanding of experimental techniques that they acquired in Units 1 and 2 (tests for anions and cations, gases and organic functional groups) by carrying out a range of practical experiments and investigations while they study Units 4 and 5. This unit will assess students’ knowledge and understanding of the Experimental procedures and techniques that were developed in Units 4 and 5. Unit 6: Description This unit consists of a written practical examination, covering the skills and techniques developed during practical work in Units 4 and 5, as well as the tests for anions and cations, gases and organic functional groups from Units 1 and 2. Although the unit content contains eight core practical activities, the examination will not be limited to recall of these core practicals, there may be questions where students need to apply their knowledge to new practical situations. Students should, therefore, develop their practical skills by completing a range of different practicals that require a variety of different techniques. As students carry out practical activities, they should be encouraged to write laboratory reports using appropriate scientific, technical and mathematical language, conventions and symbols.

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