BTEC Business Level 3 Extended Certificate

The BTEC Business Level 3 Extended Certificate is equivalent to one A-Level and carries the same level of UCAS (university entry points).  It can be studied alongside A-Levels or as a stand-alone course. It is a six-month course.

Students learn to research, give presentations, produce papers and projects, work in teams, develop their communication skills and study a wide range of business topics.  There is feedback at the end of each unit, allowing students to develop a clear sense of how they are progressing.

The structure of the qualification allows a great deal of choice and flexibility. All students take core units which introduce the fundamentals of business organisations as well as other units from more specialist areas.

Students will take 4 units in total, including 3 compulsory units:

• Exploring business
• Developing a marketing campaign
• Personal & Business Finance (exam)

They will also take 1 optional unit, choosing from:

• Recruitment and Selection
• Investigating Customer service
• Creative Product Promotion
• Pitching for a New Business
• Training and Development
• Market research

Students could be assessed on:

• Producing a Business plan
• Creating a Powerpoint presentation
• Designing Excel documents
• Written documents, eg Memo, Report, briefing document
• Longer written analysis and evaluation
• Observation sheets from teachers
• Witness statements

Exam board: Edexcel

Coursework – 42%

Supervised assessment (with pre- release material and research) – 47%

Formal exam – 11%

5 GCSEs grade 5 or above including Maths and English or equivalent international qualifications.

For international students who have taken IELTS, we require an overall score of 6.0 with a minimum of 6.0 for each of the reading and writing components.

For international students who have taken IGCSE English (Second Language), we require grade 5 or above.

Whether you are a UK or international student, you must have the motivation to work extremely hard and to meet all deadlines as this is an extremely intensive, fast paced course.

What is BTEC?

It is an internationally recognised qualification from the Edexcel exam board. The BTEC Level 3 Extended Certificate is equivalent to one A-Level.

How is it graded?

It is graded as Distinction* (=A* at A-Level), Distinction (=A at A-Level), Merit (=C at A level) and Pass (= E at A-Level).

How long is the course?

It is a six-month intensive course

Can I use a computer for the coursework?

Yes, all coursework is produced on a computer. Students are encouraged to bring in their own laptop.

Do I need Microsoft Office on my laptop?

Yes

Can I go to university with a BTEC Business Extended Certificate?

Yes but you will need to offer two A-Levels in addition to the certificate; for international students an A-Level in their own language is accepted by some universities.

Can I only study Business at university after this course?

No. There is a wide variety of degree courses open to you, e.g. law, philosophy, fashion, politics etc.