Outline of AQA Business Studies Specification

The AQA GCSE Business Studies qualification is linear and has 6 subjects:

1. Business in the real world
2. Influences on business
3. Business operations
4. Human resources
5. Marketing
6. Finance

Fundamental subjects

• Business in the real world
• Influences on business

Specialist subjects

People and processes

• Business operations
• Human resources

Purpose and profitability

• Marketing
• Finance

The qualification is assessed with 2 exam papers:

Paper 1: Influences of operations and human resources management on business activity

Subjects that are assessed:

• Business in the real world
• Influences on business
• Business operations
• Human resources

Assessment methodology:

• Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
• 90 marks
• 50% of GCSE

Questions

• Section A (20 marks)
  • multiple choice questions
  • short answer questions
• Section B (34 marks)
  • one case study/data response stimuli with questions
• Section C (36 marks)
  • one case study/data response stimuli with questions

Paper 2: Influences of marketing and finance on business activity

Subjects that are assessed:

• Business in the real world
• Influences on business
• Marketing
• Finance

Assessment methodology:

• Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
• 90 marks
• 50% of GCSE

Questions

• Section A (20 marks)
  • multiple choice questions
  • short answer questions
• Section B (34 marks)
  • one case study/data response stimuli with questions
• Section C (36 marks)
  • one case study/data response stimuli with questions

Summary

• BOTH exams follow the same assessment methodology (format, time, total marks and proportion), question scheme (format of questions and proportion of marks per section) and have the same fundamental subjects (businesses in the real world, influences on business).
• The key DIFFERENCE between the two exams is the speciality subject component: exam 1 = business operations, human resources, exam 2 = marketing finance.