Qualification
AQA A-level Business
Specification 7138 for examinations from summer 2028.
AQA A-level · Specification 7138
Online A-level Business Course
Examine how businesses make decisions about marketing, finance, operations, people and strategy. This structured two-year home-study course develops the analytical, quantitative and evaluative skills required for AQA A-level Business.
Immediate access to the online course
41 structured lessons across ten modules
Optional tutor marking, tutorials and printed materials
Start your A-level Business course
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Course overview
Understand how businesses make and implement decisions
Study businesses of different sizes, sectors and geographical reach while examining the decisions made by managers, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders. The course combines business theory with calculations, case studies and the evaluation of real commercial situations.
Course structure
10 modules · 41 lessons
Six first-year modules develop the core business functions, followed by four advanced strategy modules.
Recommended study time
Approximately 700 hours
This includes lesson study, textbook reading, activities, assignments, wider reading and examination preparation.
Recommended study period
Normally two years
A two-year timetable allows business knowledge, calculations and analytical writing to develop progressively.
Assignments
12 Tutor-marked Assignments
Examination-style assignments are distributed across the first- and second-year modules.
Assessment
3 written papers
Each paper lasts two hours and contributes one third of the final qualification.
Core skills
Apply, analyse and evaluate
Use business theory, quantitative evidence and case-study information to reach supported judgements.
Coursework
No coursework or NEA
The complete A-level is assessed through the three final written examination papers.
We recommend allowing two years for an A-level
A-level Business involves approximately 700 hours of study. Most students should therefore plan to complete the course over two academic years rather than compressing the full specification into a single year.
This gives students time to build secure knowledge of the main business functions before progressing to strategic decision-making and synoptic case-study work.
The AQA specification changes from 2028
Students sitting the A-level examination in summer 2027 use specification 7132. Students sitting in summer 2028 or later use specification 7138.
The course supports both versions. Around 95% of the content overlaps, and lessons identify the small number of differences that apply to a particular examination year.
Business examples should be kept current
Theories and models are most useful when applied to real organisations. Students should follow business and financial news and consider how companies respond to competition, economic change, technology, regulation and stakeholder pressure.
Strong answers do more than repeat a case study
High-quality responses use the information supplied to build a relevant chain of reasoning. They then weigh competing arguments, question the reliability of evidence and reach a justified conclusion.
How the course works
Connect business theory with real commercial decisions
The first year introduces the main business functions and the data managers use when making decisions. The second year examines the external environment, strategic direction, international growth, organisational culture and the implementation of change.
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Begin with the business fundamentals
Study ownership, stakeholders, management, marketing, operations, finance and human resources.
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Use the course and textbook together
Follow the structured lessons alongside the required reading, calculations, activities and self-assessment exercises in the accompanying textbook.
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Apply ideas to real organisations
Use business news, company examples and case-study evidence to analyse decisions in their commercial context.
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Prepare for synoptic case studies
Bring together knowledge from across the course, practise quantitative techniques and develop evidence-based recommendations.
Optional extra support
Add tutor support when it would help
Assignment marking, practice-paper marking, Email Tutor Support and one-to-one tutorials can be added when you need feedback on calculations, case-study application, analysis, evaluation or examination technique.
What you’ll study
Ten modules covering business functions and strategy
The 41 lessons progress from the fundamentals of business ownership and functional decision-making to competition, investment, internationalisation, organisational culture and strategic change.
First year · core business functions
The first six modules contain 23 lessons. They introduce the
material required for the separate AS qualification and also
form the foundation of the complete A-level course.
Module 1 What is Business? The purpose of business, different ownership structures and the external environment. 3 lessons
- Introduction to Business
- Different Business Forms
- The External Environment
Tutor-marked Assignment A
Module 2 Management Managers, leadership, decision-making and the role of stakeholders. 3 lessons
- Managers
- Management Decision-making
- The Role and Importance of Stakeholders
Tutor-marked Assignment B
Module 3 Marketing Marketing objectives, customer research, segmentation and the marketing mix. 4 lessons
- Effective Marketing
- Customers and Market Research
- Segmentation
- The Marketing Mix
Tutor-marked Assignment C
Module 4 Operational Objectives Operational performance, productivity, quality and stock management. 5 lessons
- Operational Objectives
- Analysing Operational Performance
- Productivity
- Quality Control
- Stock
Tutor-marked Assignment D
Module 5 Financial Objectives Financial performance, business finance and the interpretation of quantitative evidence. 3 lessons
- Financial Objectives
- Analysing Financial Performance
- Sources of Finance
Tutor-marked Assignment E
Module 6 Human Resources Workforce objectives, performance, organisational design, motivation and employee relations. 5 lessons
- Human Resource Objectives
- Analysing Human Resource Performance
- Job Design and Organisational Design
- Motivating Employees
- Employer and Employee Relations
Tutor-marked Assignment F
Practice AS Examination Paper 1
Second year · strategy and the wider environment
The final four modules add 18 lessons covering strategic analysis, competition, investment, international growth, organisational culture and the implementation of change.
Module 7 The Business Environment Corporate objectives, performance ratios, strategic analysis and political, economic, social, legal and technological influences. 6 lessons
- Corporate Objectives
- Performance Ratios
- Strategic Analysis
- Politics and the Legal Environment
- The Economic and Commercial Environment
- The Social and Technological Environment
Tutor-marked Assignment H
Tutor-marked Assignment I
Module 8 Marketing and Finance Competitive forces, investment appraisal, market selection and alternative ways of competing. 4 lessons
- Competitors: Porter’s Five Forces
- Investment Appraisal
- Choice of Market
- Ways to Compete
Tutor-marked Assignment J
Module 9 Strategic Change Growth, innovation, internationalisation, digital technology and artificial intelligence. 4 lessons
- Change in Scale
- Innovation
- Internationalisation
- Digital Technology and AI
Tutor-marked Assignment K
Module 10 Change and Culture Organisational change, culture, strategic implementation and the problems that can undermine a strategy. 4 lessons
- Change
- Organisational Culture
- Strategic Implementation
- Strategic Problems
Tutor-marked Assignment L
Tutor-marked Assignment M
Practice Examination — Paper 1
Practice Examination — Paper 2
Practice Examination — Paper 3
Complete the first-year modules before strategic study
Strategic decisions draw on knowledge of marketing, finance, operations and human resources. Complete the first six modules before moving into the second-year material.
The final examinations require students to connect different business functions rather than treating each topic as an isolated subject.
Exams and assessment
How AQA A-level Business is assessed from 2028
Specification 7138 is assessed through three two-hour written papers. Each paper contains two compulsory case studies and contributes one third of the final A-level.
Paper 1
Managing Marketing and Finance
2 hours
Exam duration
90 marks
Available marks
33.3%
Of the A-level
Paper 1 focuses on AQA Unit 3.1: What is Business? Managing Marketing and Finance. Two case studies are followed by five compulsory questions each.
Paper 2
Managing People and Operations
2 hours
Exam duration
90 marks
Available marks
33.3%
Of the A-level
Paper 2 focuses on Unit 3.2, with links to Unit 3.1. Students analyse decisions involving people, operations and the wider business context.
Paper 3
Business, Society and Strategy
2 hours
Exam duration
90 marks
Available marks
33.3%
Of the A-level
Paper 3 focuses on Unit 3.3, including the external environment and business strategy, while drawing on relevant material from Units 3.1 and 3.2.
Question structure
Two compulsory case studies per paper
Each case study contributes 45 marks through five compulsory questions.
Question values
6, 9 and 15-mark responses
Students combine calculations, business analysis and supported recommendations.
Assessment skills
Knowledge, application, analysis and evaluation
Strong responses apply theory to the particular organisation and build logical, evidence-based judgements.
Coursework
No coursework component
The complete qualification is determined through the three externally assessed written papers.
Examination entry
You arrange your examination centre separately
Course enrolment does not automatically enter you for the examinations. Private candidates should locate an AQA-registered centre willing to enter them for A-level Business.
Students sitting in summer 2027 need specification 7132. Those sitting in summer 2028 or later need specification 7138. Confirm the correct code, fees and deadlines with the examination centre.
Sitting the A-level examination in summer 2027?
Summer 2027 is the final examination series for specification 7132. It also has three two-hour papers, each worth one third of the qualification, but each paper carries 100 marks and uses a different question structure.
The course identifies the small content and assessment differences relevant to students following this final 7132 examination route.
Support and add-ons
Choose the level of A-level Business support you need
Your subscription provides the structured online course.Optional add-ons let you purchase written feedback, direct tutor contact, live explanations and printed materials when they would help.
Written feedback
Assignment marking
Purchase marking for individual tutor-marked assignments and receive feedback on business knowledge, calculations, application, analysis and evaluation.
Assignment marking bundle£107.89
Exam preparation
Practice-exam marking
Complete the three A-level practice papers under timed conditions and purchase marking to identify strengths, weaknesses and priorities for final revision.
Practice examination marking bundle£85.50
Written tutor contact
Email Tutor Support
Ask focused questions about a business model, calculation, case study, strategic issue or examination response.
Email Tutor Support£10.00 / month
Live support
One-to-one tutorials
Book a live tutorial for personalised explanation, quantitative support, case-study analysis or focused examination preparation.
Tutorial time Purchased separately
Study your way
Printed course materials
Add printed Oxford Home Schooling materials if you prefer annotating business models, calculations and case studies on paper.
Printed course materials£50.00
Flexible support
Add support when you need it
Begin with the core course and add marking, tutor contact, tutorials or printed materials as your A-level Business studies progress.
A-level Business support
See all available A-level Business support
Prospective students can compare the available support services. Existing students can purchase A-level Business marking, tutorials and other course-specific add-ons through their account.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about the A-level Business course
Find answers about the specification change, study time, examinations, AS option, calculations, textbooks and recommended wider reading.
Which AQA specification does the course follow?
The course supports AQA A-level Business specification 7132 for the final summer 2027 examination series and specification 7138 from summer 2028 onwards.
Approximately 95% of the content overlaps. Differences applying to a particular examination year are identified in the relevant lessons.
How long should I allow to complete the course?
The course represents approximately 700 hours of study. We normally recommend completing it over two years.
This allows time to consolidate the first-year business functions before progressing to advanced strategy and synoptic case-study work.
Do I need previous Business experience?
No previous Business qualification is required. The course begins with the purpose and structure of businesses before introducing the main functional areas.
An interest in commercial news and current affairs is valuable because students must apply theory to real organisations and changing business conditions.
Is there an AS Business option?
Yes. The first six modules also prepare students for the separate AQA AS Business qualification 7137.
AS marks do not contribute towards the full A-level. Students continuing to A-level must still sit all three A-level papers at the end of the complete course.
How many A-level examinations are there?
There are three written papers. Under specification 7138, each paper lasts two hours, carries 90 marks and contributes one third of the final A-level.
Is there coursework or NEA?
No. AQA A-level Business is assessed entirely through three externally marked written examinations.
Does A-level Business involve Maths?
Yes. Students interpret and calculate percentages, ratios, index numbers, financial measures, investment appraisal results and other quantitative business data.
Calculations must then be interpreted in the context of the organisation rather than presented without explanation.
What is meant by application in a Business answer?
Application means using the specific information provided about the organisation or market. Simply copying a fact from the case study is not enough.
Stronger answers use relevant contextual evidence to support each stage of their analysis.
What makes a strong analytical answer?
Analysis requires a logical chain of reasoning. Each stage should explain how one factor leads to another and should end at an outcome relevant to the question.
Jumping from an action directly to profit without explaining the intermediate effects usually leaves the analysis incomplete.
What makes a strong evaluative judgement?
Evaluation weighs competing arguments and reaches a supported conclusion based on the circumstances of the business.
Strong responses may also question the reliability of the available evidence, consider alternative information and explain how changing external conditions could affect the recommendation.
Do I need to buy a textbook?
Yes. The lessons are designed to be studied alongside the specified AQA Business textbook by Ian Marcousé, Nigel Watson and Andrew Hammond.
Students taking the full A-level should purchase the complete A-level edition rather than the shorter AS-only volume.
How important is wider business reading?
Wider reading is very important. Business and financial news provides contemporary examples that can make theory easier to understand and strengthen case-study analysis.
Students should consider the reliability and perspective of each source rather than accepting every business claim at face value.
AS-only textbook
Students intending to complete only the first-year AS course
may use AQA Business for AS by the same
authors.
ISBN: 9781471835803
The second-year volume is not sold separately, so students who may continue to the full A-level should normally purchase the complete A-level book from the beginning.
Textbook and specification transition
The listed textbook was written for specification 7132. The course has been updated to support specification 7138, and the great majority of the textbook content remains relevant.
Check the online course for updated reading references and specification-specific guidance as new supporting editions become available.
Read reliable business and financial news
Current examples help students understand how theory applies to real organisations. Follow reputable business reporting and consider companies of different sizes, sectors and geographical reach.
Avoid treating uncritical business-success books as academic sources. Examination answers require balanced analysis rather
than promotional claims or unsupported promises.
Regular internet access is recommended
Online access supports current business research, AQA specification materials, case-study preparation and examination guidance.
Ready to begin?
Start your online A-level Business course
Begin working towards AQA A-level Business through a structured two-year home-study course covering marketing, finance, operations, people, the external environment and business strategy.
- Approximately 700 hours of structured study
- Designed to be completed over two years
- Prepare for all three A-level examination papers
Start your Business course
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