Business Studies helps you to make more informed decisions in the everyday business of living. It gives you a better understanding of the world of work. It encourages you to think about how and why people start up in business and why you too might consider starting a business.
Some of the things you will learn include:
The specification for junior cycle business studies focuses on improving students’ understanding of the business environment and on developing skills for life, work and further study through the three inter-connected strands: Personal Finance, Enterprise and Our Economy.
The 3 main areas covered in Junior Certificate are:
Leaving Certificate business creates an awareness of the importance of business activity and develops a positive and ethical attitude towards enterprise. The learning experiences in business develop students’ critical thinking, creative and organisational skills while enhancing literacy and numeracy skills using real-life examples. Business provides students with a learning foundation for a wide range of careers in business, marketing, law, enterprise and management.
Unit 1: People in business (Contract law, industrial, relations, consumer conflict etc)
Unit 2: Enterprise (Entrepreneurship, skills & characteristics, Intrapreneurship, Enterprise at home and the community
Unit 3: Managing 1 (Different types of leader, motivation in business, communication, different types of planning, organisational structures, control within a business)
Unit 4: Managing 2 (HR management, Insurance, Tax, Ratio analysis, Finance in business)
Unit 5: Business in action (Business expansion, Marketing, how a business starts up, business opportunities
Unit 6: Domestic Environment (Business organisations, community development, categories of industry, business and the economy
Unit 7: International Environment (International trade, European Union, Global Business
Leaving Cert Business is assessed at higher and ordinary levels.
Higher Level:
Section 1 – Short Questions (80 marks) Answer any 8 out of 10
Section 2 – ABQ (80 marks) Based on 3 units, changes each year
Section 3 – Long Questions (240 marks)
Must answer 4 questions from 7 as follows:
One question from part 1
Two questions from part 2
One other question from part 1 or part 2
Ordinary Level:
Section 1 – Short Questions (100 marks) Answer 10 questions from 15
Section 2 – Long questions (300 marks) Answer 4 questions from 7