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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Business Studies - a respected option for GCSE?

34 replies

cherubic · 18/01/2011 21:33

Just wondering if this is viewed as a second rate subject, e.g. not up with sciences, history, maths etc.

OP posts:

LondonMother · 18/01/2011 21:45

I don't know anything about the subject, so can't say whether this is fair or not, but I definitely have the impression that it is not well-regarded in all quarters. However, if it's subject 10, say, with the other 9 being more traditional academic subjects, why not, if the student is keen to do it?

Original poster

cherubic · 18/01/2011 21:51

You're confirming what I thought is the case, thanks.

Dc is very keen and I think enthusiasm for a subject counts for a lot, so happy for them to go ahead with it (I think!).

Would be good though to clearly understand how its reputation would factor into being accepted onto A level courses and eventually Uni.

OP posts:

stewmaker · 18/01/2011 21:55

i did business studies and carried it through to degree. i did this because i had no idea what i wanted to do and figured that wherever i worked it was likely to be a business.
it enabled me to easily move onto studying cima (management accountancy) and provides an ideal background to switch careers.

don't just write it off, it has to be seen in context

MrsColumbo · 18/01/2011 21:57

There may be some sniffery in some quarters about it not being a traditional academic subject, but at the same time, it develops skills that employers etc look for - initiative, teamworking, self-management. Most importantly, if your child enjoys it, then they'll be mor likely to succeed. I wouldn't regard it as a soft option.

moomaa · 18/01/2011 22:03

Of course it is, but it doesn't matter if he is doing maths, science, a humanity etc as well. There is space for it.

I took it at GCSE and enjoyed it, was quite easy though. This is probably out of date now but I also took it at A level, and was told that different examing boards A levels are viewed differently by universities so there was an option with one board that was 'softer' and an option with another board that included a lot of maths and economics that was more respected. Having said that, from a university point of view I suspect it would be better to do economics at A Level. I would say it wasn't my easiest A level and my other 3 subjects were traditional ones.

Lilymaid · 18/01/2011 22:05

Yep, it is "not up with sciences, history, maths etc". Don't do it if it means not doing a mainstream academic subject, but it is OK as subject No.9 or 10 for GCSE.
DS2 took it for AS and thought it wasn't very demanding and he's not particularly academic. For AS/A2 Economics is a better option, though even that isn't well respected at GCSE level.

onimolap · 18/01/2011 22:07

Somewhere there's a list of how (some) universities regard various subjects at A level - can one infer the weight of a GCSE from that? Or perhaps there's a similar list for GCSE? Does anyone have a link?

FWIW: I don't think it's terribly well respected, but that doesn't necessarily matter.

crystalglasses · 18/01/2011 22:10

I would say it's not well regarded by red brick universities if your dc wants to go down a very academic route. It depends what he wants to do and what degree (if any) he wants to do. Nevertheless I'm a firm beleiver in letting a dc make their own (informed)decisions. If he really wants to do it and it fits in with his overall career objectives(if he has any) let him do it and then maybe move on to economics for A level.
I also agree with mooma in that if most of his other subjects are traditional ones, whether Arts, Humanities or Science, Business Studie won't be such a drawback.

senua · 18/01/2011 22:21

Here is Trinity's list of acceptable A Levels.

The rule of thumb always used to be "avoid Studies", the only exception being Religious Studies. I agree with the consensus, though: it's fine as 8th / 9th / 10th choice on the GCSE list.

onimolap · 18/01/2011 22:36

Thanks, Senua. That's the one I was thinking of.

Original poster

cherubic · 18/01/2011 22:46

That list is interesting - thank you.

BS would be a choice 9 or 10 GCSE and is a particular interest of dc, so I think I would feel comfortable with their decision.

Thanks for all your comments.

OP posts:

bruffin · 18/01/2011 23:02

DS's form teacher was the business studies teacher and she actively discouraged anyone from the higher sets from taking Business studies at gcse level.

Original poster

cherubic · 18/01/2011 23:06

Oh. Says everything that, really.

Still, if BS is the one "soft" subject dc takes that not so bad .

OP posts:

jenandberry · 18/01/2011 23:16

I agree with those who say that if it is one "soft" subject amongst other more academic ones there is no harm done.

stewmaker · 18/01/2011 23:22

it's no wonder employers are constantly complaining that graduates are ill-prepared for the workplace is it?

I studied economics as part of my degree and it hasn't been useful at all in the real world, although i did find it interesting.

Learning about how a business works IMO is invaluable.

I don't doubt that universities have these opinions, I just think it is a shame.....

stleger · 18/01/2011 23:24

I find this fascinating! My ds is doing a business degree in the equivalent of a red brick university in Ireland. Every subject studied here has equal status in university or college entrance (certain subjects need sciences, languages etc. plus most colleges want a European language as well as English and Irish). Ds's entrance requirements for business were much higher than for an arts degree and higher than many science and engineering courses! So not a soft option here

beanlet · 18/01/2011 23:28

As long as he takes a clutch of "academic" GCSEs as well he'll be fine taking Business Studies - plenty of kids take things like Art and Drama just because they're interested in them.

If I wanted to get into a good university, though, I'd only do Business Studies at AS/A Levels if I were doing three (or more) other hard academic subjects, like Maths.

Binfullofmaggotsonthe45 · 18/01/2011 23:39

I did business studies as an extra GCSE, and it was a good boost to round out my qualifications, economics is a heftier subject, and carries weight with maths.

Isn't the main driver what areas of further study or career he thinks he may want to move into?

I passed the entrance exams for Oxford following immense school/parental pressure, but had no intention of going there if I could help it, it just wasn't my "fit" or my decision.

I went to Cranfield where business orientated qualifications were valued and useful.

I interview graduates for positions at the first rung of global planning careers and I do find if they have chosen and enjoyed business studies or economics they have a drive to do well in a commercial setting.

....and the key thing overall is that I have an immense job that I love.

Alexandra93 · 19/01/2011 08:04

I did Business Studies at GCSE along with 12 other strong subjects. While I don't feel it will disadvantage me in regards to university and life, I don't think it'll be particularly helpful. I didn't really enjoy the lessons, but I found the exams quite easy and got an A* in the end. On the spec. I did, it was 40% coursework, which was AWFUL. I wasted so much time on it. I suppose some people found it interesting, and I suppose, fun, but I certainly didn't.

I don't regret taking it, although I do regret not taking Geography which I could've done instead.

GoldFrakkincenseAndMyrrh · 19/01/2011 08:18

As with many subjects (law, psychology) there is a huge difference between the view taken of the subject at GCSE and the view taken of it as a degree. I'm not a fan of BS GCSE, not because I don't think it's a valuable subject but because the courses are badly thought out, there's no prior study so you have to learn everything if value in 2 years and if you want to do it as a career you'd be better served gaining skills you can transfer and studying it properly.

sieglinde · 19/01/2011 08:26

Many Oxbridge admissions tutors are prejudiced against ANYTHING with 'studies' in the title (and against law and psychology too...) though others are not. Oxford Central Admissions will say it doesn't matter, but I'm afraid it does at some colleges and for some subjects. It's safest to stick to sciences, history etc if your son or daughter has high-flying aspirations.

mummytime · 19/01/2011 09:02

At degree level it is a totally different thing. My son considered it, but decided against it as we told him he could pick the information up elsewhere, and he had to do an arts subject and wanted to do a technology. He was really choosing between Geography, ICT, Business Studies and Music. He wasn't going to have grade 5 music so couldn't do Music, ICT doesn't cover the aspects of computers he likes (and he was told he could pick up A'level computer programming without it). So he choose Geography.

mattellie · 19/01/2011 12:04

It does depend on the school, too. DS was advised against it by older friends at his school which specialises in science and maths, but DD goes to a school which has a business specialism and from which students frequently win local and even national competitions for business ideas so it seems as if their courses are well planned and academically rigorous. She?s choosing GCSE options this term and will be considering BS quite seriously, I think.

stewmaker · 19/01/2011 14:38

can i just ask. would you stop your dc from taking their own choices?

mattellie · 19/01/2011 16:35

Stop, no; advise, yes. ie DS was pretty clear what he wanted to do and we were very happy with his choices but DD is much less so and will probably have to choose 3 out of ? a second MFL, history, geography, PE, drama, business studies, art, music. From that list she will definitely do history and PE and given the school she is at, we would be quite happy for her last option to be business studies rather than geography or a second MFL.

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