BTEC Level 3 Business

This course will give you an excellent opportunity to develop vocational skills and knowledge required for all types of work in the business environment. This varied work-related course is taught by experienced and enthusiastic lecturers. You will gain the knowledge, skills and personal qualities required to work in a range of business organisations.

You will have the opportunity to set up and run your own business. Your learning will be practical as you will be applying your learning to your actual business (such as Marketing and Accountancy). In addition to this, there is a direct pathway to university to continue your studies to degree level.

Year 1:

Enterprise and Entrepreneurs – Investigate a specific entrepreneur and set up a business.

Launch a Business – Set up and run a business with funding from college.

Finance – Personal and business banking, insurance, accounts and manage your businesses money.

Marketing – Create a marketing campaign for a given case study and for your own business.

Social Enterprise – Charity work in the local area.

Intrapreneurship – Leadership and management. This is your first step to becoming a good manager in the future.

Year 2:

Survival and Growth – Investigate strategic techniques for businesses to survive and grow in the current economic climate.

Business Decision Making – Investigate specific business dilemmas and make analytical recommendations for business success.

Recruitment – Create recruitment documentation for the whole recruitment process from identifying a staffing need to training for a job role of your choice. To interview and be interviewed.

Marketing Communication – Create a detailed marketing plan and marketing strategy for your own business.

Principles of Management – Investigate and apply leadership and management strategies within a workplace and range of case study situations. Learn how to be a good future manager.

Developing an Enterprise Strategy – This is an opportunity to scale up your business from year 1, taking it to the next level.

There are many potential options to go on to after completing this BTEC Business and Enterprise course at East Durham College. Specific departments/job roles include: Marketing, finance & accountancy, human resources, tourist attractions, theme parks, wedding planning, business manager, hospitality, business administration, retail, banking to name but a few. Remember every organisation is a business, therefore there are opportunities for you in a wide range of business sectors.

In addition to this there is a real opportunity for you to continue running your business and becoming self-employed.

There are a wide range of degree programmes which you could follow once you have completed your BTEC National Extended Diploma in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship including but not limited to:

Business Management
Business Management and Marketing
Business Management and Accountancy
International Business
Event Management
Teaching
Business and Fashion
Enterprise and entrepreneurship
Digital Marketing
Human Resources

The course is open to students aged 16 and over. Candidates must have achieved a minimum of four GCSE grades 9-4 including Maths and English.

Our entry requirements are in place to support our students in achieving the qualifications they have chosen to study. In addition to the entry requirements, all students will be regularly assessed by East Durham College at an early stage in their study programme. This is to ensure that students are enrolled onto courses which suit their abilities – following assessment, there may be occasions when students are transferred to a relevant course at a higher or lower level in order to ensure they are enrolled on to the right course for them to achieve and progress.

Entry onto any course at EDC may have entry requirements in addition to exam results; this includes but is not limited to DBS checks, references, fitness to practice and at times physical requirements to be capable of achieving the practical elements of the course without assistance. Entry onto any course at East Durham College is subject to final approval from the Assistant Principal.

Year 1 – two formal exams and a range of assignments
Year 2 - two formal exams and a range of assignments

Most of the assignments are based upon the business that you have chosen to set up, this makes the assignments fun to write about but also helps you to create and develop an amazing business.

In addition to this, you will also investigate a range of local businesses and specific entrepreneurs who will often then help you with business.

The formal exams are case studies where you read the case study, analyse its content in order to identify the problems. The task is then to solve the problems using your learning from class of how to manage both people and the business.

Lesson materials are supported with specific workbooks for each of the different topics – the completed workbook then becomes either a revision book for the exams or a great starting point for each of the assignments. The workbooks are completed in class with a range of supporting materials within the lessons.

September 2025

2 years, full time.

This full time study programme courses may also be available to study on a part-time basis if you are aged 18 or over on 31st August. Please check with Student Services for more details.