Why study Business Management?

We all rely on businesses to create wealth, prosperity, jobs and choices. Studying Business Management gives you the opportunity to develop important skills such as problem solving, communication, planning and organising. You will learn through real-life business contexts how organisations operate.

These skills are valuable in a wide range of career sectors but are particularly useful if you are interested in entering the world of business — whether as a manager, employee or self-employed person.

Career Pathways

To see what career areas this subject could lead to and the routes to get there, download and view these career pathways:

Administration and Management

Animals, Land and Environment

Buying, Selling and Related Work

Communication and Media

Finance

Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism

Housing, Property and Facilities

What do I need to get in?

Entry is at the discretion of the school or college but you would normally have achieved:

• National 4 Business

What will I study?

This course highlights ways in which organisations operate and the steps they take to achieve their goals. It enables you to understand and make use of business information to interpret and report on overall business performance, in a range of contexts.

The course comprises five areas of study.

Understanding business

You will:

• be introduced to the business environment while developing skills, knowledge and understanding of enterprise, and the role of different types of business organisations in society
• learn about the internal and external environments in which organisations operate, and the role of stakeholders in business.

Management of marketing

You will:

• develop skills, knowledge and understanding of the importance to organisations of having effective marketing systems
• learn about the processes and procedures organisations use to maintain competitiveness, and how marketing can be used to communicate effectively with consumers, maximising customer satisfaction.

Management of operations

You will:

• develop skills, knowledge and understanding of the importance to organisations of having effective operations systems
• learn about the processes and procedures used to maintain quality through the effective management of suppliers, inventory, and methods of production in an ethical manner.

Management of people

You will:

• develop skills, knowledge and understanding of the issues facing organisations when managing people
• learn about the theories, concepts and processes relating to human resource management, and how employees contribute to the success of organisations.

Management of finance

You will:

• develop skills, knowledge and understanding of the issues facing organisations when managing finance
• learn about the basic theories, concepts and processes relating to financial aspects of business, when preparing and interpreting information to solve financial problems facing organisations.

How will I be assessed?

The course assessment has two components totalling 120 marks:

• Component 1: question paper – worth 90 marks (consisting of two sections, section 1 worth 40 marks and section 2 worth 50 marks) 
• Component 2: assignment – worth 30 marks.

For the assignment component, you will be asked to produce a business report. The assignment component will be set by and externally marked by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

The question paper will be set and externally marked by SQA.

The grade awarded is based on the total marks achieved across all course assessment components.

The course assessment is graded A-D. 

Study Materials

• SQA Past Papers Business Management National 5
• SQA Specimen Paper Business Management National 5
• SQA Understanding Standards Business Management
• BBC Bitesize National 5 Business Management
• UShare Study Resources

What can I go on to next?

If you complete the course successfully, it may lead to:

• Higher Business Management

Further study, training or employment in:

• Administration and Management
• Animals, Land and Environment
• Buying, Selling and Related Work
• Communications and Media
• Finance
• Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism
• Property and Facilities
• Transport and Distribution

Which jobs are related to this subject?

• Business Management - Related Careers

Where can my parents find out more?

Your school will give your parents an Options or Choices information booklet, which has detailed information on the curriculum and the individual subjects or courses you can study. It will also invite them along to a Parents’ Information Evening.

They can also read the information leaflet(s):

Nationals in a Nutshell - Business Management (National 5)