Business Planning Course

This course is designed for people starting-up in a wide variety of business sectors and sizes, together with voluntary sector organisations. People not currently in work but seeking to start a business will find the programme of particular value. The course is most suitable for people wishing to enhance their business skills and develop a business start up plan, prior to implementation.

At the end of the course you will be able to:

• Describe and evaluate your business idea
• Carry out market research for your idea
• Market your product or service
• Compile the financial information required to run a business
• Produce a business plan
• Identify sources of funding
• Instigate relevant business controls

Module A: Planning to succeed

• Personal profiling & self-assessment
• Evaluating your business idea
• Writing a business plan
• Business structures
• Basic accounting requirements

Module B: Market Research

• Types of Research
• Survey methods
• Questionnaires
• Secondary research
• Market research analysis

Module C: Effective Marketing

• The marketing cycle
• Marketing plans
• The cost per sale formula
• Target customers
• Business generation
• The Marketing mix
• Product life cycles

Module D: Finance

• Financial planning & control
• A personal survival budget
• Start up budget
• The meaning of profit
• Direct an fixed costs
• Break even analysis
• Costing & pricing
• Sales forecasting and adjustments
• Cash flow forecasting
• Profit & loss forecasting
• Capital requirements

On completion of your course, you will receive two qualifications:

Qualification 1: Business Planning Certificate

Business Planning Certificate issued by Stonebridge Associated Colleges, entitling you to use the letters SAC Cert after your name.

Qualification 2: ASET Level 2 Business Planning Award

This Course leads to an ASET Level 2 Award Certificate for successful learners. That means that it is independantly accredited at a level of learning equivalent to level 2 on the National Qualifications Framework (NFQ) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland (in which case GCSE's are at levels 1 and 2 and A Levels are at level 3).

The Award has been designed by a learning provider to meet specific learners' or employers' requirements and as such is not listed as a qualification on NQF. While the duration, content or assessment may vary from similar national qualifications, in accrediting the programme at level 2, ASET attests that its learning outcomes are at an equivalent level to a level 2 national qualification.

In order to offer our students the most convenient and flexible distance learning courses, Stonebridge Associated College offers you the option to study for your course via two methods:

• 1. Via the traditional paper-based method.
• 2. Through the online method via ElearnUK.

When you study through ElearnUK you can quickly access your course material online and submit all of your question papers to your tutor online, using your unique student account. You have access to all of your course material immediately, and when you submit question papers, your tutor sends you an email containing your results and feedback.

At the end of the course you will receive an award issued by Stonebridge Associated College, and also gain full ASET accreditation for the course.

With this course you will have unlimited access to your own personal tutor who specialises in their field of study. It is your personal tutor's role to ensure that you receive constructive feedback and to deal with any queries you may have. You are more than welcome to telephone, fax or email your personal tutor.

You will also have access to a dedicated and friendly team of administrators and course advisors who offer sound and professional guidance and advice when you need it. This ensures that you will never feel neglected and that you will always succeed!

There is no experience or previous qualifications required for enrolment on this course. It is available to all students, of all academic backgrounds.

This is only an approximate figure and is dependant upon how much time you can dedicate to your studies and how well you grasp the learning concepts in the course material. Furthermore, at the end of each lesson there is a question paper that needs to be completed and returned to your tutor. You should allow at least 1 - 2 hours of study to complete each question paper.

The approximate amount of time required to complete the course is: 100 hrs.

Assessment Method

After each lesson there will be a question paper, which needs to be completed and submitted to your personal tutor for marking. This method of continual assessment ensures that your personal tutor can consistently monitor your progress and provide you with assistance throughout the duration of the course.

What's Included

• All study materials
• Study Guide
• Full Tutor and Admin support

What is ASET

ASET is a recognised National Awarding Body.

This course is accredited by ASET. ASET are a leading National Awarding Body, recognised in the U.K by the Department for Education and Skills (DfEs), Learning Skills Council (LSC) and the Qualifications & Curriculum Authority (QCA). ASET specialise in providing, quality-assuring and certificating vocational learning programmes.

For more information on this award, click here