BTEC International Level 3 Business: units, assessment and what to expect
| Topic | Quick answer |
|---|---|
| Who awards it? | Pearson, delivered by approved centres worldwide. |
| How is it assessed? | Unit assignments assessed by your teacher and internally verified. |
| How are grades set? | Each unit is Pass, Merit or Distinction; unit grades combine into the overall qualification grade. |
| Where are the exact criteria? | In Pearson's specification, mirrored on our unit pages. |
What the qualification covers
Business pathways typically cover areas such as exploring business, marketing, finance and managing an event. The mix of mandatory and optional units depends on the qualification size your centre registers. Browse the units we cover on the units page, for example Unit 1: Exploring Business, Unit 2: Marketing Campaign and Unit 3: Business Finance.
How the grading works
Every unit has Pass, Merit and Distinction criteria. To earn a Merit you must have met all the Pass criteria as well, and likewise for Distinction. Command verbs show how deep an answer must go. Our command verbs guide breaks down describe, explain, analyse and evaluate.
Common reasons students lose marks
- Describing when the criterion says explain or evaluate.
- Missing one Pass criterion, which caps the whole unit.
- Generic answers that never use the scenario in the brief.
For teachers
CheckB audits submitted evidence against each criterion and shows met, partly met or not met, so you can spot gaps before sampling or verification. It is advisory only and never awards a grade. See pricing or try the authenticity checker.
Always follow the official Pearson specification for your qualification and level.