Geography
Exam board: Edexcel
This Geography syllabus is engaging and relevant to today’s students – a qualification that enables you to engage critically with real world issues and places.
Edexcel A Level Geography consists of three externally examined papers and one coursework component.
PAPER 1: Assessed by examination – Tectonic processes and hazards, coastal landscapes and change (including a minimum of 2 days fieldwork), the water cycle and water insecurity and the carbon cycle and energy security.
PAPER 2: Assessed by examination – Globalisation, regenerating places (including a minimum of 2 days fieldwork), superpowers, migration, identity and sovereignty.
PAPER 3: Assessed by examination – This is a synoptic unit, examining inter-linkages between different geographical themes and ideas. It will be based on a geographical issue within a place-based context that links to the three synoptic themes of players, attitudes and future uncertainties. It is rooted in two or more of the compulsory content areas in paper 1 and 2.
UNIT 4 Coursework component: Assessed internally – student define a question or issue for investigation, relating to content from paper 1 and 2, choice of question can be either human, physical or integrated physical-human, the investigation will incorporate fieldwork data (collected individually or as part of a group) and own research and/or secondary data, students are expected to produce a 3000-4000 word report, based on their chosen area of study.
Entry requirements:
Grade 6 in GCSE Geography. Grade 5 maths and Grade 5 English.
Progression routes and careers:
A geography qualification is highly respected by employers due to its multi-disciplinary approach and range of transferable skills gained; for example, statistical and spatial analysis alongside an ability to collect understand and interpret complex data and communicate it to a variety of audiences. It can lead to reading a human or physical geography degree, environmental studies, meteorology, natural hazards management and a GIS masters. As a result, it can lead to a vast range of jobs such as: an environmental consultant, hazard management, expedition leader, digital mapping, diplomat, lawyer, travel writer, human rights officer, weather forecaster, surveyor and many more.