Geography

Qualification

AS Level (Level 3)
A Level (Level 3)

What does the course involve?

The course covers a range of human and physical geography that will enable you to investigate and understand our interconnected world.

You will also be fully supported to undertake your own independent fieldwork investigation on a topic of your choice.

Finally, you will learn and practise a range of valuable skills such as communication, cultural awareness, teamwork, problem solving and extended writing.

The AS and A Level Year 1 for OCR Geography cover the same modules:

• Hazardous Earth
• Coastal Landscapes
• Changing Spaces, Making Places
• Fieldwork

In Year 2 (A Level only), the Year 1 subjects are reviewed and further modules are studied:
 
• Earth's Life Support Systems
• Climate Change
• Power and Borders

Requirements

You should have 5 GCSEs (or equivalent) including Geography and English at grade 5 or above and Mathematics at grade 4 or above.

Teaching Methods

In the classroom teaching includes the use of tactile models, maps, diagrams and films to bring concepts to life.

We also link with relevant businesses, organisations and speakers where possible and undertake fieldwork studies.

You are taught in small groups; there is a mixture of discussion, group activities and written work, plus some active research and practical sessions. You will undertake lesson preparation tasks as well as homework and exam practice. There are unit tests at the end of each topic area.

Assessment Methods

All students will be entered for the AS Level which consists of two exams at the end of Year 1.

A Level students will sit three exams at the end of their second year of study, these will cover all aspects of the two-year programme.

20% of the full A-Level is coursework consisting of a fieldwork investigation of your choosing.

Duration

AS and A Level are separate qualifications but are taught alongside each other for the first year. This gives AS students the opportunity to switch to the full A Level if they are ready.

Where will it take me?

Geography is a pathway to a huge variety of exciting and ever-changing careers which include but are not limited to:

Environmental management and conservation
Politics and international negotiations
International development or aid
Town planning
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Tourism
Climate science and research
Sustainability
Teaching
Natural hazard management and planning

In Higher Education Geography complements many other A Level subjects. Traditionally Geography is seen as a bridge between the arts and sciences, enabling students to keep their options open.

The Russell Group of universities has selected Geography as one of their preferred ‘facilitating’ A Level subjects to support an application to their degree courses.