Geography

With growing interest in issues such as climate change, migration, environmental degradation and social cohesion, there has never been a better or more important time to study Geography. Geography is a relevant, dynamic, and academically rigorous subject that helps you to make sense of the world around you. At A Level a variety of topics are studied across both human and physical geography that help you to engage critically with some of the most pressing challenges facing the world today. As well as the exciting topic content, you will also develop your qualitative and quantitative geographical skills at A level; working with images, factual text and discursive/creative material, digital data, numerical and spatial data and other innovative forms of data.

The independent fieldwork investigation provides an exciting opportunity for you to explore topics you are passionate about in greater detail. You will develop knowledge of how to plan, carry out and write up a research project. Such skills put geography students in a fantastic position to meet the challenges of university courses which comprise of a dissertation element. The investigation process also provides an interesting topic to discuss in university interviews.

Geography is an academically robust subject, due to it spanning both the physical and social sciences and the focus placed upon geographical skills such as the increasingly popular GIS technology and statistics. Geography is part of the academic group of English Baccalaureate GCSE subjects and the Russell Group of universities has recognised A Level geography as one of their preferred ‘facilitating subjects’ - supporting an application into a wide range of undergraduate courses.

In Physical Geography, students will study the following components:

• Coastal systems and landscapes
• Hazards
• Water and the carbon cycles

In Human Geography students will study the following components:

• Changing places
• Global systems and global governance
• Contemporary urban environments

Students will also complete an individual Geography Fieldwork Investigation, known as the non-examined assessment (NEA).

The knowledge and transferable skills that geographers gain are highly relevant to the workplace. You will find geographers working in every sector of the economy including finance, local businesses, not-for-profit organisations, significant research, or as key decision makers in local and national government, highlighting the range of possibilities for geographers. Degrees in geography can also be a gateway into further postgraduate study in fields such as research, and law.

The study of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) is of growing importance within both A Level and Geography degree courses. Knowledge of how to use these systems, is in great demand across many sectors, such as retail, town planning and the energy industry.

2 x 2.5-hour written exams, each worth 40% of total A Level

1 x Geography fieldwork investigation worth 20% of total A Level

Students complete an individual investigation (NEA) which includes data collected during the geography field trip in the summer of Year 12. The individual investigation must be based on a question or issue defined and developed by the student relating to any part of the specification content.

AQA

Minimum Required GCSE Grade - Subject specific

• Geography: 6
• English Language: 5