Geography

Course outline

Educas

Geography is one of those subjects that you will find yourself using in so many ways in the future. These will range from simply having a better understanding of current affairs, to utilising your map work, research and communication skills in almost any career choice. Directly related careers include environmental science research, town planning and overseas development work. However, most employers will value your world understanding as well as your sophisticated analytical skills, demonstrated through tasks like your fieldwork project. Geographers leave Higher Education to work in many fields including international finance, marketing, public relations and journalism.

We will undertake a total of four days fieldwork across the two years, which will partly contribute to your personal investigation. We run international trips to such places as Iceland, Morocco and the Azores. We teach students to use sophisticated computer mapping and analytical software (GIS) to examine spatial relationships. We are recognised as an Esri Centre of Excellence in GIS education. Our department was also awarded the Royal Geographical Society Ordnance Survey Award for Excellence in Secondary Education in 2015, and has also won a Pearson Silver Teaching Award. In 2016, our department was awarded the prestigious ‘Centre of Excellence’ status by the Geographical Association.

The Geography A Level course is a two year linear programme. It contains a mixture of human and physical geography units. Physical topics include the study of Earthquakes and volcanoes. There is a choice of studying coasts or glacial processes. We also examine the water and carbon cycles and their effects on the world around us. Finally we look at climatic hazards such as hurricanes and tornadoes. The human topics cover the changes and pressures affecting cities, and also rural areas, in different countries. We learn about how global oceans are managed and looked after. We discuss the emotions and complexity of migration issues. We look at issues relating to our use of energy resources and how sustainable our actions are. In addition to the three written examination units, students will also undertake a personal investigation based on fieldwork data collection. This research and the report produced is an excellent preparation for university skills. The course will develop skills in essay writing and structured responses. It will enhance spatial literacy and understanding of very topical issues in the world around you. It is a useful preparation for many aspects of future life and study.

The course assessment comprises three papers worth 80% and one personal investigation worth 20%.

“It gives me insights into different cultures and different geographical areas across the globe. It helps develop an understanding of how everything on our planet is critically interlinked”