Aims

The course will encourage students to:

acquire and apply knowledge and understanding of physical and human processes, their interactions and outcomes over space and time, through the study of places and environments;

acquire and apply a range of geographical and transferable skills necessary for the study of geography;

develop an understanding of the interrelationships between people and their environments and of the opportunities, challenges and constraints that face people in different places and environments;

appreciate the dynamic nature of geography: how places, environments and issues change and how people respond to these changes;

understand how decisions are made concerning the use and management of resources and environments, understand the nature, significance and effects of people’s values and attitudes including their own in relation to geographical issues and questions;

clarify and develop their own values and attitudes in relation to geographical issues and questions;

acquire a deeper understanding of the connections between different aspects of geography.

The Syllabus

The AS Course is divided into 2 units: Physical and Human Geography and Geographical Skills. The A2 Course is divided into Contemporary geographical Issues, a Fieldwork Investigation and a Geographical Issue Evaluation.

Career Choices

Geography is a desirable subject for many careers. Typical careers include all varieties of business, urban and regional planning, environmental consultancy, use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS), European Union careers, working for the Ordnance Survey, Utilities companies, land management, surveying and research. Geographers are attractive in the jobs market as they are trained in analytical techniques applicable to a wide range of occupations.

Syllabus Details

AS UNITS

Unit 1: Physical and Human Geography. The study of core geographical concepts along with contrasting themes of contemporary or environmental impact, management and sustainability.

Unit 2: Geographical Skills. The Geographical skills paper is based on the content of Unit 1. Skills include investigative, cartographic, graphical, ICT and statistical.

A2 UNITS

Unit 3: Contemporary Geographical Issues. An issues based approach to contemporary geographical themes. Candidates must select three topics; at least one from the physical options and one from the human options.

Unit 4a: Geography Fieldwork Investigation. This unit gives candidates the opportunity to extend an area of the subject content into a more detailed fieldwork study.

Unit 4b: Geographical Issue Evaluation. This unit gives candidates the opportunity to use their skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

CONTENT

Rivers floods and management

Population change

Optional topics AS: cold environments, coastal environments, desert environments, food supply issues, energy issues, health issues

Optional topics A2: plate tectonics and associated hazards, weather and climate and associated hazards, ecosystems: change and challenge, world cities, development and globalization, contemporary conflicts and challenges.

Assessment

AS: Unit 1: 2 hours. Structured short and extended questions.

Unit 2: 2 hours. Structured skills and generic research/fieldwork questions.

A2: Unit 3: 2 hours. Structured short and extended questions and an essay.

Unit 4a: 1 hour 30 minutes. Structured short and extended questions based on candidates’ own fieldwork investigation.

Unit 4b: 1 hour 30 minutes. Structured short and extended questions based on an advanced information booklet.