AS/A Level Geography

A Level Geography

Why choose Geography?
Where is the most hazardous place on earth? Why do children starve in a world of plenty? What will the outline of Britain look like if sea levels rise due to global warming? Why are the tropical rain forests so species rich? Where are the hottest, driest, coldest and wettest places on earth and why? Which people live the longest and why?

If any of these questions interest you then you should consider doing Geography! Geography is all about studying the interactions that occur between people and their environments. As such, it deals with many contemporary issues of global concern and is underpinned by a concern with finding ways to develop sustainably.


Teaching and Learning Styles
We encourage enquiry-based learning with an emphasis on fieldwork. The AS course is likely to involve rivers fieldwork in Shropshire and urban fieldwork in and around Worcester. A residential trip is offered in Year 2. Students will require suitable fieldwork gear (walking boots and waterproofs).


Assessment
There are two exams at AS level: Unit 1 Physical and Human Geography and Unit 2 Applied Geography (a skills-based paper). For A2, there is an exam on Contemporary Geographical Issues and a fieldwork enquiry/issue evaluation paper.


Progression Opportunities
Many of our students go on to study Geography or related degrees at university. Geography combines well with most other subjects especially Geology. Increasingly, employment in the use of geographical information systems (GIS) is a big growth area and we have had students go on to research and work in this field in New Zealand and the USA.