A-Level Geography Course – Edexcel

Learners will complete 8 units of study in total as listed below.

• Volcanoes
• Earthquakes
• Tsunami
• The Earths internal structure
• Plate tectonic theory
• Continental drift
• Paleomagnetism
• Plate Boundaries
• MEDCs and LEDCs
• Tectonic Mega-disasters
• Prediction and forecasting
• Hazard management

• Climate change
• Volcanic Eruptions
• The Cryosphere
• Ice masses
• Periglacial Processes
• Periglacial Landforms
• Tundra
• Glacial mass balance
• Glacier Movement
• Rate of movement
• Glacial erosion
• Glacial transportation
• Glacial Deposition
• Formation of lowland depositional features
• Fluvioglacial landforms
• Proglacial features
• Biodiversity
• Water Cycle
• Carbon cycle
• Human activity

• The influence of technology
• International political and economic organisations
• Special economic zones
• Benefits of SEZs
• KOF Index
• Transnational corporations (TNCs)
• The global shift
• Push and pull factors
• International migration
• A global culture
• Cultural erosion
• Gross domestic product
• Social measures of development
• Effects of globalisation
• Retention of cultural values
• Fair trade
• Ethical consumption schemes
• Recycling

• Economies
• Places change
• Reasons for change
• Measuring change
• National & regional influences
• Global and International influences
• The negative multiplier effect
• Media sources
• Representations of place
• Infrastructure investment
• North-South divide
• Planning policies
• Government policy
• Local interest groups
• Rebranding
• Regeneration strategies
• The living environment

• Hydrological cycle
• Water stores
• Types of precipitation
• A Tropical Rainforest: The Amazon
• Water budget
• River regimes
• Storm Hydrograph
• Urbanisation
• Drought
• The ecological impact
• Flooding
• The water cycle and climate change
• Rising demand and diminishing supply
• Physical and economic scarcity
• Water conflicts and the future
• Techno-fix
• Sustainable schemes

• The biogeochemical carbon cycle
• Human Effects
• Carbon Budgets
• Carbon sequestration in oceans
• Thermohaline circulation
• Terrestrial sequestration
• The greenhouse effect
• The Greenhouse Effect and Climate Change
• The concentration of carbon
• Photosynthesis
• Energy consumption
• Fossil fuels
• Biofuels

• Economic power
• Military power
• Political power
• Cultural power
• Natural resources
• Demographics
• Hard Power vs Soft Power
• Types of polarity
• Geopolitical polarity and stability
• Emerging nations
• Strengths and weaknesses
• The role of TNCs
• Global action
• International alliances
• Arctic oil and gas
• Intellectual property
• Political spheres of influence
• Conflicts in the Middle East
• Importance of China and India
• Economic problems

• Human development
• Happy planet index
• Sharia Law
• Bolivia under Evo Morales
• Goals of development
• The importance of education
• UNESCO
• health & life expectancy
• The importance of IGOs
• Millennium Development Goals
• Human Rights
• The transition to democracy
• Levels of political corruption
• Equality
• Geopolitical interventions
• Short-term responses
• Just War Theory
• The effectiveness of development aid
• Recent military interventions
• The cost of inaction

To achieve the full Geography A Level qualification you will be assessed across the above areas of study. All topics will be assessed by three paper-based examinations and coursework. A more detailed breakdown of the assessment details is provided below:

Paper 1: 9GE0/01

• Type: Written examination
• Duration: 2 hours and 15 minutes
• Assessed: Areas of study 1 and 3
• Assessment format: A mixture of short answers, open response and resource linked questions. You will also have to complete a 12 and 20 mark extended writing question

Paper 2: 9GE0/02

• Type: Written examination
• Duration: 2 hours and 15 minutes
• Assessed: Areas of study 2 and 4
• Assessment format: A mixture of short answers, open response and resource linked questions. You will also have to complete a 12 and 20 mark extended writing question

Paper 3: 9GE0/03

• Type: Written examination
• Duration: 2 hours and 15 minutes
• Assessed: Content from all areas of study
• Assessment format: A mixture of short answers, open response and resource linked questions. You will also have to complete an 8, 18 and 24 mark extended writing question

Coursework: 9GE0/04

• Type: Coursework/Fieldwork
• Assessed: Define a question of issue for investigation relating to the content in the course using your own research from fieldwork
• Assessment format: A written investigation report of 3000 – 4000 words which is internally assessed and externally moderated. You must complete a minimum of four days of fieldwork, which will be taken under supervision.