AS Level Environmental Science

Environmental Science (AS and A Level)

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

AS and A Level (AQA)

Campus: Cheadle and Marple
(28.07.09)

Course overview

Environmental Science enables students to gain a deep and well informed insight into the environment, and the scientific processes that control and affect it.

The central theme is the development of an understanding of how different events and cycles within the environment interrelate, how they influence subsequent environmental events, the human impacts on these events and cycles, and the strategies that can be used to minimise the problems caused. Key aspects of the course include areas such as Wildlife Conservation, Pollution, Global Climate Change and Sustainability.

AS Level (year one)

Unit One - The Living Environment

- reasons why the conservation of life on Earth is important; methods which may be used to achieve effective conservation; conservation in the UK, coral reefs, Antarctica and tropical rainforests; ecological relationships between organisms and their abiotic and biotic environment.

Unit Two - The Physical Environment

- atmospheric gases, water and mineral nutrients human exploitation and management of physical resources to provide higher material living standards

unsustainable natural resources.

A Level (year two)

Unit Three - Energy Resources and

Environmental Pollution

- future problems of energy supply and how these may be resolved; properties of pollutants to explain why some materials or forms of energy cause environmental damage; minimising releases, treating effluents and managing the damage caused by pollutants.

Unit Four - Biological Resources and Sustainability

- factors controlling human population growth in relation to the demands placed upon the planet's resources and life-support systems; food production and forestry systems; study of the sustainability of human lifestyles.

How you will learn

You will learn through a variety of learning experiences including class discussion, group work, individual research, data collection and analysis on fieldtrips and the interpretation of graphs, maps and photographs.

There will be an annual residential fieldtrip. In the past we have been to Arran, and in June this year we visited Iceland for the first time. This was a huge success which we hope to repeat in the future.

How you will be assessed

All 4 units have timed exams lasting between 1 and 1.5 hours at AS Level and 1.5 and 2 hours at A2 Level.

Other useful information

This course builds on the knowledge gained in a range of GCSE science subjects, including GCSE Environmental Science. It is not essential to have studied this course to undertake the A Level.

As part of a group of Science or Arts A Level courses, Environmental Science provides an ideal base for employment, a range of vocational qualifications and a very wide variety of HE options, including degrees in areas related to the environment, geography, geology, science, climate, planning and teaching.