The A Level Geography course develops 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. You will further enhance the skills learned at GCSE level through a range of different teaching techniques and fieldwork.
We follow the AQA specification.
“My love for geography started at high school, especially in the physical geography topics. Those of hazards and coastal landscapes particularly sparked an interest for me. The teaching style in A Level Geography at Dereham Sixth Form College is extremely interactive which gives students a chance to engage with other class members about their views and interests, and especially differences of opinion in relation to human geography. Overall, A Level Geography is a vast subject with lots of different topics to lean and build skills on from GCSE, also with the opportunity to conduct some of your own research making you feel like a real Geographer.”
Laila
Dr Barrett
Head of Geography
Geography is sought after by employers and is seen by the top universities as an ‘enabling’ subject for entry into Higher Education. It combines well with many subjects such as Maths, History and the sciences.
Occupations linked to geography are far-reaching covering many areas of interest. You will undertake local field trips to support learning in the classroom and develop your understanding and skills required for success in examinations and coursework. Past students have gone on to study geophysics, volcanology, geology, international relations, town planning, physical geography, human geography, teaching, journalism and accountancy.
Year 1
The core topics cover both human and physical geography with an emphasis on developing a higher-level understanding of how different processes fit together to produce unique landforms, places and processes. In each area of study you will learn models of movement from tectonic plates and sediment to people and perceptions of place. You will assess the values and attitudes of decision makers, consider your own attitudes to the issues being studied and support your learning of ideas through the study of specific case studies.
Physical geography
- Coastal systems and landscapes
- Hazards
Human geography:
- Changing places
Year 2
In Year 13 you will build on your knowledge from the first year to develop a deeper understanding of three of the world’s most pressing and dramatic phenomena. You will learn to evaluate complex data and to express your opinions in an intelligent manner on matters such as climate change, food security, population control and globalisation.
Physical geography:
- Water and carbon cycles
Human geography:
- Global systems and global governance
- Population and the environment
You will also complete your coursework investigation in your own time.
Assessment
There are two exam papers of 2 hours 30 minutes each.
Paper 1 assesses your knowledge and understanding of physical geography focusing on water and carbon cycles, coastal systems and landscapes and hazards. It makes up 40% of the A Level and contains short answer, levels of response and extended prose questions.
Paper 2 assesses your knowledge and understanding of human geography focusing on global systems and global governance, changing places and population and the environment. It makes up 40% of the A Level and contains short answer, levels of response and extended prose questions.
Students also complete an individual investigation which must include data collected in the field. It consists of a 3,000-4,000 word report which is marked internally and makes up 20% of the A Level.
Entry Requirements
Minimum 65444 including 6 in Geography and 5 in English Language or Literature GCSE.
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