A STUDENT’S GUIDE TO AS/A LEVEL GEOGRAPHY
(Cambridge International Examinations)
What do I need to know or be able to do before taking this course?
Although it is not a requirement that you should have studied Geography at GCSE in order to take an AS level or A level course in the subject, it is highly recommended. Several topics covered in the course are developments of work covered at GCSE, but others are new. What is more important is that you should have a lively and enquiring mind, an interest in the environment and current affairs, a willingness to explore new ideas and an ability to communicate your ideas effectively.
Those students who have studied GCSE Geography will find that the material and the skills they have learned will prove a valuable foundation for further studies at this level.
What will I learn on this A Level course?
- What are the forces influencing our natural environment – the landscapes, the plants and animals, and the weather and climate?
- What are the issues affecting people and the places where they live? How are cities and the countryside changing? Why are they changing?
- How are people affecting the environment we all live in? What are the opportunities, the challenges and the constraints?
- What are the economic forces that drive the world economy, and how they are changing?
- What decisions are being made about the use and management of resources, and who makes these decisions?
- An appreciation of current events and world problems such as the effects of natural hazards and the plight of refugees.
- The ability to make links and connections across a wide variety of topics.
What kind of student is this course suitable for?
This course will appeal to those students who:
- have an interest in and concern for the environment
- are interested in current affairs
- enjoy studying a subject that is relevant to their own lives and experiences
- want the opportunity to carry out practical work outdoors as well as classwork
- enjoy finding out their own answers – not just being taught
- want to broaden their AS or A level studies to cover both ‘sciences’ and ‘humanities’
- enjoy travel and finding out about new people, places, landscapes and events
- want to keep their options open
Geography AS or A level is an appropriate qualification for a very wide range of higher education or career choices. It does not force you to make an early commitment.
What examinations will I have to take to get my qualification?
AS
AS is short for Advanced Subsidiary. This is the first half of the A level course. It is a stepping-stone to the full A level qualification. You can take just the AS on its own, if you and your teacher agree that this is best for you. You can even decide at the end of the AS course whether to continue to take the full A level qualification. An AS course consists of two units which are assessed by a single examination at the end of the Lower Sixth year.
Unit 1 Physical Core
In this unit you will learn about:
- plate tectonics and continental drift; volcanoes and earthquakes; weathering of rocks;
- the issues affecting people who live in areas affected by volcanoes and earthquakes;
- the hydrological cycle and rainfall;
- how and why rivers react to changing conditions;
- how and why rivers shape the landscape;
- how people can manage rivers to create opportunities and lessen risks;
- how the earth’s atmosphere is heated, and how the unequal heating leads to pressure differences, movement of the air and different weather systems; how people influence weather and climate, and how weather hazards influence people.
Unit 2 Human Core
In this unit you will learn about:
- the distribution of the world’s population; how populations vary in different parts of the world; how and why the world’s population is changing in number; how and why governments are trying to influence these changes.
- why people move around the world, and the effects these movements have on the areas people are leaving, and the areas they are moving to; how governments influence these movement patterns.
- the site and situation of settlements, and their sphere of influence; how different areas within towns are organised; how towns are changing as people move in and out, and land uses change; how governments are influencing settlements.
A LEVEL
The full ‘A’ level qualification is made up of the two core AS units plus two Physical Geography options and two Human Geography options which are studied at a higher level. You do not necessarily have to take the full ‘A’ level qualification; you can get a certificate just for the AS, and your teacher or course tutor will advise you on what is best. If you do decide to take the second half of the course it will cover the two units described below and it will be examined by two examinations at the end of the Upper Sixth year.
Unit 3 Physical Geography Options
Hazardous Environments
In this unit you will learn about:
- hazardous environments resulting from tectonic hazards. Distribution of volcanoes and earthquakes and the resultant hazards and benefits of tectonic activity;
- hazardous environments resulting from mass movements on slopes leading to hazards that result from slope instability. The effects of slope failure on lives and property;
- hazards resulting from atmospheric disturbances. The nature and distribution of tropical storms and tornadoes. The effects of atmospheric hazards on lives and property;
- a case study illustrating some of the problems of sustainable management of a hazardous environment.
Coastal Environments
In this unit you will learn about:
- wave generation and characteristics; marine erosion, transportation and deposition
- coastal landforms, their evolution and factors affecting them
- characteristics of coral reefs and conditions required for their growth
- sustainable management of coasts. A case study illustrating problems of sustainable management and evaluation of attempted solutions.
Unit 4 Human Geography Options
Environmental Management
In this unit you will learn about:
- sustainable energy supplies and factors affecting demand for and supply of energy, the environmental impact of energy production and the implications of future development.
- a case study of one country’s energy strategy illustrating some of the issues of changes in demand and supply and evaluating the strategy’s success.
- pollution; land, air and water. Factors in the degradation of contrasting rural and urban environments. The protection of environments at risk.
Global Interdependence
In this unit you will learn about:
- trade flows and trading patterns in relation to development of LEDCs and MEDCs. Global inequalities in trade flow and factors affecting trading patterns
- the management of international trade. A case study of the international trading patterns of one country since 1960 evaluating the success of the country’s trading pattern
- the development of international tourism. The impacts of tourism on the environment’s societies and economies of tourist destinations. The role of tourism in national economic planning
- a case study of one tourist area or resort, its growth and development, illustrating the issues of sustainability it faces and evaluating tourism’s impact on local environment, society and economy.
How can I develop my full range of skills by doing this course?
As well as covering AS and A level study of Geography, this course will enable you to develop some skills, which will be essential to you whatever you go on to do afterwards. The skills you can develop during this course are:
- Communication
- Application of number
- Information technology
- Problem solving
- Working with others
- Improving own learning and performance
If you take part in a debate or role play, for example, you could be collecting evidence for part of your Communication key skill; essays that you write as part of your course could also provide evidence. Collecting and analysing primary (fieldwork) and secondary data is part of the Application of Number key skill, and if you manipulate and present this using ICT, you are starting to produce evidence for the Information Technology key skill.
What could I go on to do at the end of my course?
Students with AS or A level Geography have access to a wide range of possible career and higher education opportunities. You learn and use a variety of transferable skills throughout the course. These include collecting, analysing and interpreting data, communicating your findings in different ways, and identifying and developing the links between different parts of the subject. These skills are in great demand and are recognised by employers and universities and colleges as being of great value.
Geography combines well with almost all other AS and A level subjects. Taken with sciences like Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Geography supports applications for almost any science-based university course like engineering, psychology, environmental sciences, oceanography and geology; taken with humanities like English, French, History or Economics, Geography supports an equally wide range of university courses such as business, law, media, politics and philosophy.
Many students choose to use their qualification to go straight into employment, rather than go on to higher education. Because AS and A level Geography develop the transferable skills and the key skills that employers are looking for, they can lead to a very wide range of employment opportunities. This can include further training in such areas as the law, accountancy and journalism.