A Level Geography

This subject provides students with an opportunity to increase their understanding of various physical and human environments. Geographers study the links between the various aspects of these environments and how they operate as complex systems. This is an excellent subject for any student who wants to understand how the world works and why ‘place’ still matters.

Course content

• Population and settlement
• Tourism
• Rocks and landscape
• Industry
• Managing resources

Module 2680: The Physical Environment Module 2681: The Human Environment Module: 2682 Geographical Investigation Module: 2683 Options in Physical and Human Geography Module: 2684 People and Environment Options Module: 2685 Personal Investigative Study (Geography A) Module: 2686 Investigative Skills (Geography A) Unit 2680 - The Physical Environment (1 hour 15 minutes) The question paper assessing 'The Physical Environment' module has four compulsory structured questions which test candidates’ knowledge and understanding. Assessment may make use of maps (including OS maps and other national maps), satellite images and photographs. Unit 2681 - The Human Environment (1 hour) The question paper assessing 'The Human Environment' module has three compulsory structured questions which test candidates’ knowledge and understanding. Assessment may make use of maps (including OS maps and other national maps), satellite images and photographs. Unit 2682 - Geographical Investigation (45 minutes) Within Module 2682, each candidate must undertake one piece of fieldwork and complete a written report of not more than 1000 words. Unit 2683 - Options in Physical and Human Geography (1 hours 30 minutes) In this unit there are three essay questions each comprising two parts for each option. The options are in two groups: Group A: Physical options and Group B: Human options. Candidates produce one essay for each of two options, one from Group A and one from Group B. Assessment may make use of maps (including OS maps and other national maps), satellite images and photographs. Unit 2684 - People and Environment Options (1 hours 30 minutes) In this unit there are three essay questions for each option. Candidates produce one essay for each of any two options. Unit 2685 - Personal Investigative Study Candidates are required to prepare and submit a research assignment in the form of a 2500 word 'Personal Investigative Study' which must be the product of the candidate’s individual work. It may be based either on data collected in the field or other primary data obtained by the candidate from another source (such as census data) or a combination of the two. It should be submitted to meet OCR’s standard coursework deadline in May. Unit 2686 - Investigative Skills (1 hour 30 minutes) This is an alternative to the "Personal Investigative Study". Candidates bring a pre-prepared 1000 word report on a planned fieldwork investigation to the examination, which they submit for marking with their written examination paper.

Delivery & Assessment methods

Assessment AS/A2 Examination AS The Physical Environment - 1 hour 15 minutes Written Examination - 40% 20% AS The Human Environment - 1 hour Written Examination - 30% 15% AS Geographical Investigation - 45 minutes Written Examination and Coursework - 30% 15% A2 Options in Physical and Human Geography - 1 hour 30 minutes Written Examination - 15% A2 People and Environment Options - 1 hour 30 minutes Written Examination - 20% A2 Personal Investigative Study (Geography A) - Coursework - 15% A2 Investigative Skills (Geography A) - 1 hour 30 minutes Written Examination and Coursework - 15% Resits Candidates can resit modules in the January and June examination series during the course, with the highest mark counting towards the qualification. Candidates can study the qualification more than once. However, marks cannot be transferred from one qualification to another. Intensive one year A Level resit programme This programme is for students who need to improve their A Level grades. Most subjects require that the A Level should have already been examined. All subjects will require students to undertake a one-Year intensive programme which combines both AS and A Level modules – students will also be able to undertake new AS Levels along with studying for A Levels in the one-year programme. The programme will appeal to students who did not achieve the grades they require to study for the degree of their choice. Students are invited from other institutions to continue their studies in the Sixth Form Centre. Whilst it is desirable that students transferring should have studied with the same examination board, most of the examination grades are transferable as long as the students have already been examined at AS Level even if their examination was with a different board.