Critical Thinking A level

This Critical Thinking A level course is ideal for anyone looking to develop their critical and analytical abilities.

Components and/or options

• Critical Thinking A2
• Critical Thinking AS

NEC's home study A level in critical thinking requires students to critically assess a wide range of information.

It will encourage you to formulate and articulate your arguments, and to look at topics from an analytical perspective.

This distance learning A level course will be particularly attractive to more mature students seeking access to higher education, but who need to boost their qualifications. It can also be used to support learners on Access, teacher training, modern apprenticeships and enrichment programmes.

For 16- and 17-year-olds, critical thinking is ideal as a fourth AS choice, because the skills it develops underpin and support other A level subjects.

Benefits

• Gain the ability to clarify your ideas and expressions, and to communicate them effectively.
• Identify and analyse reasoning of different kinds, and recognise and evaluate assumptions.
• Learn how to produce cohesive and persuasive views of your own through careful analysis.
• Develop your reasoning skills.

Topics include

• Unit 1: Introduction to Critical Thinking
• Unit 2: Assessing and Developing Argument
• Unit 3: Ethical Reasoning and Decision-making
• Unit 4: Critical Reasoning

Entry requirements and hours of study

• There is no previous qualification available in critical thinking and no formal qualifications are necessary. The basic ability to reason about the world is the foundation on which critical thinking skills can be built.
• You should allow 150 hours of study for the AS and 150 hours for the A2, plus extra time for completing assignments.

Specification

OCR, AS:H052, A2:H452

Recommended texts

You will need to buy the following essential textbook:

AS: OCR AS Critical Thinking Student Book, by Lally J, Matthews R, Rowe A and Thwaites J, Heinemann Educational Publishers (ISBN 9780435235895)

Coursework

No coursework. Two written exams for the AS, each 1hr30mins and worth 75 marks. Two written exams for the A2, each 1hr30mins and worth 60 marks.