Curriculum
As a student of geography, you will develop your knowledge of how physical processes and humans interact to affect locations, places, and the environment at local, national and global scale.
There are a number of key issues which face the world today, not least global warming, rapid population growth, diminishing natural resources and the related conflict and migration. The human race continues to rush headlong towards ever greater development and wealth, striving to capitalise on any form of natural
resource found in the environment. As A Level geographers, you will be able to understand the causes and be able to explain the effects of these issues in the real world. Using a holistic, systems-oriented approach, you will improve your understanding of the ways in which values, attitudes and circumstances have an impact on the
relationships between people, place and environment. There is a Geography Fieldwork Investigation which is compulsory and involves a week away collecting data using a variety of fieldwork techniques. The fieldwork part of the course will generate new knowledge about the real world, as you become skilled at planning, undertaking, presenting and evaluating fieldwork which underpins your geographical knowledge and understanding.
Progression
Geography is deemed as worth half a science A Level at university and is a facilitating subject providing the bridge between science, humanities or media subjects. Employers value geography
students’ ability to collect data outside and to swiftly present and analyse it, going on to evaluate the findings to understand and be able to work on fixing the issue.
Careers
Geographers are good communicators with a range of transferable skills. They are numerate and good problem-solvers so they are highly valued in a range of careers. Typical jobs include: Environmental science and management; urban planner/ community development; cartographer; GIS specialist; climatologist; writer/ researcher; teaching; emergency/ disaster management; demographer; marketing; national park ranger; hydrologist; marine conservation; coastal and river management; traffic analyst; housing officers. Geography students have bright futures in a huge range of industries.
Additional Entry Requirements
Grade 5 in English and 5 in Geography if studied at GCSE.
Assessment
Unit 1 40% overall
Unit 2 40% overall
Unit 3 20% overall
Opportunities for work related activities
Fieldwork – one week data collection and subsequent write up; opportunity for additional day visits to a local area, and a two week expedition to a different continent. In addition, there will be Geographical Association lectures given by university lecturers at the University of Bristol.
