"Geography is just physics slowed down, with a couple of trees stuck in" (Terry Pratchett)
"Geography is the subject which holds the key to our future" (Michael Palin)
Whilst there is some science and several trees, Geography A Level at Edgbaston College is hopefully closer to Mr Palin's description than Mr Pratchetts! The AQA course we follow links closely with any A Level or GCSE specification you have already studied. We cover both human and physical topics ranging from the Ukraine war and geopolitics to volcanic eruptions and global warming. There's also a number of field trips, both local (in Birmingham) and further afield on the North Devon coast.
| Unit | Modules | Weighting | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Physical Geography | 40% | 2h |
| Paper 2 | Human Geography | 40% | 2h |
| Coursework | Geography fieldwork investigation | 20% |
3000-4000 words |
Geography sits halfway between the sciences and the arts. As the perfect "mixer" - it goes well with literally any subject combination. Many of our geographers will come from a scientific background and will study something like Chem/Bio or Physics/Maths - this links nicely with physical geography. Equally, you can thrive on the course with humanities or the arts eg History/Economics. Perhaps starting out as your 3rd A Level choice, it can often end up as your favourite subject.
Geographers are sometimes maligned as "jack of all trades, masters of none!" but this view is increasingly outdated. During the course, you will "visit" dozens of different countries and you'll visit dozens of different skills - the analysis of big data, geographical information systems (GIS), fieldwork, essay writing, statistics as well as the obligatory map colouring! Degree-wise, geography will be welcomed by every course, from medicine to management and from finance to fine art. In the longer term, a Geography A Level is prized by employers as it tells them that you know how to evaluate, how to problem-solve and how to see the big picture; it marks you down as someone who is highly literate, numerate and able to argue a case.
