Geography AS & A Level
What will I learn on the course?
What factors influence people and our natural
environment?
What are the economic forces that drive the world
economy?
What decisions are being made about the use and
management of resources?
An appreciation of current events and world
problems.
Fieldwork Skills.
What kind of student is this
course for?
 Those students who:
 have an interest and concern
for the environment;
 are interested in current
affairs.
 enjoy a subject that is relevant
to your own lives and
experiences;
 want the opportunity to carry
out practical work outdoors as
well as class work;
 want to link both the `sciences’
with the `humanities’;
AS Geography
Unit 1: Physical Environment
 Plate Tectonics and Continental Drift,
Volcanoes and Earthquakes,
Weathering and Rocks, Management
Issues.
 Hydrological
Cycle, Rivers, River
Management.
 Coastal Landscapes, Sea
Level Change, Coastal
Ecosystems, Coastal
Management.
Unit 2 : Human Environments
 Distribution of World’s population,
world population change and
government influences.
 Settlements, land use
changes, government
influences.
 Migration, push & pull
factors, government
policies.
Unit 3: Fieldwork Investigation –
Applied Skills Exam
 Fieldwork in Cyprus to study both human
and physical geography.
 Enquiry based. Pupils collect data, analyse it
and test a hypothesis or solve a problem.
A/S Assessment
 Physical Environments Unit 1: 1 ¼ hours. Six
structured questions, two on each topic.
Students do three, one on each topic.
 Human Environments Unit 2: 1 ¼ hours. Six
structured questions, two on each topic.
Students do three, one from each topic.
 Applied Geographical Skills Unit 3: 1 ½ hours.
Two compulsory questions. First gives
information about an unfamiliar area and asks
you to write about fieldwork that could be done in
the area. Second will ask you to write about your
own fieldwork experiences.
Advanced GCE Geography
Unit 4 Physical Systems, Processes and Patterns
Earth’s
atmosphere, global
movements of air
and weather
systems and how
people influence
weather and
climate.
Upland, lowland,
fluvial, glaciation
and periglaciation;
human impacts in
and around
glaciers.
Ecosystems, soil
formation and
Human Impacts
on them.
Unit 5: Human Systems,
Processes and Patterns
 Industrial
location;
changing world
employment
patterns;
globalization;
pollution.
 Urbanisation;
food production;
rural/urban
interdependence;
change in
rural/urban
environments.
 World
development;
trade and aid.
Unit 6: Synoptic - People and
their Environments
 Draws together many ideas learnt from the whole
2 year course in a knowledge and skills paper.
 You will be tested on your ability to show that you
understand the links and connections between
different parts of the course.
Advanced Assessment
 Physical Systems, Processes and Patterns Unit 4:
1 ½ hours. There are six structured essays, two on
each of the topics covered. You must choose 2,
on two different topics.
 Human Systems, Processes and Patterns Unit 5: 1
½ hours. There are six structured essays, two on
each of the topics covered. You must choose 2, on
two different topics.
 Synoptic Paper Unit 6: Information about an
unfamiliar situation is given. You are asked to use
the skills and knowledge learnt to answer
structured questions. 2. Four essay titles are
given. You must choose 1.
What skills do I develop during this
course?
 Communication
 Literacy
 Numeracy
ICT
Problem solving
Group work
Fieldwork
What could I do at the
end of my course?
 You learn many transferable skills
relevant for work and education.
 Science: Engineering, Psychology,
Environmental Science,
Oceanography, Geology, ICT.
Humanities: Business, Law, Media,
Politics and Philosophy, Travel and
Tourism, Accounting, Journalism.