Environmental Studies will give you an in-depth understanding of the fragile world in which we live. The course involves the scientific study of how the environment supports us, how we threaten these support systems, and strategies for a more sustainable lifestyle. You will look at wildlife conservation, the conditions for life on Earth, and a study of land resources. You will go on to develop an understanding of the three systems of our planet: the atmosphere, water resources (the ‘hydrosphere’) and the thin crust of the Earth’s surface (the ‘lithosphere’) where we humans and other land-based animals and plants live. In the second year you’ll delve into environmental issues in more depth, including energy resources and environmental pollution, the impact of mankind, food production systems, and the important issue of sustainability.

If you need to know more to help you decide whether this is the course for you, you may like to look at the full specification and sample exam papers at www.aqa.org.uk.

Factsheet

Who is This Course For?

If you are interested in the future of life on earth and being able to do something about it this is the course for you. Environmental Studies will help you understand ways in which we can save the planet, drawing on areas including geology, geography, economics, politics and sociology to understand this complex issue.

Entry Requirements

You should have a minimum of 5 appropriate GCSEs at grades A*-C, including English Language at grade B or higher and Maths. Entry requirements would therefore normally include double science and at least one of: environmental science, business studies, economics, history, geography, humanities, social science, sociology, or citizenship. If you have a grade C in English you will be asked to sit an entrance test to confirm you are suitable for the course. A GCSE in your home or first language, other than English, cannot be counted as one of the 5 qualifying GCSEs.

About the course

The A Level programme includes weekly group tutorials and regular one-to-one tutorials with your personal tutor. All students will have functional skills sessions or critical thinking sessions.

AS Award AQA 1441

• Unit 1 ENVS1 – The Living Environment  (1 hour, 40% of your marks). Topics include: Reasons why the conservation of life on earth is important, methods which may be used to achieve effective conservation and ecological relationships between organisms and their abiotic and biotic environment.
• Unit 2 ENVS2 – The Physical Environment (90 minutes, 60% of your marks). Topics include atmospheric gases, water and mineral nutrients, human exploitation and management of physical resources to provide higher material living standards, unsustainable natural resources.

A Level Award AQA 2441

• Unit 3 ENVS3 – Energy Resources and Environmental Pollution (90 minutes, 50% of your marks). Topics include future problems of energy supply and how these may be resolved, properties of pollutants to explain why some materials or forms of energy cause environmental damage, minimising releases and managing the damage caused by pollutants.
• Unit 4 ENVS4 Biological Resources and Sustainability (2 hours, 50% of your marks). Topics include factors controlling human population growth in relation to the demands placed on the planet’s resources and life support systems, food productions and forestry systems, study of the sustainability of human lifestyles.

Additional Opportunities

The course will involve you in developing a range of personal skills including how to gather, analyse and evaluate information, work with fellow students on projects, communicate effectively, define key issues and identify possible solutions and manage numerical data.

How will I be assessed?

Each year you’ll have two written papers to complete. All the papers have a mix of short-answer questions and longer-answer essay questions.

Where next?

Your interest in the environment and ethical issues could take you along a number of career paths. For example, ecology and wildlife conservation, geography or climatology. It would suit anyone interested in working for a charity, teaching, or entering politics. A level in Environmental Studies would be a very good stepping stone for a range of degrees relating to science, politics and the environment.

How to apply?

You cannot apply online for this individual A Level course. To apply, please go to the A Level Humanities Pathway Factsheet and click on Apply Now. You will then be asked to select up to 4 A Level subjects as part of a full-time programme of study. You may be able to change your A Level pathway and subject options when you enrol.