A Level Geography Distance Learning CourseAL609

Distance Learning Support

At Start Learning we pride ourselves on our friendly and supportive tutors. Your tutor support will start as soon as you receive your course and will be valid for 18 months. All our tutors are highly qualified with extensive experience in supporting distance learning students. You contact your tutor via email and they are responsible for marking assignments answering your questions and guiding you through the course.

Home Study Entry Requirements

Basic English reading and writing skills are required. We recommend you have general skills and knowledge associated with a GCSE course or equivalent.

At Start Learning we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to expand their knowledge and study further, so we try to keep our entry requirements to a minimum.

Recommended Hours of Study

It is recommended that 200 hours of your time should be allocated towards study for the AS and A2 examinations.

Distance Learning Course Contents

A Level Business Studies consists of AS Level and A2 Level

AS Level

Unit 1 – GEOG1 – Physical and Human Geography
• River, floods and management
• Cold environments
• Coastal environments
• Hot deserts and their margins
• Population change
• Food supply issues
• Energy issues 
• Health Issues

Unit 2 – GEOG2 – Geographical Skills

A2 Level

Unit 3 – GEOG3 – Contemporary Geographical Issues
• Plate tectonics and associated hazards
• Weather and climate and associated hazards
• Ecosystems: change and challenge
• World cities
• Development and globalisation
• Contemporary conflicts and challenges

Unit 4:
• GEO4A – Geography Fieldwork Investigation, or:
• GEO4B – Geographical Issue Evaluation

AS Level + A2 Level = A Level in Geography

Recommended Reading
AQA AS Geography: Student's Book
by Smith John, Roger Knill
Publisher: Nelson Thornes Ltd (26 Jun 2008)
ISBN-10: 0748782583
ISBN-13: 978-0748782581

AQA A2 Geography
by John Smith, Roger Knill
Publisher: Nelson Thornes (26 May 2009)
ISBN-10: 0748782591
ISBN-13: 978-0748782598

Distance Learning Easy Payment Plan

Full price is £395

6 Monthly Instalments of £65.83

The first instalment is paid at time of enrolment with a fee for postage and packaging.

For postage and packaging costs click here: Postage and Packaging

Learning Outcomes

AS Level

Unit 1 – Physical and Human Geography
River, floods and management
Cold environments
Coastal environments
Hot deserts and their margins
Populationchange
Food supply issues
Energy issues
Health Issues

Unit 2 – Geographical Skills

Unit 3 – Contemporary Geographical Issues
Plate tectonics and associated hazards
Weather and climate and associated hazards
Ecosystems: change and challenge
World cities
Development and globalisation
Contemporary conflicts and challenges

Unit 4 – Geography Field Work Investigation

Course Overview
This course is split into units, each of which is further divided into separate topics and options, these are explained below. Units 1 and 2 make up the AS section, and Units 3 and 4 make up the A2 section of the course and completion of all units leads to a full A Level qualification.

Unit 1: Physical and Human Geography (GEOG1)
The core physical and human sections must be studied, also at least one of the physical options and at least one of the human options.

Core Physical Section
Rivers, Floods and Management:
hydrological cycle, river discharge, long and valley profiles, changing channel characteristics, landforms of fluvial erosion and deposition, process and impact of rejuvenation, physical and human causes of flooding, impact of flooding, flood management strategies.

Physical Options
Cold environments:
Global distribution of cold environments, glaciers as systems, ice movement, glacial processes and landscape development, erosional landforms, depositional landforms, fluvioglacial processes, periglacial processes, exploitation and development in tundra areas, the future of Antarctica.

Coastal environments:
The coastal systems, coastal processes, landforms of erosion, case study of coastal erosion, sea level change, case study of coastal flooding, coastal protection objectives and management strategies, case studies of two contrasting areas.

Hot Desert Environments and Their Margins:
Location and characteristics, causes of aridity, arid geomorphologic processes, the effect of wind, the effect of water, landforms, desertification, case study of desertification in the Sahel, managing hot desert environments and their margins.

Core Human Section
PopulationChange:
Population indicators, populationchange, population structures and different stages of the demographic transition, social, economic and political implications of populationchange, effects on rural and urban areas, settlement case studies.

Human Options
Food Supply Issues:
Global patterns of food supply, consumption and trade, contrasting agricultural food production systems, managing food supply, changes in demand, food supplies in a globalising economy, potential for sustainable food supplies, case studies of two contrasting approaches to managing food supply and demand.

Energy Issues:
Types of energy, global patterns of energy supply, consumption and trade, the  geopolitics of energy, environmental impact of energy production, potential for sustainable energy supply and consumption, energy conservation, case studies at national scale of two contrasting approaches to managing energy supply.

Health Issues:
Global patterns of health, morbidity and mortality, the study of one infectious disease, the study of one ‘disease of affluence’, food and health, health  matters in a globalising world economy, regional variations in health and morbidity in the UK, factors affecting regional variations in health and morbidity, local case studies.

Unit 2: Geographical Skills (GEOG2).
This is an investigative piece of work on a contemporary issue in Geography. It is in the form of an essay of between 1250 and 1500 words. It will be well structured with an introduction, investigation and conclusion. The introduction will have a brief background on the subject and explain why it is being investigated

Unit 3: Contemporary Geographical Issues (GEOG3).
Students must study at least three of the six sections, one from the physical options, one from the human options and a free choice.

Physical Options
Plate Tectonics and Associated Hazards:
Plate movement, vulcanicity, seismicity.

Weather and Climate and Associated Hazards:
major climate controls, the climate of the British Isles, climate of one tropical region (tropical wet/ dry savannah or monsoon or equatorial), climate on a local scale: urban climates, global climate change.

Ecosystems: Change and Challenge:
Nature of ecosystems, ecosystems in the British Isles over time, the biome of one tropical region (savannah, grassland or tropical monsoon forest or tropical equatorial rainforest), ecosystem issues on a local scale: impact of human activity, ecosystem issues on a global scale.

Human Options
World Cities:
Contemporary urbanisation processes, urban decline and regeneration within urban areas, retailing and other services, contemporary sustainability issues in urban areas.

Development and Globalisation:
Patterns and processes, countries at very low levels of economic development, global social and economic groupings, aspects of globalisation, development issues within the world (each to be studied with reference to contrasting areas of the world).

Contemporary Conflicts and Challenges:
The geographical basis of conflict, conflict over the use of a local resource (e.g. land, buildings, space), the geographical impact of international conflicts, the challenge of multicultural societies in the UK, separatism within and/or across national boundaries, the challenge of global poverty.

Unit 4A: Geography Fieldwork Investigation (GEO4A).
Students have the opportunity to extend an area of the subject into a more detailed fieldwork study.

Unit 4 B: Geographical Issue Evaluation (GEO4B)

Qualification

AS +A2 = A level in Geography.
Both AS and A2 level courses and examinations must be successfully completed to gain a full A level.

Language of Examination

English

Examination Centre

You can find a full list of private candidate centres here: AQA Private Candidate Centres

Start Learning will provide you with a list of examination centres but it is entirely your responsibility to find a centre which will accept you as an external candidate.
In some cases you should be prepared to travel to another town or city to take your exams.

Start Learning provides expertise support and advice for students in their studies through their comprehensive course packs and tutoring system. However, we do stress that it is the student’s responsibility to find a centre to register and take their exams with. We are aware that sometimes this is difficult or even impossible to arrange.

Now we have come to an arrangement with a centrally located centre where Start Learning students will be able to take their exams. It is the English Maths Science Tuition & Educational Centre, located in Birmingham, right in the centre of England.

We realise this may still involve a good deal of travelling for some students but the long-term benefits of being able to gain A Levels far outweigh the short-term  expense and inconvenience.

For further information, please go to:
http://www.englishandmaths.com/Index.php

or: English Maths Science Tuition Centre Ltd.
40 Showell Green lane
Sparkhill
Birmingham,
B11 4JP
England
United Kingdom

Tel: 0121-771-1298

The contract for sitting exams is between you and the centre and we will provide you with comprehensive instructions on when and how to deal with the examination centre.

Summary of Examinations

Unit 1 – GEOG1 – Physical and Human Geography
Percentage: 70% of AS Level, 35% of A Level
Examination Time: 2 hour written examination
Total Marks: 120 marks
Format: Structured short and extended questions

Unit 2 – GEOG2 – Geographical Skills
Percentage: 30% of AS Level, 15% of A Level
Examination Time: 1 hour written examination
Total Marks: 50 marks
Format: Structured skills and generic fieldwork questions

Unit 3 – GEOG3 – Contemporary Geographical Issues
Percentage: 30% of A Level
Examination Time: 2 hour 30 minutes written examination
Total Marks: 90 marks
Format: Structured short and extended questions, plus an essay

Unit 4:
GEO4A – Geography Fieldwork Investigation, or:
GEO4B – Geographical Issue Evaluation
Percentage: 20 % of A Level
Examination Time: 1 hour 30 minutes written examination
Total Marks: 60 marks

Q: What are the qualifications required to enrol onto this course?
A: Basic English reading and writing skills are required. We recommend you have general skills and knowledge associated with a GCSE course or equivalent.

Q: Do I have to sit an exam?
A: Yes, to gain your full A Level Qualification, you are required to sit an exam.  Exams are held at test centres which can be found in major towns and cities throughout the UK.  Please contact Start Learning for a list of test centres.  Exams can be taken in January and June, please visit the AQA website for further details and exam timetables.   

Q: How long do I have access to the personal tutor service?
A: The personal tutor service is available for 18 months from when the study materials are received.  At Start Learning we aim help our students to the best of our ability; therefore we are always delighted to answer questions and queries out with the 18 month period.

Q: Do your courses meet the latest syllabus changes?
A: yes, all our course materials meet any changes and will be updated free of charge if further changes are made.

Q: How much are exam fees?
A: These vary from centre to centre so please check with your local centre.

Q: Is this A Level Geography course paper based or on-line?
A: Our A Level Geography course is paper based and comes in an attractive folder.

Q: I want to take my exams but there are only a few months to study, is this possible?
A: Depending on the time of year, it is sometimes impossible to complete your studies in a short space of time as your work has to be marked and checked. More importantly the examination boards have cut off times which are not flexible. See the AQA website for further information.

Q: Will I receive UCAS points on completion of this course?
A: Yes all of our A Levels carry UCAS points. The number of points awarded will depend on the grade you achieve.

Q: I still have questions? / I would like more information?
A:  If you require more information please do not hesitate to contact Start Learning via email: info@start-learning.co.uk or call us on 0800 074 1222 or 0141 218 4424.

We look forward to hearing from you.