A Level Environmental Science

A Level Environmental Science is a GCE AS/A2 type qualification available to students in England and Wales, which is intended to provide a greater depth of learning in the subject of the environment. The only examinations board to provide the course is AQA. Not many schools or colleges offer AQA Environmental Science, but many students that do take the subject usually take A Level Biology, Geography & Geology - Environmental Science has a great overlap with these subjects especially Geography.
Course structure
AQA Environmental Science is made of 6 Units to make the whole A Level and 3 Units to make the AS Level.
* ESC1 Unit 1: Energy, Atmosphere and Hydrosphere
* ESC2 Unit 2: The Lithosphere
* ESC3 Unit 3: The Biosphere
* ESC4 Unit 4: Biotic Resource Management
* ESC5 Unit 5: Pollution & Physical Resource Management
* ESC6 Unit 6: Coursework
* ESC7 Unit 7: Alternative to Practical Investigation
There is an option at A Level to do coursework, or the written examination or both. Most students take the coursework option. Some take both to better their chances of getting a higher grade as the unit which gets the highest marks on is counted. Private Candidates take the Written Paper.
Assessment
The AS Units 1, 2 and 3 are all equally divided Units, they are all worth 100 UMS each and they are 1 hour long each paper = 33.3% of the overall AS grade and 16.7% of the A Level.
Units 4 and 5 are both worth 17.5% of the A Level and are 1 hour & 15 minutes long, Unit 6 & 7 are worth 15% of the A Level and Unit 7 is a 2 hour long examination.
Changes to current specification
The current AQA Environmntal Science Specification has been taught since 2000 and from September 2008 is being replaced by AQA A Level Environmental Studies, this comprises four Units: two at AS and two at A2. However it is still possible to sit the current AS Units and A2 Units in the following Order...
* June 2008: Units Available - Unit 1,2,3,4,5,6 or/and 7
* January 2009: Units Available - Unit 1,2 & 3
* June 2009: Units Available - Unit 1,2,3,4,5,6 or/and 7
* January 2010: Units Available - Units 4, 5 & 7

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