Barcelona Field Studies Centre

AS/A Level GCE Geography Syllabus Comparisons: AQA Edexcel OCR WJEC

AS Level Component Physical geography and people and the environment Human geography and geography fieldwork investigation
Weighting 50% 50%
Marks 80 80
Key areas of Content Section A: Water and carbon cycles or Coastal systems and landscapes or Glacial systems and landscapes
Section B: Hazards or Contemporary urban environments		 Section A: Changing places
Section B: Geography fieldwork investigation and geographical skills
Optionality Options in Sections A and B
Skills Quantitative and qualitative skills within landscape systems Geographical skills assessed in Section B
Fieldwork Fieldwork skills assessed in Section B
Synopticity
Question styles Multiple-choice, short answer, levels of response and extended prose Multiple-choice, short answer, levels of response and extended prose
AQA A Level Component Physical Geography Human Geography Geography Fieldwork Investigation
Weighting 40% 40% 20%
Marks 120 120 60
Key areas of Content Section A: Water and carbon cycles
Section B: Hot desert systems and landscapes or Coastal systems and landscapes or Glacial systems and landscapes
Section C: Hazards or Ecosystems under stress		 Section A: Global systems and global governance
Section B: Changing places
Section C: either Contemporary urban environments or Population and the environment or Resource security
 From any unit
Optionality Options within Section B and C Options within Section C
Skills Topic-specific Topic-specific Fieldwork skills
Synopticity Embedded within assessment
Question styles Multiple-choice, short answer, levels of response and extended prose Multiple-choice, short answer, levels of response and extended prose Project 3000-4000 words
AS Level Component Dynamic Landscapes Dynamic Places
Weighting 50% 50%
Marks 90 90
Key areas of Content
  • Section A: Tectonic Processes and Hazards
  • Section B: Glaciated Landscapes and Change or Coastal Landscapes and Change
  • Section A: Globalisation
  • Section B: Regenerating Places or Diverse Places
Optionality Optionality in Section B Optionality in Section B
Skills Topic-specific Fieldwork skills
Fieldwork One fieldwork question in Section B One fieldwork question in Section B
Synopticity 3 synoptic themes: Players, Attitudes and Actions, Futures and Uncertainties 3 synoptic themes: Players, Attitudes and Actions, Futures and Uncertainties
Question styles Multiple choice, short answer, open response, resource questions Multiple choice, short answer, open response, resource questions
A Level Component Dynamic Landscapes Dynamic Places Resource Booklet Independent Investigation
Weighting 30% 30% 20% 20%
Marks 105 105 70 70
Key areas of Content
  • Section A: Tectonic Processes and Hazards
  • Section B: Glaciated Landscapes and Change or Coastal Landscapes and Change
  • Section C: Water Cycle and Water Insecurity; Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
  • Section A: Globalisation; Superpowers
  • Section B: Regenerating Places or Diverse Places
  • Section C: Health, Human Rights and Intervention or Migration, Identity and Sovereignty
 Geographical issue within a place-based context that
links to the three synoptic themes and is rooted in two or more of the compulsory content areas.		 From any unit
Optionality Section B Optionality Optionality in Sections B and C None
Skills Topic-specific Topic-specific Fieldwork skills
Synopticity 3 synoptic themes: Players, Attitudes and Actions, Futures and Uncertainties
Question styles Short open, open response, resource-linked questions Short open, open response, resource-linked questions Short open, open response, resource-linked questions Project 3000-4000 words
OCR AS Level Landscape and Place Geographical Debates
Weighting 55% 45%
Marks 82 68
Key areas of Content
  • Landscape Systems: coastal or glaciation or drylands
  • Changing Spaces; Making Places
  • Geographical skills
  • Fieldwork questions
  • Climate Change
  • Disease Dilemmas
  • Exploring Oceans
  • Future of Food
  • Hazardous Earth
Optionality Options within Landscape Systems Optionality: choose any 1 of 5
Skills Topic-specific
Fieldwork Fieldwork skills assessed with questions within Landscape and Place examination
Synopticity Synoptic questions in Section B
Question styles Short answer, extended response, essay questions Short answer, extended response, essay questions
OCR A Level Component Physical Systems Human Interactions Geographical Debates Investigative Geography
Weighting 22% 22% 36% 20%
Marks 66 66 108 60
Key areas of Content
  • Landscape Systems: Coastal or Glaciation or Drylands
  • Earth’s Life Support System
  • Geographical Skills
  • Changing Spaces; Making Places
  • Global Connections: Trade or Migration, Human Rights or Power
  • Geographical Skills
  • Climate Change
  • Disease Dilemmas
  • Exploring Oceans
  • Future of Food
  • Hazardous Earth
 From any unit
Optionality Options within Landscape Systems Options within Global Connections Choose any 2 of 5
Skills Topic-specific Topic-specific Fieldwork skills
Synopticity Synoptic questions in Section B Embedded within assessment
Question styles Short answer, extended response, essay questions Short answer, extended response, essay questions Extended response, essay questions Project 3000-4000 words
AS Level Component Changing Landscapes Changing Places
Weighting 60% 40%
Marks 120 80
Key areas of Content Section A: Changing Landscapes Either Coastal or Glaciated Landscapes
Two compulsory structured questions with data response
Section B: Tectonic Hazards
One compulsory structured question with data response and two extended response questions
Section C: Challenges in the 21st Century
One compulsory extended response question drawing on both Components 1 and 2, with resource material		 Section A: Changing Places
Two compulsory structured questions with data response
Section B: Fieldwork Investigation in Physical and Human Geography
Three compulsory structured questions with data response on fieldwork and the learner's own fieldwork investigation
Optionality Optionality in Section A Optionality in Section B
Skills Topic-specific See Fieldwork skills
Fieldwork Fieldwork questions in Section B
Synopticity
Question styles See Key areas of Content See Key areas of Content
A Level Component Changing Landscapes and Changing Places Global Systems and Global Governance Contemporary Themes in Geography Independent Investigation
Weighting 20.5% 27.5% 32% 20%
Marks 82 110 128 80
Key areas of Content Section A: Changing Landscapes
Either Coastal or Glaciated Landscapes
Section B: Changing Places		 Section A: Global Systems
Water and Carbon Cycles
Section B: Global Governance: Change and Challenges
Processes and patterns of global migration and global governance of the Earth's oceans
Section C: 21st Century Challenges		 Section A: Tectonic Hazards
Section B: Contemporary Themes in Geography
Four optional themes:
  • Ecosystems
  • Economic Growth and Challenge: India or China or Development in an African Context
  •  Energy Challenges and Dilemmas
  • Weather and Climate
 From Components 1 and 2 or the optional themes in Component 3
Optionality Section A Optionality None Section B optionality
Skills Topic-specific Topic-specific Fieldwork skills
Synopticity
Question styles Two compulsory structured, data response questions and one compulsory extended response question in Sections A and B Sections A and B: two compulsory structured, data response questions and one compulsory extended response question
Section C: One compulsory extended response question drawing on both Components 1 and 2 with resource material		 Section A: one compulsory extended response question
Section B: two essay questions chosen from the four optional themes		 Project 3000-4000 words

AQA AS/A Level GCE 2016 Geography Fieldwork
Edexcel AS/A Level GCE 2016 Geography Fieldwork
Edexcel International AS/A Level 2016 Geography Fieldwork
OCR AS/A Level GCE 2016 Geography Fieldwork
WJEC AS/A Level GCE 2016 Geography Fieldwork