A Level Environmental Science

• Conditions for life on earth
• Conservation of biodiversity
• Life processes in the biosphere and conservation planning
• Opportunities for skills development and independent thinking

• The hydrosphere
• Mineral resources
• Biogeochemical cycles

• The importance of energy supplies in the development of society
• The impact of the features of energy resources
• The sustainability of current energy resource exploitation
• Strategies to secure future energy supplies
• New energy conservation technologies

• The properties of pollutants
• Strategies to control pollutants
• Ionising radiation
• Noise
• Solid wastes
• Heavy metals
• Acid mine drainage
• Nutrient pollution
• Pesticides

• Agriculture
• Agroecosystems
• Sustainability of agriculture
• Aquatic food production systems
• Forest resources

• Dynamic equilibria
• Energy
• Material cycles
• The circular economy

• Scientific methodologies
• Sampling techniques
• Specialist techniques
• Fieldwork and laboratory activities
• Standard environmental techniques

You will have two years to complete your A Level Environmental Science course. If you want to fast-track, the course can be completed in under a year.

The only deadlines involved in studying this course are concerning the A Level exam timetables. Please see the exams and assessments section for more information on this.

To achieve your A Level Environmental Science qualification, you must complete the exams and fieldwork required. There are two written exams for this course which will cover the topics studied on this course. A breakdown of the exam papers can be found in the following section.

When you enrol on your course, you will have the option to add your exams to your enrolment, or you can select the course-only option.

Fieldwork

As part of this course, you must undertake fieldwork that meets the minimum requirement of four days. You can choose to add this on with us as part of the exams and fieldwork package. The fieldwork will be based on a range of habitats in Lincolnshire.

Overall, at least 15% of the marks for your A Level Environmental Science qualification will come from the assessment of your fieldwork skills.

The fieldwork typically takes place in March each year, however, you will need to contact our team to find out the exact dates when you are ready to complete your fieldwork and exams as they must be done in the same year.

Choosing to add the exams and fieldwork package

If you choose to add your exams and fieldwork to your enrolment, all you need to do is contact us when you are ready to complete your fieldwork and sit your exams, and we will book and pay for them on your behalf. Please note that the A Level exam timetable typically takes place during May and June each year. You are advised to contact us well in advance of when you intend to complete your fieldwork and exams so that we can confirm your place with the exam board – cut-off dates apply.

Please note, our A Level exam centre locations for this course are as follows:

• Doncaster
• Bolton
• Mitcham
• Taunton
• St Neots, Cambridgeshire
• High Wycombe
• Romford

Your fieldwork will take place in Lincolnshire, so you must be able to travel to complete your fieldwork.

The course-only option

If you do not add your exams and fieldwork to your enrolment, you will be responsible for booking and paying for your assessments yourself. If you select this option, you must source and liaise with your chosen exam centre in order to book your exams and fieldwork, Open Study College will not be able to book your exams for you. In this instance, you are advised to contact AQA exam centres well in advance of their intended exam dates, as cut-off dates sometimes change.

This course will be studied entirely via distance learning, meaning you will complete your learning either from home or a place that suits you. Full tutor support will be available via email, so if you have any questions or need some guidance, your tutor will be here to help. Your course materials will include a series of self-assessment exercises and tutor-marked questions to allow both yourself and your tutor to monitor your progress.

The study method you choose depends on your personal learning style. Your options are:

• Study pack: if you choose the study pack option, you will be sent a set of printed course materials.
• Study online: if you choose this option, you will be sent your login details to our online portal through which you will access your course materials digitally. You can access your course via a desktop/laptop computer, tablet, or smartphone.

Upon successful completion of your exams, you will be awarded an A Level Environmental Science qualification issued by AQA. You will also receive UCAS points relevant to the grade you achieved to support your university application.

Degrees this subject could lead to

Suitable degrees once you have successfully completed your A Level Environmental Science course include environmental science, ecology, microbiology, law, geography, and conservation to name a few.

Future career options

Beyond university, potential future careers for A Level Environmental Science students include in-demand careers such as:

• Environmental specialists
• Landfill engineers
• Nuclear waste management
• Hydrogeologists
• Geologist

The final grade you achieve in your A Level will be translated into UCAS points. Based on your grade, you will be awarded up to 56 points per A Level which can then be added together to reach the UCAS points you need to be accepted by your chosen university.

To help you achieve the best possible grade from home, we recommend that you complete the tutor-marked assessments included in your course materials. These are designed to provide you with detailed feedback to help you fine-tune your technique before you sit your exam. Completing your tutor-marked assessments will also help your tutor to provide you with a predicted grade if this is required for your UCAS application.

To find out more about Open Study College, the A Levels we offer and how they work, download our A Level prospectus.