New GCEs for 2008

GCE Environmental Studies (2440)

AS and A Level

Introducing AQA's new course specification for Environmental Studies for AS and A Level. This new redrafted specification has been designed to:

provide an ideal base for employment, a range of vocational qualifications and a very wide variety of higher education courses
enable students to gain a deep and well-informed insight into the environment, and the scientific processes that control and affect it
introduce key areas of study, such as Wildlife Conservation, Pollution, Global Climate Change and Sustainability.

The following information and specification outline will enable both practising Teachers and Subject Heads to be better informed and supported in the teaching of this subject, particularly if attending one of AQA's Teacher Support meetings.

Assessment Objectives

AO1 - recognise, recall and show understanding of scientific knowledge select, organise and communicate relevant information in a variety of forms

AO2 - analyse and evaluate scientific knowledge and process, apply scientific knowledge and processes to unfamiliar situations including those related to issues, assesses the validity, reliability and credibility of scientific information

AO3 - describe ethical and safe techniques and processes, selecting appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods, know how to make, record and communicate reliable observations and measurements, using primary and secondary sources, explain how experimental methods may be brought together and used to explore how various environmental systems interrelate, analyse, interpret, explain and evaluate the methodology, results and impact of their own and others' experimental and investigative activities in a variety of ways.