A Level Geology

This course is ideal for learners who have an interest in the structure and formation of the Earth and the dynamic processes which affect the world we live in. Within the course students will learn about earthquakes, plate tectonics, geological structures, the rock cycle, the Earth’s structure and the metallic mineral deposits.

Students will have the opportunity to go on trips and visits in this subject area to complement the course.

The Units are:

• Unit 1 Practical skills in geology: a minimum of 4 days fieldwork is an essential component of the A Level course and will be assessed in a written exam.
• Unit 2 Foundations in geology: fossils and time; minerals and rocks
• Unit 3 Global tectonics: earth structure; plate tectonics and geological structures
• Unit 4 Interpreting the past: sedimentary environments in time and geochronology
• Unit 5 Petrology and economic geology: applied sedimentology; fluids and geological processes; igneous petrology; metamorphic petrology; mining geology
• Unit 6 Geohazards: geohazards; engineering geology
• Unit 7 Basin analysis: key concepts in basin analysis; basin analysis in practice

This course is assessed by exams.

GCSE Grade 5 in Science and Maths, grade 4 in English with an average points score of 4.9 or above.

There are a variety of different progression routes you can follow with this course. This can include different pathways to achieve numerous careers through Higher Education, Apprenticeships or directly into Employment. Here are some progression routes:

Earth Science