A Level Social Science
Social Sciences consist of A Level Economics and Geography.
A Level Economics
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) defines subject criteria that set out the knowledge, skills, understanding, and assessment objectives common to all Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced GCE specifications in a given subject. This specification incorporates the QCA subject criteria for economics.
The aims of this specification are to encourage students to:
1. Develop an understanding of economic concepts and theories through a critical consideration of current economic issues, problems and institutions that affect everyday life
2. Apply economic concepts and theories in a range of contexts and to appreciate their value and limitations in explaining real-world phenomena
3. Analyse, explain and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the market economy and the role of government within it
4. Participate effectively in society as citizens, producers and consumers
It should be noted that not all of the above aims are necessarily subject to formal assessment.
The specification:
1. Provides a coherent combination of micro and macro content and methods of enquiry. This is achieved in the AS by including two units that explore the working of the market mechanism in relation to particular markets and one unit that explores markets in the context of the economy as a whole. This is achieved in the A2 by including one unit that looks at pricing and output decisions in different market situations and another unit that examines the UK in the context of the global economy
2. Allows students to explore a range of economic issues and to draw on data from local, national and international sources by choosing, in the A2, between the study of a labour market and the study of economic development
3. Develops a critical approach to economic models and methods of enquiry by emphasising, in the A2, the comparative performance of firms in different economic situations. It is also evident in the A2 by examining the performance of: individual countries; countries joined in different ways through economic ties; the world as a whole.
AS will require the use of basic models to explore current economic behaviour, eg supply and demand in units 1 and 2, and aggregate demand and aggregate supply in unit 3. Advanced GCE will require the use and evaluation of more complex modelling and its application to a wider range of contexts, eg pricing and output decisions under different market structures (unit 4) and choice of policy remedies for a country in Balance of Payments disequilibrium (unit 6). In this specification, recent historical data is broadly defined as being within the last seven to ten years.
Synoptic assessment will test students understanding of the connections between different elements of the subject and will relate to all assessment objectives. It will test students ability to:
1. Understand the inter-relatedness of many economic issues, problems and institutions
2. Understand how certain economic concepts, theories and techniques may be relevant to a range of different contexts
3. Apply such concepts, theories and techniques in analysing economic issues and problems and in evaluating arguments and evidence.
The emphasis will be on the students' ability to think as economists and to use the economists toolkit of concepts, theories and techniques that they have built up during their course of study. The 20 per cent synoptic assessment required in this specification will be met through Unit 6: The UK in the global economy. This unit draws on material from other parts of the course, offering the opportunity to be assessed synoptically.
for further detail please go to Edexcel
A level Geography
Specification overview
Subject Criteria
This specification incorporates the Subject Criteria for Geography as approved by QCA.
Aims
The course will encourage students to:
1. Acquire and apply knowledge and understanding of physical and human processes, their interactions and outcomes over space and time, through the study of places and environments
2. Acquire and apply a range of geographical and transferable skills necessary for the study of geography
3. Develop an understanding of the interrelationships between people and their environments and of the opportunities, challenges and constraints that face people in different places and environments
4. Appreciate the dynamic nature of geography: how places, environments and issues change and how people respond to these changes
5. Understand how decisions are made concerning the use and management of resources and environments, and understand the nature, significance and effects of peoples values and attitudes including their own in relation to geographical issues and questions
6. Clarify and develop their own values and attitudes in relation to geographical issues and questions.
In addition, at Advanced GCE the course will encourage students to acquire a deeper understanding of the connections between different aspects of geography.
Assessment Objectives
The Geography Subject Criteria require that students should develop knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to the specified syllabus content.
develop a knowledge of:
1. Geographical terminology
2. The location and geographical characteristics of places studied, their external relationships and how those places are changing
3. The processes responsible for the development of the characteristics of places and environments, the interaction and relative importance of these processes
4. Geographical concepts, principles and theories
The interaction of people and their environments in space and over time; develop an understanding of:
1. The nature of and interactions between different physical and human processes
2. The distinctiveness and interdependence of places
3. The significance of both spatial and temporal scales
4. How physical and human processes bring about changes in spatial systems, distributions, places and environments
5. The role of values, attitudes and decision-making processes in geographical issues and in the
decision making about the use and management of resources and environments
The potential and limitations of evidence, approaches, concepts, principles and theories used;
develop the skills to:
1. Identify geographical questions and issues, select appropriate sources and methods, and establish effective approaches to enquiry in their geographical studies
2. Identify select and collect using a range of techniques quantitative and qualitative evidence from primary sources, including fieldwork
3. Identify, select and collect quantitative and qualitative evidence from secondary sources, including maps at a variety of scales, photographs, statistical data, geographical literature, information and communication technology, remotely sensed imagery and geographical information systems
4. Organise, record and present such evidence, in cartographic and diagrammatic form, making use of information and communication technology where appropriate
5. Describe, analyse, evaluate and interpret such evidence and draw conclusions
6. Evaluate enquiry methods used, the limitations of evidence obtained and conclusions drawn.
In addition, Advanced GCE students are required to develop:
1. A deeper understanding of the connections between different aspects of geography represented in this specification
2. A greater ability to synthesise geographical information in various forms and from various sources.
For further information please go to Edexcel
