Geography

Why Study Geography?

Geography is a relevant and interesting subject which bridges the Arts and the Sciences and looks at current world issues, with topics ranging from climate change to global economies, landscape formation to population growth. Geographers are employable, as they look at both sides of issues and are critical and lateral thinkers. Geography helps you understand your local surroundings and develops your skills to make sense of global conversations such as migration, food and water shortages and extreme weather events.

Geography is a fascinating subject, respected due to the wide range of skills covered meaning that Geographers can go on to become employed in a wide range of jobs including countryside managers, aid workers, transport planners, retail managers, engineers, vulcanologists, government officers, journalists and even teachers!

There will be opportunities for fieldwork utilising Jersey’s natural environment. There will also be an opportunity to visit a UK city to undertake urban fieldwork.

The Course

Geographical skills are life skills. You will learn about aspects of the world around you and how to use information from a variety of sources. You will go out into the field and learn how to measure, record and analyse what you see, you will work on your own and as a team and you will use maps, graphs, statistics and images to help understand the world. You will learn about GIS systems such as Google Earth, technology that underpins today’s society. If you enjoy travelling, you will hopefully start to view the world in a different way and be inspired to learn more about the places you visit and perhaps start to make a difference and have fun doing it.

The aims and objectives of this qualification are to enable students to:

actively engage in the process of geographical enquiry to develop as effective and independent learners, and as critical and reflective thinkers with enquiring minds
appreciate that people have different views of, and attitudes to, the world, its environments and its issues
acquire, develop and apply practical geographical enquiry skills and apply their learning to the real world through fieldwork

The design of the International GCSE Geography aims to extend students’ knowledge by broadening and deepening skills. For example, students will:

develop and apply a holistic range of knowledge and understanding of geographical concepts and skills, including fieldwork
present and analyse data, draw conclusions and evaluate information from different sources
develop awareness of global issues and challenges and that, in moving towards a sustainable future, people have different views and attitudes to the environment.

How are you Assessed?

You are assessed by two written examinations at the end of the two-year course. This is based upon areas studied during lessons and on the practical and field work components of the course.

Paper 1: Physical Geography, 70 marks (40%)

You will study and answer questions on two of the following options: