ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

LEVEL 3: A LEVEL
EXAMINING BOARD: AQA

“We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children” (David Brower)

Environmental Science is for anyone interested in getting beyond the headlines about environmental issues and discovering the science behind the stories; what’s going wrong and how we are working to protect our environment.

Today we face many challenging environmental problems which have potentially disastrous consequences if these issues are not addressed. Environmental Science is an important area to study and the green sector is in the top five globally for job growth.

There are several trips during the course, for example, to Paignton Zoo to study captive breeding programmes, and to The National Marine Aquarium to study marine conservation.

Our related enrichment group, the Student Sustainability Society, promotes sustainable practices across the campus and within the wider community.
 

Popular careers include Marine Biology, Environmental Consultancy, Ecology and Pollution Management.

On this course you will study the following topics:

  • The Living Environment (biosphere)
  • The Atmosphere
  • The Lithosphere (soil science, mining etc.)
  • The Hydrosphere (global water resources)
  • Farming
  • Fishing and Aquaculture
  • Forestry
  • Water Pollution
  • Air Pollution
  • Energy
  • Radiation
  • Noise Pollution
  • Sustainability
  • Practical Skills and Research Methods (fieldwork and laboratory experiments).

As a minimum, you will need (or equivalent to):

  • GCSE Mathematics grade 4
  • GCSE English Language grade 4
  • plus three more GCSEs at grade 4

It is strongly recommended you:

  • have a GCSE Mathematics grade 5 or above
  • have GCSE Science grades 5 or above
  • consider combining this course with another Science or Earth Science A Level

There are two written exams, each three hours in duration.  

Around 15% of all exam questions are based on practical skills and 10% of exam questions have a mathematical component.

Over 500,000 people are employed in the green sector in the UK  and the sector is in the top 5 globally for job growth.

Many students go on to study Environmental Science at University or related Earth Science courses. Marine Biology, Zoology and Agriculture are also increasingly popular university courses.

Some students go on to Apprenticeships, for example at Hinkley Point or The Environment Agency.

Popular career fields related to Environmental Science include; Marine Biology, Agriculture & Horticulture, Environmental Management & Consultancy, Pollution Management, Veterinary and Animal Management, Renewable Energy Design/Engineering, Conservation and Habitat Management, Architecture, Ecology, Town Planning, Forestry and Toxicology.

Can I combine this course with Geography or is there too much overlap?

Yes, you can combine them and this is a very popular combination of subjects.

Do I need to be interested in the environment?

Yes, this is important and you will be expected to read around the subject and follow topical environmental stories and issues.

Is there coursework?

No, but you will carry out both lab-based practical investigations and fieldwork which are assessed within the exams.

How much maths is in this subject?

Approximately 10% of exam questions require mathematical skills. These are generally applied in nature so whilst you do need solid numeracy skills you do not need to be studying A level Maths to be successful on this course.

Is this course suitable to study alongside biology and chemistry if I want to study medicine/veterinary medicine at university?

Yes, several students have successfully followed this career path.

What types of questions are in the exam?

There is a complete mix including short answer, multiple choice, data response as well as some longer prose essay style questions.