IGCSE Geography Course

The Cambridge IGCSE Geography course, along with being interesting and worthwhile in itself, is designed to allow you to develop skills and knowledge that will be transferrable beyond the confines of the course. Geography is also an important subject to study as it will increase your knowledge of the wider world.

The CIE (University of Cambridge International Examinations) is a world leading provider of international qualifications, indeed it is the largest such provider in the world. The CIE is utilised in 150 countries and helps more than 1.5 million students achieve their goals every year.

What makes educators around the world choose Cambridge? In short, recognition. The Cambridge IGCSE is internationally recognised by universities, schools and employers around the world as equivalent in status and academic rigour to a UK GCSE. The Cambridge IGCSE is excellent preparation for follow up courses, such as A/AS Level, the Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), US Advanced Placement Programme and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma.

To enrol, call today on 0121 2880181.

During the course you should develop:

A greater understanding of place. This will be local, regional, national and global in scale
An awareness of contrasting physical and human environments
An understanding of the processes affecting the development of such environments
Greater knowledge of the spatial effects of the ways in which people interact with the environment and each other
A greater sense of the different communities that exist in the world
An understanding of the opportunities and constraints presented by differing environments

This course has three main assessment objectives:

AO1 Knowledge with understanding
AO2 Skills and analysis
AO3 Judgement and decision making

In assessment objective 1 (AO1) you will develop a knowledge and understanding of:

1.    The wide range of processes and human actions that contribute to physical, economic, social, political and cultural environments and their associated effects on the landscape. You will also develop an understanding of the spatial patterns and interactions which are important within these environments

2.    The inter-relationships between humans and the environment

3.    The importance of scale

4.    The change that occurs over time to landscapes etc.

In assessment objective 2 (AO2) you will develop your analytical skills and will be able to:

5.    Analyse and interpret geographical data

6.    Apply geographical understanding of maps in a variety a number of forms

7.    Use geographical data to examine and determine patterns and relationships

8.    Demonstrate understanding of data observation and collection techniques

9.    Select and use techniques for organising data

In assessment objective 3 (AO3) you will develop your judgement and decision making skills and will be able to:

10. Reason and make judgements which demonstrate:

(a)         A sensitivity to, and a concern for, landscape, the environment and the need for sustainable development

(b)         The aesthetic appreciation of the earth including its people, places, landscape, natural processes and phenomenon

(c)         An appreciation of the attitudes, values and beliefs of others

(d)         An awareness of the contrasting opportunities and constraints of people living in different places and under different conditions

(e)         A willingness to review their own attitudes in the light of new knowledge and experiences

11. Recognise the role of decision making within a geographical context as affected by:

(a)         The physical and human contexts in which decisions are made

(b)         The values and perceptions of groups and individuals

(c)         The choices available to decision makers and the influences and constraints within which they operate

(d)         The increasing level of global interdependency

    Table 1: Allocation of marks across the papers

Candidates can combine this syllabus in an exam session with any other CIE syllabus, except:

2217 Geography
2223 Geography (Southern Africa)
2230 Geography (Brunei)

Please note that IGCSE, Cambridge International Level 1/Level 2 Certificates and other O Level syllabuses are at the same level.

Curriculum Themes

The curriculum is divided into three separate themes. These themes have been designed to develop an understanding of both the natural and the human environment. These themes are:

1             Population and settlement

2             The natural environment

3             Economic development and the use of resources

There are no previous skills or qualifications required to register for this study programme. This course is open to students of all ages and backgrounds. Enrolments can be taken at anytime of the year unlike the traditional local college who tend only to enrol in September. Home Learning offers true flexibility. Enrol today by calling us on 0121 2880181 and be studying within 7 days!

Upon successfull completion of the exams student will be awarded the IGCSE qualification. Please note IGCSE's are the same as GCSE's and are accepted in the same way.

Cambridge IGCSE syllabuses are designed for examination at age 16-plus. This syllabus is available for examination in both the June and November sessions.

There are four units or Papers as the IGCSE calls them. You will be expected to study unit’s 1 and 2 and 4. You will not have the option in this course of pursuing unit 3 as this is a school based assignment and is thus unsuitable to the distance learning format.

Paper 1

Exam – 1 hour 45 minutes

Candidates must answer any three questions out of six. There are two questions set on each of three themes. Questions are structured with gradients of difficulty and are resource based, involving problem solving and free response writing.

(75 marks, weighted to 100 marks)

45% of total marks

Paper 2

Exam – 1 hour 30 minutes

Candidates must answer all the questions. The paper is based on testing the interpretation and analysis of geographical information and on the application of graphical and other techniques as appropriate. The questions will not require specific information of place. One question is based on a 1:25,000 or 1:50,000 topographical map of a tropical area such as Zimbabwe, the Caribbean or Mauritius.

(60 marks)

27.5% of total marks

Paper 4

1 hour 30 minutes

Candidates answer all the questions, completing a series of written tasks based on the three themes (see page 8). The questions involve an appreciation of a range of techniques used in fieldwork studies. Questions test the methodology of questionnaires, observation, counts, measurement techniques and may involve developing hypotheses appropriate to specific topics. The processing, presentation and analysis of data will be tested.

(60 marks)

27.5% of total marks

Notes

·        Candidates are not allowed to use atlases for the written papers

·        All measurements on the written papers will be metric

·        The twenty-four hour clock only will be quoted on the written papers

Further note that this course is not intended to prepare the student for paper 3 which is an examination centre based piece of coursework.

Q: When can I enrol?

The beauty of distance learning means that students can enrol at anytime they wish 365 days of the year. Enrolments and payment can be made online or by calling our office on 0121 2880181.

Q: How soon after enrolment can start studying?

Students would normally receive their course materials within seven days of enrolment. Materials for this course are posted out via Courier.

Q: Is there any funding available towards the course fees?

UK Open College is a privately run college therefore we do not have access to funding

Q: Do you offer any discounts for the unemployed or low income households?

Unfortunately discounts are not available

Q: Can I pay monthly for my course?

Yes! Please see the fees tab for further details

Q: How do I know whether this is the right course for me?

In truth we cannot be sure if this course or indeed home learning will meet every students needs. To help we have a money back guarantee scheme in place which allows students to receive and inspect the course materials for seven days to establish whether this course is the ideal course for them. If it's not simply return it via recoded delivery within the seven day period for a full refund. Please be aware this is a strict seven day scheme and no refunds are processed once this period has expired.

Q: Is this course available to International students?

Yes! We currently have students all over the world studying with the college. With todays technology distance is no barrier at all. Additional charges for delivery of course materials will apply.

Q: What if I have questions relating to my course or have problems understanding some of the questions?

No problem! All students have access to a personal tutor for the duration of their course with whom they may correspond with. You are not on your own when you study with us! We really do want you to pass your course!

Q: Will I have to purchase any additional books or materials?

No! We provide all the required course materials to enable you to complete your studies.
Q: Where are the exams held?

Exam centres are located across the UK and would normally be taken through your local college. We would encourage you to contact your local college/sixth form and double check they will accept you as an exam only candidate before enrolling. When consulting them, take with you details of the specification as they are far more willing to listen to your request if they can see immediately what will be involved on their part. Do stress that there is no coursework component involved, merely one exam of two hours. Have the syllabus number to hand as well.

Q: Do I have to arrange my own exams?

Yes all students are responsible for arranging their own exams. We do not offer this service. Exam fees are payable direct to the examination centre. The examinations are available in June and November each year. You do need to ensure that your centre is able and willing to handle your entry. They are not obliged to accept you as a candidate so do not make any assumption that you will be able to do the exams when you wish.

Q: Who is the awarding body?

Cambridge International Examinations is the awarding body. Vist them for more information http://www.cie.org.uk/.

Course Fee: Starting at: £369.00