A level coursework – an easy option for some
Sunday, January 17th, 2010Do the A Level coursework only if you are committed to long hours of studying
A level coursework is an option that appeals to students in the age group of sixteen to nineteen. Since the A levels are recommended for this age group, it is necessary that schools that offer this option make the concept of coursework understandable and accessible. One could opt for the coursework in quite a few subjects like Biology, Physics, Mathematics, English and Business Studies. The important thing here is to zone in on the right kind of topics that one could focus on.
Coursework in the science subjects:
If you were to take the option of doing coursework for science subjects, you would need to have the approval of the school that you are studying in and the concerned teachers as well. You would have to jointly decide on what you can do for this option. Doing coursework is more or less like doing a project on the subject that you have studied.
For instance, in Biology, you could do your coursework or long essay on one of the components of Biology, such as Spectrophotometry. To the lay person, this might sound quite confusing; but not to the students of Biology. This particular topic would have to be researched well and points taken from the study done by other authors in the past. The internet is one of the most helpful sources to do this kind of research based projects.
Investigative topics:
In order to ensure that the A level coursework meets the standards set by the University of Cambridge, it is important to zone in on topics that challenge and explore scientific concepts. Without a spirit of investigation and constructive curiosity, it would be certainly quite difficult to do complete justice to the topic that you have take up.
Role played by the university:
The A Levels are qualifications that are offered by the University of Cambridge. Cambridge Assessment and Cambridge International Examinations are the bodies that conduct these exams. They are offered in schools and junior colleges all over the world. They are open to students who have completed ten years of secondary education in a recognized board of education. Therefore, the A level subjects and the related coursework is accessible to students who are keen on obtaining an international certification in higher secondary education.
The University of Cambridge gives the complete syllabus and guidelines that help schools offer the subjects with many optional subjects too. It would be relevant to mention that some schools offer the subjects without the coursework option. You can do an extra paper instead of the coursework, if you feel that it would suit your scheme of study.
Academic intensity of A levels:
Since it is part of an international qualification, the A level coursework is quite demanding. If there is a student who does not want to work very hard and is sure that he does not have the time as well, he should not attempt this course. Long hours of study, reading and getting to know about the subject and a lot of other investigative work is involved.
