GCE A Level Physics

Course summary

What will I learn on this course? A level Physics aims for students to • sustain and develop their enjoyment of and interest in, Physics • develop essential knowledge and understanding in Physics • develop the skills needed for the use of this knowledge and understanding in new and changing situations where appropriate • develop an understanding of the link between theory and experiment • appreciate how Physics has developed and is used in present day society • show how Physics links with social, philosophical, economic, industrial and environmental matters • recognise the quantitative nature of Physics • understand how mathematical expressions relate to physical principles • bring together knowledge of ways in which different areas of Physics relate to each other • study how scientific models develop What kind of student is this qualification suitable for? A level Physics is suitable for students who • have a real interest in, and enjoy Physics • want to find out about how things in the physical world work • enjoy applying their mind to solving problems • want a grounding in a relevant worthwhile qualification of recognised value • enjoy carrying out investigations by the application of imaginative, logical thinking • want to use Physics to support other qualifications or progress onto further studies or employment • are taking Advanced Levels in the other Sciences and/or Mathematics or other relevant courses such as Design and Technology and want to take another course that will support their studies Examples of Key Skills Development in Physics Communication • Taking part in discussions about investigations or issues • Preparing written documents for your practical work • Researching from books, the Internet and journals Application of numeracy • Planning to collect results from your experiments and investigations and analysing and presenting them in a suitable way • Carrying out calculations on the data collected in experiments and investigations • Interpreting the results from experiments and seeing how this relates to your plan Information technology • Internet and academic journal based research • Use of Excel for data analysis of practical data • Using word processing software to present written reports and prepare presentations Working with others • Discussing in a group to plan a task such as a plan for an investigation or a presentation to the group Improving own learning and performance • Setting targets with a timetable to improve your learning or skills • Increasing independent learning skills using the resources at your disposal • Seeking support and using different ways of learning • Monitoring the marks awarded for your work, setting appropriate targets and taking action to improve them Problem solving • Planning practical investigations into some aspect of Physics to answer a question • Working out at least two different ways to solve/investigate a problem • Carrying out one of your plans and assessing suitability for the problem • Evaluatingyour plan What could I go on to do at the end of my course? Physics leads on to a wide range of courses and careers. You could go on to use Physics to support other qualifications or progress onto further studies or employment. This could be • Higher National programme (HNC & HND) to degree level • Courses ranging from Physics, Engineering, Medicine and many other related programmes • Employment in the area of radiography, civil engineering, and biotechnology as possible examples In fact,Physics is recognised as an entry qualification for a wide range of Higher Education courses and employment.