N4/5 Geography

DURATION

1 Year / 160 Hours

COURSEWORK

N4: Unit Assessments

N5: 20% of course award

EXAM

N4: No exam

N5: Question Paper - 80% of course award

COST

No Cost

What will you learn?

Geography aims to study the world's physical features, how it works and how people live on it. 

Unit 1: Physical Environments

  • The study of rivers and upland limestone

Unit 2: Human Environments

  • Global population and development issues

  • Urban environments in the developed and the developing world

  • Rural environments in the developed and the developing world

Unit 3: Global Issues

  • Pupils will study examples of two Global Issues chosen from:

  • Climate Change

  • Impact of human activity on the natural environment

  • Tourism

  • Trade and globalisation

  • Environmental Hazards

  • Health

Assignment

Candidates select a topic to research. They have an open choice of geographical topic or issue. Research skills including fieldwork skills: gathering, processing, interpreting

Why do this course?

The course will provide pupils with the opportunity to develop thinking skills, collecting, processing, comparing and interpreting/evaluating information. There will be opportunities to use and develop skills in ICT.

What will you experience?

A wide range of teaching strategies are used with classes, such as thinking skills, direct teaching, paired and/or group work. Work in class is supported through the use of work guides, ICT and other digital media. Pupils will be involved in setting their own targets and evaluating their own as well as others progress. Pupils are expected to take on an early responsibility for their learning.

Key Facts

Everything you need to know before selecting this course

Assessment

There are two components in this course.

Component 1: Question Paper

Section 1 will contain three compulsory questions on Physical Environments and one other from a choice of two. Total marks = 30

Section 2 will contain three compulsory questions on Human Environments. Total marks = 30

Section 3 Has six questions – choose two. Total marks = 20

The exam will be out of 80 marks and will last 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Component 2: Assignment

Candidates produce a two sided A4 sheet of graphs, maps and other processed information as part of an assignment. The assignment is formally written up in class in 60 minutes when the candidate is ready. The assignment will have 20 marks out of an overall total of 100 marks. The assignment is therefore worth 20% of the overall Course assessment

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Entry is at the discretion of the Principal Teacher Faculty, Humanities. However, as a guide:

  • A pass a the previous NQ level. i.e. for National 5, a pass at National 4.

  • A recommendation on completion of BGE S3 Course

Homework


Progression and Employment

Everything you need to know about future pathways from this course

Progression

S5 – National 5 or Higher

S6 – Higher or Advanced Higher

The successful completion of a course in Geography should be seen as a stepping stone which will help gain entry to a course at a higher level either in school, at college or at university.

Employment

The following is a list of career areas where a qualification in Geography may be seen as being useful:

Earth Sciences, Environmental Science, Estate Management, Forestry, Geology, Meteorology, Oceanography, Rural Resource Management, Nature Conservation, Town Planning



Learner Experiences

It is interesting to learn about things like the weather and be able to put my knowledge into everyday life.

I chose Geography because I wanted to learn more about what happens in the world and it is very interesting.