AQA A-Level Geography
Explore your course, one topic at a time.
Course 7037Official specification (opens in a new tab)
Course version · 7037Version from Sept 2018Change version
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Explore your topics
74 study areas
Physical geography11 topics
Water and carbon cycles
Water and carbon cycles as natural systems3 objectives- The water cycle15 objectives
- The carbon cycle12 objectives
- Water, carbon, climate and life on Earth6 objectives
- Quantitative and qualitative skills9 objectives
- Case studies51 objectives
Hot desert systems and landscapes
Deserts as natural systems12 objectives- Hot desert systems and landscapes - 3.1.2.2 Systems and processes18 objectives
- Arid landscape development in contrasting settings6 objectives
- Desertification3 objectives
- Hot desert systems and landscapes - 3.1.2.5 Quantitative and qualitative skills3 objectives
Coastal systems and landscapes
Coasts as natural systems3 objectives
12 of 34 shown
Human geography11 topics
Water and carbon cycles
Quantitative and qualitative skills9 objectives- Case studies51 objectives
Global systems and global governance
Globalisation6 objectives- Global systems6 objectives
- International trade and access to markets18 objectives
- Global governance6 objectives
- The 'global commons'3 objectives
- Antarctica as a global common15 objectives
- Globalisation critique3 objectives
Changing places
The nature and importance of places12 objectives- Changing places – relationships, connections, meaning and representation3 objectives
- Relationships and connections12 objectives
12 of 34 shown
Assessment and exam guidance
Assessment Objectives
AO1
30%-40%Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of places, environments, concepts, processes, interactions and change, at a variety of scales.
AO2
30%-40%Apply knowledge and understanding in different contexts to interpret, analyse and evaluate geographical information and issues.
AO3
20%-30%Use a variety of relevant quantitative, qualitative and fieldwork skills to: investigate geographical questions and issues; interpret, analyse and evaluate data and evidence; construct arguments and draw conclusions.
Exam Structure
AQA A-Level (7037)
Component 1: Physical geography
2h 30m
Duration
120
Marks
40%
Weighting
Component 2: Human geography
2h 30m
Duration
120
Marks
40%
Weighting
Component 3: Geography fieldwork investigation
Not stated
Duration
60
Marks
20%
Weighting
Tips and common mistakes
Common Exam Mistakes
Pitfalls to avoid in your exams
- •Confusing positive and negative feedback; correction: remember that positive feedback amplifies a change away from equilibrium, while negative feedback reduces the effect of the change.
- •Describing the global water cycle as an open system; correction: state that the global cycle is a closed system because only energy, not matter, crosses its boundary.
- •Using 'store' and 'flow' interchangeably; correction: clearly distinguish stores as places where matter is held (e.g. oceans) and flows as the movement between them (e.g. evaporation).
- •Stating that rivers and lakes hold the majority of freshwater; correction: specify that the cryosphere (ice) holds the vast majority of the world's freshwater.
- •Confusing the lithosphere and hydrosphere; correction: define the lithosphere as water stored in rocks and soil (groundwater), and the hydrosphere as liquid surface water (oceans, lakes).
- •Underestimating the importance of the atmospheric store due to its small size; correction: emphasise that despite its small volume, the atmosphere is highly dynamic and essential for the water cycle's rapid fluxes.
- •Confusing spatial scales; correction: clearly distinguish between hill slope (local), drainage basin (regional), and global scales when discussing processes.
- •Assuming cryospheric processes only occur over long timescales; correction: acknowledge that while glacial advance and retreat takes millennia, seasonal melting affects hill slopes annually.
Top Examiner Tips
Expert advice for exam success
- •Always link systems terminology directly to specific examples from either the water or carbon cycle to demonstrate applied understanding.
- •When discussing dynamic equilibrium, emphasise that the system is not static but is constantly adjusting to maintain a balance between inputs and outputs.
- •Use annotated flow diagrams in your exam answers to clearly illustrate feedback loops and system components.
- •Memorise the approximate percentages of the major stores (e.g. oceans 96.5%, cryosphere 1.7%) to support your answers with quantitative evidence.
- •When discussing the distribution of water, contrast the saline water of the hydrosphere with the freshwater stores of the cryosphere and lithosphere.
- •Use the specific terms lithosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, and atmosphere rather than generic terms like 'ground' or 'air'.
- •Use specific examples of timescales, such as diurnal evaporation rates versus millennial glacial periods, to demonstrate depth of knowledge.
- •When discussing changes in store magnitude, explicitly state which store is increasing and which is decreasing as a result of a specific flow.
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