How is Pearson Edexcel A-Level Geography assessed?

You will take three written exams and complete a non-examined assessment (NEA). Paper 1 (Physical Geography) and Paper 2 (Human Geography) are both 2 hours 15 minutes long, worth 105 marks each, and make up 30% of your final grade each. Paper 3 (Synoptic Investigation) is 1 hour 45 minutes, worth 70 marks (20%), and tests your ability to link all topics through unseen resources. The NEA is an independent investigation of 3000–4000 words, based on fieldwork, worth 20% (70 marks), marked by your school and moderated by Pearson.

What topics are covered in Pearson A-Level Geography?

The course covers a rich mix of physical and human topics. Physical topics include Tectonic Processes and Hazards, Coastal Landscapes and Change, The Water Cycle and Water Insecurity, and The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security. Human topics cover Globalisation, Regenerating Places, Superpowers, and Health, Human Rights and Intervention. You’ll also consider Climate Change Futures within these topics. This broad coverage ensures you understand key geographical processes and their real-world impacts.

Do I need to do fieldwork for Pearson Edexcel Geography?

Yes, fieldwork is compulsory. You must undertake at least four days of fieldwork across both years, covering both physical and human geography. This fieldwork forms the basis of your NEA independent investigation, where you collect primary data to answer a geographical question of your choice. The NEA allows you to demonstrate your research, analytical, and evaluative skills in a 3000–4000 word report, which is worth 20% of your A-Level.

What is the synoptic paper (Paper 3) like?

Paper 3 is a unique synoptic investigation that draws on content from all topics studied throughout the course. In the 1 hour 45 minute exam, you will be given a resource booklet containing a range of unseen data on a geographical issue. You must interpret this material to answer questions that require you to think holistically, make connections between different aspects of the specification, and develop your own arguments. It’s an opportunity to show your ability to think like a geographer.

Is there any coursework in this A-Level?

Yes, the non-examined assessment (NEA) is effectively coursework. It is an independent investigation on a topic of your choice linked to the specification content and your fieldwork. You will produce a 3000–4000 word report, which is internally assessed and externally moderated by Pearson. This component allows you to pursue an area of personal interest in depth, developing valuable project and research skills that are excellent preparation for university.

Geography Pearson A-Level Topics & Revision

The Pearson A-Level Geography specification covers 9 topics. Use MasteryMind to revise every topic with learning objectives, exam tips, and practice questions aligned to your exact specification.

Topics Covered

Tectonic Processes and Hazards
E2E stub topic
Landscape Systems, Processes and Change
Globalisation
Shaping Places
The Water Cycle and Water Insecurity
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
Superpowers
Global Development and Connections

Exam Tips for Pearson A-Level Geography

Use case studies to illustrate impacts.
Link hazard characteristics to damage potential.
Discuss mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Use annotated diagrams to illustrate coastal processes and landforms; they can often replace lengthy written descriptions and earn marks quickly.
For evaluate/assess questions, structure your response with a clear introduction, balanced arguments, and a substantiated conclusion referencing case studies.
When discussing sediment cells, always define what a closed system is and why it matters for coastal management, and refer to actual UK examples (e.g., Flamborough Head to the Thames Estuary).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Confusing primary and secondary effects.
Ignoring the role of plate boundaries.
Failing to consider vulnerability and resilience.
Confusing constructive and destructive waves, including their beach profiles and seasonal occurrence.
Overgeneralizing erosion rates without considering local geology, wave climate, and human intervention.

Key Terms

Magnitude and frequency
Primary and secondary effects
Hazard profiles
Wave dynamics and energy
Erosional processes and cliff morphology
Sediment cells and budgets
Coastal management and adaptation
Human–environment interaction
Prediction and warning
Community preparedness
International aid
Plate boundaries
Earth's structure
Convection currents
Hard and soft engineering

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Geography

Pearson

A-Level

Specification: 601/8417/6

The PEARSON A-Level Geography specification covers 9 topics with 0 learning objectives (601/8417/6). Use the topic browser below to explore subtopics, exam tips, common mistakes, and key terminology for each area of the course.

Geography examines the physical world and human interactions with it. You'll study natural hazards, ecosystems, urban environments and global development while developing fieldwork and data analysis skills.

Topics

Objectives

Exam Tips

Pitfalls

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Key Features

Conduct geographical fieldwork
Analyse maps and data
Understand global challenges
Evaluate sustainability solutions

About Pearson A-Level Geography

The Pearson Edexcel A-Level Geography course offers a dynamic and contemporary exploration of the world, designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to understand and address pressing global challenges. The specification seamlessly blends physical and human geography, ensuring you develop a deep appreciation of the interactions between people and their environments. You will investigate dramatic natural events, from tectonic hazards to coastal change, while also examining the complexities of globalisation, the regeneration of places, and the management of vital resources like water and energy. This balanced approach provides a comprehensive foundation for further study and a wide range of careers.

Structured around four key components, the course builds your geographical thinking progressively. In Year 12, you typically cover core topics such as Tectonic Processes and Hazards, Coastal Landscapes and Change, Globalisation, and Regenerating Places, alongside developing essential fieldwork and research skills. Year 13 deepens this understanding with studies in The Water Cycle and Water Insecurity, The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security, Climate Change Futures, and Superpowers. Throughout, you will engage with real-world case studies, data analysis, and geographical debates, fostering critical thinking and independent learning.

A distinctive feature of the Pearson Edexcel specification is the synoptic Paper 3, which challenges you to draw together knowledge from across the entire course to analyse unseen resources and construct their own geographical arguments. This, combined with the independent investigation (non-examined assessment), empowers you to pursue a topic of personal interest, honing your research, fieldwork, and report-writing skills. Supported by a wealth of Pearson resources, including textbooks, online tools, and examiner feedback, this course is designed to make geography relevant, engaging, and accessible, preparing you not just for exams but for active citizenship in an interconnected world.

Assessment Structure

Assessment is through three written examinations and one non-examined assessment (NEA). Paper 1 (Physical Geography) and Paper 2 (Human Geography) each last 2 hours 15 minutes, carry 105 marks, and contribute 30% each to the final grade. Paper 3 (Geography Synoptic Investigation) is 1 hour 45 minutes, worth 70 marks, accounting for 20%. This paper requires you to apply knowledge from all topics to interpret a resource booklet. The NEA is an independent investigation of 3000–4000 words, worth 20% (70 marks), based on fieldwork and research on a question of their choice, moderated by Pearson.

Why Choose Pearson?

Pearson Edexcel Geography provides a highly structured and transparent specification, making it clear exactly what you need to learn for each topic. The well-defined assessment objectives and mark schemes reduce guesswork, allowing you to focus on developing your geographical understanding and exam technique effectively.
The inclusion of Paper 3 (Synoptic Investigation) is a real strength, as it assesses your ability to think like a geographer by drawing connections across the entire course. This skill is highly valued by universities and employers, and the paper’s unseen resource booklet ensures you are tested on their real-time analytical abilities rather than just recall.
Pearson offers exceptional support with a wide range of high-quality published resources, including endorsed textbooks, revision guides, and active online learning platforms. Additionally, their annual examiner reports and exemplar materials give invaluable insight into what makes an outstanding answer, helping you to maximise your performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Assessment Objectives

AO1

38%-40%

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of places, environments, concepts, processes, interactions and change, at a variety of scales

AO2

38%-40%

Apply knowledge and understanding in different contexts to interpret, analyse and evaluate geographical information and issues

AO3

25%-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

What Gets Top Grades

A*/Grade 9

Knowledge & Understanding

Demonstrates comprehensive and accurate knowledge

Uses correct subject-specific terminology
Shows detailed understanding of concepts
Makes accurate connections between topics
Demonstrates depth beyond surface-level knowledge

Application

Applies knowledge effectively to new contexts

Selects relevant knowledge for the question
Adapts understanding to unfamiliar scenarios
Uses examples appropriately
Shows awareness of context

Analysis & Evaluation

Develops sophisticated analytical arguments

Constructs logical chains of reasoning
Considers multiple perspectives
Weighs evidence to reach justified conclusions
Acknowledges limitations and nuances

Key Command Words

Pearson

State

1 mark

Give a single fact or term

Identify

1 mark

Name, select, or recognise

Outline

2 marks

Set out main features briefly

Describe

2-4 marks

Give an account of what something is like or what happens

Explain

3-6 marks

Give reasons with developed cause→effect chains

Compare

2-4 marks

State similarities AND differences (both required)

Analyse

6-9 marks

Examine in detail showing cause→effect→consequence chains

Evaluate

6-12 marks

Weigh up BOTH sides, reach JUSTIFIED conclusion

Assess

6-12 marks

Make judgments about importance with justification

Calculate

2-4 marks

Show formula→substitution→calculation→answer with units

Common Exam Mistakes

Pitfalls to avoid in your exams

•Confusing primary and secondary effects.
•Ignoring the role of plate boundaries.
•Failing to consider vulnerability and resilience.
•Confusing constructive and destructive waves, including their beach profiles and seasonal occurrence.
•Overgeneralizing erosion rates without considering local geology, wave climate, and human intervention.
•Describing landforms without linking them to the specific processes and sequence of formation, e.g., stating a stack exists without explaining the collapse of an arch.
•Treating hard and soft engineering as entirely separate without discussing integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) approaches.
•Describing strategies without evaluating their effectiveness.

Top Examiner Tips

Expert advice for exam success

•Use case studies to illustrate impacts.
•Link hazard characteristics to damage potential.
•Discuss mitigation and adaptation strategies.
•Use annotated diagrams to illustrate coastal processes and landforms; they can often replace lengthy written descriptions and earn marks quickly.
•For evaluate/assess questions, structure your response with a clear introduction, balanced arguments, and a substantiated conclusion referencing case studies.
•When discussing sediment cells, always define what a closed system is and why it matters for coastal management, and refer to actual UK examples (e.g., Flamborough Head to the Thames Estuary).
•In data response questions, quote figures from the resource, interpret trends, and explicitly connect them to coastal theory to demonstrate application skills.
•Use specific case studies (e.g., Japan vs. Haiti for earthquakes).

Specification Topics

9 topics

Tectonic Processes and Hazards

This topic analyses the causes and characteristics of tectonic hazards like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis. Learners will evaluate their impacts on people and the environment.

Tectonic Hazards, Hazard Management, Plate Tectonics

0 objectives9 tips9 pitfalls3 subtopics

E2E stub topic

This subtopic explores the dynamic interactions between marine and terrestrial environments, focusing on the geological, physical, and biological processes that shape coastal landscapes. Students will develop an understanding of sediment transport, erosion, deposition, and the resultant landforms, alongside evaluating human influences and management strategies. The content equips learners with the analytical skills to assess contemporary coastal issues, such as climate change impacts and sustainable development, preparing them for further study or careers in environmental science, planning, and civil engineering.

E2E stub subtopic

0 objectives4 tips4 pitfalls

Landscape Systems, Processes and Change

This topic evaluates coastal management strategies, including hard and soft engineering, and assesses human impact on coastal landscapes. Learners analyse costs, benefits, and sustainability of different approaches.

Coastal Management, Coastal Landscapes and Change, Glaciated Landscape Management +1 more

0 objectives12 tips12 pitfalls4 subtopics

Globalisation

This topic analyses the economic, social, and environmental impacts of globalisation. Learners will evaluate how benefits are unevenly distributed across different regions and groups.

Impacts of Globalisation, Causes of Globalisation, Globalisation and Development

0 objectives9 tips9 pitfalls3 subtopics

Shaping Places

Regeneration strategies aim to revitalise areas economically, socially, and physically. This topic evaluates the success of different approaches and the role of stakeholders in the process.

Regeneration Strategies, Regenerating Places, Diverse Places

0 objectives9 tips9 pitfalls3 subtopics

The Water Cycle and Water Insecurity

This topic analyses the causes and consequences of water insecurity and evaluates strategies to manage water supply, covering physical and human factors.

Water Insecurity, The Water Cycle

0 objectives5 tips5 pitfalls2 subtopics

The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security

This topic covers the global carbon cycle, including its stores and fluxes, and explains the role of different carbon sinks. Learners understand how human activities affect the cycle.

The Carbon Cycle, Energy Security

0 objectives6 tips6 pitfalls2 subtopics

Superpowers

This topic analyses the influence of superpowers on global politics, economy, and culture, and evaluates challenges to their dominance. Learners explore the dynamics of power in the modern world.

Superpowers and Global Influence, Nature of Superpowers

0 objectives6 tips6 pitfalls2 subtopics

Global Development and Connections

This subtopic explores the multifaceted nature of global connections and their role in shaping development outcomes. It examines how international organisations, trade agreements, migration flows, and tourism interact to create opportunities and challenges for countries at different stages of development. Through critical evaluation, students learn to assess the complex interrelationships and uneven impacts of these global processes.

Global Connections, Development and Inequality

0 objectives5 tips7 pitfalls2 subtopics

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