Study Skills

Course summary

The AQA EPQ qualification is offered as an option in addition to the student's choice of A levels, where it is equivalent to half of an A level. It is an ideal way to develop the skills required to identify, research and manage a project, and to deliver a conclusion to an audience. As such it requires a high degree of motivation, self-direction, independence and communication skills, but also offers students a unique opportunity to identify a topic of interest and to investigate it in unprecedented depth. In the past students have covered such topics as finding a cure for Alzheimer's, investigating the causes of the global financial crisis, researching the likelihood of robots performing medical operations or the extent to which modern pop lyrics are influenced by classics of literature. Students have regular meetings with their EPQ supervisor to reflect on progress before producing a final report which they then present to an audience where they have to answer questions about what they have learnt. The EPQ is assessed on various aspects of the process and the final product.