AS/A Level Chemistry

Start Date

Mon Sep 11 2023

Day / Time

Weekdays

Duration

1 year

Fees

null

AS/A Level Chemistry

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As well as developing excellent laboratory techniques, you'll gain specific knowledge in the traditional fields of organic and inorganic chemistry. As chemistry overlaps with other subjects, you'll pick up skills that are useful in biology and medicine, physics and engineering. Chemistry is also studied in an environmental and social context, so you'll gain awareness of its ethical implications and issues relating to environmental impact and sustainability.

Chemistry is the study of all chemical substances and how to change one chemical into another. The food you eat, the air you breathe, your own body, your mobile phone, the plants and streets around you are made of chemicals. As we want inexpensive products, chemistry helps to decrease economic costs and as we want a safe environment, chemistry helps to decrease pollution by detecting the toxins and by destroying them.

If you like logical problems and thinking hard, then chemistry is for you. You’ll develop strong mathematical and numerical skills. You'll also develop skills in analysis and problem-solving, time management and organisation, recording and monitoring data and teamwork.

Assessment

Your knowledge and skills will be assessed in a variety of ways, including:

Frequent topic tests
Mock assessments
Practical assessments
Exams; the three main branches of chemistry: physical, inorganic and organic will be assessed through two 1.5 hour exams at AS Level (year one) and three 2 hour exams at A Level (year two).

Next Steps

Each level lasts one year, so you'll spend a year studing AS Level and a year studying A Level.

Each year more students are studying science subjects as they realise that science degrees generally lead on to higher incomes. More students are studying pure chemistry or chemistry based subjects like pharmacy, medical chemistry or environmental chemistry.

AS or A Level Chemistry is particularly important if you want to study medicine, veterinary science, dentistry or biochemistry at university. It is also appreciated by admissions tutors in many other subjects, including law, due to its logical discipline. It is useful if you want to go on and study subjects such as geology, physical geography, engineering or material science. Many chemistry graduates are also recruited by the financial companies in the City of London and so start with high salaries.

Required Entry Qualifications

You will need to achieve 6 grade 6 GCSEs to study A Levels at Gateshead College. In addition, to study Biology you will need to achieve a grade 7 in GCSE Chemistry or a 76 in GCSE Combined Science.

If you do not meet this profile please still come to an enrolment event to discuss all your options with a member of the A Level Team. An interview is also required.

Finance and funding

This course is free to those aged under 19 years old.
Most people aged 19 years and over can qualify for free or reduced price course fees and there are grants and bursaries you can apply for to help cover the costs of coming to college, depending on your circumstances.

If you already have a full level 3 qualification and are aged 19 years over, you can apply for an Advanced Learning Loan or pay the fee upfront in full and qualify for a 10% discount.

Find out about finance and funding here.