Chemistry

The Chemistry A-level course is aimed at students who are interested in how substances interact, what they are made of and what role they play in living things and in the world at large. Chemistry is an essential part of many science based courses at university and you may be considering moving in that general direction. You may have a definite career or course in mind that demands chemistry as an essential entry requirement. Perhaps you want to use chemistry to gain the skills which the subject develops and use them in another area of study at a later stage or you may simply like chemistry and want to extend your knowledge and broaden your understanding.

You need to be scientifically orientated, show ability in chemistry and expect to obtain at least a grade 6  in your science GCSEs. A strong background in GCSE mathematics is also recommended. Practical work is an essential part of the course so you need to enjoy this aspect of the subject.

What will you study and learn?

Chemistry is the study of all materials and you will already have had some experience of basic chemical ideas during your GCSE course. You will learn new concepts and develop the ones you have met before.

At A-level, a much more accurate approach is used and you will discover that topics such as atomic structure and bonding involve far greater detail than you had thought. You will also realise that chemistry is particularly concerned with quantities of substances and a lot of practical work is directed towards this area. By the end of the course you will have encountered many methods of analysis including sophisticated instrumental techniques which have important uses in a wide range of applications in industry and particularly medicine. But chemistry isn’t just about scientific facts and ideas. You will develop many new skills which are transferable to other areas of study.

You will learn to:

• present arguments and ideas clearly and logically;
• select suitable methods for communicating information;
• assess the validity of information;
• bring together information from different areas in order to solve a problem or support an argument;
• interpret and translate data from one form to another;
• apply principles and concepts to unfamiliar situations;
• plan and select suitable techniques for a particular purpose;
• be continually aware of scale, accuracy and precision.

Course content and examinations

Examination Board: AQA chemistry and practical skills, 1hr 30min exam, 50% of the A-level.

The A-level course is assessed by three papers, which test topics that are studied throughout the course of the two years.

Paper 1: relevant physical chemistry topics, inorganic chemistry and practical skills, 2 hour exam, 35% of the A-level.

Paper 2: relevant physical chemistry topics, organic chemistry and practical skills, 2 hour exam, 35% of the A-level.

Paper 3: any content and practical skills, 2 hour exam, 30% of the A-level.

There are twelve required practical tasks and students will be assigned a practical endorsement at the end of the course, having shown evidence of meeting the 5 common practical assessment criteria (CPAC).

Where could the subject take you?

A-level chemistry is an essential entry requirement for medicine and dentistry. It is either essential or highly desirable for entry to most paramedical and related degree courses, veterinary science, food science and many environmental/earth science/biological science courses.

Chemistry combines well with a language and/or a business subject and such joint courses are popular at degree level and offer good career prospects after university. Many employers recognise the value of the training in logical thought, problem solving, numerical and communication skills and the general science education that are an integral part of all chemistry courses.

A chemistry qualification isn’t just an end in itself, it’s a beginning.