A-Level Marine Science 2021
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Overview
TRACC runs an award winning intensive A-level course as a residential program at its field station on Pulau PomPom annually. With the pandemic preventing travel we are offering the taught course as a six month online option.
The A-level exams are not included in the course. Each student will be individually responsible for registering themselves as an independent candidate at an appropriate test centre (British council overseas, local colleges in the UK).
Target Audience
Students who need to have a CIE examined full A-level qualification for University entry or similar future goals.
Life learners who wish to study the subject for their own pleasure but who have other commitments and circumstances that prevent them from joining the intensive residential course on PomPom.
Other candidates are encouraged to join the internally examined residential course that will be running on PomPom in 2021 (course dates to be announced).
Content
The course is AS and A-Level Marine Science (9693) offered by Cambridge International Examinations (CIE), an internationally recognised qualification.
Prerequisites
There is no particular prerequisite for this course since it builds on high-school science. However some candidates find refreshing their knowledge of basic biology before they start useful. The course is taught entirely in English but we have had non-native speakers take the course and examine well. The exams are single word or short answers without any essay questions.
Candidates will require internet access for the course content and the Microsoft Teams app. A printed textbook is available for purchase.
Structure:
The course will follow a regular format of self-study with continual assessment and feedback from the teacher. There will be a weekly group seminar for all students where questions may be asked and answered, challenging concepts gone over, demonstrations, explanations etc. After two units of study there will be topic-testing and there will be periods of revision and mock exams after both the AS and A level modules.
Seminars will be held on Wednesday afternoons (GMT) for those candidates able to attend in person. The sessions will be recorded and shared for those who have other commitments.
detailed timetable pdf
Key Dates:
The current exam schedule (as set by CIE) is as follows:
Paper 1 – 26th April 2021
Paper 2 - 28th April
Paper 3 - 30th April
Paper 4 - 4th May
The course is designed to conclude in good time to take those exams
1st November 2020 - 16th April 2021
Fees
The course is priced at GBP(£) 400. Full payment in advance is kindly requested.
This fee does not include the CIE exams and A-level certification. The relevant examination centres will charge for those independently.
Certification
Following successful completion of all study and assessments candidates will be issued with a certificate of study from TRACC.
To receive full A-level certification each student must register as an independent candidate at an examination centre and take the CIE administered exams.
Faculty
The course will be taught by marine biologist, Dr. Stuart Maudling a British A-level and IB teacher. He successfully led the 2020 residential course which obtained excellent results regardless of the pandemic forcing a switch to online learning halfway through. He will be supported by the full TRACC science team.
Registration
To join the course, please send an e-mail directly to the course coordinator: Hazel.Oakley@tracc.org