Extended Project Qualification

Sandbach College

Why study this course?

The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is a different type of subject in that you provide much of the material and implement your own planning for the duration of the project. For instance, project proposals are always submitted by students and are often based on areas of academic and personal interest. Independent study skills such as planning, research and evaluation form the centre of your EPQ work, ensuring that you are both prepared and ready for study at university level, and are able to tackle your other A levels with greater confidence and competence. You are given the support of an EPQ supervisor who will hold at least 5 individual meetings in the course of the autumn and spring terms. It is ordinarily completed in Year 12 so that you will have an AQA-verified grade to boast about when you apply for university at the start of Year 13. Universities fully recognise the qualification and often lower their grade offer when they see that a student has completed an EPQ. Finally, it is an opportunity to conduct academic work on an area, such as architecture, teaching or medicine, which is not available as an A level but is a career aspiration.

Sandbach College at Sandbach High School Entry Requirements

We ask that all students achieve grade 4 or equivalent (a Level 2 pass) in at least 4 subjects, alongside the following subject specific entry requirements.

Grade 4 in English

What will I learn on this course?

You will be taught how to plan, research and evaluate work carried out on your chosen topic. This will allow you to acquire and improve the independent study skills demanded by university courses and in many areas of paid employment. You will be introduced to the Harvard Referencing System and asked to apply your knowledge of it when completing a fully-referenced report and a detailed bibliography. Most lessons, however, will involve you delving deeply into your chosen topic and making sound independent and individual progress with your research and product development, under the helpful eyes of your EPQ supervisor. At the end of the course, you will be guided on how to deliver an effective presentation and then deliver one based on your EPQ journey to a small group of fellow students.

Examinations & Coursework

The qualification is entirely project-based with no examination element.

Potential career paths

The qualification will provide evidence of your independent study skills when applying for apprenticeships and paid employment, and to read any subject at university.