Study Skills

Course summary

WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR? Any Year 13 student can complete an EPQ alongside their three subjects. The EPQ is not available for students in Year 12, and you cannot choose the EPQ as one of your year 12 options. The core units studied are: The EPQ is what you want to make it – you will choose a topic that interests you. Your project might be subject-related; or based on a connection between two different subjects; or not related to any of your subjects. Sometimes students choose a topic related to courses they will study at university. You will choose a topic and develop the way you wish to research it. You will liaise with your supervisor, who is not expected to be a teacher (as with specified subjects). You must become the expert on your topic, and your supervisor will guide you through the research process. Examples of topics chosen by students recently include Shakespeare and feminism; the experiences of children in primary school; the relationship between art and science in architecture; nanotechnology; or transhumanism. THE WIDER SIGNIFICANCE OF AN EPQ: Often the EPQ leads to a more generous offer from universities (for example, an offer of grades ABB with the EPQ rather than AAA/ AAB without an EPQ). However, even without a more generous offer, it is apparent that the EPQ helps you transition to degree-level work: former students have often said the EPQ was more useful, as a preparation for their degree, than any of their subjects.