Should i take physics a level

I don't think so. In fact, the overwhelming responses to my options have been critical. Almost everyone has questioned my choices, including my parents and friends, who thought I was overlooking how important physics is and how it interlinked with the other sciences. I like to think that my decision was a logical one, based on my experience of learning physics at school, rather than being swayed by stereotypes or going with the crowd. I'm not a zombie, hopelessly trapped in my conformist fate to walk in the footsteps of the girls who have dropped physics before me.

I selected my subjects knowing full well that I would never engineer the next super-car or structurally assess the newest addition to London's skyline. Why I won't be studying physics at A-level. A working knowledge of the specified fundamental units of measurement is vital. Likewise, practical work in the subject needs to be underpinned by an awareness of the nature of measurement errors and of their numerical treatment. The ability to carry through reasonable estimations is a skill that is required throughout the course and beyond.

This module focuses on the fundamental properties of matter, and to electromagnetic radiation and quantum phenomena. You will become aware of the way ideas develop and evolve in physics. You will also study the importance of international collaboration in the development of new experiments and theories in this area of fundamental research. The study of wave phenomena will develop your knowledge of the characteristics, properties, and applications of travelling waves and stationary waves.

This includes refraction, diffraction, superposition and interference. Your understanding of forces, energy and momentum will be expanded to include vectors and their treatment. You will study materials considered in terms of their bulk properties and tensile strength.

This section provides opportunities for the development of practical skills at an early stage in the course and lays the groundwork for later study of the many electrical applications that are important to society. In this module you will study circular motion and simple harmonic motion the harmonic oscillator. You will also look at the thermal properties of materials, the properties and nature of ideal gases, and molecular kinetic theory.

The concept of field is one of the great unifying ideas in physics. The ideas of gravitation, electrostatics and magnetic field theory are developed within the topic to emphasise this unification.

Many ideas from mechanics and electricity from earlier in the course support this and are further developed. This section builds on the work of particles and radiation to link the properties of the nucleus to the production of nuclear power through the characteristics of the nucleus, the properties of unstable nuclei, and the link between energy and mass. Calculations are an important part of A level Physics and you need to be comfortable with algebra. At the same time descriptive work requires you to communicate clearly on paper.

You need to be comfortable with Mathematics and able to write good English that is scientifically accurate. A general interest in science would be helpful. Physics is a highly respected A level. A good grade in A level Physics demonstrates to an employer that you have analytical and mathematical skills that you can apply to real life situations.

There are many possible career paths that it will create for you, for example: Engineering, Medicine, Forensic Science, Astronomy, Cosmology, Electronics, Power generation, Finance and many more. It's possible to cover the whole course in a year if you have a strong work ethic, mature study habits and good mathematical skills.

In general that means you are likely to have done some serious post study already. The whole of the A level Physics course is examined at the end of the full course. There are three theory papers and a practical skills assessment. Your grade is determined by how well you do on the theory papers. Your result in the practical is noted as an endorsement alongside your A-level grade. The papers are:. Return to the list of A level subjects Free advice on A level subject choice Please feel free to get in touch by calling emailing us at enquiries cife.

Some students choose to take on additional AS or full A-level subjects, giving them a total of four or five A-levels with which to apply to university. Only take on what you think you can realistically manage, and talk to your teachers about the workload you can expect from the subjects you think you might want to study.

As a minimum, students will usually choose four AS-level subjects, one of which will be dropped at A2. General Studies is a compulsory fifth AS or even A2 subject at many schools, but will not usually count towards university admissions. For instance, Biology is very similar to Human Biology. Universities typically differentiate between subjects that are essential for studying a particular course and subjects that are merely useful. Therefore in the subject lists that follow, those in bold are generally deemed essential for studying the subject, while those in italics are often seen as useful but not necessarily required.

The rest are subjects that complement the course with transferrable skills or useful background knowledge, and are suggestions based on ideas offered by a selection of university admissions pages. A-levels in Latin and Classical Greek are highly desirable if you want to study classics. French or Italian — Classical Civilisations — Classics courses usually contain some element of studying the history and archaeology of the time, so a grounding in the basics will prove helpful if this option is open to you.

Many music degrees have performance, theory, history and composition components. A-level Music, along with a high standard on at least one musical instrument with practical and theory exam grades to prove it , will be essential or highly desirable.