Our vision for the EPQ at HEA
The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is designed to enable students to develop independent learning skills valued by universities and employers; allowing them to explore topics of personal interest with supervision from a member of staff coaching them to achieve their best.
Curriculum Overview
EPQ students are taught learning and research skills such as time management and research skills, including source evaluation. Students focus very much on reflective learning; they are required to reflect regularly on their progress through the qualification, and this is a core element of the marking for it. Students experience 30 hours of directly taught time and then are expected to dedicate at least 90 further hours to developing their project.
Year 12
| Year 12 | |
| Autumn 1 |
Taught Skills: Writing a suitable research question; research skills; time management systems; ethics in research; critical engagement with sources. |
| Autumn 2 | |
| Spring 1 |
Taught Skills: Referencing and plagiarism; collecting data. Individual research |
| Spring 2 | |
| Summer 1 |
Taught Skills: Report writing; proofreading and editing; presentation skills. Individual report writing/project creation |
| Summer 2 | |
Year 13
| Year 13 | |
| Autumn 1 |
EPQ Presentations Project completion and submission |
Assessment
EPQ is entirely coursework based; it is a project qualification of 100% coursework and no written exams.
EPQ projects are likely to be submitted in the autumn term of Year 13 for exam board submission in November of Year 13.
The EPQ consists of a report (and related artefact if they choose this option) and a detailed production log which commentates on their learning journey including their experience of delivering a presentation.
All students must complete all sections, including the presentation.
Exam Board Link
Extracurricular Opportunities
Students are given the opportunity to visit a university library and use this for research.
Careers
Where can the EPQ take you?
The EPQ can feed into any career goal – it can be focused on an area of career interest. In addition, it builds skills that employers are interested in.
Learning Beyond the Curriculum
Students are, by the nature of the qualification, required to pursue independent study on topics that go beyond their exam studies in any subject or pursue a subject entirely outside of their other areas of study and therefore are required to go beyond their curriculum.
