Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

Overview

The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is a research project that can be taken alongside an A level study programme in your second year, with the preparation for this starting in the summer term of year one.

The research project can be rooted in one of your current courses, but it should cover a topic that is sufficiently different to your other qualifications as it aims to broaden your knowledge and to support your personal progression aspirations.

Students can take inspiration for their project from a topic they may want to study at university, a career to which they aspire, or a subject that they wish to explore further. Research will culminate in a dissertation or, in the case of practical projects, creation of an artefact, such as a production or a performance, alongside a portfolio of evidence documenting your project journey to include evidence of planning, target setting and reflections. The qualification is worth 50% of a full A Level (up to 28 UCAS points).

The qualification helps students to develop transferable skills including the ability to work independently, something highly valued by employers and universities. Students will also build other skills such as planning, researching, self-evaluation and presentation of their findings.