Becoming a Natural: Earth Science without science A-Levels
Student experience Welcome to EES 9th May 2023
2nd Year student Ayesha shares her experience of starting her BSc Earth and Planetary Sciences without taking Physics, Maths, Biology or Chemistry A-Levels.
Coming into university, I knew that I wanted to study the Earth and nature. Doing Geography A-Level helped me make my mind up on that fairly early on. However, my other two A-Levels were English Literature and Politics; not the full set of sciences you might expect of someone doing a science degree! So, I came to Manchester with nothing but an interest in the topic and high hopes. Here I will share my experiences as a not-so-science student, and hopefully help anyone in the position I was in two years ago!
On my first day of classes in Manchester, I got my timetable and had a small feeling that I may have gone a little out of my depth. Seemingly surrounded by people with full sets of science A-Levels with classes such as ‘Chemistry of the Earth’ and ‘How to Build a Planet’, it would be an understatement to say that I felt underqualified and a little terrified. Though I fulfilled the entry requirements, there seemed to be almost no way I could apply what I knew to what I was now studying. I am very glad to say though, two years later, that I was very wrong.
The beginning
My A-Levels, and perhaps yours too, were essay-based. When I heard that most of my first-year assessments would be multiple-choice one-mark answers, I was slightly apprehensive. However, we then got introduced to report writing. While not exactly an essay, having the ability to structure an argument gave me a big leg up. Get used to report writing- it is very important in this degree, so an essay subject is actually very handy! I find now that reports are my strongest area when it comes to graded work. I have no doubt that that is down to my previous qualifications.
Something else I noticed when I started classes is that everything we learnt was so specific. We looked at the formation of the Earth down to the its very elements, rather than the large-scale processes that form the dramatic landscapes we see today.
Having a Geography A-Level, I found this very foreign at first, being used to studying glaciers and their resulting geomorphology, or rivers and the flat landscapes they create. So, when we were learning about molecules and hydrocarbons, you could say that I felt like I was listening to a different language. Geography, though, helped me far more later on in the year. Yes, we studied the microscopic bits first, but we moved on to the big stuff later. I was able to translate the little details to the big picture, meaning that I understood how those little chemical processes related to the bigger ones we can see occurring all over the planet.
So is it possible?
Very simply: yes! My A-Levels, while not completely science-based, gave me skills that I could apply to Earth Science. Importantly, though, it is not just qualifications that got me through first year.
The Earth and Environmental Sciences department has structured their degrees in such a way that makes it possible for everyone. The first year is made effectively to get everyone up to speed. Everyone learns the same skills, ones that will allow everyone to have equal footing when going into second year. On top of this, the lecturers are more than happy to answer questions, and are fantastic sources of support.
Finally, the department also uses the PASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions) scheme. All first year students get a timetabled session in which they can ask second years on their degree questions about the topics, or can go over areas they struggled with in class.
Science without Science A-Levels? Go for it!
So, from my experience, studying Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University is absolutely possible. I may have faced struggles at first, but the support I received from the department alongside the applicable skills I had, I turned out to be adequately equipped for this degree. I hope that this blog can provide a little bit of comfort for anyone who, like me, thought their A-Levels wouldn’t give them the same footing as their peers.
Interested in reading more of our student’s stories? Read Wasim’s experience of starting an Earth and Planetary Sciences degree.
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