Extended Project Qualification

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The Extended Project Qualification is a single piece of work of a student’s choosing that requires evidence of planning, preparation, research and independent learning.

• The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is a free-standing qualification
• It is half an A level and is worth up to 70 UCAS points
• Students choose it in their second year to accompany their main A2 subjects
• Unlike your other subjects, you decide what your extended project will be
• You can explore an aspect of a subject you are studying, choose a topic in which you have a personal interest or do a project about an issue that concerns you.

The Extended Project offers opportunities for students to have significant input into the choice and design of an extended piece of work so that you can create your own A-Level. The EPQ enables students to develop a wide range of academic skills which are vital for university study.

These include:

• Decision-making and problem-solving skills, initiative and enterprise;
• Planning, research, analytical, evaluation and presentation skills;

Higher Education and Career Development

The Extended Project enables students to use their learning experiences to support their personal aspirations for higher education and career development. The skills that students develop through the Extended Project are excellent preparation for university-level study. Students can refer to the Extended Project in their UCAS personal statements and at interviews to demonstrate some of the qualities that universities are looking for and some universities such as Sheffield and Southampton give preferential offers for those who study the EPQ.

The project can take many forms but will fall into one of the following:

• An essay (a detailed exploration of a question that contains argument)
• A report or investigation (a survey, interviews, experiment, etc.)
• A performance (music, drama, dance, film, etc.)
• An artefact (model, painting, machine, furniture, etc)