Extended Project Qualification
Why Study the EPQ?
EPQ is short for Extended Project Qualification. An EPQ is an independent research project which is either an essay of 6,000 words (11 typed pages) or a product or story - anything from an art object to an iPhone app. It includes detailed records and presentation. This is a dissertation four years early, it hones all the skills that you'll need at university and beyond, and are some of the easier UCAS points to be had. Why wouldn't you want to do it?
Course
An opportunity for you to research and develop a project around a topic of your choosing. This can be anything you want!
Entry Requirements
Second-year entry – usually for the final year of your time here
English Language GCSE Level 4 or above
A good record of attendance
Course Activities
- Dissertation - a theoretical written project on any topic presenting an argument, e.g. research into a biological, historical or environmental issue.
- Investigation/field study - a practical investigatory project involving the collection of data, e.g. scientific, geographical, biological, statistical. Fieldwork.
- Performance – this can be musical/drama or even a film.
- Artefact – making a painting or sculpture, designing a piece of furniture or garment, creating
a website, solving an engineering/construction problem, producing a piece of graphic design.
Course Structure
- You will work through the project you have chosen through a series of (usually) 1-2-1 meetings with a tutor.
- You will need to produce the project (eg. dissertation) and two key logs – activity log (a day-to-day, week-byweek account of your time and the problems faced) and literature review (a record of the reading you have done).
- Deadlines – this is subject to the individual teacher but a first draft of the project is expected before the Christmas holiday.
- Final deadline (non-negotiable) – last week of January
- Exhibition – a presentation of what you produced and how you accounted for your time, beginning of February.
Additional Information
Exam Board: Edexcel: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-project-qualification/level-3.html