Why Study Geography IGCSE?

Geography is a subject that engages students in a contemporary and unique perspective of the world. It is the study of places, landscapes, environments and people and how they interact, encompassing local, national and global issues relevant to our changing world.  As an IGCSE Geography student, every individual will learn about the physical and human processes we see around us every day and the challenges people face in managing these interactions. 

Geography students are up to date with current affairs and explore contemporary issues such as sustainability, climate change, immigration and globalisation, as well as natural disasters and economic development. These topics are set in the context of both local and international case studies, allowing students to relate to diverse societies, cultures and landscapes.   

In addition to the knowledge they gain, Geography students also learn a wide variety of skills.  These include map skills, practical fieldwork techniques, investigation, data presentation and analysis (including graphical, statistical and mapping techniques), problem solving, decision making and the ability to interpret various sources of information.  

The broad and contemporary nature of this course and wide range of transferable skills that students will learn, makes the Cambridge IGCSE Geography course excellent preparation for further education at IB and University level. Geography graduates are among the most employable and qualified for an extensive range of future careers including tourism, travel, eco-engineering and education.

The IGCSE Geography course at BISC

Students will study the Cambridge International GCSE (IGCSE) specification in Geography at BISC. The subject content is arranged into three themes;

• Population and Settlement
  • including population growth, migration and urbanisation

• The Natural Environment 
  • including earthquakes and volcanoes, rivers, coasts, weather, climate and ecosystems.

• Economic Development 
  • including development, food production, industry, tourism, energy, water and environmental risks of economic development.

International Field Trip

Throughout the three themes students are also taught map skills and techniques for geographical investigation, including practical fieldwork.  This element of the course may also be supported by a trip to the Barcelona Field Studies Centre in Spain (subject to interest and availability).

Assessment

The Student Perspective

“When I first started my geographical journey I was extremely excited to learn about the world; its people and its environments. We covered topics that include: population, the natural environment and development. Personally, I enjoyed learning about population. While it is quite a specific topic, it's extremely interesting because it allows you to open your mind to learning about countries that face issues due to population sizes and distributions as well as learning about countries who have gone through stages of mass development both economically and environmentally. When it comes to thinking about the future and how Geography could benefit our knowledge,  I would say that Geography is definitely one of the most diverse subjects out there. As someone who takes Biology and Business IGCSE along with Geography, I have noticed that Geography applies to elements in both subjects, which is extremely helpful as it aids me to remember useful information and apply it where I need to. I would recommend Geography to anyone who is interested in studying the natural, economic and social world.”

Christina Demian

“I really enjoy taking Geography and would recommend it if you want to get a much deeper understanding of the world, why many things we see everyday happen and what they result in for people and the environment.  This is a great subject if you are a curious person who enjoys learning about the world and its wonders and people”

Hanya Abdel-Hamid