Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

Edexcel

Grade 5 required in GCSE English Language

The Extended Project Qualification, or EPQ, is offered by many schools, and it’s a standalone qualification that’s a bit like a mini-thesis. You’re allowed to choose whatever topic you like – it doesn’t even have to be related to your A-levels – so it’s about as flexible as you can get. Universities love the idea of the EPQ as it prepares young students for Higher education.

Once you’ve chosen your title- your task is to conduct detailed academic research into that topic. You then have two options:

1. Write a 5,000 word Dissertation
2. Create a ‘production’ or ‘artefact’ and write a 1,000 word report.

Whichever option you chose, you’ll also give a presentation lasting ten to fifteen minutes, to audience of people who aren’t specialists in your chosen topic.

On completion of this unit a learner should:

• Be able to identify, plan and manage a dissertation project
• Be able to undertake research, collect evidence and select information using appropriate methodology
• Be able to interpret evidence, draw conclusions and write up results into a finished dissertation
• Be able to present findings, conclusions and an evaluation to an audience.

• What is psychopathy in psychological and scientific terms? What causes someone to become a psychopath?
• ‘The Death Penalty as is practiced in some American States is an infringement of Human Rights’. Discuss.
• The Impact of the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics on the Favelas located also in Rio de Janeiro.
• Has the UK government and World Health Organisation dealt with the recent Ebola Outbreak efficiently and does it still remain a threat?
• Explore the extent to which Luhrmann’s 2013 adaptation promotes the values of the American Dream.
• Can retail businesses survive without the use of digital marketing?
• How is architecture affected by the need to make buildings earthquake‐resistant?
• Is face blindness a genetic disorder?
• What effect does exercise have on child development?
•  Is the widening income distribution gap as bad to society as it appears?
• What plausible explanations are there regarding the bee decline and how could this problem be resolved?
• To what extent is hydroelectricity the answer to meeting the European Union’s renewable energy targets?
• Churchill called in 1946 for Europe to form a ‘United States of Europe’. Examine the extent to which his dreams were realised.
• To what extent does a financial crisis increase the pressure for reform of the government?
• Why and how did the French Revolution affect contemporary women’s fashion?
• Discuss whether children are born naughty or whether social factors cause dysfunctional behaviour in children.
• Should drag now be considered as an art form?
• How have the leading French champagne brands adapted to the changing market in France over the last 50 years?
• Coco Chanel has been argued to be the most iconic and innovative designer of all time. In today’s fashion industry does this continue to be true and should we still consider her contribution to fashion as the most iconic?
• What should we do to conserve coral reefs?
• What are the best conservation programmes for successful reintroduction to the wild?
• Evaluate how the modern‐day treatment of both congenital and idiopathic scoliosis has developed over time, how effective the treatment is nowadays and how could it be improved.
• Is there such a thing as the Mozart Effect?
• Should Britain/UK leave the European Union (and what are the implications of this on international trade)
• Mass market protein supplements: Getting you ripped… or ripped off?
• Is democracy a key factor to positive attitudes towards homosexuality in Russia and the UK?
• Did the media representation of immigrants change British politics in the 2015 election?
• How has the Beat Generation influenced western culture, especially in regard to music, subcultures and censorship?