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Many universities did not consider General Studies as a legitimate A-Level. Now, this A-Level has been axed completely. Many people had branded it a “soft subject” or “not a proper A Level”, so it's probably a good thing that things went this way.
This was a real shame for students who had earned that qualification or were currently working hard towards achieving it. Even then, some universities only valued General Studies as a fourth A-Level, which is a lot more work and pressure for A-Level students. But there's no need to despair over this qualification being axed. It was soon replaced with Applied General Qualifications:
- a more practical, less theoretical course of study
- a study programme that's more industry-oriented
- a learning pathway that teaches transferable skills
- a qualification available for many different subjects
When the Department for Education revamped the A-Level programme in 2017, they got rid of courses like Leisure Studies and Citizenship Studies. General Studies got cut along with those offerings. We now take a look at why this change happened, what replaced this course and how this change benefits you.
What Was General Studies?
General Studies taught students starting Sixth Form many valuable skills. The qualification demonstrated a student’s ability to question things and to think critically about aspects of society. Aspects that many people may not have thought to question. It also encouraged students to engage in discussions concerning a variety of world issues.
Aside from this, it taught transferable skills such as problem-solving, communication and analytical skills. Debate was a big part of this course so students developed the ability to construct arguments and come to conclusions. It also allowed students to develop their presentation skills which is an invaluable skill for both university and the workplace.
General Studies wasn't useful in terms of accessing university education but it did explore contemporary issues from different perspectives. From that aspect, this course was relevant and valuable to the lives of young people. It also broached topics like ethics and social justice; matters that are currently very much on the forefront of the youth culture.
If this course was so great, why did it get scrapped? For lack of interest. In 2010, more than forty-six thousand students sat its exams. Nine years later, only forty had registered their interest so, by 2020, schools stopped offering the course altogether.
How General Studies Came to Be
This course originated in the 1950, in a time of post-war austerity when nobody knew what the future might bring. The government wanted courses that would turn out a well-informed citizenry who would understand how society and politics work. Current events featured prominently in debates and classroom discussions, alongside other relevant topics of the day.
The curriculum evolved as time went on but schools insisted on making this course available. Indeed, some schools made sitting this A-Level compulsory so their school would look better in the rankings. How hardworking must those students be to sit four A-Levels!
Over time, topics and features addressed in General Studies courses appeared in other courses, making General Studies redundant. Times changed, too. The days where students might dedicate a quarter of their college to problem-solving and debating issues is long past. Today's students feel the urgent pull of practicality; they want to get hands-on with their learning.
Was General Studies a Waste of Time?
Taking General Studies as a fourth A Level simply for extra credit was more work and more pressure that put students other A-Level grades at risk. For instance, if an A-Level student aspired to university, a General Studies A-Level would not just be a waste of time and energy. Taking this course could jeopardise students' chances of getting into their first or second choice university. With more students than ever opting to go to university, there is already lots of competition, especially in coveted study programs.
However, not all students studying A-Levels plan on going to university and some aspire to attend less traditional universities. For this student group, General Studies were, and still are enriching and useful. This cohort finds the course's topics relevant to the careers they're aiming for.
To focus purely on whether universities value a particular A-Level reinforces the idea that university is necessary. Furthermore, it echoes the oft-touted line that everyone studying A-Levels will inevitably enrol in university. Fortunately, more people are coming to the realisation that neither of those assertions is true. And students themselves have discovered that fast-tracking their careers doesn't always involve university studies.
What Replaced General Studies
Replacing General Studies wasn't a matter of swapping one course for another. As noted in this article's introduction, the new General Studies program is more practical; it's also suitable for industrial and academic studies alike. In fact, calling them General Studies is not correct; the right name is Applied General Qualifications.
Keep in mind that these are not standard A-Level qualifications. They are A-Level equivalents that give you practical knowledge in the subjects you choose. For instance, if you select AQA's Extended-Level Certificate in Business, you'll learn about management, finance and accounting. But you'll also undergo practical training to prepare you for a career in business.
Besides the AQA program, Applied General Qualifications are available as OCR Cambridge Technicals. You may further find them as WJEC Level 3 Certificates and Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) programs. Depending on your course provider, you may take courses in traditional academic subjects like Maths and Art & Design. Or you could study trades like Construction, Hospitality and Publishing.
Students often wonder about those mythical 'harder' A-Levels. Qualifying something as difficult is usually subjective but we can say with veracity that these Applied General Qualifications are not hard. From everything we've found out about them, they're engaging and interesting. Students seem to feel that these courses bring them closer to their professional goals than their more theoretical courses.
What the New General Studies Offers Students
Again, let's emphasize that Applied General Qualifications is not an A-Level course; they are A-Level equivalents. That points us to the greatest benefit this alternative study program offers: a choice. You might say "Students had a choice before!". You're right, they could choose between leaving school with just their GCSEs, going into an apprenticeship or going into higher education.
One of those choices is now off the table. Students may no longer end their formal education after sitting GCSEs, thanks to the reforms that mandate students to stay in school until they're 18. That change roughly coincided with Applied General Qualifications program debut.
It might have come as a shock to educators that more students preferred apprenticeships when they could only choose between those partnership programs and Sixth Form. It would be fair to say that students didn't care for the limited choices on offer, either. In this sense, Applied General Qualifications was a welcome third option.
Blurring the line between trade and academic studies was a wise move. Typically, trades like travel and construction were considered a separate form of education from academic subjects. That distinction often led students learning trades to endure scorn and sometimes bullying. Now that Construction is offered in the same program as Engineering and other cerebral academic subjects, that stigma has been erased.
People at all levels of education, working with various leaders of industry, selected the courses suitable for the Applied General Qualifications program. Everyone from DfE leaders to teachers make sure the curriculum stays relevant and meets students' needs. Their audits, along with student feedback and exam results ensures constant review of materials and teaching practices.
Maybe the best part of all is that these Qualifications count towards university entry. Unlike the discontinued course, UCAS allows students to apply the marks they've earned in their Applied Learning programs to their university applications. And if a student would still rather not enrol in university, these courses pave the way to employment. Not too long ago, employers would hire a job applicant with decent GCSE marks; Applied General Qualifications permit the same.
If you're a student with special educational needs, you may find Applied Learning Qualifications more suited to your learning preferences. They aren't quite as academic as other A-Level courses but they give you the same level of education that Sixth Form standard courses do. And the same level of prestige, as well as the same university options that other college students have.
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