Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) – Esher Sixth Form College

The EPQ is an opportunity for you to carry out a research project in an area that interests you. What you research is entirely up to you and so this really gives you the freedom to pursue an area of interest. The only restriction is that your topic must not be directly linked to work that you are doing as part of your other A Level/BTEC courses. The EPQ is equivalent to half an A Level.

AS Extended Project Qualification (AQA)

There are two different types of EPQ qualification:

1. An EPS – a 5,000 word report based on your research.
2. An EPC – an artefact (e.g. a fashion piece, a film, a song) and a written report based on your research.

With either option you must also document how your project develops in a logbook and give a presentation about your project. Completing the project will take approximately 90 hours of work and the project is largely independent work by you. You will be allocated a mentor who will help to guide you through developing your idea, researching your idea and finally the production of your work. The assessment of the process you go through to complete your idea is of more significance than the final product itself. The Extended Project Qualification is highly regarded by universities and completing the qualification will help you to develop your skills of planning, research, time management and self-reflection.

If you want to pursue a creative or performance related course/career pathway after College and want to build up a portfolio of work then you should enrol on the EPQ creative version of the course. This is an opportunity for you to carry out a research project into a creative or performance related topic with the guidance of a mentor who specifically has a creative/performance background.

If you sign up to do an EPQ at Esher, you will be allocated an EPQ supervisor who will guide and support you through the project. You will have one lesson a week with your supervisor and one lesson a week in the LRC.

Students joining Esher Sixth Form College with 7s, 8s and 9s are eligible to complete the EPQ in their first year. Otherwise, you are welcome to complete the qualification in your second year.