Our A level Physics online course tackles complex ideas using relevant, engaging topics and high quality distance learning materials. Alongside subject knowledge, you’ll develop problem-solving, evaluation and analytical skills – all highly sought after by universities and employers.

You’ll have the flexibility to fit study around your lifestyle, learning at your own pace, with access to the support of a specialist personal tutor. Like many NEC students, perhaps you’ll go on to study a science-based subject at university, or use your qualification to support your next career move?

Our Physics A level course is ideal if you:

• Are keen to build on the knowledge you’ve gained at GCSE level.
• Enjoy working scientifically: making predictions, testing theories and evaluating and communicating your findings.
• Would like to build your observational, investigative and problem-solving skills, to improve your employability.
• Want to discover how physics impacts everyday life.

Future opportunities

• Studying physics or STEM subjects at university.
• Physics develops a unique skill set, well suited to a diverse range of careers in fields such as biotechnology, astronomy, meteorology, medicine, astrophysics, radiography, nanotechnology, climate science, engineering, computer science, journalism, architecture and teaching.
• According to the Institute of Physics, graduates with a physics degree earn more due to their highly transferable and valued skill set.

Section 1: Working as a physicist

• Maths in physics
• Quantities and units
• Calipers and micrometers
• Practical skills
• Experiments with a spring
• Experiments with a laser pointer and a CD

Section 2: Mechanics

• Rectilinear motion
• Momentum
• Forces
• Resolved forces and moments
• Work, energy and power
• Applied mechanics

Section 3: Electricity

• Charge and current
• Potential difference, electromotive force and power
• Current-potential difference relationships
• Resistance and resistivity
• Internal resistance, series and parallel circuits and the potential divider

Section 4: Materials and vibrations

• Fluids
• Turbulence
• Solid materials
• Nature of waves

Section 5: Waves and the particle nature of light

• Transmission and reflection of waves
• The eye
• The oscilloscope
• Superposition of waves
• Particle nature of light
• Making a CD spectrometer

Section 6: Collisions, circular motion and oscillations

• Momentum and energy
• Motion in a circle
• Oscillations

Section 7: Gravitational and electric fields

• Universal gravitation
• Electrical fields
• Millikan’s oil drop experiment
• Capacitance
• Touch screen technologies

Section 8: Magnetic fields and particle physics

• Magnetic fields
• Electrons and nuclei
• Particle physics

Section 9: Thermodynamics

• Specific heat capacity
• Thermometry
• Internal energy, absolute zero and change of state
• Gas laws

Section 10: Nuclear decay and space

• Nuclear decay
• Detecting radiation
• Cosmology
• Astrophysics
• Life cycle of a star

Study A level Physics with us and benefit from:

• Flexible learning
• Support from a personal tutor by email, phone or Skype
• Any time enrolment
• Our exam booking service
• Assignments with tutor feedback
• Ongoing support from Student Support
• Forums to discuss your course with other students

learn@nec

Choose when and where you access your course, using learn@nec our 24/7 learning platform.

This easy-to-use learning platform includes interactive checkpoints, quizzes and activities to help you evaluate your progress.

You’ll have access to support from a personal tutor. All NEC tutors are subject experts, with experience of supporting online learners.

Meet Julie who is just one of our first-class physics tutors:

“I love learning and I love inspiring other people to learn. I’ve worked with students from primary to undergraduate level as I have taught in schools and universities. Now, I specialise in home education and distance learning, teaching people in the UK and overseas. I have a degree in physics with astrophysics and a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) in physics, science and maths, both from the University of Birmingham, and an LLM in Law from the University of Leeds. A senior examiner for several exam boards, I am also a Member of the Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors.”

Exam board

• Edexcel 9PH0

Format

• Online learning with support from a personal tutor

Hours

• Complete at your own pace
• Approx. 250-300* hours plus time for completing assignments

*The specification suggests that 300 hours is needed. You’ll also need time to complete assignments and prepare yourself for exams and some courses like English literature involve a lot of reading. Everyone is different so it’s impossible to say with certainty how long a course will take you, but you should expect to spend longer than 300 hours. Taken across the length of time we recommend, this equates to approximately 5 hours per week. This will increase if you choose to take it over a shorter time frame or may be less if you are retaking a subject and have covered a lot of of the course content.

Assignments

• 11 assignments (one introductory) – these do not contribute towards your final grade
• 16 core practicals

Resources

Set textbooks – included as a free ebook with your course:

• Edexcel A level Physics Student Book 1, M Benn and G George, Hodder Education, 2015
• Edexcel A level Physics Student Book 2, T Akrill and G George, Hodder Education, 2015

Additional texts:

• Maths Skills for A level Physics, C Tear, Oxford University Press, 2013

Requirements 

• Internet access
• Computer operating system and browser to support learn@nec

Our course fees are clear and transparent to help you plan for any additional costs.

Your course fee includes:

• 24/7 access to learn@nec platform and resources
• Expertly designed online course materials (including ebook versions of textbooks where specified) that you need to complete the course
• Support from our Student Services team
• Structured assignments carefully designed to prepare you for exams
• Guidance from your tutor for up to 24 months from your date of enrolment
• Extensive feedback to all assignments that will support your learning
• NEA (coursework) marking and authentication
• Marking for one examination paper (from a previous year)
• Guaranteed exam place
• NEC’s guide to study skills: How to Succeed as an Independent Learner
• Spelling, punctuation and grammar guide
• Time planner template to help you plan your study timetable
• Information on how to apply for exams

Your course fee does not cover:

• Any fees in relation to exam entries or assessments
• Centre Assessment Grades (CAG) in the event of exam cancellation
• Recommended textbooks for additional reading or set texts
• Equipment for core practicals

If you need more support, you can purchase:

• Online tutorials – if you need help with a specific topic you can arrange a 30 minute or 1 hour tutorial
• Additional past paper marking – to help with your exam preparation
• Revision tutorial –  to plan your revision and explore revision techniques
• Help with your UCAS application service

For further information on additional/optional support you can purchase, please visit our additional services page.

Exams (three):

• 30% of marks  (1 hour 45 minutes)
• 30% of marks  (1 hour 45 minutes)
• 40% of marks  (2 hours 30 minutes)

The exams are written, with no practical element, but throughout the exam you will be expected to use your understanding of practical theory – gained through the 16 core practicals within your course – to answer questions.

Non-exam assessment (NEA):

• an additional assessment providing opportunity to gain a practical skills endorsement to demonstrate practical skills as well as knowledge
• separately endorsed and reported as a separate grade
• does not contribute to the result of the A level  qualification
• for some university programmes, like medicine, you will need to have the endorsement as well as the A level

We know that our younger students often need an extra helping hand with their studies. In our experience learning online works best when either a parent or guardian are involved. This is why NEC has developed our unique Progress Tracker to help you to support your child.

NEC’s Progress Tracker will allow you to easily track your child’s progress across their subjects and gain insight to how well they are doing through access to their assignment grades and tutor feedback.  

Read more about how we work with young students who are studying at home or through a school.

Would you like to talk to our Course Advice Team about the best route for you? Visit our Contact Us page, fill in the form and a member of the team will get back to you!