EPQ Ideas

The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is a standalone qualification that can be taken as an extension of A levels, Level 3 qualifications or vocational qualifications.

Whilst for many students attempting the EPQ essay on top of existing workload can seem daunting, it can help them stand out with both universities and employers if the subject is well picked. Some universities even reduce their entry requirements (A level offers) for students undertaking EPQs: an EPQ earns extra UCAS points

Many students choose to get started over the summer holidays, so now is a wonderful time to start thinking about it, aiming for feedback from tutors and teachers before the rush and stress of summer term exams and deadlines.

What should you write your EPQ on?

An EPQ should be aligned with the subject you want to take at university, or with your chosen career path. This will make it useful to both you and to any future employer, and could maybe even offer ideas for a dissertation later.

Make sure it´s of genuine interest to you: around 120 hours of work writing something you started off disinterested in or ending up hating will be a disincentive to stick with it and do well.

Remember that someone will be reading it: if the writer has no passion for the subject, it will be a chore to write and consequently a chore to read. And if it's a subject you are interested in, it's a subject you will pour more time and effort into when the summer sunshine, friends, holiday jobs and even the gaming station are competing for your summertime attention.

One of the best sources for sparking ideas that we have found at Pink Storage is to be found on the Oxford Royale Academy website, where they offer a list of ideas to build from. With ideas for law, medicine, psychology, biology, teaching, history, economics, business studies, literature, art, languages, sport, architecture, maths, physics, chemistry, engineering, computer science, ethics, politics, sociology, geography and religious studies, it's pretty comprehensive.

However, use it to spark promising ideas rather than take one of their suggested topics: students must use this opportunity to prove their ability to think independently for a university to consider it valuable. For the same reason, don't choose a subject that's part of an A level unless there is something new to say that isn't covered by the curriculum.

To kick off, write down everything you already know about the subject, to help ferment further ideas. Is there something there you'd enjoy knowing more about?

Subject broadly decided, it's time to plan. What will you read? Will you interview anyone? Keep your subject in mind. By knowing what your topic will cover, broadly, you can keep an ear out for opportunities: films, videos, books and ideas that crop up along the way.

Once your EPQ gets underway, the important things like setting word counts, structure etc will follow, but the start point will always be the subject you choose. It pays to consider carefully rather than snatching at it last minute, and ending up with a topic you hate.  You´re perhaps going to live with it for a year.

“Don´t ask, don´t get” is the old saying. The sooner you decide your topic, the sooner you can run it past friends, family, tutors whose opinions you can choose to consider or reject as you see fit. And who knows? Ask the right person and they may just be able to give you a hand up the information finding 'ladder, or know a thing or two themselves that might help.

About Pink Storage’s Student Storage Offer

Pink Storage provides secure, competitively priced self storage facilities across Wales and the North West of England.

Student storage is currently available  at its sites in Cardiff, serving locations including Cardiff University, Swansea, and Manchester.

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