Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in English Literature - Qualification Outline - First teaching from September 2015

Oct 20, 2026

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Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level (IAL) in English Literature: qualification outline detailing the course structure and assessment model. Covers first teaching from September 2015, with first assessments in June 2016 and January 2017 depending on unit. Explains externally assessed units, including IAS Poetry and Prose plus Drama, and IA2 Poetry and Prose plus Shakespeare and pre-1900 poetry, specifying availability windows, open-book rules, text selections, and typical essay question formats and durations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Qualification outline timeline

Unit Poetry and Prose (IAS)

Unit Drama (IAS)

Unit Poetry and Prose (IA2)

Unit Shakespeare and pre-1900 Poetry (IA2)

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in English Literature | Qualification Outline | | --- | | First teaching from September 2015 | | First assessment from June 2016 | Introduction This qualification outline document sets out an overview of the content and assessment for the new Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level (IAL) in English Literature. The document has been provided to help teachers plan for the delivery of the new IAL qualification ahead of first teaching in September 2015 and the final publication of the Specification and Sample Assessment Materials (SAMs) documents. You can be assured that the structure of the qualifications, overarching topics and texts and the first assessment availability set out in these documents are confirmed, to enable you to plan your approach to delivery of this qualification with confidence. Please note: the unit titles provided in this document are indicative, and there maybe minor changes to the unit titles and content and assessment details in the final Specification and SAMs. Therefore it is important that you obtain copies of these when they are available in August 2015. Your Regional Development Manager will be able to support you with this. We hope that you find this document helpful, if you have any questions please email: [internationalqualifications@pearson.com](internationalqualifications@pearson.com) and we will be happy to answer these. 1 Unit Poetry and Prose (IAS) Externally assessed Availability: January and June First assessment: June 2016 | Overview of content | | --- | | Poetry & prose:
• Prescribed poems from a post-2000 anthology
• One post-2000 novel chosen from a prescribed list
• Open book examination. | | Section A Post-2000 Poetry
Prescribed poems from a pre published poetry anthology. | | Section B Post-2000 Prose
The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini The Life of Pi – Yann Martel White Tiger– Aravind Adiga Brooklyn – Colm Toibin
Purple Hibiscus – Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche | Overview of assessment Length: 2 hours Section A Poetry: • Students answer one essay question from a choice of two on their studied prescribed poems • Both essay questions will be comparative with one named poem from the studied text, plus a free choice of second poem from the prescribed list. • The named poems will be printed on the question paper Section B Prose: • Students answer one essay question from a choice of two on their studied prose text. 2 Unit Drama (IAS) Externally assessed Availability: January and June First assessment: June 2016 | Overview of content | | --- | | Drama:
• One pre 1900 drama chosen from the prescribed list
• One post 1900 drama chosen from the prescribed list
• Open book examination. | | Section A Pre-1900 drama
Doctor Faustus – Christopher Marlowe The Rover – Aphra Benn
She Stoops to Conquer-Oliver Goldsmith Othello – William Shakespeare
Twelfth Night -William Shakespeare | | Section B Post 1900 drama
Death of a Salesman – Arthur Miller
A Raisin in the Sun-Lorraine Hansberry A Streetcar Named Desire – Tennessee Williams Top Girls – Caryl Churchll
Waiting for Godot – Samuel Beckett | Overview of assessment Length: 2 hours Section A Pre 1900 drama: • Students answer one essay question from a choice of two on their studied pre 1900 drama text. Section B Post 1900 drama: • Students answer one essay question from a choice of two on their other studied drama text. 3 Unit Poetry and Prose (IA2) Externally assessed Availability: January and June First assessment: January 2017 Overview of content Poetry & prose: • Post 1900 unprepared poetry • Prose: one theme to be selected from a choice of four themes • Two novels from the prescribed list to be studied on the selected theme • Open book examination. Section B Themes and texts Growing Up What Maisie Knew – Henry James Great Expectations – Charles Dickens The Co

FAQs

When does first teaching start and when are first assessments available?

First teaching starts in September 2015. First assessment is in June 2016, with January and June availability for IAS units and January 2017 noted for IA2 units.

What is the overall assessment structure for the IAS Poetry and Prose unit?

It is externally assessed with a 2-hour exam and includes Section A Poetry (comparative essays based on prescribed post-2000 poems) and Section B Prose (one essay question based on a chosen prose text).

How do the IA2 Poetry and Prose and Shakespeare and pre-1900 Poetry units approach text choice?

IA2 Poetry and Prose uses unprepared post-1900 poetry plus prose based on one selected theme with two prescribed novels on that theme. Shakespeare and pre-1900 Poetry uses one Shakespeare play from a prescribed list and pre-1900 poetry from specified literary movements.

Oct 20, 2026

Uploaded by Bintang