What are the two components of Eduqas A-Level Art and Design?

Component 1 is the Personal Investigation, worth 120 marks and 60 percent: a sustained, independent practical portfolio on a self-chosen theme, integrated with a personal study of continuous critical prose of at least 1000 words. Component 2 is the Externally Set Assignment, worth 80 marks and 40 percent: a response to an Eduqas-set paper of starting points, with a preparatory period and a final outcome made in 15 hours of sustained focus under supervision. Both are marked against all four objectives, internally assessed and externally moderated.

What is the personal study and how long is it?

The personal study is the written element of the Personal Investigation: a piece of continuous, critical prose of at least 1000 words exploring the contextual sources behind the practical work, illustrated and supported by a bibliography. Eduqas integrates it into Component 1, so it carries marks against all four objectives, especially AO1, and should connect directly to the practical work rather than sit apart from it.

How does the Externally Set Assignment work?

Eduqas releases a question paper of broad starting points, normally from 1 February of the final year. The candidate chooses one and works in two phases: a preparatory period (investigating, experimenting and recording, carrying AO1, AO2 and AO3) that arrives at a resolved plan, then 15 hours of sustained focus under supervision in which the final outcome is made (AO4). The preparatory work is fixed once the supervised period begins, and the outcome must connect to it.

What are the endorsed titles, and do they change the assessment?

The endorsed titles are Art, Craft and Design; Fine Art; Graphic Communication; Textile Design; Three-Dimensional Design; Photography; and Critical and Contextual Studies. They share the same four objectives, the same two components and the same marks, so the assessment is identical. The title sets the breadth and focus of practice expected: Art, Craft and Design requires more than one discipline, while the specialist titles expect depth in their field.

Is there a written exam in Eduqas Art and Design?

No. The whole grade comes from the two portfolio components. The personal study is the only extended writing, and it is coursework, not a timed paper. The only timed, supervised element is the 15 hours of sustained focus in which the final outcome of the Externally Set Assignment is made, and that is for making a planned piece, not for sitting an exam.

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Eduqas A-Level Art and Design the two components: a complete overview of the Personal Investigation and Externally Set Assignment

A complete overview of the two components of Eduqas A-Level Art and Design: Component 1 the Personal Investigation (60 percent) with its personal study, and Component 2 the Externally Set Assignment (40 percent) with its preparatory period and 15-hour supervised outcome, and how the marks and titles work.

Generated by Claude Opus 4.815 min readEduqas-Art-and-Design-ComponentsUpdated 2026-06-02

Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed

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What this module covers
The shape of the qualification
Component 1: the Personal Investigation (60 percent)
Component 2: the Externally Set Assignment (40 percent)
How the marks sit across the components
Check your knowledge

What this module covers

Eduqas A-Level Art and Design is assessed by two components, both portfolios, with no written exam. This overview ties the five dot-point pages of the module together: the course and title structure, Component 1 (the Personal Investigation and its personal study), and Component 2 (the Externally Set Assignment and its 15-hour supervised period). Understanding the components is the foundation for planning a course that earns marks across all four objectives.

The shape of the qualification

The A-Level is 200 marks, split between two components and assessed entirely by portfolio. The course is linear (assessed at the end), offered as endorsed titles (Art, Craft and Design; Fine Art; Graphic Communication; Textile Design; Three-Dimensional Design; Photography; Critical and Contextual Studies) that share the same assessment but focus on different practices, and everything is judged against four equally weighted objectives.

Component 1: the Personal Investigation (60 percent)

The Personal Investigation is the larger component, 120 marks and 60 percent. It is a sustained, independent practical project on a theme you choose, integrated with a personal study.

The practical portfolio is the body of investigative and resolved work, evidencing all four objectives.
The personal study is a piece of continuous critical prose of at least 1000 words, illustrated and referenced, exploring the contextual sources behind the practical work and integrated with it.

It is student-led and sustained, and the strongest investigations show a focused line of enquiry that develops across the project with the writing and making sharing one concern.

Component 2: the Externally Set Assignment (40 percent)

The Externally Set Assignment is 80 marks and 40 percent. Eduqas releases a paper of broad starting points (normally from 1 February), and you respond to one in two phases.

The preparatory period carries AO1, AO2 and AO3: you investigate sources, experiment with media and record first-hand, arriving at a resolved plan.
The 15 hours of sustained focus under supervision carry AO4: you make the final outcome, working from preparatory work that is fixed once the supervised time begins.

The quality of the final outcome depends on thorough preparation, because the supervised time is for making, not deciding.

How the marks sit across the components

Each component is marked against all four objectives. In the Personal Investigation that is 30 marks per objective (120 total); in the Externally Set Assignment it is 20 marks per objective (80 total). The A-Level total is 200 marks, graded A* to E, with centres marking internally and Eduqas moderating a sample.

Eduqas A-Level Art and Design has two portfolio components and no written exam. Component 1, the Personal Investigation (120 marks, 60 percent), is a sustained, independent practical project on a self-chosen theme integrated with a personal study of at least 1000 words of continuous critical prose, illustrated and referenced. Component 2, the Externally Set Assignment (80 marks, 40 percent), responds to an Eduqas-set paper of starting points (released from 1 February) through a preparatory period (AO1, AO2, AO3) and 15 hours of sustained focus under supervision for the final outcome (AO4). Both are judged against four equally weighted objectives (30 marks each in Component 1, 20 each in Component 2), across endorsed titles that share the assessment, marked internally and moderated by Eduqas.

Check your knowledge

Name the two components with their marks and weightings. (2 marks)
What are the two integrated elements of the Personal Investigation, and how long is the written one? (2 marks)
What are the two phases of the Externally Set Assignment, and which objectives does each carry? (2 marks)
How long is the supervised period, and what is the main rule about the preparatory work during it? (2 marks)
Do the endorsed titles change the assessment? (1 mark)

Sources & how we know this

WJEC Eduqas GCE A Level Art and Design specification — Eduqas (2015)
GCE AS and A level subject content for art and design — Department for Education (2015)