AS Level History (HIST-S)

AS Level History (HIST-S)

Course Description
What will I learn on this course?
AS
Possible options for Units 1 and 2 (you will have to do one British and one non-British unit):

· Britain, 1603-1642 (Unit 1 course)

· Britain, 1906-1951 (Unit 1)

· France in Revolution, 1774-1815 (Unit 1)

· Britain, 1902-1918: The Impact of New Liberalism (Unit 2)

· A New Roman Empire? Mussolini's Italy, 1922-1945 (Unit 2)

· Life in Nazi Germany, 1933-1945 (Unit 2)

A2
Possible options for Unit 3:

· British Monarchy: the Crisis of State, 1642-1689

· Triumph and Collapse: Russia and the USSR, 1941-1991

· Aspects of International Relations, 1945-2004

Unit 4
Historical Enquiry . This unit requires students to produce a coursework essay which tests understanding of change over 100 years. Students are required to identify an issue and undertake an enquiry, demonstrating some awareness of historiography. A range of sources will be consulted and evaluated. Students will receive close supervision and guidance from their teacher but they will be encouraged to choose an area of personal interest. This might involve examining a key event (such as a war or a revolution) or a significant individual (such as Henry VIII, Napoleon Bonaparte, Winston Churchill or Martin Luther King) within the context of 100 years.

N.B. All of these options are based upon the AQA exam board syllabus and are subject to change.

What kind of assessments will I have to complete to get my qualification?
AS (Exam only)
Unit 1 : A period study in British, European or World History, promoting an understanding of change over time, usually of at least 50 years. The students answer two 2-part questions from a choice of three in an exam lasting 1¼ hours. (Worth 25% of the A level).

Unit 2 : A partly source-based unit based on a topic in British, European or World History, promoting the study of a significant period of history in depth. The exam paper comprises a two-part source based question and a two-part essay question in an exam lasting 1½ hours. (Worth 25% of the A level).

A2 (Exam and Coursework)
Unit 3 : An exam-based unit on a topic in British, European or World History, requiring an understanding both in depth and breadth. The students answer two essay questions from a choice of three in an exam lasting 1½ hours. (Worth 30% of the A level)

Unit 4 : A coursework essay of c.3500 words which allows the students to investigate a subject of their own choice from a (c.100-year) period of British, European or World History. It is internally marked and externally moderated. (Worth 20% of the A level)

What kind of student is this course suitable for?
The course will appeal to students who:

· Have an interest in the way that the world has developed through the ages

· Enjoy investigation, research and discovery

· Enjoy debate and like putting forward a well-argued case

· Want to improve their analytical skills

· Want to study a subject which encourages them to consider evidence and make up their own minds

· Want to broaden their AS or A Level science studies to include a humanities subject

· Want to keep their options open - history is commonly regarded as a useful qualification for a wide range of higher education or career choices.

Entry Requirements
What do I need to know or be able to do before taking this course?
It is not a formal requirement that you have studied History at GCSE in order to take an AS or A Level course in this subject (but if you have then you need to achieve at least a grade B). A number of the topics offered for study are developments from GCSE, but there are also plenty of topics offered which are likely to be new to most students. It is more important that you have an enquiring mind, an interest in the past and its relevance to current affairs, and an ability to communicate your ideas effectively.