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Bishop Thomas Grant School

A Level History

Entry Requirements: Grade 6 in GCSE History and Grade 6 in GCSE English Literature

If you have not taken History, need a Grade 6 in another Humanities subject such Geography, RE, Sociology or Economics as well as a grade 6 in English Literature.

Exam Board: AQA

Course content:

Component 1J: The British Empire 1857 - 1967

  • Why did the British Empire grow and contract? · What influenced imperial policy? · What part did economic factors play in the development of the British Empire? · How did the Empire influence British attitudes and culture? · How did the indigenous peoples respond to British rule? · How important was the role of key individuals and groups and how were they affected by developments?

Component 2R: The Cold War 1945 – 1991

  • The Origins of the Cold War, c1945–1949 · The Developing Cold War, 1949–1960 · The Kennedy and Khrushchev era, 1960–1962 · The Cold War and the era of Détente, c1962–1976 · The New Cold War, 1976–1985 · The Ending of the Cold War, 1985–1991

Component 3: Historical Investigation

  • Was slavery the root cause of the American Civil War?

Assessment

Year 13 Students sit two A-level exams on component 1J and 2R that are both worth 40% of the final grade. They also complete a coursework essay over the summer before Year 13 that is worth 20% of their final grade. Collectively the two A-level exams and coursework determine the grade the candidate receives.

The A-level exams are both 2 hours 30 minutes. In both papers candidates will be presented with one source work question in section A that they have to answer. Candidates will then be presented with three further essay questions in Section B and will answer two of these questions. The exam covers both the content taught in Year 12 that was examined in the AS examination alongside the content taught in Year 13. The coursework is a 3,000 – 3,500 word essay that requires the candidate to identify, explain and evaluate the causes of the American Civil War.

Career value

The ability to analyse, synthesise and evaluate information from a variety of sources and present it clearly and convincingly is a key skill in many professions. Therefore, historians are particularly sought after in education (including postgraduate research and teaching), journalism, media, publishing, politics, law, marketing, accountancy, administration, management and sales.

Other Skills Developed History develops a wide range of transferable skills. Students must learn to discover information using books, periodicals, the press, databases and the internet. They learn to read for meaning, to take useful notes, to memorise relevant details, to construct complex arguments and to illustrate them by referring to specific historical situations. They learn to examine and evaluate evidence of documents and images. They compare the evidence of historians of conflicting view and try to arrive at their own conclusions as to their reliability. Students learn to present arguments convincingly, both orally and in writing. Complimentary A-levels History can be taken alongside a range of A-level choices, but it does compliment subjects such as Politics, Geography, Economics, RE, Sociology, Psychology and English Literature. It also works well as the focus topic of an EPQ.

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