humanities A-Level For 16-19 Year Olds

A Level Modern History

COURSE OVERVIEW

Modern History is the fascinating story of human behaviour and the people and moments that have shaped our world. You will have the opportunity to study aspects of world history from a variety of different periods.

EXAMINATION BOARD: AQA

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:

Standard college entry requirements plus a grade 5 in GCSE History (if studied at school) and grade 5 in GCSE English Language or English Literature.

Why study A Level Modern History at Blackpool Sixth?

By studying History at Blackpool Sixth you will gain skills that are sought after by universities and employers whilst investigating three of the most turbulent and dramatic periods of history. You will also get the opportunity to visit Berlin and Krakow as well as hear talks from leading historians.

How will I be taught?

A range of methods including discussion and debate, group work and independent research.

Teacher expertise

Our history teachers have studied these topics at university level and have examined for both A level papers.

What skills will I develop?

Analysis
Evaluation
Effective written and verbal communication.
Students follow careers in areas such as law, journalism, teaching and management.

How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed at the end of the second year by two examinations worth 40% each.
You will also complete a piece of coursework worth 20%.

100

40% The Tudors
40% The Cold War
20% NEA /Coursework

What will you study and other information about A Level Modern History

What will I study?

Topic 1 – The Tudors

Rich with exploration, execution, conflict and conspiracy, the reign of the Tudors is a fascinating period of British history. Learn how Henry VII forged a great dynasty on the battlefield. Investigate Henry VIII’s megalomania and how his desire for a divorce reshaped religion in England. Discover whether the nine year old Edward was capable of continuing his father’s legacy and if Mary I really deserved the title ‘Bloody Mary’. Lastly, study the reign of arguably England’s most famous Queen, Elizabeth I, who defeated the Spanish Armada and established England as a European power.

Topic 2 – The Cold War 1945 -1991

Capitalism vs. Communism. The West vs. the East. The USA vs. The USSR. The Cold War period has fundamentally shaped the modern world. Discover how differences of ideology led the victorious allied powers of WWII into fear and suspicion, which would last until the fall of the Berlin Wall and arguably still continues. Investigate how this conflict spread across the globe into Vietnam, Korea and Cuba as we try to answer the question ‘who really won the Cold War?’

Topic 3 – Personal Study / coursework

The personal study offers you the unique opportunity to independently research a topic of your interest. Whether you would like to uncover the mystery behind the collapse of Tsardom in Russia or the truth surrounding the reign of King John this unit prepares you for further study.
Equipment and Financial contributions

No purchases are required for this course.

Students may wish to purchase their own course textbooks for the A level course: “The Cold War 1945 – 1991” (Oxford AQA History) ISBN 978-0-19-835461 – 1 and “AQA Tudors” textbook ISBN 978-1-4718 -3758-6. Each textbook is approximately £20 – £25. However, copies of these will be made available in class.

Students may also wish to purchase the Hodder revision guides for each examined module at a cost of £10 each.

Online booklets are provided for each unit.
Field trips, projects and employability opportunities

The History cohort have the opportunity to visit Berlin and Krakow, exploring the long term effects of the Cold War. We also invite guest speakers from a range of universities to give lectures on aspects of the course.

Topic 3 – Personal Study / coursework

The personal study offers you the unique opportunity to independently research a topic of your interest. Whether you would like to uncover the mystery behind the collapse of Tsardom in Russia, the true extent of Martin Luther King’s significance, or the truth surrounding the reign of King John, this unit prepares you for further study.

Where does it lead?

History students go on to study a wide variety of university courses. History prepares students very well for university as it teaches the skills of analysis, evaluation, and effective written and verbal communication. Students follow careers in areas such as law, journalism, teaching, and management. In recent years a number of our students have been successful in gaining places at Oxbridge to study history.

Helping you to find your dream career

Blackpool Sixth is dedicated to helping students achieve their future goals. We offer support to our students to help them find the best path for their chosen career.

To see how this course links to career pathways and to career academies which you could join, click the links below.