History A Level: Britain, France and China
QUALIFICATIONS NEEDED TO START THE COURSE
6 in history (if studied)
6+ in English language
IS THIS COURSE FOR YOU?
This A Level offers you the chance to explore three ‘superpowers’ of the modern age: Great Britain, France and China. This challenging and fascinating course allows you to study the rise and fall of ‘great’ nations and the nature of power, empire and imperialism. It will inspire and enrich you, ensuring you develop a deeper understanding of the world both as it was and as it is.
YEAR 12 COURSE SPECIFICATION
For this course you will study 2 exam units over the year. If you are studying the AS you will take the AS exam in both units at the end of year 12. If you choose to take the A level, you will be studying the first half of each unit (Empire and China) in year 12 and then complete a 3000-3500 word coursework essay on the French Revolution in the spring and summer term.
The three units you will study are:
- The British Empire, 1867-1967
- The Transformation of China, 1936-1997
- The French Revolution
YEAR 13 COURSE SPECIFICATION
For this course you will study 2 exam units over the two years. You will study the first half of each unit in year 12 and the second half of each unit in year 13 for the A level. In addition, you will also complete a 3000-3500 word coursework essay at the end of year 12 and hand it in at the beginning of year 13.
LEARNING AND SKILLS
- Builds and develops the history skills of evaluation and writing essays.
- Students will be expected to work with original and secondary documents.
- Visits to museums, lectures and archives for research.
- Individual work on coursework assignments.
- History students are able to analyse and develop a logical argument both in their written work and verbally.
- Students will research topics using sources, IT etc and select and use information accurately, being aware of different interpretations.
These are just some of the skills you will learn during the course.
EXAMINATION AND ASSESSMENT
EXAM BOARD: AQA
This table shows you the breakdown of what you would study in each year for A level:
UNITS |
TYPE OF ASSESSMENT |
DURATION |
WEIGHTING |
The British Empire, 1867-1967 |
Exam unit |
2 years |
40% |
The Transformation of China 1936-1997 |
Exam unit |
2 years |
40% |
The French Revolution |
3000 word essay (A level only) |
2 terms |
20% |
FUTURE PROSPECTS
History is well-regarded by universities and a range of different employers, as it teaches students important analysis and evaluation skills. Historians also feel confident in forming and justifying a clear and logical argument, which is a vital skill needed for further education and a wide range of different careers.
Example job titles of history graduates from SOAS include:
Account Executive |
Alumni Relations Assistant |