Welcome to New Higher History course summary 2020-21
Content
Higher History is made up of 3 units
Unit 1 – Britain 1851-1951
A study of the development of the United Kingdom into a modern democracy and the development of the role of the state in the welfare of its citizens, illustrating the themes of authority, ideology and rights.
Unit 2 – Migration and Empire, 1830-1939
A study of population movement and social and economic change in Scotland and abroad between 1830 and 1939, illustrating the themes of empire, migration and identity.
Unit 3 – USA, 1918-1968
A study of the growing tensions in American society, focusing on racial divisions, economic difficulties, the growth of federal powers and the struggle for civil rights, illustrating the themes of ideology, identity and rights.
Internal assessment
Students are required to write essays demonstrating knowledge and providing structured analysis and arguments for both unit 1 & 3. They will also interpret and evaluate historical sources in unit 2. There will be a formal assessment at the end of each unit.
External assessment
There will be 2 exam papers worth 80 marks. Paper 1 will focus on essay questions with candidates completing 2 x 22 mark essays, 1 essay from unit 1 and 1 from unit 3. Paper 2 will focus on issue 2 and contains a mixture of knowledge and understanding and source handling questions. Both papers will be 1 hour and 30 minutes. There will also be an Assignment worth 30 marks in which learners will write an essay on their own research into a historical issue or question in hour 30 minutes. All of these skills progress from National 5.
Homework
Extension of class based assignments, essays and source answers and historical research for the externally marked assignment. 2 hours a week on average. We aim to incorporate homework as an integral part of the programme of study. Homework materials are used to underpin and extend classroom learning. Homework also supplements the formative assessment used with the department to determine the progress of pupils. We believe homework reinforces the skills of self-learning and self-discipline, vital to the nature of courses offered by the Department in the upper school. We operate a 100% homework policy and parents will be informed if tasks are not completed by students. We encourage parents to actively support and encourage pupils to complete homework.
Entry Requirements
National 5 History or any other Humanities subject or English.
Advanced Higher History
USA ‘A House Divided’, 1850-65: The American Civil War: A study of ante-bellum American society and tensions within it, particularly slavery. The causes and nature of the conflict; the political - Lincoln and the emergence of the Republican Party, social and economic outcomes, focusing on the themes of rights, identity and authority.
Internal assessment
Students are required to write essays demonstrating knowledge and interpret and evaluate sources of evidence using analytical skills. Students will also have the chance to engage with historical interpretations and to debate why they shape our view of the past.
External assessment
Students are required to write a 4,400 word dissertation during the year on a topic and question chosen and researched by the student. A 90 mark 3 hour examination assesses both essays and source skills.
Homework
Students are encouraged to spend time reading literature and watching videos, lectures and films relating to the course. Essay and source skill questions will be issued as homework tasks on a regular basis. We aim to incorporate homework as an integral part of the programme of study. Homework materials are used to underpin and extend classroom learning. Homework also supplements the formative assessment used with the department to determine the progress of pupils. We believe homework reinforces the skills of self-learning and self-discipline, vital to the nature of courses offered by the Department in the upper school. We operate a 100% homework policy and parents will be informed if tasks are not completed by students. We encourage parents to actively support and encourage pupils to complete homework.
Entry requirements
- Grade C or better in Higher History, Grade B or better in Higher Geography, Higher Modern Studies, RMPS or Higher English.
- Although students who achieve less than a B at Higher may, in our experience, find the course challenging. In previous years, students who have not previously studied Higher History have performed well in Advanced Higher History. The course, should
- be particularly suited to those who have studied Higher Modern Studies, Geography, RMPS or English and who wish to study another Advanced Higher.
