A Level History Home Study Course

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A Level History Distance Learning Course

Pay in full and receive £100 off this month only, RRP £395 now £295

Did you know UK Open Learning sends out the whole course when you order with us and not in sections like some other training providers?

 Neither are our courses on-line so you can study wherever you are such as on a train without the need for computer access.

A LEVEL - HISTORY

Exam Format
A Level History consists of 4 units in total:
AS Level = 2 units
A2 Level = 2 units

AS Level
Unit 1: HIS1A – HIS1N, Change and Consolidation
Written examination: 1 hour 15 minutes

Unit 2: HIS2A – HIS2S, Historical Issues: Periods of Change
Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes

A2 Level:
Unit 3: HIS3A – HIS3N, The State and the People: Change and Continuity
Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes

Unit 4: HIS4X, Historical Enquiry
Coursework: Approximately 3500 words on an analysis of a historical issue

Course summary
Understanding the past is key to decoding the present. This makes our A Level History course interesting and engaging, providing detailed insights into modern British history as well as developing key analytical and research skills. 

The completion of AS and A2 equates to fulfilment of a full A-level. 

Read on to find out more about our History A Level distance learning course and how you can learn with our amazing materials and online support.

Course Content
An outline of what is offered in our A Level history course:

AS Level
Unit 1 – Change and Consolidation
Britain, 1603-1642
Totalitarian Ideology in Theory and in Practice, c1848-c1941

Unit 2 - Historical Issues: Periods of Change
The Impact of Chairman Mao: China, 1946-1976
A Sixties Social Revolution? British Society 1959-1975

A2 Level
Unit 3 – The State and the People: Change and Continuity
France and the Enlightenment: Absolution Under Threat, 1743-1789
The state and People; Britain 1918-1964

Unit 4 – Historical Enquiry

Course Outline in Detail:

Unit 1 - Change and Consolidation
Overview:
This unit promotes the understanding of change over time, of at least 50 years.  Focuses on how governments establish themselves and respond to the need for change.    The student will develop a strong sense of historical perspective and understand the relationships between key feature and characteristics of the period of study.

Britain, 1603-1642
An overview is provided of the changing relationships between Crown, Parliament and people in Britain during the reigns of James I and Charles I.

Part 1
The Reign of James I: the Establishment of the Authority, 1603-1618
The position of the monarchy, the ideas of James I and the union of the two crowns
King James I England and VI Scotland – The man
The divine right of kings and the royal prerogative
The position of the Church under James I, including his response to challenges from Roman
Catholics and Puritans
The Elizabethan settlement of 1559
James and his relationship with the various religious communities
James I’s relationship with Parliament, including conflicts over finance
The form of Apology of the House of Commons
The Committee of the whole house – 1607
The influence of Court favourites

Part 2
The Stuart Monarchy, 1618-1629
The foreign policies of James I and Charles I
The career and influence of Buckingham
Religious issues and rise of Arminianism
Parliament 1618–21
Relations between Crown and Parliament

Part 3
The Personal Rule of Charles I, 1629-1640
The ideas of Charles I on monarchy and the concept of Divine Right
Charles I’s rule without parliament
The role and influence of Wentworth
Religious issues including Laud’s reforms, and the influence of Catholicism at Court
1629-40 – Personal Rule and financial issues
Archbishop Laud
The role and influence of Wentworth – earl of Stafford

Part 4
Charles and the Origins of the Civil War, 1640-1642
The reasons why Charles I recalled Parliament, including his difficulties with Scotland and Ireland
Opposition and faction within the Parliament, including the role and influence of John Pym
The actions of Charles I in the political crisis of 1640-1642
Reasons for the outbreak of war
The nineteen propositions

Totalitarian Ideology in Theory and in Practice, c1848-c1941
An overview of the development of totalitarian ideologies as they developed from the mid-nineteenth century.  An opportunity to investigate three totalitarian regimes and the extent to which ideology shaped them.

Part 1
The USSR and Marxism

Marxist stage theory, including the dictatorship of the proletariat and how it was adapted by Lenin and Stalin
Bolsheviks versus the Mensheviks
The intolerance of diversity in the 1930’s, with reference to economic, political, religious and cultural diversity, including and purges
Three stages of Stalin’s rise to power

Part 2
Stalin’s Soviet Union in the 1930s
State measures used to achieve economic progress
Why did Stalin carry out the purges?
The cult of Stalin

Part 3
Fascist Ideology and Italian Fascism
History of Fascism
Features of Fascist Ideology
Different Strands within Fascism
How Mussolini adapted Fascism

Part 4
The Italian Fascist state of the 1930s
Suppression of political diversity
Woman in Fascist Italy
Racism against Germans and Slavs
The intolerance of diversity with reference to political, economic, religious and cultural diversity

Part 5
Nazi Germany
Nazi ideology, with reference to nationalism, socialism, race and anti-semitism and Volksgemeinschaft
The rise to power of Adolf Hitler
Development of Nazi Ideology
Hitler’s rise to power 1928-33
Political background to Hitler’s chancellorship
Establishment of Hitler’s Dictatorship – January 1933-August 1934

Part 6
The Nazi State in the 1930s
Nazi Germany’s intolerance of diversity
Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) 1938
Propaganda and the Nazi leadership
The Fuhrerprinzip (Principle of the Fuhrer)
The Totalitarianism of the three regimes

Unit 2 - Historical Issues: Periods of Change
Overview:
Unit 2 promotes the study of significant periods of history in depth.  An understanding of the complexity of historical process is established. 

The Impact of Chairman Mao: China, 1946-1976
An opportunity to analyse the extent to which Mao Zalong transformed China in the years between the start of the Civil War in 1946 and his death in 1976.

Part 1
The Impact of Chairman Mao: China, 1946-1976
The strengths and weaknesses of the Guomindang at the start of the civil war, including the role and influence of Chiang Kai Shek
Communist retreat
The long march

Part 2
The Civil war, 1946-1949
Political and military strength of the CCP in 1946
Ideological differences between Nationalist and Communists
The people republic of china is born
Reasons for the ultimate Communist victory

Part 3
The Consolidation of Power, 1949-1953
The ideology and leadership of Mao Zedong
Opposition to Mao within the communist party
Role of the communist party in the new government
Social reforms, including the emancipation of woman and universal education

Part 4
Economic planning and its results, 1953-1967
Move to collectivisation
Industry and the First Five-Year Plan 1953-7
The collectivisation of agriculture, 1953-1957
The hundred flower campaign

Part 5
The Great Leap Forward, 1958-1960
Ideology behind Great Leap Forward
Agricultural Communes
Failure of the Great Leap Forward
The third five year plan, 1962-1967

Part 6
The Cultural Revolution and its aftermath 1966-76 
Origins of the Cultural Revolution
The course of the Cultural Revolution
Spread of the Cultural Revolution October 1966-Jan 1967
Reasons for the de-radicalisation of the Cultural Revolution

Part 7
The effects of the Cultural Revolution
Effects on Cultural and Intellectual Life
The Shanghai Radical
Lin Biao’s enforced exit
How Mao’s death affected China

A Sixties Social Revolution? British Society 1959-1975
Investigate the nature and the extent to which there was social and cultural changes in Britain during the 1960s

Part 1
The political framework, 1959-1964
The effect of post-war prosperity by the end of the 1950s
The 1950 General Election and its significance

Part 2
Leadership of Harold Macmillan and Sir Alec Douglas-Home 1959-64
Harold Macmillan’s leadership
The Profumo affair
Change in conservative leadership

Part 3
Cause of social and cultural change in the sixties
Increased purchasing power and the growth in the consumer spending
Scientific advances, colour television and mass communications

Part 4
Growth of Mass Media
The expansion of mass media, including, growth of television, changed in radio, the press and the spread of advertising

Part 5
Increase of Leisure Time
Leisure at home
Environmental changes
Tourism and foreign influences

Part 6
Changes in Culture and Society
The emergence of youth culture, new trends in fashion and popular music

Part 7
Youth Rebellion and Radicalism
Student Radicalism
Anti-War demonstrations
The rise of CND

Part 8
Social changes
The abolition of the death penalty
Abortion, Divorce, Homosexuality
Cinema, Literature, Television,
Challenges to traditional ideas of women’s role in society
Changing moral attitudes and the debate surrounding social change and the permissive society

Part 9
The Government and modernisation of society, 1964-1975
The election of the labour government of 1964
Edward Heath’s conservative government 1970-74

Part 10
Greater equality for woman – early 1970s
Progress towards the equality for woman
Changes to property law, divorce law
The Equal Pay Act of 1970, Sex Discrimination Act of 1975

Part 11
Education
Tony Crosland and the comprehensive schools
University expansion and Open University

Part 12
The beginnings of Multiculturalism
The extent of New Commonwealth immigration in the 1960s
The issue of settlement and nationality: the response of the political parties, trade unions and the mass media to immigration
The extent to which Britain was a multicultural society by 1975

Unit 3-The State and the People: Change and Continuity
Overview:
Unit 3 promotes an understanding of change and continuity over approximately 50 years.  The relationship between the state and the people are explored.  Develops students understanding of how a particular issue, such as the impact of religious belief, interacted with other issues in a short period and how this issue changed in significance over the 50- year period.

France and the Enlightenment: Absolution Under Threat, 1743-1789
Covering the crisis of the French monarchy under Louis XV and Louis XVI.
Part 1
Louis XV: The ‘Well Beloved’, 1743-1764
Attempted assassination; rumours of the kings involvement in the pacte de famine and the affair of the innocents.
The Role of the ministers and favourites
 Conflicts between King and Parliament

Part 2
Louis XV, 1764-1774: The Return of Absolutism?
Brittany affair and the Maupeou revolution
The Trimvirate
Growth of the press and rise of the public sphere
The Philosophes and religion

Part 3
Louis XVI: Pressure on absolutism – 1774-1787
Louis XVI – personality
Politic under Louis XVI
The Diamond necklace affair
Finance 1774-1787

Part 4
The collapse of the ancient Regime 1787-1789
Marie Antoinette’s reputation and influence in government; aristocratic reaction
Necker’s problems and planning for the Estates General
Economic situation of the populace.

The state and People; Britain 1918-1964
Overview of change and continuity in Britain from the end of the First World Was to the election of 1964, through periods of peace and war to an era of consensus and affluence.

Part 1
Victory and Crises: 1918-1931
Lloyd George and post-war reconstruction
The First Labour Government 1929: aims, policies and problems
Baldwin and the Conservative government 1924-1929
Strengths of the Conservative Party
Cultural changes – the role of woman and social and cultural mores

Part 2
The National Government and inter-war changes, 1931 – 1939
Social and economic conditions
Social impact of the depression in Britain
Government economic policy – unemployment and poverty
The Abdication Crisis and its impact 1936

Part 3
The impact of war and post-war reconstruction, 1939-1951
Churchill’s coalition government 1940-1945
The Beveridge Report 1941
The General Election of 1945
Leading Members of the Labour Government

Part 4
Post War Economic Problems
Labours Nationalisation Programme
Creation of welfare state; education and social policies

Part 5
General Election of October 1951
Conservative Government 1951 -1964
Churchill’s Government 1951-55
Anthony Eden’s Government 1955-57

Part 6
Conservatives and the Economy 1951-64
Quality of life under the Conservatives
Main developments 1957-64
Britain and European Economic Community
Consensus politics

Unit 4 – Historical Enquiry
Overview of the Module:
Students will be required to submit a Historical Enquiry, based on the investigation of a historical issue.  The issue must be of sufficient depth and detail whilst covering 100 years.  The issue must allow focus on a significant issue or debate.

Students should evaluate a range of sources, which may include: textbooks, biographies, diaries, TV programmes, films, paintings, newspapers, museums and the internet.  A historical enquiry based on a range of appropriate secondary sources will also be acceptable. 

The topic chosen must be set on either a country or period different to that studied in Unit 3.  If the chosen topic covers part of the chronological period in either unit 1 or unit 2 then the focus of the enquiry must be on significantly different material.  In order to avoid duplication and overlap, a chronological and thematic approach should be taken.

Summary of Assessments
Unit 1 – Change and Consolidation
• 25% of A Level
• 1 hour 15 minutes written examination
• 72 marks

Unit 2 - Historical Issues: Periods of Change
• 25% of A Level
• 1 hour 30 minutes written examination
• 72 marks

Unit 3 - The State and the People: Change and Continuity
• 30% of A Level
• 1 hour 30 minutes written examination
• 90 marks

Unit 4 – Historical Enquiry
• 20 % of A Level
• Coursework unit
• 60 marks
• Approximately 3500 words on an analysis of a historical issue

Assignment Information
Throughout the course there will be self-assessment questions, and tutor marked questions, to enable students to monitor their progress.

Recommended hours of study
It is recommended that 150 hours of your time should be allocated towards study for the AS examinations.

It is recommended that 150 hours of your time should be allocated towards study for the A2 examinations.

Support
As a student of UK Open Learning you will have access to tutor via email who will mark your work and guide you through the course to ensure you are ready for your examinations.

Examination Centres
UK Open Learning will provide you with a list of examination centres but it is entirely your responsibility to find a centre which will accept you as an external candidate.

In some cases you should be prepared to travel to another town or city to take your exams.

The contract for sitting exams is between you and the centre and we will provide you with comprehensive instructions on when and how to deal with the examination centre.

Please visit AQA for exam information.

http://www.aqa.org.uk/admin/p_private.php

Entry Requirements
Basic English reading and writing skills.  It is recommended that students should have acquired the skills and knowledge associated with a GCSE History course or equivalent.

Qualification
AS +A2 = A level in History. Both AS and A2 level courses and examinations must be successfully completed to gain a full A level.

Language of Examination
Units are provided in English only

Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do your courses meet the latest syllabus changes?
A. yes, all our course materials meet any changes and will be updated free of charge if further changes are made.

Q. Why do I have to find a centre myself?
A. We have students all over the UK and Europe and it is impossible for us to arrange dates and times for individual students.

Q. What if I cannot find an examination centre in my home town?
A. If you wish to gain the qualification then be prepared to travel it is worth it!

Q. How much are exam fees?
A. These vary from centre to centre so please check with your local centre.

Q. Are the courses paper based or on-line?
A. All our courses are paper based and come in attractive sturdy folders.

Q. How do I contact my tutor?
A. Tutors are all working Teachers or Lecturers so contact is by email only.

Q. Why can I not take my exams when I have completed the course and why do I have to wait?
A. Exams are taken at the same times as schools and colleges and are not flexible.

Q. I want to take my exams but there are only a few months to study, is this possible?
A. Depending on the time of year, it is sometimes impossible to complete your studies in a short space of time as your work has to be marked and checked. More importantly the examination boards have cut off times which are not flexible. See our web site for further information.

Q. Will I receive UCAS points on completion of this course?
A. Yes all of our A Levels carry UCAS points. The number of points awarded will depend on the grade you achieve.