A Level History

Why Study History?

History is a popular subject at A Level and the skills learned at GCSE will provide a solid foundation for further study in this subject. History will appeal to those pupils who wish to improve their analytical skills, enjoy investigation and discovery, enjoy debate and like putting forward a well-argued case.

The History Department at Dunottar has a good tradition of achieving excellent examination results and pupils benefit from experienced and well qualified teachers, good resources and small classes. We strive to offer pupils the opportunity to study contrasting periods of History so that a better breadth is achieved and this is particularly valuable for those pupils who go on to study History at university level and many previous pupils have done just that at a variety of Russell Group universities.

Course Outline and Assessment

At A Level we offer a balance of Early Modern and Modern History and a coursework topic of the pupils own choosing so they really engage with a topic that interests them. In Year 12 pupils focus on the Tudor period from 1485 until 1558 alongside Italian history in the late C19th and the dictatorship of Mussolini. These topics are built on in Year 13 with the addition of the study of 100 years of Russian history and a compulsory coursework option.

Pupils will complete a number of written examinations (80%) and an individual coursework task (20%).

What are the Career Opportunities?

In terms of future career pathways, History can lead to possible careers in teaching, law, journalism and heritage although the skills acquired through studying History are respected by many potential employers.