History

Our course has been designed to build on topics you may have already looked at such as the Wall Street Crash or New Deal, but also to allow you to study new and unusual topics such as the American Revolution or Crimean War.
 
Did you know History is one of the most common degrees among Presidents, Managing Directors and Comedians?
 
Who does this subject?
 
History is an excellent subject for a wide range of careers.  You can obviously go on to study Modern History, Medieval History, Victorian Studies, etc. and there are also degrees related to History such as American Studies, International Relations or even Egyptology. History can be studied in combination with thousands of other subjects such as languages, Sociology, Mathematics or Zoology, and there are also some subjects such as Law or Journalism which prefer their students to have History A level.  The majority of students who take History degrees don’t enter a field connected to History. Those who do can be teachers, archaeologists, tourist guides, museum workers and archivists. Others enter a wide range of professions including marketing, sales, retail, journalism, the armed forces, management, etc. to name just a few. In fact, the many skills you develop by studying History, such as analysis, research, communication and judgement, make it an ideal training for almost any profession.  It is a highly regarded subject.
Qualification: 
AS History
Length: 
Level 3 one year course, 4 periods per week
Unit 1: 

In this unit we look at how the US responded to a series of challenges both from outside and within the USA, ranging from the First World War to the rise of the KKK, from the Great Depression to Pearl Harbor.  We will look at the role of individual presidents, the factors working for and against change, and how policies and governments had to change to meet the various crises.

 

Unit 2: 
In this unit we look at how relations between the British Government and their American colonies gradually worsened to the point that a revolution was declared. We look at famous events such as the Boston Tea Party and the battles of Lexington and Concord. We analyse the reasons why the relatively weak Americans managed to win against one of Europe’s most powerful nations. 
 
What the department specifically offers that is noteworthy...: 

 The department offers a wide range of enrichment activities with regular visits to 6th form conferences in Manchester, Liverpool and London on topics such as the New Deal, where students hear speakers from a range of universities.  We work with other departments in the College, for example, English staff give talks on American literature to students studying the 1920s in the USA.  We take part in other activities such as a Model United Nations where our students represented South Africa and Sri Lanka and essay competitions where we have had successful entries such as in the British Association of American Studies Schools’ Essay Prize.

Because we take several American options, the department has excellent connections with the American Studies Centre at Liverpool and with the American Embassy.
 
A real departmental strength is the number of foreign trips we organise each year.  Recent visits include trips to Paris, Berlin and to the USA, visiting New York and Washington, including a visit to the White House.
Exam Board: 
AQA
GCSE Requirements: 
General College entry requirements. History GCSE is NOT required.