Cambridge AS & A Level- History
Cambridge International AS and A Level History is a flexible and wide-ranging syllabus covering modern history in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The syllabus builds upon skills gained at Cambridge IGCSE or Cambridge O Level and develops lifelong skills including understanding issues and themes within a historical period.
The emphasis is again on both historical knowledge and on the skills required for historical research. Learners develop an understanding of cause and effect, continuity and change, similarity and difference, and use historical evidence as part of their studies. At AS learners can select from topics on European, American or International history.
At A Level learners can select from topics on European, American, African, Southeast Asian and International history. Teachers choose which periods to focus on, allowing them to build a course that reflects their learners' interests and staff specialisms, or which is relevant to the local or regional context.
Aims of the Syllabus
The syllabus aims to develop-
• An interest in the past and an appreciation of human endeavour
• A greater knowledge and understanding of historical periods or themes
• A greater awareness of historical concepts such as cause and effect, similarity and difference, and change and continuity
• An appreciation of the nature and diversity of historical sources available, and the methods used by historians
• An exploration of a variety of approaches to different aspects of history and different interpretations of particular historical issues
• The ability to think independently and make informed judgements on issues
• An empathy with people living in different places and at different times
• A firm foundation for further study of History.
Syllabus
AS LEVEL-
1. Component 1 Document question
(source-based)
Liberalism and Nationalism in Italy and Germany, 1815–1871
The Origins of the Civil War, 1846–1861
The Search for International Peace and Security, 1919–1945
2. Component 2 utline study
Modern Europe, 1789–1917
The History of the USA, 1840–1941
International Relations, 1871–1945
A LEVEL-
1. Component 3 Interpretations question
(source-based)
The Causes and Impact of British Imperialism, c.1850–1939
The Holocaust
The Origins and Development of the Cold War, 1941–1950
2. Component 4 Depth Study
Europe of the Dictators, 1918–1941
The History of the USA, 1945–1990
International History, 1945–1991
African History, 1945–1991
Southeast Asian History, 1945–1990s
Objectives of Assessment
Candidates are assessed on their ability to-
1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding
- Recall, select and use historical knowledge appropriately and communicate knowledge and understanding of History in a clear and effective manner
- Demonstrate an understanding of the past through explanation, analysis and arriving at a substantiated judgement of: key concepts such as causation, consequence, continuity, change and significance within an historical context, the relationships between key features and characteristics of the periods studied
2. Analyse, Evaluate and Apply
- As part of an historical enquiry, analyse and evaluate a range of appropriate source material with discrimination
- Analyse and evaluate, in relation to historical context, how aspects of the past have been interpreted and represented in different ways
Assessment
A Cambridge International A Level qualification in History can be achieved either as a staged assessment over different examination series or in one examination series.
AS Level Candidates take-
Component 1 Document question
Time- 1 hour
Marks- 40%
Component 2 Outline study
Time- 1 hour 30 minutes
Marks- 60%
A Level Candidates take-
Component 1 Document question
Time- 1 hour
Marks- 20%
Component 2 Outline study
Time- 1 hour 30 minutes
Marks- 30%
Component 3 Interpretations question
Time- 1 hour
Marks- 20%
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