Modern Studies opens up the world of contemporary society for learners.
The purpose of Modern Studies is to develop the learner’s knowledge and understanding of contemporary political and social issues in local, Scottish, United Kingdom and international contexts. In these contexts, learners will develop an awareness of the social and political issues they will meet in their lives.
Modern Studies makes a distinctive contribution to the curriculum by drawing on the social sciences of politics, sociology and economics and where appropriate, of associated ideas drawn from other social subjects. It thereby adopts a multi-disciplinary approach.
The main aims of Modern Studies are to enable learners to develop:
- a range of research and information handling skills
- understanding of the democratic process
- understanding of social and economic issues at local, Scottish, national and international levels and ways of addressing needs and inequalities
- awareness of different views about the extent of state involvement in society
- awareness of the nature and processes of conflict resolution
- understanding of human and legal rights and responsibilities and their application in different societies
The Course is delivered in three units as follows:
- Modern Studies: Democracy in Scotland and the United Kingdom
Learners will develop skills by using sources of information in order to detect and explain examples of exaggeration & selectivity in the use of facts. Learners will develop a detailed knowledge and understanding of democracy in Scotland and the United Kingdom. They will develop a knowledge & understanding of the UK political structure including the place of Scotland within this and the debates around this arrangement. They will develop an understanding of their rights and responsibilities in contemporary democratic political society.
- Modern Studies: Social Issues in the United Kingdom
Learners will develop skills by using sources of information in order to make and give detailed justifications of decisions. Learners will develop detailed knowledge & understanding of social issues in the United Kingdom. They will focus on crime & the law. In the crime & the law context, learners will develop knowledge & understanding of the causes of crime, the impact of crime on individuals & society and the role of individuals, the police, the legal system & the state in tackling crime.
- Modern Studies: International Issues
Learners will develop skills by using sources of information in order to draw & give detailed support for conclusions. Learners will develop a detailed knowledge & understanding of international issues. Context for study will be a socio/economic & political study of a significant world power (USA). The study of a significant world power will focus on contemporary socio-economic issues and a study of its political system.
Assessment:
There are 3 internal assessments for both National 4 and 5. Both courses require the completion of a project (AVU). The National 5 course also requires pupils to take a prelim and a final SQA exam in May/June.
