National 4 and 5 Courses

Next year S4 classes will sit the new National 4 and 5 courses instead of Intermediate 1 and 2.

National 4 is equivalent to the Intermediate 1 while National 5 is equivalent to Intermediate 2.

Pupils who sit the National 5 in S4 could progress to the Higher qualification in S5, and those who sit the National 4 could progress to sit the National 5 in S5.

Purpose and aims of the Course

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.  The Course will develop the skills to help learners interpret and participate in the social and political processes they will encounter now and in the future.

In S4 students will be offered Modern Studies at either National 4 or 5 level.  They will be presented at the appropriate level depending on their progression within social subjects in S3.

National 4 Skills and Assessment

The National 4 course will be internally assessed.  Students will be required to pass each unit and also to complete an assignment.

Through the successful completion of this Course learners will develop a range of important and transferable skills including:

• understanding and using evidence on contemporary issues to make decisions and draw conclusions
• evaluating evidence in order to give straightforward explanations while detecting bias and exaggeration
• constructing straightforward arguments in a balanced and structured way

National 4 Assignment:

Students will be able to choose an area of research from one of the units studied to explore in greater depth.  They will be expected to conduct research with guidance and support from their teacher and present their findings in an appropriate manner.

National 5 Skills and Assessment

The National 5 course will include an external assessment and a research assignment conducted in timed conditions and externally marked by the SQA.

Throughout the course students will learn to demonstrate the following higher-order cognitive skills:

• detecting and explaining exaggeration or selectivity in the use of facts using complex sources of information
• making and justifying a decision using complex sources of information
• drawing and supporting conclusions using complex sources of information
• giving detailed descriptions and explanations with analysis

National 5 Assignment:

Students will be able to choose an area of research from one of the units studied to explore in greater depth.

They will be expected to conduct research with minimal guidance and support in order to research their chosen topic.  They will learn to evaluate the effectiveness of different research methods and use their research to present their findings through the form of a written assignment.

Units of work

Unit 1: Democracy in Scotland

Learners will develop knowledge and understanding of the UK’s political system, including the place of Scotland within this system.

Learners will learn about the nature of the political system in the UK and go on to explore in more depth the political system within Scotland through researching the following:

• MSPs: ways in which MSPs represent constituents in local area and the Scottish Parliament.
• Local Councils: role of councils in providing local services and councillors in representing local areas.
• Voting System: the main features of, and the outcomes of, the system used to elect the Scottish Parliament and understand the strengths and weaknesses of this system.
• Voting: how to vote, election campaigns in Scotland, rights and responsibilities related to voting.
• Rights and responsibilities and opportunities for participation in groups which can influence political society in Scotland.
• Case study of the impact of the media or pressure groups on democracy in Scotland.

Unit 2: Crime and the Law in Scotland and the UK.

In the crime and the law context, learners will focus on the causes of crime, the impact of crime on individuals and society and the role of individuals, the police, the legal system and the state in tackling crime.

• Evidence of extent of crime such as official reports and academic research.
• Causes of crime, such as poverty/deprivation, social exclusion, family influence, peer pressure, alcohol/ drug misuse.
• Consequences of crime on individuals/ families, communities and the wider society.
• Responses to crime, such as local community, police, courts/ sentencing, legislation including role of Children’s Hearing system.

Unit 3: The study of a world power: The USA

In this study students will learn about current socio-economic issues within the USA and it’s political processes.

• Socio-economic issues such as employment, income, migration, housing, health, education, crime and the law. The study will focus on the nature and causes of the issue and attempts to address the issue.
• Political systems: rights and responsibilities in the political system, opportunities for (and limits to) participation in the political system, the representation of citizens in the political system.
• The impact of the USA on other countries.
• Evaluation of the success of the USA in tackling a key socio-economic issue (for example healthcare provision).