AWARD RECEIVED: 
Advanced Higher – Modern Studies 

 

ENTRY LEVEL: 
You will normally be expected to have attained a pass at Higher Modern Studies, preferably at grade A or B. It may also be possible to enter Advanced Higher Modern Studies with a pass at Higher Politics, preferably A or B, although first preference will be given to Higher Modern Studies students. Exceptional circumstances will be considered on their merits. 

 

COURSE CONTENT:
The course is Law and Order and Research Methods. It has three sections: Law and Order, Research Methods, and the Dissertation.  

1. Law and Order
This section focuses on the following two study areas: 

Understanding Criminal Behaviour: 
This unit considers: the definition, measurement and perception of crime, theories of criminal behaviour and the social and economic impact  of criminal behaviour. 
Responses by Society to Crime
This unit evaluates: current responses to crime and associated theories, police strategies, custodial and non-custodial sentences. 

2. Research Methods 
This section considers the advantages and disadvantages of different research methodologies, for example face-to-face interviews and surveys, and the moral and ethical issues associated with such studies.  

3. Project: Dissertation 
In this section you are required to carry out an independent research project which leads to the production of a 5000 word dissertation. The dissertation should be based on a contemporary issue raised in the Law and Order unit. This gives you the opportunity to develop, in a social science context, the skills of planning, researching, analysing, synthesising, drawing conclusions and presenting.  

 

TEACHING METHODS:
In Advanced Higher Modern Studies, you will be working as an individual for much of the time, however, paired, group and whole class activities will also take place. The lessons will focus on developing your skills through participating in presentations, debates, investigations and critically engaging with current news articles. Your teacher will endeavour to make your learning as active and engaging as possible.  Advanced Higher Modern Studies teaches you many skills that you will use in further and higher education and/or in later life. 

 

ASSESSMENT: 
You must complete a combination of assessments to successfully complete the course.   

	Advanced Higher
Added Value  (This is SQA language for a piece of course-work.)	In Advanced Higher the Added Value element is the dissertation. You will work on this throughout the year, in class and at home. It is submitted by April and is marked by the SQA. It is worth 50 marks – 36% of your overall grade.
Exam	The final exam is three hours and is worth 90 mark – 64% of your overall grade. It consists of 2 essays worth 30 marks each (60 marks) and a research section which has two 15 mark questions (30 marks).

 

HOMEWORK:
Specific homework exercises, which are marked and recorded by the teacher, are set throughout the course. However, many of your homework tasks require significant independent research, analysis, and organisation. Once the dissertation has been explained, this will become an ongoing homework task until it is complete.  

 

PROGRESSION:
An Advanced Higher award could lead to a university/college degree course and/or employment in fields such as: law, education, journalism and social work.