Modern Studies

S1

Democracy

S2

Conflict and Co-operation

S3

Crime and Law

The course uses a multidisciplinary approach to develop candidates’ knowledge and understanding of contemporary political and social issues in local, Scottish, United Kingdom and international contexts. Candidates develop the skills to interpret and participate in the social and political processes they will encounter in their lives.

Candidates develop:

• a range of research and information-handling skills including: evaluating information/ evidence in order to support and oppose a view; making decisions and drawing conclusions; constructing detailed arguments; communicating views, opinions, decisions and conclusions based on evidence

• detailed understanding of the democratic process

• detailed understanding of social and economic issues at local, Scottish, national and international levels

• ways of addressing needs and inequalities

• an understanding of different views about the extent of state involvement in society

• an understanding of the nature and processes of conflict resolution

• an understanding of human and legal rights and responsibilities and their application in different societies

The units we study for N4/N5 are:

1. International Issues - USA

2. Democracy in the UK

3. Crime and the Law

Higher

The three units we study are,

• Social Issues - Social Inequality

• International Issues - USA

• Democracy in the United Kingdom

Skills, knowledge and understanding for the course

The following provides a broad overview of the subject skills, knowledge and understanding developed in the course:

• developing and applying factual and theoretical knowledge and understanding, and giving detailed explanations and analysis of:

  • the democratic processes, institutions and organisations which make up political life in Scotland and the United Kingdom

  • a major social issue in the United Kingdom, focusing on either social inequality or crime and the law

  • an international issue, focusing on either a political and socio-economic study of a major world power or a contemporary world issue

• analysing, evaluating and synthesising a wide range of evidence which may be written, numerical and graphical to:

• detect and explain the degree of objectivity in contexts which may be familiar or unfamiliar

• draw and support conclusions in contexts which may be familiar or unfamiliar

• analysing and evaluating a wide range of evidence which may be written, numerical and graphical to explain the degree of reliability in contexts which may be familiar or unfamiliar

• researching, analysing, evaluating and synthesising a wide range of evidence which may be written, numerical and graphical to make and justify decisions in contexts which may be familiar or unfamiliar

The units we study is Political issues alongside developing research skills.

Skills, knowledge and understanding for the course

The following provides a broad overview of the subject skills, knowledge and understanding developed in the course:

• applying knowledge and understanding of complex political or social issues in the United Kingdom and adopting an international comparative approach

• justifying and analysing complex political or social issues

• analysing, evaluating, and synthesising a wide range of evidence and arguments

• analysing and evaluating sources of information and social science research methods

• planning, researching, collecting and recording information

• explaining approaches to organising, presenting and referencing findings

• synthesising information to develop a sustained and coherent line of argument, leading to a conclusion, supported by evidence

National 5

Higher

Advanced Higher