Modern Studies Totally Explained

Everything about Modern Studies totally explained

Modern Studies is a subject unique to the Scottish secondary school curriculum, that's concerned with the study of local, national and international issues from a social, political and economic perspective. Most pupils will study Modern Studies for all, or at least most, of 1st and 2nd Year of secondary school and thereafter may elect to study the subject during the following years towards Standard Grades or National Qualifications. Some schools don't teach Modern Studies as a discrete subject, choosing instead to integrate History, Geography and Modern Studies into a Social Subjects course.

The Modern Studies Concepts

Modern Studies is concerned with the study of seven key concepts;

Representation

Act, speak, or make decisions on behalf of other people, for example an MSP speaking for his/her constituents in the Scottish Parliament.

Rights and Responsibilities Freedoms we're entitiled to and duties or obligations we've as a result, for example the right to vote and the responsibility to use the vote wisely.

Participation Joining in, taking part, becoming involved, for example standing as a candidate in an election.

Ideology Ideas and beliefs of a political or economic system, for example the USA is a capitalist democracy.

Equality Having the same level of wealth, status or well-being; usually looked at in terms of inequality, for example some elderly people have a lower living standard than others.

Need What individuals, groups or countries must have to survive and develop; usually looked at in terms of whether needs are being met, for example some developing countries find it difficult to meet their basic needs.

Power Ability individuals, groups or countries have to act or influence how others act.

Modern Studies and the Primary Curriculum

Primary schools in Scotland follow the 5-14 guidelines, which sets out different areas to be covered. Environmental Studies covers social subjects among other things and therefore work on Modern Studies concepts and knowledge begins prior to secondary school.

Modern Studies in S1 and S2

Each school has the freedom to develop a course to suit the needs and interests of both pupils and teachers, but most will develop courses for study that are in line with the 5-14 guidelines.

Standard Grade

Most schools offer Standard Grade Modern Studies over S3 and S4 though some now offer National Qualifications instead. The Standard Grade course covers four different syllabus areas over two years:

Syllabus Area 1 - Living in a Democracy (covering Politics and Trade Unions)

Syllabus Area 2 - Changing Society (covering Elderly, Unemployed and Families)

Syllabus Area 3 - Ideologies (covering either the USA or China)

Syllabus Area 4 - International Relations (covering Politics of Aid and Alliances) 40% of the final exam consists of Knowledge and Understanding (KU) questions. The rest of the exam covers Enquiry Skills (ES) which are source based skills that are developed during the teaching of the course.

National Qualifications

Modern Studies is available at Access 3, Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2, Higher and Advanced Higher levels. Students who have achieved Credit passes (grades 1 and 2) at Standard Grade will be able to go on to study at Higher level; those with General passes (grades 3 and 4) will normally go on to study at Intermediate 2 level; those with passes at Foundation level will normally go onto study at Intermediate 1 or even Access 3 level. Advanced Higher level is studied by students who have passed the Higher course during their 5th Year, or an equivalent Higher Level pass in either History or Geography.

Modern Studies and University

Modern Studies doesn't exist as a separate subject at University level though it's a sound basis for further study of a range of subjects from which Modern Studies is composed, such as Politics, International Relations, Sociology and Economics.

Further Information

Get more info on 'Modern Studies'.

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