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Humanities

When a Prince Alfred College student finishes their humanities education, they understand the world around them; how it has been constructed, and their place in it. By studying history, geography, and philosophy, students learn about the forces that have shaped their world and gain the confidence to participate as global citizens in that world.

Students learn more than simple facts about a subject, they skillfully apply knowledge to build a deep understanding of topics. In an ever-changing world where it is increasingly challenging to sort truth from fiction, our students learn the importance of evidence, logic, and nuance; skills they will use daily in their life. By understanding the context of the world and how it operates, students are less likely to be swept along by it, and better equipped to be active participants in it.

Humanities fac

Humanities Year 7-10 Overview

Humanities in Years 7-10 plays an important role in the way that it presents students with examples of human behaviour and interactions, as well as various social, cultural, and environmental contexts.   

History is how we make sense of the past. It is not a list of what happened long ago, it is understanding the significance of what happened. Woven through each unit are key historical thinking skills such as cause and effect, perspective, empathy, significance, and evidence. The learning of History is compulsory for all students in Years 7-10. An advanced year 10 History course which delves deeper into the historiographical debate of key thematic concepts studied for that year will be offered based on merit.   

Geography is the study of places, and the relationships between people and their environments. Through the study of Geography, students explore both the physical properties of Earth's surface and the human societies spread across it, breaking down barriers between science, economics, politics, and history, and helping students to build a nuanced understanding of the world. Geography is studied in Years 7-9, and becomes an elective study for further specialisation in Year 10. Fieldwork is undertaken at all year levels, making the world our classroom.   

Philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence. Offered in Year 10 as an elective, it helps to develop student's ability to assimilate and assess new and unfamiliar ideas and information. It teaches sound reasoning methods and problem-solving strategies that work in all sorts of contexts, including new and unfamiliar ones. 

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IBDP Subjects and Pathways

IB humanities
Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS) - Group 3 or 4

Standard Level only - taught as an anticipated one year course at Year 11 or 12.

Course Description and Aims

Environmental systems and societies (ESS) is a dynamic interdisciplinary subject that takes 21st-century challenges and socio-environmental real-world issues and looks at them through the lens of human societies and the interrelationships of the natural world: biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere. Students explore how these relationships change over time and space, consider the potential adaptations and mitigations that human societies and the natural world may currently be undergoing, and how these could impact the future and our place in it.

The course is firmly grounded in both the scientific exploration of environmental systems in terms of their structure and function, and in the exploration of cultural, economic, ethical, political and legal interactions of societies with environment and sustainability issues. Consequently, ESS requires its students to develop a diverse set of skills, knowledge and understandings.

The interdisciplinary nature of the course means students gain a holistic understanding from the various topics studied; they undertake research and investigations, and participate in philosophical, ethical and pragmatic discussions about the issues involved, from the local to the global level.

Pre-requisites

As this is an anticipated course, there are pre-requisite subject requirements:

Year 11 – Year 10 Geography (A grade); with Year 10 Science as assumed knowledge

Year 12 – either Y11 Geography or Year 11 Biology

For SACE students – ESS can be your one non-SACE subject, and it is not precluded against either SACE Geography or SACE Biology

For IBDP students – ESS is flexible and can be studied as either Group 3 or Group 4 or as an additional Humanities or Science subject in Group 6

Assessment – 75% external assessment (examination) and 25% internal assessment (IA)

External assessment – 3 hours

  • Paper 1 (25%) – 1 hour – resource booklet with an unseen case study. Questions will be based on the analysis and evaluation of the data in the case study. Answer all questions
  • Paper 2 (50%) – 2 hours – paper made up of section 1 (part 1): short-answer and data-based questions, answer all questions. Part 2: structured essay response, with a choice question.

Internal assessment – 10 hours

  • Fieldwork based investigation

History (Standard or Higher Level) - Group 3 

Course Description and Aims 
The IB history course is focused on the following depth studies: The Move to Global War, Authoritarian states (20th Century), The Cold War, and the History of Europe (HL only).   

The IB history course involves the study of a variety of types of history, including political, economic, social, and cultural strands. It encourages students to think historically, to gain historical skills as well as gaining factual skills. The course puts a premium on developing skills of critical thinking and on developing an understanding of multiple interpretations of history. In this way the course involves a challenging and demanding critical exploration of the past. Teachers explicitly teach thinking and research skills such as comprehension, text analysis, and the use of primary sources.    

The course aims to encourage students to engage with multiple, complex perspectives of history, develop key historical thinking skills, and to increase a student’s understanding of the world.    

Higher Level Distinction 
HL students study an extra topic, ‘The History of Europe’, and complete an extra paper in their exam. This topic overlaps with SL topics. The skills they are assessed on differ from their SL counterparts as they are asked to: 

-reflect on methodology of historians 
-demonstrate higher levels of structure and analysis on their essay responses 
-demonstrate higher levels of research skills   

Assessment:
External Assessment (75% SL, 80% HL) 

Examination Paper 1 (30% SL, 20% HL):  
Source analysis paper written on ‘The Move to Global War’ topic.  

Examination Paper 2 (45% SL, 25% HL):  
Two essays written on ‘The Cold War’ and ‘Authoritarian states (20th Century)’. 

Examination Paper 3 (HL only, 35%):  
Three essays based on the depth study ‘The History of Europe’.  

Internal Assessment (25% SL, 20% HL).
Students write a 2200-word historical investigation essay on a topic of their choice. 

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SACE Subjects and Pathways

Sace humanities
Stage 1 Geography - 20 credits

Course Description:
Through the study of this subject, students develop an understanding of the spatial interrelationships between people, places, and environments. They appreciate the complexity of our world, the diversity of its environments, and the challenges and associated opportunities facing Australia and the world. 

Geography develops an appreciation of the importance of place in explanations of economic, social, and environmental phenomena and processes. It provides a systematic, integrative way of exploring, analysing, and applying the concepts of place, space, environment, interconnection, sustainability, scale, and change. Students identify patterns and trends and explore and analyse geographical relationships and interdependencies. They use this knowledge to promote a more sustainable way of life and an awareness of social and spatial inequalities 

The three themes in Stage 1 Geography around which content is organised are Sustainable Places, Hazards and Contemporary Issues 

Assessment: 
Assessment Type 1: Geographical Skills & Application 
Assessment Type 2: Fieldwork 

Assumed Knowledge: There are no formal prerequisites to Stage 1 Geography, however, prior study of Geography in year 10 will be advantageous.   

Stage 2 Geography - 20 credits

Course Description and Aims
Through the study of Geography, students develop an understanding of the spatial interrelationships between people, places, and environments. This course outfits students to appreciate the complexity of our world, the diversity of its environments, and the challenges and associated opportunities facing Australia and the world.    

Stage 2 Geography focuses on the transforming world through the following five topics, which are organised under the two themes of environmental change and social and economic change.    

Theme 1: Environmental Change  

· Topic 1: Ecosystems and people (examined)  

· Topic 2: Climate change  

  

Theme 2: Social and Economic Change  

· Topic 3: Population change (examined)  

· Topic 4: Globalisation  

· Topic 5: Transforming global inequality.  

Geographical skills are also developed through spatial technologies, mapping, and fieldwork.  

Assessment  

Internal Assessment (70%)  

  • Folio Tasks (40%). Students complete four folio tasks, 1000 words each.  
  • Fieldwork report (30%). Students complete a fieldwork report on a topic of their choice.   

External Assessment (30%)  

  • 130min exam  
Stage 1 Modern History - 20 Credits

Course Description and Aims 

Year 11 History students undertake the IB in Year 11. This equates to 20 SACE Stage 1 credit points. Completing the IB course in Year 11 rather than SACE Stage 1 allows students to focus on skill and content development. This leaves them well positioned to succeed in Stage 2 History.

Assessment

  • Essay
  • Comparative essay
  • Source Analysis
Stage 2 Modern History - 20 credits

Course Description: 
In the study of Modern History, students explore changes within the world since 1750, examining developments and movements, the ideas that inspired them, and their short term and long-term consequences for societies, systems, and individuals. Students study two topics, ‘Modern Nations’ in which the focus is China, and ‘The World Since 1945’ which focuses on The Cold War.   

Modern Nations: China  

In what is emerging as ‘The China Century’ this course aims to equip students with the necessary knowledge to understand the emergence and global ramifications of China’s rise.  A background study introduces students to the policies of Mao Zedong that resulted in the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. They consider the ways in which post-Mao China responded to those changes, underwent reform and modernisation following new social, political, cultural, and economic challenges.  

The following are focus areas for study in this topic:  

• Mao and the consolidation of the Revolution  
• the search for harmony  
• the road to modern China  

The World Since 1945: The Cold War  

The end of the Second World War saw the emergence of new superpowers. Students investigate ways in which the Cold War experience involved complex phases of reaction, reform, conflict, and compromise.   

The following are focus areas for study in this topic:  

• the origins and nature of the superpower rivalry  
• the end and consequences of the Cold War    

Assumed Knowledge: Year 11 History is a pre-requisite to selecting Stage 2 Modern History.    

Assessment
 School Based Assessment (70%)  
Four to five folio pieces (50%). Students will complete various writing tasks, 1000 words each.  
Historical Studies essay (20%). Students complete a 2000-word essay on a topic of their choice.     

External Assessment (30%)  

130min exam, comprising essay on China unit, and Source Analysis  

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