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All curriculum guides/UK A-Levels/History

UK·Subject guide

History

A-Level History (AQA 7042), against the DfE/Ofqual subject content.

Editorially reviewed26 July 2026·A-Levels
Revision ↗︎Complete topic map ↓Official sources ↗︎
History·A-Levels
Topic nodes
16
Pathways and specifications
2
Nations and regions
1
Public references
2
Contents+
  1. 01Overview
  2. 02Complete topic map
  3. 03Where this subject applies
  4. 04Official sources
  5. 05In-depth guides

Contents

  1. 01Overview
  2. 02Complete topic map
  3. 03Where this subject applies
  4. 04Official sources
  5. 05In-depth guides

Overview

History

A-Level History (AQA 7042), against the DfE/Ofqual subject content.

Subject guide
A-Levels
Topics mapped
16

Complete topic map

Complete topic map

Every topic recorded for this subject in the curriculum is reproduced below in its full hierarchy. The descriptions reflect the mapped scope without implying additional exam rules.

  1. 01

    Component 1: Breadth study (Period studies)

    An externally examined study of change and continuity across a span of roughly a century or more, chosen from a set of period options covering British, European and world history.

  2. 02

    1C The Tudors: England, 1485-1603

    A breadth option tracing the establishment and consolidation of Tudor monarchy through religious, political, economic and social change across the dynasty.

  3. 03

    1H Tsarist and Communist Russia, 1855-1964

    A breadth option examining the development and collapse of autocracy and the rise of the Soviet state across reform, revolution and dictatorship.

  4. 04

    1K The making of a Superpower: USA, 1865-1975

    A breadth option following America's transformation from Reconstruction to global superpower through expansion, economic growth and social conflict.

  5. 05

    1L The quest for political stability: Germany, 1871-1991

    A breadth option charting Germany's search for stable government from unification through empire, republic, dictatorship and division to reunification.

  6. 06

    Component 2: Depth study (Thematic studies with sources)

    An externally examined in-depth study of a shorter period, assessing the analysis and evaluation of primary source material alongside causation and significance.

  7. 07

    2E The English Revolution, 1625-1660

    A depth option exploring the breakdown of relations between Crown and Parliament, civil war, regicide and the experiment in republican government.

  8. 08

    2N Revolution and dictatorship: Russia, 1917-1953

    A depth option analysing the Bolshevik seizure of power and the consolidation of Communist rule through Lenin's and Stalin's regimes.

  9. 09

    2O Democracy and Nazism: Germany, 1918-1945

    A depth option investigating the fragility of Weimar democracy, the rise of the Nazi Party and the nature of the Nazi state and its impact.

  10. 10

    2Q The American Dream: reality and illusion, 1945-1980

    A depth option assessing post-war American society, prosperity, civil rights and political turbulence against the ideal of the American Dream.

  11. 11

    2R The Cold War, c1945-1991

    A depth option examining the origins, escalation and easing of superpower rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union.

  12. 12

    Component 3: Historical investigation (Non-exam assessment)

    An independently researched personal study, typically spanning around a hundred years, in which students form a question and reach a substantiated judgement.

  13. 13

    Analysing change and continuity over time

    A required skill of identifying and explaining patterns of development, turning points, similarity and difference across the periods studied.

  14. 14

    Causation, consequence and historical significance

    A required focus on explaining why events happened, their effects, and assessing the relative importance of factors and developments.

  15. 15

    Analysis and evaluation of primary sources

    The skill of weighing the value of contemporary source material with regard to its content, context, provenance, tone and purpose.

  16. 16

    Historical interpretations and historians' debates

    The study of how and why the past has been interpreted differently, evaluating differing scholarly arguments and judgements.

Where this subject applies

Where this subject applies

These pathways and regions are explicitly connected to the subject in the curriculum.

Pathways and specifications

  1. 01

    AS-Level

    Advanced Subsidiary — the first year of A-Level study (standalone or first half of the full A-Level).

  2. 02

    A-Level (A2)

    The full Advanced Level — AS content plus the second-year A2 content.

Official sources

Official sources

The public sources below are referenced directly by this subject or by one of its topics.

This editorial selection points to the relevant official bodies. Always confirm current requirements, dates and amendments with your school or college and the appropriate awarding organisation.

2
Public references

S·01Department for Education (DfE)GCE AS and A level subject contentOpen source↗︎S·02Ofqual-regulated awarding bodies (AQA, OCR, Pearson, WJEC/Eduqas, CCEA)Awarding-body A-Level specifications & assessment objectivesOpen source↗︎

In-depth guides

In-depth guides

G·01How to read your A-Level specificationYour specification is the contract your exam is written from. How to find the right one, read it the way an examiner does, and turn it into a checklist you can revise against.5 min read→G·02Your A-Level revision plan: an 8-week methodA realistic eight-week A-Level revision plan: an honest audit first, then subjects in rotation with active recall, and full past papers on the clock to finish.8 min read→G·03How do A-Levels work? Papers, grading and results explainedExam boards and specifications, AS and A2, assessment objectives, A* to E grading and where results come from: how A-Levels fit together — without the myths.7 min read→

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