Qualification
AQA A-level History
AQA specification 7042, combining British and American history with an independent Historical Investigation.
AQA A-level · Specification 7042
Online A-level History Course
Explore political, social and economic change in Britain and the United States while developing the analytical, source-evaluation and essay-writing skills required for AQA A-level History. The course also guides you through a compulsory independent Historical Investigation.
Immediate access to the online course
60 lessons across six History modules
Optional tutor marking, tutorials and NEA support
Start your History course
£14.99 / month
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£24.99
Includes:
- Course materials subscription
- Academic induction session and booking fee
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Course overview
Examine change, evidence and historical interpretation
A-level History develops your ability to investigate the past, weigh evidence and construct well-supported historical arguments. You will examine political, economic and social change across nineteenth- and twentieth-century Britain and post-war America.
The British breadth study covers the period from the Great Exhibition of 1851 to the transformation of Britain by 1964. The American depth study explores prosperity, inequality, civil rights, foreign policy and political change in the United States between 1945 and 1980.
The full A-level also contains a compulsory Historical Investigation. This extended independent study examines Black American inequality between approximately 1780 and 1900 and develops your ability to use primary sources, secondary scholarship and contrasting historical interpretations.
Course structure
6 modules · 60 lessons
Study historical skills, Britain from 1851 to 1964, the United States from 1945 to 1980 and the NEA topic.
Recommended study time
Approximately 700 hours
Students should normally allow two years for lesson study, wider reading, assignments, revision and coursework.
Enrolment
Start at any time
There is no fixed term date, although the examination year and compulsory NEA timetable must be planned carefully.
Assignments
17 tutor-marked assignments
Develop historical knowledge, essay writing, source evaluation, interpretation analysis and coursework skills.
Written assessment
2 written papers
Each examination lasts two hours and 30 minutes and contributes 40% of the final qualification.
Non-exam assessment
3,500–4,500 words
The independent Historical Investigation contributes 20% of the A-level and must be supervised and authenticated.
Entry and grading
Grades A*–E
The two written papers are taken in the same examination series, alongside the completed Historical Investigation.
Plan the Historical Investigation early
The coursework should not be left until the end of the course. Students should begin considering their research focus during the first year and work on it alongside the second-year modules. The final version must normally reach the tutor by 15 March in the examination year, although submission by 1 March or earlier is strongly recommended.
Flexible home study
How the A-level History course works
Begin with the introductory lessons on historical study and research before working through the British and American history modules in sequence. Each lesson combines structured course material with recommended reading, source work and activities designed to develop historical argument.
Regular assignments provide opportunities to practise essay writing, source evaluation and the analysis of historical interpretations. Suggested answers help you understand the depth, balance and structure expected in A-level responses.
The Historical Investigation is completed alongside the taught course rather than left until the end. Students who want Oxford Home Schooling to supervise and authenticate their NEA must maintain regular contact with their tutor and complete the required body of assessed work.
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Enrol and start online
Enrol at any time and receive immediate access to your online History course. Your included academic induction session helps you understand the structure and plan your studies.
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Study the historical periods
Work through the lessons on Britain, the United States and Black American inequality, supported by wider reading and historical source material.
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Develop historical arguments
Use assignments to practise analytical essays, source evaluation, historical interpretation and substantiated judgement.
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Complete the exams and NEA
Later lessons prepare you for the two written papers and guide you through researching, drafting and submitting the Historical Investigation.
Flexible additional support
Add marking and tuition when you need it
Assignment marking, Email Tutor Support, one-to-one tutorials, mock-exam marking and printed materials can be purchased separately. Students requiring Oxford Home Schooling to authenticate their Historical Investigation must arrange the required marking and tuition in good time.
NEA authentication through Oxford Home Schooling
If you want Oxford Home Schooling to supervise and authenticate your Historical Investigation and act as the entering centre, you must purchase marking for at least six tutor-marked assignments and book a minimum of three hours of one-to-one tuition. Your tutor must have seen enough of your work and discussed the investigation with you sufficiently to authenticate it as your own.
Course content
What you’ll study
The course contains 60 lessons arranged across a short introductory module and five main subject modules. You will examine Britain between 1851 and 1964, the United States between 1945 and 1980 and Black American inequality between approximately 1780 and 1900.
Introduction How to Study History at A-level Develop the research, evaluation and critical-thinking skills needed for advanced historical study. 2 lessons
- Making History
- History in the Age of the Internet
Module 1 Victorian and Edwardian Britain, c1851–1914 Study political, economic and social change from the Great Exhibition to the eve of the First World War. 13 lessons
- Britain in 1851: Pride and Uncertainty
- Social Challenges
- Ireland, 1845–1886
- Mid-Victorian Boom — and Flight
- The Working Classes and Self-Help
- Party Politics, 1851–1886
- Play the Game: Victorian Sport
- Education
- Waning Power
- The Working Class: Organisation and Representation
- Ireland, 1886–1914
- Politics, 1886–1906
- Edwardian Twilight: Liberal Britain, 1906–1914
Module 2 Prosperity, Inequality and Superpower Status, 1945–1963 Explore post-war America, the Cold War, McCarthyism, civil rights, economic prosperity and the Kennedy presidency. 12 lessons
- The USA in 1945
- The USA as a Superpower
- Reconstruction and McCarthyism
- Racial Tensions and Civil Rights, 1945–1952
- Eisenhower
- The US Economy in the 1950s
- USA and the Cold War, 1952–1960
- Racial Tensions and Civil Rights, 1952–1960
- JFK and the 1960 Election
- Challenges to US Authority Internationally in the Early 1960s
- JFK and Civil Rights
- The USA by 1963
Module 3 The World Wars and Their Legacies: Britain, 1914–1964 Examine war, political realignment, social change, Ireland, the Welfare State and post-war affluence. 11 lessons
- The Impact of the First World War
- Ireland, 1914–1964
- Post-War Challenges, 1919–1929
- The Rise of Labour
- The Role of Women, 1906–1939
- Social and Cultural Change During the Inter-War Period
- The Changing Political Landscape in the Inter-War Period
- The National Government and Economic Crisis
- The Wartime Coalition Government
- The New Jerusalem: Labour, 1945–1951
- ‘Never Had It So Good?’ Britain, 1951–1964
Module 4 Challenges to the American Dream, 1963–1980 Study Johnson, Vietnam, protest, Nixon, Watergate, Ford, Carter and America’s changing international position. 12 lessons
- LB Johnson as President
- Vietnam and US Foreign Policy
- Racial Tensions and Civil Rights
- Social Divisions and Protest Movements
- The 1968 Presidential Election and Its Aftermath
- The Restoration of Conservative Social Policies
- Vietnam and the Limits of American World Power
- The Watergate Affair
- The Ford and Carter Presidencies
- The Position of the USA as a World Power in the 1970s
- Racial Tensions and Civil Rights in the 1970s
- The USA in 1980
Module 5 Black American Inequality and the Historical Investigation Investigate slavery, civil war, Reconstruction, Jim Crow and Black agency before completing the compulsory NEA. 10 lessons
- The Founding Fathers and Slavery
- Black Americans Before the Civil War
- Causes of the American Civil War
- The Civil War and the End of Slavery
- Presidential Reconstruction
- Congressional or Radical Reconstruction
- The Development of Jim Crow
- The Supreme Court and Jim Crow
- Black Agency
- Working on Your Historical Investigation
Practice Examination — Component 1G
Practice Examination — Component 2Q
Historical Investigation — Component 3
Begin the NEA before completing the taught modules
Although the Historical Investigation appears in the final module, research and title planning should begin much earlier. The investigation can develop in the background while you continue studying the later British and American history lessons.
Exams and assessment
How the course is assessed
AQA A-level History is assessed through two written examination papers and a compulsory Historical Investigation. The examinations assess historical knowledge, source evaluation and interpretations, while the NEA requires sustained independent research and extended historical argument.
Both written papers are taken in the same examination series. The Historical Investigation must be supervised, authenticated and completed in time for marking and moderation before the written examinations.
Breadth study
Component 1G · Challenge and Transformation: Britain, c1851–1964
2 hours 30 minutes
Exam duration
80 marks
Available marks
40%
Of the qualification
Answer one compulsory interpretations question and two essays selected from a choice of three.
Depth study
Component 2Q · The American Dream: Reality and Illusion, 1945–1980
2 hours 30 minutes
Exam duration
80 marks
Available marks
40%
Of the qualification
Answer one compulsory question based on contemporary primary sources and two essays selected from a choice of three.
Historical Investigation
Component 3 · Non-exam assessment
3,500–4,500 words
Required length
40 marks
Available marks
20%
Of the qualification
Research and write an independent historical investigation using primary and secondary sources and evaluating differing historical interpretations.
Component 1
Historical interpretations
The British breadth paper includes a compulsory question assessing different interpretations of the past.
Component 2
Primary-source evaluation
The American depth paper includes a compulsory question based on sources contemporary to the period.
NEA supervision
Independent but authenticated
The investigation must be the student’s own work, completed through an approved process of planning, drafting, supervision and authentication.
Grading
Grades A*–E
The full A-level is linear, with both written papers taken together. NEA marks may normally be carried forward to a later retake.
Arranging your assessment
History requires coordinated NEA and written-exam entry
Oxford Home Schooling supervises, authenticates and marks the Historical Investigation and acts as the primary entering centre. The student must also find a suitable local examination centre to host the two written papers.
To use the Oxford Home Schooling NEA service, students must purchase marking for at least six tutor-marked assignments and book a minimum of three hours of one-to-one tuition.
Support & add-ons
Add extra History support when you need it
Your subscription provides the structured online course materials and suggested answers required for independent study. Assignment marking, mock-exam feedback, one-to-one tuition, NEA supervision and printed materials can be purchased separately. Current prices for linked course add-ons are shown below.
Written feedback
Assignment marking
Submit analytical essays, source questions and interpretation work for detailed feedback on historical knowledge, argument, evidence, structure and judgement.
Assignment marking bundle£143.86
NEA supervision
One-to-one History tutorials
Use live tutorials to discuss your research question, sources, historical interpretations, outline and permitted draft feedback with your tutor.
Required for OHS authentication Minimum 3 hours
Exam preparation
Mock exam marking
Complete examination-style British and American History papers and receive feedback on source analysis, interpretation, essay structure, timing and final revision priorities.
Mock examination marking bundle£57.00
Ongoing guidance
Email Tutor Support
Ask brief course-related questions when a historical issue, source, interpretation or assignment requirement needs further clarification.
Email Tutor Support£10.00 / month
Printed materials
History course pack
Add printed, spiral-bound copies of the course materials if you prefer to read, annotate and revise away from the screen.
Printed course materials£50.00
NEA authentication requirement
Combine marking with tuition
For Oxford Home Schooling to supervise and authenticate your Historical Investigation, you must purchase marking for at least six tutor-marked assignments and book a minimum of three hours of one-to-one tuition. The tutor must also see a draft of the investigation before the final version is submitted.
Explore your options
See all available History support
Prospective students can compare the available support services. Existing students can purchase History marking, tutorials and other course-specific add-ons through their account.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about the A-level History course
Find answers about starting the course, the historical periods studied, written examinations, the Historical Investigation, tutor support and exam entry.
Can I start the History course at any time?
Yes. There are no fixed term dates, but the compulsory Historical Investigation means that your examination year and coursework timetable must be planned carefully.
How long should I allow for the course?
We recommend allowing approximately 700 hours of study and normally completing the A-level over two years. This allows time for wider reading, assignments, examination preparation and the Historical Investigation.
Which specification does the course cover?
The course prepares students for AQA A-level History specification 7042.
Which historical periods will I study?
You will study Britain from 1851 to 1964, the United States from 1945 to 1980 and Black American inequality from approximately 1780 to 1900 for the Historical Investigation module.
How is A-level History assessed?
Component 1 is a two-hour-and-30-minute British History paper worth 40%. Component 2 is a two-hour-and-30-minute American History paper worth 40%. The Historical Investigation is worth the remaining 20%.
What is the Historical Investigation?
It is an independently researched essay of between 3,500 and 4,500 words. It must examine an issue across approximately 100 years, use primary and secondary sources and evaluate differing historical interpretations.
Which NEA topic does this course support?
The supported topic concerns Black American inequality in the United States between approximately 1780 and 1900. Students then develop an approved question within that topic.
Can I choose a completely different NEA topic?
The specification permits other topics, but Oxford Home Schooling strongly recommends using the supported topic. A different topic may require separate AQA approval and would not be supported by the supplied course materials or tutors.
When must the Historical Investigation be submitted?
The final version must normally reach the tutor by 15 March in the examination year, with no extension beyond that date. Submission by 1 March or earlier is strongly recommended so that revision can then take priority.
What must I buy for Oxford Home Schooling to authenticate my NEA?
You must purchase marking for at least six tutor-marked assignments and book a minimum of three hours of one-to-one tuition. You must also follow the required planning and drafting process so that the tutor can authenticate the final work as your own.
Will my tutor comment on several NEA drafts?
No. The regulations permit formal comments and guidance on one draft only. Tutors can discuss planning and provide limited appropriate guidance, but cannot repeatedly rewrite or correct successive drafts.
Do I need a local examination centre?
Yes. Oxford Home Schooling handles the Historical Investigation and primary-centre arrangements, while a suitable local centre is needed to host the two written examination papers.
Is tutor marking included in the subscription?
No. The course contains activities and suggested answers for independent study, but personal tutor marking must be purchased separately for individual assignments or as a marking bundle.
Should I study the modules in order?
The taught modules should normally be studied in sequence. However, preliminary reading, title planning and research for the Historical Investigation should begin before you reach the final module.
Ready to begin?
Start your online A-level History course
Enrol at any time and begin working towards the AQA A-level History qualification through a structured, flexible home-study course.
- Start studying at any time
- Immediate access to the online course
- Prepare for the written examinations and Historical Investigation
Start your History course
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