Lift College0000 000 0000Start 7-day free trialFree trial0
A-LevelFrom£39.99/mo

A Level History

A Level History is a Level 3 qualification, awarded here by AQA under specification 7042, made up of three components. Component 1 is a breadth study and Component 2 a depth study, each assessed by a 2 hour 30 minute written exam worth 40 per cent. Component 3 is a Historical Investigation of 3,500 to 4,500 words worth 20 per cent, marked by teachers and moderated by AQA.

Add to Basket: From £39.99/moSee pricing
  • 12 to 18 monthsDuration
  • OnlineStudy Method
  • Up to 56 UCAS points UCAS ptsPoints Available
  • Start any timeStart Date
Accredited qualificationUK awarding body
Start anytimeNo fixed term dates
Tutor supportExpert tutors, 7 days
14-day money backRefund if not loved
A Level History at a glance
Qualification levelRQF Level 3
Qualification number7042
UCAS pointsUp to 56 UCAS points UCAS points
Typical study time12 to 18 months
Study methodOnline
Start dateStart any time
Pay monthly£39.99 per month
Pay annually£383.90

This course is for you if…

  • ✓You are 18 or over and want a recognised full A level rather than an access or equivalence route.
  • ✓You need a Level 3 qualification for a degree application, teacher training or a public sector career change.
  • ✓You want to retake or take History properly after leaving school without it.
  • ✓You enjoy reading, argument and evidence, and you are willing to write at length.
  • ✓You are supporting a home-educated learner who needs a mainstream awarding body.
  • ✓You can attend an approved exam centre for two written papers in a May or June series.

Your career after this course

  • ✓You want a qualification with no in-person examinations. The two written papers must be sat at an approved centre.
  • ✓You do not want to produce coursework. The Historical Investigation is compulsory and carries 20 per cent of the marks.
  • ✓You need a qualification finished in a few weeks. Exams run on an annual May or June cycle.
  • ✓You are looking for a short introductory history course rather than a two-year Level 3 qualification.
About this qualification

What you'll learn

A Level History asks you to do two different kinds of historical thinking. In the breadth study you follow change across roughly a century and weigh up how historians have interpreted it. In the depth study you slow down and work closely with primary evidence from a shorter period of intense change. The third component then asks you to run your own investigation from question to conclusion.

The programme leads to AQA specification 7042, the AQA Advanced Level GCE in History, Ofqual accreditation number 601/4973/5. AQA entry codes combine 7042 with a letter for your Component 1 option and a letter for your Component 2 option, so a learner taking Component 1A and Component 2E is entered as 7042AE. Component 3 is marked by teachers and moderated by AQA.

RQF Level 3UCAS Up to 56 UCAS pointsOnline12 to 18 months100% onlineSelf-paced
What you'll need

Entry requirements

There are no formal entry requirements. AQA confirms that specification 7042 carries no previous learning requirements and that entry requirements are at the discretion of the centre. You do not need GCSE History, or any GCSEs, to enrol.

AQA recommends that students have the skills and knowledge associated with a GCSE History course or equivalent, because both written papers require timed extended essay writing. You should be 18 or over, able to read substantial amounts of text independently, and able to travel to an approved exam centre in May or June. If you are planning on university progression, remember that most degree courses also ask for GCSE English and Maths at grade 4 or above alongside your A levels.

Not sure if you qualify?

Our admissions team can talk you through your options.

Call 0000 000 0000
Assessment

How you're assessed

AQA assesses 7042 through three components. Component 1, the breadth study, is a written exam of 2 hours 30 minutes carrying 80 marks and worth 40 per cent of the A level. It has two sections: Section A is one compulsory question linked to historical interpretations worth 30 marks, and Section B asks for two essays from a choice of three at 25 marks each. Component 2, the depth study, mirrors that structure over 2 hours 30 minutes for 80 marks and 40 per cent, but Section A is a compulsory question on primary sources or sources contemporary to the period.

Component 3 is the Historical Investigation, a personal study of 3,500 to 4,500 words on a topic of your choice, framed as a question set in a period of approximately 100 years. It carries 40 marks and 20 per cent of the A level, is marked by teachers and moderated by AQA, and must not duplicate the content of your Component 1 and Component 2 options. Written exams are sat in person at an approved centre.

01

Portfolio-based

Coursework and a written portfolio. No traditional written exams.

02

Submit online

All assignments submitted through your learner dashboard.

03

Tutor feedback

Detailed feedback in 3 to 5 working days. Refine and resubmit until you reach the grade you want.

04

Graded across units

Pass, Merit or Distinction on each unit. Top grades stack to the highest UCAS point total.

Careers

Where this can take you

Typical roles and salary ranges this qualification opens up.

Archivist or museum curator

Typical salary range

£30,000 – £33,000

Cataloguing, conserving and interpreting collections for archives, museums and galleries. The range covers the ONS 2024 25th percentile and median full-time earnings for archivists and curators. Entry normally follows a history or heritage degree, for which this A level is a standard qualifying subject.

Secondary school history teacher

Typical salary range

£37,000 – £52,000

Teaching history in a secondary school after a degree and qualified teacher status. The range covers the ONS 2024 25th and 75th percentile full-time earnings for secondary education teaching professionals. A Level History is the usual subject requirement for a history degree and then teacher training.

Paralegal or legal associate professional

Typical salary range

£27,000 – £43,000

Researching case material, drafting documents and supporting solicitors and barristers. The range spans the ONS 2024 25th and 75th percentile full-time earnings for legal associate professionals. Law firms value the source evaluation and argument construction that this A level assesses directly.

Librarian or information professional

Typical salary range

£27,000 – £35,000

Managing collections, research services and information access in public, academic or specialist libraries. The range covers the ONS 2024 25th percentile and median full-time earnings for librarians. The independent research demanded by Component 3 is close preparation for this work.

Pricing

Choose how you want to study

Every option includes the full course, UK tutor marking and study support. The difference is whether your exams are included.

Study

Full tuition, tutor marking and study support. You arrange and pay for your own exams.

£33.92/mo

£406.99 billed annually, save 15%

  • Full course content and tutor marking
  • AI Study Assistant and study support
  • You book and pay for your own exams
Most popular

+Exams

Tuition plus your exam entry and centre fees, booked and paid for by us.

£67.92/mo

£814.99 billed annually, save 15%

  • Everything in Study
  • Exam entry and centre fees included
  • Exam booking handled for you

7-day free trial on every option. Nothing is charged today and you can cancel from your account before the trial ends.

Everything else

What else you should know

Study support and platform

  • You get a personal tutor from day one
  • Log in any time from a phone, tablet or laptop
  • Marking is done in 3 to 5 working days
  • Talk to our support team by phone, email or live chat
  • See your progress and next steps on your dashboard
  • Join the learner community forum when you want to chat to others

Funding and finance

  • Pay monthly to spread the cost with no interest
  • Pay in full and save versus monthly
  • No credit checks and no contract. Pause or cancel anytime
  • We can send funding paperwork to your employer if they sponsor you
  • Our enrolment team will talk you through every option
  • 14 day money back guarantee on every enrolment

Accreditation and recognition

  • Awarded by a recognised UK awarding body
  • Regulated by Ofqual, the same standard as college courses
  • Accepted by UK universities, employers and professional bodies
  • You get a certificate when you finish
  • Listed on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications
  • Independently quality checked through IQA and EQA

How it works

  • Start any time. There are no set term dates or cohorts
  • Study at your own pace around work and family
  • No exams. You complete coursework, a portfolio and assignments
  • Resubmit your work at no extra cost to reach the grade you want
  • Use the optional study planner if you like a bit of structure
  • How long you study is entirely up to you. Most learners spend a few hours each week, but you can do more or less based on your own pace
What learners say

Trusted by thousands of learners

Real feedback from learners studying with Lift College.

The flexibility was a game changer for me. I studied around my shifts and my tutor was incredibly supportive throughout.
Sarah M. · Manchester
Access to HE Diploma
I was nervous about going back to study after 15 years, but the platform is so easy to use and the feedback I got on assignments was genuinely useful.
James P. · Birmingham
A Level Biology
Got into my first-choice university with a place on a Nursing BSc. The Access to HE Diploma gave me exactly what I needed.
Aisha K. · London
Access to HE Diploma (Nursing)
Good value and well structured. I appreciated that I could resubmit work without extra cost, really helped me improve.
David R. · Leeds
CMI Level 5
Customer service was excellent. Any time I had a question it was answered within hours. Highly recommend.
Emma L. · Glasgow
GCSE English
I needed a qualification that actually meant something to employers. Ofqual regulation was the deciding factor, and it delivered.
Tom W. · Bristol
CMI Level 7
You might also like

Related qualifications

A Level Biology

Level 3 · 9 to 12 months

View qualification →

A Level Biology (online)

Level 3 · 12 to 18 months

View qualification →

A Level Business (online)

Level 3 · 12 to 18 months

View qualification →
A Level History
Choose your planfrom £39.99/mo
Start free trial