The course - which is likely to involve 3 hours a week class time - consists inter alia of:
The AS in Citizenship Studies starts in Sept 2008:
AS Unit 1 ~ Identity, Rights, and Responsibilities.
AS Unit 2 ~ Democracy, Active Citizenship, and Participation.
Course textbook: 'AS Citizenship Studies for AQA'. - by Mike Mitchell and Tim Holden-Rowley (pub June 2008).The A2 in Citizenship Studies follows in Sept 2009:
A2 Unit 3 ~ Power and Justice.
A2 Unit 4 ~ Global Issues and Making a Difference.
What is especially exciting about Citizenship Studies is the fact that it has the potential to make democracy meaningful.
If you think about it, adult males (who rented propertied land) were given the vote in 1832 - while women had to wait until 1928. Despite having the right to vote - it seems we are simply expected to put a cross on a piece of paper every five years. This is hardly a great advertisement for a meaningful democratic society. What Citizenship does is provide knowledge on how citizens can influence the democratic process. How they can join with others to influence and change things - explaining what their rights and responsibilities are. To this extent, Citizenship Studies is exciting because it provides us all with the skills to make democracy meaningful.
One of the key ideas behind the 'Citizenship Studies' syllabus is to merge the academic study of the subject with acts of 'active citizenship'. Staff in the Department of Laws are already working on the required 'active citizenship' profile ideas/elements that are required for Unit 2. We are likely to establish a menu of 'citizenship' activities that students can choose from. Some examples from the menu include: actively introducing a debate in 'The Debating Society' - actively promoting/developing the 'Laws Mentoring Scheme- - active participation in the 'Student Council', or on the 'Laws Studies Board'. We are also thinking of establishing 'activity days' where issues can be promoted/campaigned on within College. We could even have a fund raising day - where students seek to raise funds for charities etc. The subject lecturers are likely to be Dr Peter Jepson and Mr Nathan Scott.
For some ideas of a Citizen's 'Rights and Responsibilities' ~ See government 'Rights & Responsibilities' website
An A-Level in 'Citizenship Studies' should dovetail perfectly with A-Levels in 'Law' and 'Politics' - helping to provide an excellent A-Level qualification (combination) for admission to University.
