At a glance
A course where students explore the events, ideas and movements that shaped the modern world (mainly the 20th century). Students learn how to question evidence, compare different viewpoints, and explain how the past still affects life today.
This course is a good choice for students who:
- enjoy big questions about power, conflict, rights and change
- like analysing sources (texts, images, speeches, film, artefacts and more)
- want strong research, writing and critical thinking skills
About this course
Modern History helps students understand the forces that shaped today’s world. Students investigate key developments, movements for rights and recognition, the challenges faced by nations in the 20th century, and the world order since World War II.
Students develop skills in historical inquiry, including asking good questions, evaluating sources, and building evidence-based explanations.
Pathways
This course can support pathways into areas such as:
- humanities and social science study (history, politics, international studies)
- law, public service and community leadership roles that value research and argument
- careers that use strong writing, analysis and communication skills
Units in this course
Students complete 2 units for a Minor or 4 units for a Major.
Understanding the Modern World
This unit introduces key developments and ideas that helped define the modern world (for example liberty, equality and fraternity).
Students will:
- investigate major turning points and why they mattered
- use historical sources to explain causes, consequences and significance
Change in the 20th Century
This unit explores major movements for change and how people challenged authority and transformed society.
Students will:
- study how individuals, groups and institutions worked for change
- compare different perspectives and debates about why movements mattered
Modern Nations
This unit explores the nation as a key political idea, including crises nations faced in the 20th century and how different countries responded.
Students will:
- investigate how nations made decisions under pressure (conflict, instability, change)
- analyse different pathways nations took and what shaped those outcomes
The Modern World since 1945
This unit explores major features of the world since World War II (1945–2010), such as changing world order, the rise of Asia, global conflict and globalisation.
Students will:
- study one major feature of the post-1945 world and connect it to events today
- use evidence to explain change over time and evaluate different interpretations