St Catherines College (Kilbirnie) St Catherines College (Kilbirnie)

Level 3 History

HI300
Course Description

Teacher in Charge: Bryony Wood.

Recommended Prior Learning

16 credits or more in Level 2 History, or only with the approval of the TIC of History.
If doing subject for the first time, students must have Level 2 Literacy and 16 credits or more in Level 2 English.


History is more than the study of the past; it is a living creative act. History explores past events in order to inform us about who we are and what is happening today. History gives us our cultural roots. It helps us understand ourselves, our neighbours, our nation, other cultures, and the world, enabling us to become truly global citizens. We learn a lot from history, and this knowledge helps us to avoid the mistakes of the past and make better decisions for the future, just as we learn from our own experiences.

Possible topics to be covered at Level 3 History:

  • War for Wellington
  • Historical case studies around achieving social justice
  • Self-determination in the Pacific
  • Israel and Palestine
  • Taranaki conflict 
  • Colonial Uprisings
  • Walking Through Wellington
  • Spread of Empire

Level 3 builds on the significant learning of Level 1 and 2 history. By the end of level 3 our ākonga should be able to:

  • examine colonisation as a historical force
  • critique how histories are constructed and reconstructed from a wide range of sources
  • critique historical sources and their relationship to each other in a historical research process
  • construct a historical argument, using selected evidence, which demonstrates that histories are not neutral
  • critically examine different perspectives on histories
  • examine the ethical dimensions of historical interpretations
  • examine how historical concepts such as vā, mana, whakapapa, tūrangawaewae, cause and effect, change and continuity have shaped and continue to shape historical identities

Learning Areas:

Social Sciences


Career Pathways

Author, Technical Writer, Judge, Financial Adviser, Immigration Officer, Court Registry Officer, Animator/Digital Artist, Air Force Aviator, Air Force Officer, Archivist, Army Officer, Army Soldier, Art Director (Film, Television or Stage), Historian, Barrister, Film/Television Camera Operator, Minister of Religion, Elected Government Representative, Journalist, Interpreter, Conservator, Legal Executive, Editor, Solicitor, Corrections Officer, Curator, Demonstrator, Foreign Policy Officer, Director (Film, Television, Radio or Stage), Radio Presenter, Early Childhood Teacher, Records Adviser, Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Exhibition and Collections Technician, Media Producer, Production Assistant (Film, Television, Radio or Stage), Primary School Teacher, Kaiwhakaako Māori, Librarian, Translator, Library Assistant, Private Teacher/Tutor, Probation Officer, Secondary School Teacher, Teacher Aide, Television Presenter, Tour Guide, Travel Agent/Adviser, Intelligence Officer, Data Analyst, Support Worker


Equipment/Stationery

Own laptop and ear buds or exercise book