How to Choose Your Optional Unit in A Level History
Choosing your optional unit in A Level History is one of the most important decisions you’ll make at Sixth Form. Unlike GCSE, where most of the course content is fixed, A Level History allows schools to select from a range of different periods, themes, and depth studies. The unit you study will shape your workload, your enjoyment of the subject, and—crucially—your exam performance.
This guide will help you understand what to consider so you can make the strongest possible choice.
1. Understand What an “Optional Unit” Really Means
Most A Level History specifications (AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC) are built around:
A breadth study (long time span, big changes)
A depth study (focused period, intense analysis)
A coursework unit
Plus optional themes or interpretations
Your “optional unit” is usually the part of the course where your school has the most flexibility in what it teaches. This might be:
Tudor England
Weimar and Nazi Germany
The Cold War
The British Empire
Civil Rights in the USA
Russia from Tsars to Communists
Each option develops the same core skills, but the style of thinking, volume of content, and exam demands can vary significantly.
2. Choose a Topic That Genuinely Interests You
This sounds obvious, but it is the single most important factor.
A Level History involves:
Heavy reading
Independent revision
Extended essay writing
Repeated exam practice
If you are genuinely interested in the topic, you will:
Revise more consistently
Write with more confidence
Think more critically
Perform better under pressure
Ask yourself:
Do I enjoy political history, social change, warfare, or diplomacy?
Do I prefer British history or international history?
Do I like studying individuals (e.g. Hitler, Stalin, Elizabeth I) or wider social movements?
Enjoyment does not mean “easy”—it means you are willing to engage deeply with the material.
3. Consider Your Strengths as a Historian
Different optional units suit different types of students.
Some units are:
Heavily political and ideological (e.g. Cold War, Russia)
Social and cultural (e.g. Civil Rights, British society)
Power and leadership focused (e.g. Tudors, Dictatorship studies)
Be honest about your strengths:
Are you strong at argument and interpretation?
Do you prefer narrative change over time?
Are you confident handling complex political ideas?
Do you enjoy source evaluation?
The best unit for you is not necessarily the most popular one—it’s the one that plays to how you think.
4. Look Closely at the Assessment Style
Two topics may sound equally interesting but feel very different in the exam.
Important questions to ask:
How much essay writing is involved?
How important are sources and interpretations?
How detailed is the knowledge requirement?
Is the exam more thematic or chronological?
Some units reward:
Broad thematic judgement
Long-term change and continuity
Big-picture understanding
Others demand:
Extremely precise factual recall
Detailed knowledge of individuals
Tight control of dates, events, and policies
You should choose a unit that matches the way you naturally answer exam questions.
5. Think About University and Career Aspirations
While A Level History is respected whatever option you choose, certain topics can support specific future goals:
Law, PPE, Politics, International Relations → Cold War, Germany, Russia, British political history
History degrees → Any option is suitable, but breadth + depth is ideal
Medicine, Science, STEM → History works best as your essay-based subject alongside Maths and Science
Journalism, Media, English → Civil Rights, social history, political history
Universities care far more about how well you perform than which exact topic you study—but choosing a unit that aligns with your interests can make your personal statement stronger.
6. Ask About Teacher Expertise and Resources
This is often overlooked, but it matters a lot.
Ask your school:
How experienced are the teachers with this unit?
Do they have:
Strong lesson resources?
Model essays?
Examiner-style questions?
Proven past results?
A strong teacher with deep knowledge of a topic can make even a challenging unit feel manageable and rewarding. A weaker delivery can make an otherwise excellent topic feel overwhelming.
7. Don’t Choose Based on What “Sounds Easy”
No A Level History option is truly “easy”. All options require:
High-level writing
Deep analysis
Consistent revision
Students who choose a unit purely because they think it will be easier often struggle most, because motivation drops quickly when the workload rises.
The strongest choices come from:
✅ Interest
✅ Skill match
✅ Good teaching
✅ Exam confidence
Not from reputation alone.
8. Coursework and the Optional Unit
In many schools, your optional unit strongly influences:
Your coursework question
Your independent reading
Your research focus
Choosing a topic you enjoy will make your:
Coursework planning easier
Research more enjoyable
Final word count far less painful
A good coursework experience can be the difference between an A and an A*.
Final Advice
The “best” optional unit in A Level History is not the same for everyone. The right choice balances:
Your interests
Your academic strengths
The assessment demands
Your future goals
The quality of teaching available
When these factors align, A Level History becomes one of the most rewarding subjects you can study—and one of the strongest on your university application.