1. Upper Secondary
Humanities
Sec 2 Briefing on
Subject Combination

2. Why take the Humanities?
 Broad-based education, life-long skills
 Develops a critical, balanced & holistic
viewpoint – a guiding force for reasoned
and informed decision-making through
appreciating various perspectives
 Understand national concerns, global
issues, the natural and human
environments and the inter-connected
relationships that exist amongst them

3. Social Studies :
The Compulsory Humanities
 1 of the subjects in Combined Humanities,
compulsory for the N/O levels
 Examines regional and international
concerns with focus on their impact on
Singapore
 Broadens your general knowledge and
keeps you updated on pertinent issues/
challenges affecting nations

4. Elective :
Geography or History
 Select one of these options
Geography:
 Examines the interaction between human
development and the physical
environment
History:
 Examines the forces that shape 20th Cy
history through looking at the countries of
the world eg. Russia, Germany, Japan etc

5. Core Humanities :
Geography (2 nd Humanities)
 Examines the characteristics and
distribution of physical (natural) and
human (cultural) phenomena; their inter-
relationships & environmental processes
 Global perspective through looking at
different communities and cultures
throughout the world and understanding
the opportunities and constraints which
people face in different environments

6. Exam format & expectations
 Structured Questions, Source-based
Questions and Structured-essay Questions
 Emphasis on higher-order thinking skills
such as understanding the knowledge in
context, analysis of impact and developing
a balanced perspective & judgement
 Development of skills and values that is
important for life-long learners

7. How to make your decision?
 Follow your interest. This will sustain you.
 Be guided by your own strength. You may
use your results to check your aptitude.
 Appreciate the subject’s value to your
holistic development as a person.