Social Sciences is the learning of environments and communities, through asking questions and searching for answers, through the past present and future.

Social Sciences at Fiordland College consist of seven main subject areas; these are Social Studies, Social Sciences, Geography, History, Economics, Business and Marketing and Environmental Studies.

Social Studies

Social Studies is taught to all year 7 – 10 students at Firodland College.  In this subject they learn how to understand peoples values, make decisions, construct maps and graphs, conduct research and inquiry projects and gain skills in further developing their reading and writing strategies.  The above skills are incorporated into a variety of topics.  The Year 7 and 8 students are in combined classes and operate on a two year topic cycle, while the year 9 to 10 students are taught in their separate year levels.

Social Sciences

Social Sciences in a topic taught at Year 11.  This topic combines aspects of Geography, History and Economics.  It provides the opportunity for both Internal and External assessment credits.  This course aims to give students a taste of each Social Science senior subject so that they can make a more informed decision on subject choices in Year 12 and 13.

Geography

Geography is the study of the environment as the home of people. It seeks to interpret the world and how it changes over time – past, present, and future. It explores the relationships and connections between people and both natural and cultural environments.  In Geography at Fiordland College we look at both Natural and Cultural topics so that students get a broad understanding of how people interact with their environments.  Students can take this subject in Year 12 and 13.

History

History examines the past to understand the present. It aims to teach students how to interpret the past to make decisions for the future. It explores people’s actions and the consequences they have had on society.

In History students learn to investigate a past event, understand the reasons why it happened and comprehend the implications of the event. They learn how to analyse information and present it in a variety of forms. History students gain excellent formal writing skills. They also learn how to interpret historical sources and justify its reliability. At Fiordland College Students can take this subject in Year 12 and 13.

Economics

Economics examines how people make choices about the use of limited resources to satisfy unlimited wants. Economics helps explain and predict how goods and services will be produced and consumed. It is the study of how people make decisions and of the forces that affect their behaviour and the shape of their institutions, such as the value of leisure time, consumer preferences, and the extent of government intervention.

Economics considers the factors that influence the well-being of people and aims to find solutions to improve people's standard of living.

At Fiordland College students can take this subject at year 12.

Business and Marketing

The study of business is about how individuals and groups of people organise, plan, and act to create and develop goods and services to satisfy customers. Business is influenced by and impacts on the cultural, ethical, environmental, political, and economic conditions of the day.

The knowledge and skills gained in business studies, and exposure to enterprise culture, can help shape “creative, energetic, and enterprising” young people (the curriculum vision statement) who will contribute to New Zealand’s economic future.

 In business studies, students develop their understanding of business theory and practices in a range of relevant contexts, through experiential as well as theoretical approaches to learning.  At Fiordland College students can take this subject at year 13.

Environmental Studies

The environmental Studies course is based around Education for Sustainability.  It is about learning to think and act in ways that safeguard the well-being of people and the planet. In this subject students explore the relationship between people and the environment. They learn about the environmental, social, cultural, and economic aspects of sustainability. They learn to show leadership by example and to contribute to collective decisions that lead to actions for a sustainable future.