Alberta · Grade 12
Social Studies 30-2
- SST3772
Alberta’s Grade 12 social studies course, from Ideology, Beliefs & Identity to Citizenship in the Modern World.
- Units
- 4
- Lessons
- 9
- Skills
- 30
- Provincial exam
- 30% of the final mark
- Official curriculum
- Alberta Education
Unit by unit
Every skill in the course, with its official code.
Unit 1 · 8 skills
Ideology, Beliefs & Identity
Beliefs, Values & What an Ideology Is
Factors that shape beliefs and values
I can explore the factors that shape what people believe and value.
Official code: 1.3
Expressions of individualism and collectivism
I can identify how individualism and collectivism have shown up across time and today.
Official code: 1.4
Characteristics of an ideology
I can examine what makes something an ideology.
Official code: 1.5
Themes of ideologies
I can identify the big themes that ideologies argue about.
Official code: 1.6
Individualism, Collectivism & Identity
Individualism as a value of ideology
I can examine individualism as a key value behind liberalism.
Official code: 1.7
Collectivism as a foundation of ideology
I can examine collectivism as a foundation of ideology.
Official code: 1.8
Individualism and the common good
I can examine how individualism and the common good balance in societies today.
Official code: 1.9
How far ideology should shape identity
I can analyze how far personal identity should be shaped by ideologies.
Official code: 1.10
The official wording · 8 outcomes
- 1.3
- explore factors that may influence individual and collective beliefs and values
- 1.4
- identify historic and contemporary expressions of individualism and collectivism
- 1.5
- examine the characteristics of ideology
- 1.6
- identify themes of ideologies
- 1.7
- examine individualism as a key value of ideology
- 1.8
- examine collectivism as a foundation of ideology
- 1.9
- examine the relationship between individualism and common good in contemporary societies
- 1.10
- analyze the extent to which personal identity should be shaped by ideologies
Key ideas
Beliefs and values are shaped by many factors: culture, language, media, relationship to land, environment, gender, religion, spirituality and ideology.
Individualism is a core value of liberalism, expressed as: individual rights and freedoms, self-interest, competition, economic freedom, rule of law and private property.
These factors work on both individuals and whole groups — nobody forms their values in a vacuum.
It rests on the belief that society works best when individuals are free to pursue their own goals.
Individualism puts the individual first; collectivism puts the group first — both have historic and contemporary expressions.
Watch out for
- Thinking beliefs are formed alone, as if outside factors like media and culture play no part.
- Reducing individualism to pure selfishness — it also includes rights, rule of law and freedom.
- Single-factor thinking — most beliefs are shaped by several factors at once, not just one.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 2 · 10 skills
The Origins of & Resistance to Liberalism
Where Liberalism Came From
Aboriginal contributions to liberalism
I can explore how Aboriginal ideas contributed to the development of liberalism.
Official code: 2.4
The origins of liberal thought
I can explore where liberal thought came from and the values behind it.
Official code: 2.5
Liberal thought in the 19th century
I can examine the impact of liberal thought on 19th-century society.
Official code: 2.6
Responses to & Rejection of Liberalism
Ideologies that responded to liberalism
I can examine the ideologies that developed in response to liberalism.
Official code: 2.7
The growth of liberalism
I can examine how liberalism itself grew and changed.
Official code: 2.8
Systems that rejected liberalism
I can analyze ideological systems that rejected liberalism.
Official code: 2.9
The Cold War & Challenges to Liberalism
Ideological conflict after WWII
I can examine how ideological conflict shaped the world after WWII.
Official code: 2.10
Perspectives on imposing liberalism
I can examine different perspectives on imposing liberalism.
Official code: 2.11
Modern liberalism challenged by alternative thought
I can examine how modern liberalism is challenged by alternative thought.
Official code: 2.12
Whether resistance to liberalism is justified
I can evaluate whether resistance to liberalism is justified.
Official code: 2.13
The official wording · 10 outcomes
- 2.4
- explore Aboriginal contributions to the development of liberalism
- 2.5
- explore the relationship between the values of liberalism and the origins of liberal thought
- 2.6
- examine the impacts of liberal thought on 19 th century society
- 2.7
- examine ideologies that developed in response to liberalism
- 2.8
- examine the growth of liberalism
- 2.9
- analyze ideological systems that rejected liberalism
- 2.10
- examine how ideological conflict shaped international relations after the Second World War
- 2.11
- examine perspectives on the imposition of liberalism
- 2.12
- examine the extent to which modern liberalism is challenged by alternative thought
- 2.13
- evaluate the extent to which resistance to liberalism is justified
Key ideas
Liberalism did not come only from European thinkers — Aboriginal governance and ideas contributed to its development.
Socialism and Marxism developed as responses to liberalism, reacting against the inequality of laissez-faire capitalism.
After the Second World War, the liberal-democratic West and the communist East clashed through expansionism, containment, deterrence, brinkmanship, détente and liberation movements.
Recognizing these contributions corrects the myth that liberalism has a single origin.
They shifted the focus from the individual toward the collective and economic equality.
Watch out for
- Assuming liberalism was purely a European invention with no other roots.
- Assuming socialism and communism are identical — socialism is a broad response, communism a specific form.
- Seeing the Cold War as only about weapons, missing that it was a fight between ideologies.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 3 · 6 skills
The Viability of Liberalism’s Principles
The Will of the People, Equality & Systems
Governments reflecting the will of the people
I can explore how far governments should reflect the will of the people.
Official code: 3.3
Governments encouraging economic equality
I can explore how far governments should encourage economic equality.
Official code: 3.4
How systems reflect the values of liberalism
I can examine how far real political and economic systems reflect liberal values.
Official code: 3.5
Practice Gaps, Rights & Viability
When practice falls short of liberal values
I can examine why a government's practice may not match its liberal values.
Official code: 3.6
Governments promoting individual and collective rights
I can explore how far governments should promote individual and collective rights.
Official code: 3.7
Whether liberalism is viable today
I can evaluate whether liberal values are still viable against today's issues.
Official code: 3.8
The official wording · 6 outcomes
- 3.3
- explore the extent to which governments should reflect the will of the people
- 3.4
- explore the extent to which governments should encourage economic equality
- 3.5
- examine the extent to which the practices of political and economic systems reflect the values of liberalism
- 3.6
- examine why government practices may not reflect values of liberalism
- 3.7
- explore the extent to which governments should promote individual and collective rights
- 3.8
- evaluate the extent to which the values of liberalism are viable in the context of contemporary issues
Key ideas
Democracies are built to reflect the will of the people — but "how far" is contested, because pure majority rule can trample a minority.
Even liberal countries sometimes act against their own values — Canada and contemporary examples show the gap between ideal and practice.
Liberal democracies limit the majority with rights and rule of law so the majority cannot do anything it wants.
Crises, prejudice and security fears are common reasons practice falls short of liberal principles.
Governments can encourage economic equality through taxes, programs and services — but how far to go is an ideological question.
Watch out for
- Assuming "democracy" simply means the majority always gets its way.
- Assuming a "liberal" country always lives up to liberal values.
- Treating rights as anti-democratic, when they are how liberal democracy protects everyone.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 4 · 6 skills
Citizenship in the Modern World
Ideology, Citizenship, Rights & Roles
How ideologies shape citizenship
I can explore how ideologies shape what it means to be a citizen.
Official code: 4.4
The individual in a democratic society
I can examine perspectives on a citizen's rights, roles and responsibilities in a democracy.
Official code: 4.5
The individual during times of conflict
I can examine a citizen's rights, roles and responsibilities during times of conflict.
Official code: 4.6
Ideology & Taking Responsible Action
How far ideology should shape responses to issues
I can analyze how far ideology should shape our responses to today's issues.
Official code: 4.7
Strategies that show leadership on issues
I can develop strategies that show leadership on real issues.
Official code: 4.8
Active and responsible citizenship
I can explore real opportunities to act as an active and responsible citizen.
Official code: 4.9
The official wording · 6 outcomes
- 4.4
- explore how ideologies shape individual and collective citizenship
- 4.5
- examine perspectives on the rights, roles and responsibilities of the individual in a democratic society
- 4.6
- examine perspectives on the rights, roles and responsibilities of the individual during times of conflict
- 4.7
- analyze the extent to which ideology should shape responses to contemporary issues
- 4.8
- develop strategies to address local, national and global issues that demonstrate individual and collective leadership
- 4.9
- explore opportunities to demonstrate active and responsible citizenship through individual and collective action
Key ideas
Ideologies shape both individual and collective citizenship — what people believe changes what they think a good citizen does.
Ideology can guide how we respond to contemporary issues — but letting it fully dictate the response has costs as well as benefits.
A liberal-individualist sees citizenship as protecting rights and personal freedom; a collectivist sees it as contributing to the group.
Analyzing "the extent" means weighing the value of principled consistency against the value of staying open to evidence.
In a democratic society, citizens have rights, roles and responsibilities: respect for law and order, protest, civil disobedience and political participation.
Watch out for
- Assuming there is one universal definition of a "good citizen".
- "Following an ideology is simply good" or "simply bad" — it can give direction or blind you to evidence.
- Treating citizenship as only about following rules, missing its collective and participatory side.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Plan the term
Pick your term and the days you study. Each unit gets its share of the weeks and comes back a week later for a review. The last two weeks go over the whole course.
The mark you need
Your class mark counts for 70% of the final mark, the exam for 30%.
You need
59% on the exam
With 75% in class, your final mark lands between 52.5% (0 on the exam) and 82.5% (100% on it).
Which course?
Alberta has 2 social studies courses for Grade 12. Here they are side by side.
- Social Studies 30-1SST37714 units · 31 skillsSocial Studies 30–1 Diploma ExamWhat it coversIdeology & Its Foundations · The Origins & Impact of Liberalism · Liberalism in Practice: Systems, Rights & Viability · Ideology, Citizenship & Contemporary Action
- Social Studies 30-2This courseSST37724 units · 30 skillsSocial Studies 30–2 Diploma ExamWhat it coversIdeology, Beliefs & Identity · The Origins of & Resistance to Liberalism · The Viability of Liberalism’s Principles · Citizenship in the Modern World
What a university, college or program asks for is theirs to say: check its admission page, and your school’s course guide.
The official curriculum
This page follows Alberta’s own curriculum for Social Studies 30-2.
Study it in MapleMind
MapleMind teaches Social Studies 30-2 one skill at a time. Each skill gets a short lesson, practice as you go and a check worth up to three stars. It remembers where you stopped.
Course Companion
Your year in one workbook
A fun way to keep Social Studies 30-2 organized, get to know your child better and see early when they need a hand. Fill it in on a screen, or print it.
- Pages
- 29
- Fillable fields
- 1,411
- Price
- $4.99
Questions about Social Studies 30-2
What is Social Studies 30-2?
Alberta’s Grade 12 social studies course: 4 units and 30 skills, from Ideology, Beliefs & Identity to Citizenship in the Modern World.
What units are in Social Studies 30-2?
1. Ideology, Beliefs & Identity, 2. The Origins of & Resistance to Liberalism, 3. The Viability of Liberalism’s Principles and 4. Citizenship in the Modern World.
Is there a provincial exam for Social Studies 30-2?
Yes. The Social Studies 30–2 Diploma Exam counts for 30% of the final mark. Next sitting: January 19, 2027.
Can MapleMind help with Social Studies 30-2?
Yes. MapleMind teaches every skill of Social Studies 30-2, step by step, with practice and checks, and its tutor answers questions about any of them. It’s free with daily limits, on iPhone, Android and the web.
Get ready for Social Studies 30-2
Practise every skill of Social Studies 30-2 in MapleMind, free with daily limits.
