SCHOOL TO WORK PROGRAM
“HSC Subject Selection Guide.”
“WHAT IS NEXT? SENIOR SCHOOL OPTIONS.” “YOU WILL NEED TO SELECT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING
OPTIONAL PATHWAYS.”
YOUR TASK NOW IS TO REFER TO YOUR COMPLETED TRANSITION PLAN TO HELP YOU SELECT THE OPTIONS THAT BEST FIT YOUR NEEDS AT THIS STAGE WILL ASSIST YOU IN DETERMINING YOUR FUTURE CAREER PATHWAY.
All courses offered for the Higher School Certificate have a unit value. Subjects may have a value of 1 unit (extension courses) or 2 units (Most courses).
Each unit involves class time of approximately 2 hours per week (60 hours per year). In the HSC, each unit has a value of 50 marks. Therefore, a 2 unit course has a value of 100 marks.
2 units = 4 hours per week (approximately 120 hours per year) = 100 marks
If you wish to be awarded the HSC:
1. You must study a minimum of 12 units in the Preliminary course and a minimum of 10 units in the HSC course. Both the Preliminary course and the HSC course must include the following:
a. at least 6 units from Board Developed Courses including at least 2 units of a Board Developed Course in English
b. at least three courses of 2 units value or greater
c. at least four subjects
d. at most 6 units of courses in Science can contribute to Higher School Certificate eligibility
2. You must complete any practical, oral or project work required for specific courses and the assessment requirements for each course
3. You must have sat for and made a serious attempt in all course assessment tasks
4. Work placement is a mandatory requirement for some courses.
There are different types of courses that can be selected in Years 11 and 12.
· Board Developed Courses - Category A or B
The Board of Studies develops these courses. For each course the following information is available:
· the course objectives, structure, contents and outcomes
· specific course requirements
· assessment requirements
· the performance scale (except for Vocational Education and Training Courses).
All students entered in the state for the HSC who are studying Board Developed Courses (BDC) follow these syllabuses. These courses are examined externally at the end of the HSC course and can count towards the calculation of the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).
However, only one Category B subject can be counted towards your 10 ‘best” HSC units that are used to calculate your ATAR.
· Board Endorsed Courses
There are two types of Board Endorsed Courses - Content Endorsed Courses and School Designed Courses.
1. Content Endorsed Courses (CEC) have syllabuses endorsed by the Board of Studies to cater for areas of special interest not covered in the Board Developed Courses.
2. Schools may also design courses to meet student needs. The Board of Studies must approve these courses. Once approval is granted, schools offer selected courses to senior students as part of the Higher School Certificate.
There is no external examination for any Content Endorsed Course or School Designed Course, but all Board Endorsed Courses count towards the Higher School Certificate and appear on the Record of Achievement. Board Endorsed Courses do not count in the calculation of the ATAR.
ATAR RULES
The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is the primary criterion for entry into most undergraduate-entry university programs in Australia.
The ATAR will be based on the best ten units in Board Developed HSC courses, subject to the following restrictions:
a) at least two units of Board Developed English must be included.
b) at most two units of Category B subjects may be included.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) Courses - either Board Developed or Board Endorsed
Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses are offered as part of the Higher School Certificate. They enable students to study courses, which are relevant to industry needs and have clear links to post-school destinations.
These courses allow students to gain both Higher School Certificate qualifications and accreditation with industry and the workplace as part of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). The national framework is recognised across Australia and helps students to move easily between the various education and training sectors and employment.
Some of these courses have a specific workplace component and a minimum number of hours students spend in the workplace or a simulated workplace at school. Students receive special documentation showing the competencies gained. Some of these courses will be delivered by schools, while others will be delivered by TAFE or other providers.
Further information about VET courses appears in the section listing the HSC Courses available.
ALL SUBJECTS ON OFFER AT THS ARE LISTED ON THE CURRENT “THS HSC SUBJECT SELECTION GUIDE.”
ALSO - SCHOOL BASED APPRENTICESHIPS AND TRAINEESHIPS - SBATS
School based apprenticeships and traineeships provide students with the opportunity to attain a nationally recognised Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification as well as their Higher School Certificate (HSC) and gain valuable work skills and experience through paid employment.
THS HSC SUBJECT SELECTION GUIDE
COURSES GROUPS / SUBJECTS FOR SELECTIONCOMPULSORY SELECTION - / E1 – English – Standard or Advanced &/or Extension.
E2 – same as E1 or English Studies ES – English Studies [ATAR optional]
BOARD DEVELOPED
CATEGORY A COURSES / · Ancient History.
· Agriculture.
· Biology.
· Business Studies.
· Chemistry.
· Community and Family Studies.
· Design Technology
· Drama.
· Earth and Environmental Science.
· Economics.
· Engineering Studies.
· Extension English (1 Unit).
· Food Technology.
· Geography.
· Investigating Science. / · Legal Studies.
· SELECT ONLY ONE FROM THE FOLLOWING Industrial Technology – Multimedia OR
Industrial Technology – Timber
· Mathematics Standard 1(Exam/ATAR optional)
· Mathematics Standard 2
· Mathematics Advanced
· Math (Advanced) + Extension Maths (1 Unit).
· Modern History.
· Music.
· PDHPE.
· Physics.
· Society Culture.
· Software Design Development.
· Textiles &Design.
· Visual Arts.
Board Developed CATEGORY B COURSES Vocational / · Construction.
· Hospitality.
· Metals & Engineering.
· Primary Industries – “General Agriculture”
· Retail Services.
# Also ALL have an optional HSC Examination = qualify for ATAR. / TVET:- TAFE delivered
· Electrotechnology [Delivered at St Philips].
See Mr McElwain for other TAFE subjects.
# Also ALL have an optional HSC Examination = qualify for ATAR.
Board Endorsed Courses
[NON-ATAR] / · Exploring Early Childhood
· Photography.
· Sports, Lifestyle & Recreation
· VET Sports Coaching
· Work Studies
MOST SUBJECTS EQUAL WEIGHT - TWO [2] UNITS. (All are 2 units except extension subjects)
UNITS REQUIRED FOR PRELIMINARY (YR 11) COURSE.
[inc. minimum of 2 units of English + 4 units of other BDCs]
UNITS REQUIRED FOR HSC (Yr 12) - [Can be completed over a period of up to 5 years]
[inc. minimum of 2 units of English + 4 units of other BDCs for a HSC]
HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIFICATE
HSC COURSE GUIDELINE SUMMARY
DESCRIPTIONENGLISH
Courses: HSC English Extension 1 / HSC English Extension 2
Course: English Advanced
Course: English Standard
Course: English Studies [ATAR Optional]
MATHEMATICS
Course: Mathematics Standard 1 – (Exam optional ATAR Pathway)
Course: Mathematics Standard 2 - ATAR Pathway
Course: Mathematics Advanced
Course: Mathematics Extension 1
Course: Mathematics Extension 2
HUMAN SOCIETY and ITS ENVIRONMENT - HSIE
Course: Ancient History
Course: Business Studies
Course: Economics
Course: Geography
Course: Legal Studies
Course: Modern History
Course: Society and Culture
SCIENCE
Course: Biology
Course: Chemistry
Course: Earth and Environmental Science
Course: Investigating Science
Course: Physics
Course: Agriculture
Creative and Performing Arts
Course: Drama
Course: Music 1
Course: Visual Arts
Course: Photography
PDHPE
Course: Personal Development Health and Physical Education
TAS – Home Economics
Course: Food Technology
Course: Community and Family Studies
Course: Textiles Design
Course: Exploring Early Childhood
TAS – Industrial Arts
Course: Engineering Studies
Course: Industrial Technology – Timber Products and Furniture Industries
Course: Industrial Technology – Multimedia
Course: Design Technology
Course: Software Design and Development
Board Endorsed Courses – Non - ATAR
Sport Lifestyle Recreation Studies
Work Studies
Vocational Education Training – Tomaree High
Construction Pathways
Hospitality
Metal and Engineering
Primary Industries –
Retail Services
VET - Content Endorsed Courses – Non - ATAR
Sports Coaching
TAFE Delivered (TVET)
Consult TAFE website or TVET Coordinator.
Certificate II Electrotechnology (St Philips – TTC)