Tertiary Preparation

TERTIARY PREPARATION

Course Number 29603

CONTENTS

Course Overview 4

Is this the right course for you?

Course Structure 5

What subjects can you study and how

are they grouped?

Course Completion 8

What are the requirements for course completion?

University Entrance 9

How is this calculated?

Assessment 9

How are students assessed?

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) 11

How to apply for exemptions from units

equivalent to those passed in the HSC.

Subject & Unit Descriptions 12

How to apply for exemptions from units

equivalent to those passed in the HSC.

F. A. Q. 23

Answers to frequently asked questions..

The TPC notice-board

Important information regarding the TPC is on the level 5 landing.

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COURSE OVERVIEW

The Tertiary Preparation Certificate IV (TPC) provides an alternative to the NSW Higher School Certificate (HSC). On completion students may attain matriculation into university, certain TAFE diploma and degree courses and the forces.

The course is for people who:

·  Have left school.

·  Think they are too old to go back to school.

·  Would like to go to university.

·  Aim to do higher-level courses at a TAFE college.

·  Would like an alternative way of studying at matriculation level.

The course is delivered in a way that develops sound basic academic skills but also provides appropriate background knowledge. The emphasis is on fostering individual learning skills rather than simply "cramming" for exams.

Successful students are eligible to receive the scaled Tertiary Entrance Score (TES). The Universities Admission Centre (UAC) uses the TAFE calculated TES to assist universities in making offers of places to TPC graduates. See page 9 to learn how the TES is calculated.

COURSE STRUCTURE

There are over thirty subjects in the TPC at Ultimo divided into the following 4 groups:

·  Group 1: Core subjects

These three subjects are compulsory.

·  Group 2: A-level elective subjects.

You may study any number of A-level subjects but a maximum of three count towards course completion. (See page 6)

·  Group 3: B-level elective subjects.

You must pass at least two B-level subjects.(See page 7)

·  Group 4: Other elective subjects.

You may study any number of these subjects to help you complete the course.(See page 8)

To receive the Tertiary Preparation Certificate IV you must pass at least nine subjects; the three core subjects from group 1 plus at least six electives from groups 2, 3 and 4.

The subjects within each group contain one or more embedded units of study. See the following table for more details.

TPC SUBJECTS & EMBEDDED UNITS

Further details regarding group 1, core subjects can be found on page 13.

Further details regarding group 2, A-level elective subjects can be found on page 14.

Further details regarding group 3, B-level elective subjects, can be found on page 18.

Further details regarding group 4, can be found on page 22.

COURSE COMPLETION

To be awarded the Tertiary Preparation Certificate IV you must pass at least nine subjects:

·  All three group 1 subjects

·  Any number of the A-level elective subjects from group 2. A maximum of three will count towards course completion.

·  Two or more of the B-level elective subjects from group 3

·  Any number of the elective subjects from group 4.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT

When students have satisfied the course completion requirements listed above, they are also awarded a Tertiary Entrance Score. (This is used to calculate university admission scores; see page 9 for details.) This score is only calculated and provided to students at the end of the year. So it is worth noting that even if you have achieved the completion requirements by the middle of the year you will need to wait until the end of the year to receive your certificate.

SELECTING YOUR SUBJECTS

With so much choice, how do you decide on your elective subjects?

If you have a particular career in mind or you know which university or TAFE course you are aiming for, it is a good idea to find out the requirements of that course. This will help you in your choice of B-level electives. Then choose the appropriate A-level electives that take you to these B-level electives.

If you do not have a specific goal it may be wise to select subjects that keep open your future opportunities by selecting a balanced selection of English, Humanities, Mathematics and Science subjects.

Teaching staff within each faculty are available at the Information session to advise you on subject content and help you make your subject choices. You may also make an appointment with our Counselling and Career Services section on level four of building D.

UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE SCORE

On completing the requirements of TPC course completion, students are awarded a Tertiary Entrance Score. This score, out of 300, is calculated by adding together the three scaled results from:

·  Language and Learning Skills B

·  The highest group B elective subject result

·  The second highest group B elective subject result.

Scaling of B-level subjects and the award of the TES is calculated yearly, at the conclusion of semester two. It is important to bear this in mind if you are aiming to complete the TPC at the end of the first semester in any year.

The certificate is only awarded once the TES has been calculated at the end of the year.

ASSESSMENT

The number and type of assessments varies from subject to subject. They may be class-tests, assignments, presentations, portfolios, final exams etc. Subject teachers inform students of the assessment program for each unit at the start of each semester.

Your teacher assesses A-level subjects and these marks are submitted at the end of the semester.

B-level final examinations are assessed through common papers across the state. The marking of these tasks is checked and confirmed by verification panels. These panels meet at the end of each semester to ensure fair and consistent standards of marking.

It is essential that all students are aware of, and attend, the assessment events on the set-dates. Your teacher will advise you of these dates and times as soon as they become available during the semester.

Students who do not attend a B-level assessment event at the set time fail the unit.

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING (RPL)

If you have recently passed subjects in the Higher School Certificate you may apply to have these qualifications recognized.

Recognition will exempt you from studying certain subjects and reduce the number of subjects you need to study to complete the course.

The following table shows the TPC subjects for which RPL may be awarded if you can produce a certificate showing passes in the HSC.

*IMPORTANT NOTE

(1) If you receive RPL for a B-level subject it will count as a completed elective subject towards course completion. However, it will not earn a mark towards your TES.

(2) If you have already passed any subject in the old TPC course 9048 that is also in the new course 29603, you will receive automatic credit for this subject when you enroll.

SUBJECT & UNIT DESCRIPTIONS

This section contains detailed information about the compulsory (core) and elective subjects that are offered at Ultimo.

Key to layout of subject descriptions.

This diagram shows an example of the layout of information

provided for each subject on pages 13 to 25.

GROUP 1: CORE SUBJECTS

The following three subjects are compulsory.

NOTE:

·  LALS A should be studied in your first semester. It is a prerequisite for LALS B.

GROUP 2: ELECTIVE A-LEVEL SUBJECTS