VCE
Subject Choices
English Curriculum
VCE English
The study of English is designed to enable students to extend their competence in using Standard Australian English. Students will broaden their language skills through thinking, reading, writing, speaking and listening tasks. They will refine their ability to communicate ideas and information, both orally and in writing for a range of audiences. Students will read widely from several different texts in order to develop informed interpretations and recognise the importance of language and its capacity to express ideas.
What will students learn:
Unit 1
Develop inferential reading and viewing strategies to support the development of personal connections with a text.
Create written texts that demonstrate an awareness of context, purpose and audience.
Analyse the purpose of vocabulary, text structures, language features and conventions in written texts.
Unit 2
Develop and justify a detailed interpretation and of a selected text.
Create texts taking audience, purpose and context into account.
Identify and discuss, either in writing or orally, how language can be used to persuade readers or viewers.
Unit 3
Analyse ideas, concerns and values presented in a text, informed by the vocabulary, text structures and language features and how they make meaning
Demonstrate effective writing skills by producing their own texts, designed to respond to a specific context and audience to achieve a stated purpose
Justify their decision making through writing processes
Unit 4
Analyse explicit and implicit ideas, concerns and values presented in a text
Analyse the use of argument and language in persuasive texts
Develop and present a point of view text
VCE English Language
English Language explores English through a linguistics lens, with a strong emphasis on language as used in contemporary society, and how historical forces have led to this point. Students study a myriad of spoken and written texts in order to develop their analytical skills and understanding of linguistics. The range of texts includes narratives, advertisements, social media, legal documents, bureaucratic documents, literature, speeches and discourse in the public domain. Students study the structure, functions and history of the English language and the way it is structured for specific audiences and purposes.
What will students learn:
Unit 1
AOS 1 The nature and functions of language
AOS 2 Language acquisition
Unit 2
AOS 1 English across time
AOS2 Englishes in contact
Unit 3
AOS 1 Informality
AOS 2 Formality
Unit 4
AOS 1 Language variation in Australian society
AOS 2 Individual and group identities
VCE Literature
The study of Literature focuses on developing an informed, critical, and appreciative approach to reading. In Literature, students deepen their critical reading skills through discussion and debate. Literature involves the study of a wide range of texts including poetry, plays, prose and film. Students of Literature develop a critical awareness of cultures past and present and how these are represented in literary texts. They read closely and engage in detailed analysis of the literary features of the texts they study. Students of Literature develop their own interpretations of texts and come to understand the factors which have influenced this interpretation.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: Approaches to Literature
Examine a range of literary texts – plays, novels, stories and poems
Explore how readers develop their understanding of literary texts
Examine the relationship between personal taste and social values
Explore a range of literary movements and genres
Unit 2: Context and Connections
Read and discuss challenging texts and explore how literature represents the world in distinctive ways
Begin to develop skills in the close analysis of literary language
Explore the significance and interconnectedness of place, culture, and identity in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Texts
Identify the specific features of texts and explore connections between texts
Unit 3: Form and Transformation
Analyse how meaning changes when the form of a text changes
Enhance their own interpretations of texts through direct engagement with secondary literature and theory
Unit 4: Interpreting Texts
Examine how the views and values of texts are reflected through different readings
Develop creative responses in response to a set text
Critically analyse features of a text
Mathematics Curriculum
VCE General Mathematics
General Mathematics places a strong emphasis on building confidence in understanding and solving mathematical problems, both abstract and concrete, with increased accuracy. It will also develop the use of a Computer Algebraic Systems (CAS) calculator as a tool to assist with mathematical investigation. In this subject, students will be introduced to a variety of mathematical topics to demonstrate both the versatility of Mathematics as well as the consistency of mathematical reasoning in different settings.
What will students learn:
Unit 1
Investigating and comparing data distributions using data analysis, probability and statistics
Recursion and financial mathematics
Linear functions, graphs, equations and models
Discrete mathematics using matrices
Mathematical investigation
Unit 2
Investigating relationships between two numerical values
Graphs and networks
Space, measurement and applications of trigonometry
Mathematical investigation
Unit 3
Investigating data distributions
Two variable analysis
Modelling linear associations and time series data
Recursion and financial modelling, depreciation of assets, compound interest, reducing balance loans, annuities and perpetuities, and compound interest
Unit 4
Matrices and their applications
Graphs and networks, exploring travelling problems, minimum connector problems, shortest path, matching problems, and scheduling problems
VCE Mathematical Methods
Mathematical Methods (CAS) is designed to introduce students to skills and knowledge over four areas of study: Functions and Graphs, Algebra, Calculus and Probability and Statistics. The areas of study are revisited in each unit as students build on their prior knowledge and develop an increasingly sophisticated understanding of the core content and its applications. Skills are built progressively from Units 1 to 4 and students are asked to apply their knowledge to unfamiliar settings. Students make extensive use of technology, particularly Computer Algebraic System (CAS) calculators, to explore these areas in greater depth. Mathematical Methods (CAS) Units 1 and 2 must be successfully completed prior to the commencement of Units 3 and 4. It is highly recommended that students complete Year 10 Advanced Mathematics prior to enrolling in Year 11 Mathematical Methods.
What will students learn:
Unit 1
Linear relationships, quadratics, and functions
Rates of change
Discrete Probability
Mathematical Investigation
Unit 2
Circular functions
Exponential and logarithmic functions
Calculus
Counting methods and distributions
Mathematical Investigation
Unit 3
Linear and quadratics
Polynomials and functions
Calculus
Exponentials and logarithms
Unit 4
Circular functions
Calculus applications
Probability and statistics
VCE Specialist Mathematics
Specialist Mathematics is offered to highly capable students who are also enrolled in VCE Mathematical Methods (CAS). The subject extends core ideas from content within the Mathematical Methods course, embedded in areas such as algebra, functions and calculus, whilst also introducing new concepts fundamental to applied Mathematics. Students will be challenged to find and justify their solutions to complex problems, requiring a high level of perseverance, flexibility and clarity to their thinking and written work. A Computer Algebraic Systems (CAS) calculator will support students’ investigations and facilitate a deeper understanding of the various concepts and theories learnt throughout the course.
What will students learn:
Unit 1
Algebra, number and structure including proof, graph theory, logic, and algorithms
Discrete mathematics including sequence and series, combinatorics, and matrices
Complex Numbers
Mathematical Investigation
Unit 2
Simulations, sampling, and sampling distributions
Trigonometry, transformations, and vectors
Functions and Relations
Mathematical Investigation
Logic & Algebra
Proof
Unit 3
Rational functions of a real variable
Complex numbers – Part 2
Functions and graphs
Differential and integral calculus
Vector calculus
Vectors
Differential equations
Unit 4
Probability and Statistics
Linear combinations of random variables
Sample means
Confidence intervals for means
Hypothesis testing
Proof and Logic
Science Curriculum
VCE Biology
Biology is the study of living things, from the minute detail of single cells through to the complex relationships between organisms in ecosystems. In this subject, students investigate the composition, structure and function of cells. Students use both practical and theory-based work to explore cellular processes such as photosynthesis, respiration and movement across membranes. They gain an understanding of body systems and their contribution to homoeostasis. Students conduct fieldwork to learn about relationships between organisms and energy flow within ecosystems. The study of Year 10 Science prior to or alongside Biology is strongly recommended.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: How do organisms regulate their functions?
How do cells function?
How do plants and animal systems function?
How do scientific investigations develop understanding of how organisms regulate their functions?
Unit 2: How does inheritance impact on diversity?
How is inheritance explained?
How do inherited adaptations impact on diversity?
How do humans use science to explore and communicate contemporary bioethical issues?
Unit 3: How do cells maintain life?
What is the role of nucleic acids and proteins in maintaining life?
How are biochemical pathways regulated?
Unit 4: How does life change and respond to challenges over time?
How do organisms respond to pathogens?
How are species related over time?
How is scientific inquiry used to investigate cellular processes and/or biological change?
VCE Chemistry
Chemistry involves investigating the composition and behaviour of matter and its interaction with energy, as well as key factors that affect chemical systems. You will develop knowledge and understanding of how chemical systems can be controlled to develop greener and more sustainable processes for the production of chemicals and energy while minimising any adverse effects on human health and the environment. You will gain skills that are employed by a range of industries, such as the petroleum, mining, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and agriculture industries. It is also at the heart of the rapidly growing fields of nanotechnology and biotechnology. Base knowledge in Chemistry is used in other career areas too, particularly, Ecology, Geology and Medicine.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: How can the diversity of materials be explained?
How do the chemical structures of materials explain their properties and reactions?
How are materials quantified and classified?
How can chemical principles be applied to create a more sustainable future?
Sustainability in chemistry research investigation
Unit 2: How do chemical reactions shape the natural world?
How do chemicals interact with water?
How are chemicals measured and analysed?
How do quantitative scientific investigations develop our understanding of chemical reactions?
Student-designed practical investigation
Unit 3: How can design and innovation help to optimise chemical processes?
What are the current and future options for supplying energy?
How can the rate and yield of chemical reactions be optimised?
Unit 4: How are carbon-based compounds designed for purpose?
How are organic compounds categorised and synthesised?
How are organic compounds analysed and used?
How is scientific inquiry used to investigate the sustainable production of energy and/or materials?
Student-designed practical investigation
VCE Environmental Science
Environmental Science is an excellent subject for students who would like to undertake a general science subject or are interested in ecology or the environment. Students learn and apply knowledge and skills from Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geology, Geography and Maths. Practical and research activities will help students to make connections, allowing them to develop an in-depth understanding about how biological and human systems interact and affect each other. Students investigate all aspects of the natural world, including how living organisms rely on the physical environment. There is a strong emphasis on how humans affect ecosystems including the examination of strategies that will enable us to maintain and protect the environment.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: How are Earth’s dynamic systems interconnected to support life?
How are Earth’s systems organised and connected?
How do Earth’s systems change over time?
How do scientific investigations develop understanding of how Earth’s systems support life?
Unit 2: What affects Earth’s capacity to sustain life?
How can we manage pollution to sustain Earth’s systems?
How can we manage food and water security to sustain Earth’s systems?
How do scientific endeavours contribute to minimising human impacts on Earth’s systems?
Unit 3: How can biodiversity and development be sustained?
Why is maintaining biodiversity worth a sustained effort?
When is development sustainable?
Unit 4: How can climate change and the impacts of human energy use be managed?
How can we respond to climate change?
What might be a more sustainable mix of energy sources?
How is scientific inquiry used to investigate contemporary environmental challenges?
VCE Physics
Physics enables you to use observations, experiments, measurements and mathematical analysis to develop qualitative and quantitative explanations for phenomena occurring from the subatomic scale to macroscopic scales. You will explore the big ideas that changed the course of thinking in physics such as relativity and quantum physics. Physics is a challenging and rewarding subject. Studying physics instructs a person in the process of critical thinking, how to pose questions, and how to solve problems. Physics is at the heart of almost every facet of modern life. Physics provides training for a vast range of careers, it can be employed directly, or the skills developed can be applied in innovative ways in other fields of inquiry. Successful completion of Year 10 Maths and Science is required before undertaking VCE Physics.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: How is energy useful to society?
How are light and heat explained?
How is energy from the nucleus utilised?
How can electricity be used to transfer energy?
Unit 2: How does physics help us to understand the world?
How is motion understood?
How does physics inform contemporary issues and applications in society?
Practical investigation
Unit 3: How do fields explain motion and electricity?
How do physicists explain motion in two dimensions?
How do things move without contact?
How are fields used in electricity generation?
Unit 4: How have creative ideas and investigation revolutionised thinking in physics?
How has understanding about the physical world changed?
How is scientific inquiry used to investigate fields, motion or light?
VCE Psychology
In Psychology students explore complex human behaviours and thought processes. They develop empathetic understandings and learn about mental health issues in society. Students are given the opportunity to apply psychological principles to everyday situations such as workplace and social relations. Psychology provides students with a sophisticated framework for understanding the complex interactions between biological, behavioural, cognitive and sociocultural factors that influence thought, emotions and behaviour. The study of Year 10 Science or Advanced Science prior to, or alongside, Psychology is strongly recommended.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: How are behaviour and mental processes shaped?
What influences psychological development?
How are mental processes and behaviour influenced by the brain?
How does contemporary psychology conduct and validate psychological research?
Unit 2: How do internal and external factors influence behaviour and mental processes?
How are people influenced to behave in particular ways?
What influences a person’s perception of the world?
How to scientific investigations develop our understanding of influences on perception and behaviour?
Unit 3: How does experience affect behaviour and mental processes?
How does the nervous system enable psychological functioning?
How do people learn and remember?
Unit 4: How is wellbeing developed and maintained?
How does sleep affect mental processes and behaviour?
What influences mental well-being?
How is scientific inquiry used to investigate mental processes and psychological functioning?
Humanities Curriculum
VCE Australian and Global Politics
Students of Australian and Global Politics focus on the study of contemporary leadership at both national and global levels. Students explore, explain and evaluate national and global political issues, problems and events. Australian and Global Politics engages students with key political, social and economic movements so they can become informed local, national and global citizens. The Australian and Global Politics curriculum studies interactions between state and non-state actors in the twenty-first century and the extent to which they challenge the supremacy of the state
What will students learn:
Unit 1: Politics, Power and Political actors
Power and national political actors
Power and global political actors
Unit 2: Democracy, Stability and Change
Issues for Australia's democracy
Global challenges to democracy
Unit 3: Global Cooperation and Conflict (new in 2025)
Investigation of contemporary issue and crises
Consider causes and consequences of these issues and crises on a global level and for a variety of global actors
Unit 4: Power in the Indo-Pacific (new in 2025)
investigate the strategic competition for power and influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Develop understanding of power and national interests through in-depth examination of one state's perspectives.
Consider Australia's strategic position and contribution to stability and change.
N.B. The Australian and Global Politics study design is currently transitioning to a new design, with unit 1&2 being newly implemented in 2024 and the new unit 3 & 4 to commence in 2025. This page will be updated as new information becomes available.
VCE Accounting
VCE Accounting explores the financial recording, reporting, analysis and decision-making processes of a sole proprietor small business. Students study both theoretical and practical aspects of accounting. They collect, record, report and analyse financial data, and report, classify, verify and interpret accounting information, using both manual methods and information and communications technology (ICT). Students apply critical thinking skills to a range of business situations to model alternative outcomes and to provide accounting advice to business owners. In business decision-making, financial as well as ethical considerations (incorporating social and environmental aspects) should be taken into account.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: Role of accounting in business
The role of accounting
Recording financial data and reporting accounting information for a service business
Unit 2: Accounting and decision – making for a trading business
Accounting for inventory
Accounting for and managing accounts receivable and accounts payable
Accounting for and managing non-current assets
Unit 3: Financial accounting for a trading business
Recording and analysing financial data
Preparing and interpreting accounting reports
Unit 4: Recording, reporting, budgeting and decision-making
Extension of recording and reporting
Budgeting and decision making
VCE Business Management
VCE Business Management examines the ways in which people at various levels within a business manage resources to achieve the objectives of the organisation. Students will study the various strategies in the management of resources in small, medium and large organisations and consider changes that need to be made to ensure the continued success of a business. Through exposure to real business scenarios students will gain an understanding of how theoretical business concepts are put into practice in established organisations.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: Planning a Business
The business idea
The external business environment
The internal business environment
Unit 2: Establishing a Business
Legal requirements and financial considerations
Marketing a business
Staffing a business
Unit 3: Managing a Business
Business foundations
Human resource management
Operations management
Unit 4: Transforming a Business
Reviewing performance - the need for change
Implementing change within a business
VCE Economics
The study of Economics focuses on decisions about how production occurs, how resources are allocated and how the proceeds of production are distributed. These are economic decisions taken by individuals, groups, businesses and governments which not only effect the wellbeing of particular nations and their people but also increasingly influence living standards regionally and globally. Students investigate economic activity in Australia and the factors that affect the achievement of the Australian Government’s economic objectives which concentrates on budget/fiscal, monetary and microeconomic reform.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: Economic decision-making
Thinking like an economist
Decision-making in markets
Behavioural Economics
Unit 2: Economic issues and living standards
Economic activity
Applied economic analysis of local, national and international economic issues
Unit 3: Australia’s living standards
An introduction to microeconomics: the market system, resource allocation and government intervention
Domestic macroeconomic goals
Australia and the international economy
Unit 4: Managing the Economy
Aggregate demand policies and domestic economic stability
Aggregate supply policies
VCE Geography
VCE Geography develops students' knowledge, skills and understanding of the concepts of the natural world and the impacts of human activities on these environments. As part of the VCE Geography curriculum, students will address key questions in relation to places and geographic phenomena: What is there? Why is it there? How is it changing over time? What are the causes and consequences? Students explore such questions through a fieldwork, the investigation of a wide range of secondary sources and geospatial technologies. Through critical analysis of data and through research, students will examine natural and human processes, how and why they change, the interconnections to broader phenomena, and the patterns they form.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: Hazards and Disasters
Characteristics, causes, and impacts of hazards
Response to hazards and disasters
Unit 2: Tourism: issues and challenges
Characteristics of tourism
Impact of tourism on people, places and the environment
Unit 3: Changing Land
Changes to land cover including biomes (forests) and land covered by ice and water.
Changes to land use to satisfy a society's emerging needs
Unit 4: Human Population Trends and Issues
The geography of human population – patterns, change, movement and distribution throughout the world
Responses and reactions to these changes in different parts of the world
VCE History - Modern History (Unit 1&2) and Empires History (Unit 1&2)
The study of VCE History allows students to further develop their knowledge, skills and understanding of the past and the people, ideas and events that have created certain societies and cultures. Students will develop their grasp of historical events through the research of specific case studies, forming links between these instances and contemporary issues. The study of VCE History builds a conceptual and historical framework seeking to extend students’ cultural, economic, social and political understanding as they present their views and arguments in a variety of mediums.
What will students learn:
Modern History Unit 1: Change and conflict
Explain how significant events, ideologies and individuals contributed to political and economic changes in the first half of the 20th century
Analyse how these contributed to the causes of World War Two
Explain patterns of social and cultural change in everyday life in the United States interwar period
Analyse the conditions which influenced these changes
Modern History Unit 2: The changing world order
Explain the causes of the Cold War
Analyse its consequences on nations and people.
Explain the challenges to social, political and/or economic structures of power during the Irish Troubles
Evaluate the extent to which continuity and change occurred
Empires Unit 1: Spanish Empire
Explain the significant features of an empire
Analyse the rise and expansion of the empire
Analyse the challenges and changes faced by the empire
Evaluate the consequences of its imperial encounters in new territories and colonies, and on Indigenous peoples.
Empires Unit 2: English Empire
Explain the significant features of an empire
Analyse the rise and expansion of the empire
Analyse the challenges and changes faced by the empire
Evaluate the consequences of its imperial encounters in new territories and colonies, and on Indigenous peoples.
VCE History - Revolutions (Unit 3&4)
In Units 3 and 4 Revolutions students investigate the significant historical causes and consequences of political revolution. Revolutions represent great ruptures in time and are a major turning point in the collapse and destruction of an existing political order which results in extensive change to society. In these units students construct an argument about the past using historical sources (primary sources and historical interpretations) as evidence to analyse the complexity and multiplicity of the causes and consequences of both the French and Russian Revolutions and to evaluate the extent to which the revolution brought change to the lives of people. Students analyse the different perspectives and experiences of people who lived through dramatic revolutionary moments, and how society changed or remained the same.
What will students learn:
Unit 3: French Revolution
What is a revolution?
What were the causes of the French Revolution?
How successful was the revolution in creating meaningful change for the people of France?
Who were the principal beneficiaries of the fall of the old order?
Unit 4: Russian Revolution
Can revolutions be successful in the modern world?
Did the new Russian society change the lives of the Russian people for better or worse?
How have historians interpreted the Russian Revolution?
VCE Philosophy
Philosophy gives students the opportunity to explore and evaluate some of the big ideas offered by the most influential thinkers of history. This course introduces students to methods of philosophical argument and analysis, and guides them in applying these methods to contemporary issues. The study also focuses on specific works and philosophical ideas as they change throughout different stages of history. Philosophy grapples with profound and fundamental questions, such as: What is the nature of reality? Are human beings more than their bodies? Is it possible to obtain absolute certainty about anything? Are right and wrong simply matters of culture? What does it mean to live well? Philosophy demands independent thinking and strong writing skills.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: Existence, Knowledge and Reasoning
Explore metaphysical questions related to the mind and body, the self and reality
Explore the possible sources of knowledge
Introduction to philosophical inquiry
Investigate what makes up reality
Unit 2: Questions of Value
Ethics and philosophical investigation focusing on moral values
Techniques of philosophical inquiry
Explore the nature of beauty and art
Analyse to what extent should freedom be protected
Unit 3: Minds, Bodies, Persons
Study of the mind-body problem and the hard problem of consciousness
Exploring the nature of personal identity
Unit 4: The Good Life
Philosophical analysis of what it means to live the good life
Application of ancient and contemporary viewpoints to life in the 21st century
N.B. The Philosophy study design is currently being reviewed for 2024. This page will be updated as new information becomes available.
VCE Legal Studies
Legal Studies investigates the ways in which the law and the legal system relate to and serve individuals and the community. Students examine the processes of law-making, dispute resolution and the administration of justice in Australia. They develop an understanding of the complexity of the law and the challenges faced by our law-makers and dispute resolution bodies. They investigate the workings of the Australian legal system and undertake comparisons with international structures and procedures. Students are encouraged to question these systems and develop informed judgements about their effectiveness.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: Presumption of Innocence
Legal Foundations
The presumption of innocence
Sanctions
Unit 2: Wrongs and Rights
Civil Liability
Remedies
Human Rights
Unit 3: Rights and Justice
The Victorian criminal justice system
The Victorian civil justice system
Unit 4: The people, the Law and law reform
The people and law-makers
The people and reform
VCE Sociology
Sociology is the study of everything around you: your social interactions, experiences, values, norms and culture. It examines how you fit into the world and how others perceive and treat you based on factors like economic and status levels, education, ethnicity, sexual orientation and so on. Sociology makes you more aware that there are many different kinds of people in the world who do not necessarily think the way you do, nor experience life in the same way. It examines how humans create meanings, how so much of what we take for granted is socially constructed and consequently subjective in nature and prone to change. Sociology draws on various research methods in the exploration of social relationships. You gather information for analysis, drawing on case studies, media representations, surveys and participant observation. It increases your willingness and ability to see the world from other people’s perspectives. Studying sociology will transform the way you perceive and think about yourself, others and life itself.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: Youth and family
What is the superpower of the 'sociological imagination'?
What is it like to a young person in Australia today?
How do we perceive, label and treat young people in society?
How is the experience of being young different for people based on social, economic, cultural and technological variables?
What is the reality of the family institution beyond traditional, idealised notions?
What does feminist theory have to say about family?
What is family life like across different cultures?
How do different examples of media represent family in society?
Unit 2: Deviance and crime
What stops us from breaking unwritten laws in society?
How does society react to perceived deviations from norms?
Why do people commit crimes?
How does our society deal with criminals and criminal behaviour? How should it?
What is the impact of moral panic?
Unit 3: Culture and ethnicity
How and why have Australian Indigenous Cultures been suppressed historically?
What misconceptions do people hold about Australian Indigenous people and cultures?
How is awareness and understanding of Australian Indigenous Cultures changing over time?
Why is the concept of race unhelpful?
Why do some groups in multicultural Australia feel like they do not belong and are excluded?
Unit 4: Community, social movements and social change
What do we get out of belonging to communities?
What is technology doing to the way we connect with and define communities?
How are communities affected by different factors?
What is social change?
What makes a social movement emerge?
How do social movements use power to achieve their aims and how is power used against them?
Create Curriculum
VCE Art Creative Practice (Formerly called Art)
In the study of VCE Art Creative Practice, research and investigation inform art making. Through the study of artworks, the practices of artists and their role in society, students develop their individual art practice, and communicate ideas and meaning using a range of materials, techniques and processes.
In the practice of Making and Responding, students develop their skills in critical and creative thinking, innovation, problem-solving and risk-taking. By combining a focused study of artworks, art practice and practical art making, students recognise the interplay between research, art practice and the analysis and interpretation of art works.
This study provides students with an informed context to support an awareness of art as a tool for cultural, social and personal communication, and the stimulus and inspiration to develop their art practice.
Unit 1: Interpreting artworks and exploring the Creative Practice
Learn about the practices of artists from different periods of time and cultures
Learn how to formulate personal opinions on artists and their work
Learn how artists use visual language to communicate ideas and meaning in their artworks
Unit 2: Interpreting artworks and developing the Creative Practice
Compare artworks from different cultural and historical contexts
Learn about diverse and alternative approaches to making and presenting artworks
Explore social and cultural ideas or issues using the Creative Practice
Make and present at least one finished artwork using the Creative Practice
Unit 3: Investigation, ideas, artworks and the Creative Practice
Learn about the ideas explored by artists in their artworks
Learn about issues related to the artwork or practice of the artist
Learn how to use materials, techniques, processes and art forms throughout the Creative Practice
Unit 4: Interpreting, resolving and presenting artworks and the Creative Practice
Use the Creative Practice to refine materials, techniques and processes in selected art forms to resolve a Body of Work
Document the refinement and effective resolution of visual language to communicate ideas in personal responses
Compare the practices of historical and contemporary artists
Analyse, interpret and compare meanings and messages of historical and contemporary artworks
Use feedback and reflection to resolve a body of work.
VCE Computing
Students will learn about the processing of data and the management of information systems to meet the needs of individuals and organisations. They will also explore the capacities, scope and limitations of hardware and software. Students will learn to use ICT to make informed decisions and to solve information problems. They will study the ethical, legal and moral issues arising from the use of ICT and learn to be an effective ICT user in the workplace.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: IT in action
Problem solving techniques using ICT
Data management and using databases
Issues arising from the use of ICT
How to manage a large project
Unit 2: IT Pathways
Computer programming or scripting
Computer networks
Problem solving in ICT
How to manage a large project
Unit 3: Software Development
Analyse a client’s need
Plan and design a solution and develop computational design systems to assist a client
Design and create purpose-driven solutions to problems, using programming language
Develop a set of working modules through the use of a programming language
Unit 4: Software Development
Transform data into usable information using a software solution
Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of a solution in meeting a client’s needs
Apply systems thinking skills when explaining the relationship between two information systems that share data
VCE Dance
VCE Dance provides opportunities for students to explore the potential of movement as a means of creative expression and communication. In VCE Dance, students create and perform their own works as well as studying the works of others through performance and analysis. In each unit, students undertake regular and systematic dance training to develop their physical skills and advance their ability to execute a diverse range of expressive movements. Students also develop and refine their choreographic skills by exploring personal and learnt movement vocabularies. They study ways other choreographers have created and arranged movement to communicate an intention and create their own dance works. Students perform learnt solo and group dance works and their own works. They also analyse ways that ideas are communicated through dance and how dance styles, traditions and works can influence dance practice, the arts, artists and society more generally.
What will students learn:
Unit 1:
Describe and document features of other choreographer’s dance works
Choreograph and perform a group or solo dance work and complete structured improvisations
Safely and expressively perform a learnt solo, duo or group dance work
Describe key approaches to health and wellbeing practices for dancers, and essential aspects of physiology
Unit 2:
Analyse the use of the movement categories and elements of movement in selected dance works
Choreograph and perform a solo dance work, and complete structured improvisations
Safely and securely perform a learnt dance work with artistry, and report on the process
Unit 3:
Analyse two selected solo dance works
Choreograph, rehearse and perform a skills-based solo dance work, and analyse the processes used
Learn, rehearse, perform and analyse a learnt group dance work
Unit 4:
Analyse one selected group dance work
Choreograph, rehearse and perform a compositional solo dance work, and analyse the processes used
VCE Drama
VCE Drama focuses on the creation and performance of characters and stories that communicate ideas, meaning and messages. Students use creative processes, a range of stimulus materials and play-making techniques to develop and present devised work. Students learn about and draw on a range of performance styles relevant to practices of ritual and story-telling, contemporary drama practice and the work of significant drama practitioners. Students explore characteristics of selected performance and apply and manipulate conventions, dramatic elements and production areas and use performance skills and expressive skills to explore and develop role and character. Students also analyse the development of their own work and performances by other drama practitioners.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: Introducing Performance Styles
Use of play-making techniques and theatrical styles to devise an ensemble performance
Group performance featuring devised stories and characters
Written responses to students’ own works and the works of professional drama performers
Unit 2: Australian Identity
Use of play-making techniques to devise a solo performance based on stimulus material
Solo performance featuring devised stories and characters
Written responses to students’ own works and the works of professional drama performers
Unit 3: Devised Ensemble Performance
Use of playmaking techniques and theatrical styles to devise an ensemble performance
Develop characters within an ensemble performance
Analyse the development and performance of the students’ own work
Viewing, analysing and evaluating a performance by a professional theatre company
Unit 4: Devised Solo Performance
Use of playmaking techniques to devise a solo performance based on stimulus material
Develop characters within a solo performance
Analyse the development of the students’ own work
Externally Assessment Major Solo
VCE Food Studies
In Food Studies, students explore food from a wide range of perspectives. They study past and present patterns of eating, Australian and global food production systems and the many physical and social functions of food. They research economic, environmental and ethical dimensions of food and critically evaluate information, marketing messages and new trends. Practical work is integral to Food Studies and includes cooking, demonstrations, creating and responding to design briefs, dietary analysis, food sampling and taste-testing, sensory analysis, product analysis and scientific experiments.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: Food Origins
The origins and cultural roles of food from early civilisation
The history and culture of food in Australia and the influence of immigration and other cultural factors
Unit 2: Food Makers
Commercial food production industries: primary food production, manufacturing, retail and food services
Practical skills and investigation
Unit 3: Food in Daily Life
The science of food, including digestion, intolerances and allergies
Analysis of food selection models and influences on food selection
Investigation of food properties through practical work
Unit 4: Food Issues, Challenges and Futures
Australian and global food is- sues, including ethics, use of technology and farming approaches
Research and analysis of food trends, fads, diets and marketing
VCE Media
VCE Media enable students to analyse and create media products and concepts. Students consider media texts, technologies and processes from various perspectives. They examine industry production and distribution context, audience reception and the media’s contribution to and impact on society. VCE Media helps students develop and refine their analytical skills, critical and creative thinking, and expression. Students strengthen their communication skills and technical knowledge throughout the course.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: Media Forms, Representations and Australian stories
How to create representations in film and print
How the media creates meaning
How to analyse structures in Australian fictional and non-fictional media stories
Unit 2: Narrative Across Media Forms
How to plan and execute a collaborative project
How different technologies construct meanings, and the implications of these technologies
Contemporary issues in the media
Unit 3: Media Narratives & Pre-Production
How to analyse feature films and the ideologies they represent in different societies
How to design a major media production
How to use production skills for a specific effect
Unit 4: Media Production and Issues in the Media
How to produce major media productions
Theories of agency, control and regulation in the Media
VCE Music
In Music, students build and refine their performance, creating and musicianship skills in solo and group contexts. Students study the work of other performers through listening and analysis and apply learned skills to performance, composition and improvisation. They also study, develop and refine strategies for developing technical and expressive performance skills and identify technical, expressive and stylistic challenges relevant to works they are preparing for performance. They study specific concepts to build their musicianship knowledge and skills including aural perception, transcription, theory and apply these to familiar and unfamiliar works.
To meet assessment requirements, students need to be enrolled in instrumental lessons on their chosen instrument. They are also strongly encouraged to be in a school ensemble.
What will students learn:
UNIT 1/2
Area of Study 1: Performing
Group performance strategies
Performance technique
Performance experience
Solo performance skills
Area of Study 2: Creating
Composing folio tasks and long-form pieces
Improvisation
Area of Study 3: Analysing & Responding
Knowledge of rhythms, melodies, scales, chords and their function in creating music
Extensive use of software for composing and arranging
Elements of music
Analysis of focus pieces and unfamiliar works
UNIT 3/4
Area of Study 1: Performing
Group performance strategies
Performance technique
Performance experience
Solo performance skills
Area of Study 2: Analysing For Performance
Composing folio tasks and long-form pieces
Exploring approaches to reimagining existing works
Improvisation
Area of Study 3: Analysing & Responding
Knowledge of rhythms, melodies, scales, chords and their function in creating music
Extensive use of software for composing and arranging
Elements of music
Analysis
VCE Music Investigation (Unit 3&4)
In this study students research performance practices relevant to a music style, tradition or genre. The music style, tradition or genre selected for study may be representative of music practice in a specific time, place or culture, and/or the work of a particular performer or composer. Students design an Investigation Topic as the basis for study of performance techniques and conventions, interpretative possibilities and contextual issues. Through this study they develop listening, aural, theoretical, interpretative and technical musicianship skills and demonstrate findings through performance of established repertoire, music they have composed, improvised or arranged, and commentary about issues that have informed their interpretation of a representative program of works.
What will students learn:
Unit 3: Solo Performance
Focus on a specific area of music performance
Solo performance or group skills and strategies and performance exercises
Performance technique for the focus area
Unit 4: Composing
In depth research into a very specific area of music performance
Composing, arranging and improvising in a focus area of study
Advanced use of music technology
VCE Product Design and Technology (Textiles)
Designers play an important part in our daily lives. They determine the form and function of the products we use and transform ideas into drawings and plans for the creation of products that fulfil human needs and wants. This subject focuses on the production of textile based products and students will consider the ethical and environmental impacts of this industry. Students also investigate the consequences of product design choices, and develop skills to critically analyse existing products and develop their own creative solutions.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: Sustainable Product Redevelopment
Re-design a product using sustainable materials
Analysis of existing design problems and production of solutions
Focus on aesthetics, function, quality and sustainability
Unit 2: Collaborative Design
Design and plan the production of a product
Produce a product range
Work collaboratively as part of a team
Unit 3: Applying the Product Design Process
Develop skills in writing a brief
Understand the role of a client/end user in the design process
Develop a solution to a design problem to meet the needs of a client
Unit 4: Product Development and Evaluation
Examine design factors that influence design solutions
Use complex skills to produce a product that meets a client’s needs
Implement safe use of materials and equipment
Document detailed production records and critical evaluation of a completed product
VCE Art Making and Exhibiting (Formerly called Studio Art)
VCE Art Making and Exhibiting introduces students to the methods used to make artworks and how artworks are presented and exhibited.
Students use inquiry learning to explore, develop and refine the use of materials, techniques and processes and to develop their knowledge and understanding of the ways artworks are made. They learn how art elements and art principles are used to create aesthetic qualities in artworks and how ideas are communicated through the use of visual language. Their knowledge and skills evolve through the experience of making and presenting their own artworks and through the viewing and analysis of artworks by other artists.
Unit 1: Explore, expand and investigate
Learn about the use of materials, techniques and processes in the historical development of specific art forms
Document the development of art making in a visual diary
Complete at least one finished artwork
Learn about Australian artists and their creative practice
Unit 2: Understand, develop and resolve
Learn about artworks exhibited in thematic exhibition
Research and select artworks to design a thematic exhibition
Learn about how art elements and principles and aesthetic qualities are used in artworks
Make at least one finished artwork
Unit 3: Collect, extend and connect
Develop subject matter and ideas from the exploration of other artists and personal influences
Experiment with materials, techniques and processes for art making
Make artworks based on influences, exploration, responses and reflection
Develop an exhibition proposal
Unit 4: Consolidate, present and conserve
Refine and resolve at least one finished artwork
Evaluate and reflect on your work
Plan and document the display of at least one finished artwork
Learn about the presentation, conservation and care of artworks in an exhibition space
VCE Visual Communication Design
In this course, students are introduced to the practices and processes used by designers to identify, reframe and resolve human-centred design problems. They learn how design can improve life and living for people, communities and societies, and how understandings of good design have changed over time. Students are introduced to the stages of the VCD design process including Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver, as well as the modes of divergent and convergent thinking. Students integrate these ways of thinking, along with their conceptions of good design across design fields (messages, objects, environments and experiences), whilst gaining understanding from users and stakeholders. Student projects invite an exploration of brand strategy and product development using the elements and principles of design, as well as the Gestalt principles of visual perception. A range of manual and digital drawing skills are developed from observational renderings to technical drawings adhering to the Australian Standards Conventions. Student designs promote sustainability and circular design practices.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: Finding, Reframing and Resolving Design Problems
Reframing design problems
Good design
Human-centred research methods
VCD stages of the design process - discover, define, develop, deliver
Composing a brief
Solving communication design problems
Divergent and convergent thinking strategies
Application of design elements and principles and Gestalt principles of visual perception
Application of materials, methods and media.
Ideation drawing development
Designs influence and influence on design
Rendering
2D and 3D technical drawing
Circular design practices
Creation of a design folio
Unit 2: Design Contexts and Connections
Design, place and time
Environmental Design
Environmental document such as plans, elevations and models
Cultural ownership and design
Indigenous knowledge in design
Ethical and legal responsibilities
Designing interactive experiences
Diversity of users in user experiences situations
Creation of a design folio
Unit 3: Visual Communication in Design Practice
Professional design practice
Contemporary design practice compared with historic design
Visual language
Responding to a brief with regard to relevant stakeholders, users and audiences
Resolution of design problems and ethical decision making
Practical use of design characteristics in different design fields
Apply concepts of good design
Design analysis
Discover, Define and Develop stage of the Vis Com design process
Creation of a design folio
Unit 4: Delivering Design Solutions
Refining and resolving design solutions - Deliver stage of the Vis Com design process
Manual and digital drawing methods
Document drawings
Presenting design solutions for 2 final presentations
Creation of a design folio
Languages Curriculum
VCE French
The study of a language other than English contributes to the overall education of students, most particularly in the area of communication, but also in the areas of cross-cultural understanding, cognitive development, literacy and general knowledge. It provides access to the culture of communities which use the language and promotes understanding of different attitudes and values within the Australian community and beyond. In French, students will learn to use French to communicate with others, to understand and appreciate their own and other cultures, and to understand language as a system. They will deepen their understanding of the connections between French and English and begin to apply French to work, further study, training or leisure.
What will students learn:
Unit 1
Area of Study 1: Interpersonal Communication – Exchange meaning in a spoken interaction
Area of Study 2: Interpretive Communication – Interpret information from two texts and respond in English and French
Area of Study 3: Presentational Communication – Present information and ideas in writing for specific audience and purpose
Unit 2
Area of Study 1: Interpersonal Communication – Respond in writing in French to spoken, written or visual texts presented in French.
Area of Study 2: Interpretive Communication – Analyse and use information from written, spoken or visual texts to produce an extended written response in French.
Area of Study 3: Presentational Communication – explain information, ideas and concepts orally in French to a specific audience about an aspect of culture within communities where French is spoken
Unit 3
Area of Study 1: Interpersonal Communication - 3-4 minute oral role-play negotiating a solution to a personal issue
Area of Study 2: Interpretive Communication - Interpret and respond to 3 or more texts with specific text type, audience, purpose and context
Area of Study 3: Presentational Communication - Express ideas in a 250 word personal, imaginative, informative written piece
Unit 4
Area of Study 1: Interpersonal Communication - 3-4 minute interview analysing an aspect of a cultural product or practice
Area of Study 2: Interpretive Communication - 250 word written analysis of 3 or more texts
Area of Study 3: Presentational Communication - Present information, concepts and ideas in evaluative or persuasive writing on an issue in French.
HAPE Curriculum
VCE Physical Education
VCE Physical Education explores the complex interrelationships between anatomical, biochemical, physiological and skill acquisition principles to understand their role in producing and refining movement, and examines behavioural, psychological, environmental and sociocultural influences on performance and participation in physical activity. The assimilation of theoretical understanding and practice is central to the study of VCE Physical Education. Students participate in practical activities to examine the core concepts that underpin movement and that influence performance and participation in physical activity, sport and exercise.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: The Human Body in Motion
Anatomy (muscular and skeletal systems)
Body systems (cardiovascular and respiratory)
Practices and substances that enhance human movement
The concepts of physical activity, sport and exercise
Unit 2: Physical Activity, Sport and Society
Sedentary behaviour
Physically active lifestyles
Developing and promoting healthy lifestyles
Social ecological model
Physical, social, mental and emotional benefits of physical activity
Unit 3: Movement Skills and Energy for Physical Activity
Skill Acquisition
Coaching and feedback
Movement analysis and bio-mechanical principles
Fuel sources
Energy systems and the interplay of these to provide energy for exercise
Fatigue and recovery strategies
Physiological responses to exercise
Unit 4: Training to Improve Performance
Foundations of training programs
Assessment of fitness
Physiological adaptations to training
Psychological and nutrition strategies to improve performance
VCE Health and Human Development
VCE Health and Human Development provides students with broad understandings of health and well-being that reach far beyond the individual. Students learn how important health and wellbeing is to themselves and to families, communities, nations and global society. Students explore the complex interplay of biological, sociocultural and environmental factors that supports and improve health and well-being and those that put it at risk. The study provides opportunities for students to view health and well-being, and development, holistically – across the lifespan and the globe, and through a lens of social equity and justice.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: Understanding Health and Wellbeing
Health perspectives and influences
What is health and how is it measured
Health and nutrition
Youth health and wellbeing
Unit 2: Managing Health and Development
Developmental transitions from youth to adulthood
Human lifespan
Prenatal health
Australia’s health system
Unit 3: Australia’s Health in a Globalised World
Dimensions of health and well-being
Understanding Australia’s health
Promoting health in Australia
Australia’s health system
Unit 4: Health and Human Development in a Global Context
Global health status
Global trends impact on health
Sustainable development goals and health promotion.
VCE Outdoor and Environmental Studies
VCE Outdoor and Environmental Studies is concerned with the way that humans have historically modified outdoor environments to meet survival, commercial, conservation and recreation needs. Outdoor environments have become places of adventure, relaxation, scientific study, social action and enterprise and also provide space for connectedness with nature and opportunities for reflection upon the past, present and future. These varying values and approaches have lead to issues concerning the preservation and sustainability of outdoor environments. Outdoor and Environmental Studies enables students to critically analyse these different relationships, impacts and issues, providing the knowledge and skills to participate in and contribute to contemporary society. Participation in outdoor activities provide the means for students to develop experiential knowledge of outdoor environments.
Please note: all practical expereinces are to supplement student understanding of curriculum. Payment for these activites will be required through Compass at the appropraite time.
What will students learn:
Unit 1: Exploring Outdoor Environments
Motivations for seeking outdoor experiences
Influences on outdoor experiences
Unit 2: Discovering Outdoor Environments
Investigating outdoor environments
Impacts on outdoor environments
Proposed Camps
Possible excursions and day trips – ie snorkelling, yarra river city kayak
Canoeing – Murray River
Unit 3: Relationships with Outdoor Environments
Historical relationships with outdoor environments
Relationships with Australian environments since 1990
Unit 4: Sustainable Outdoor Environments
Healthy outdoor environments
Sustainable outdoor environments
Proposed Camps
Hiking in Wilson’s Promontory
other day excursions
Vocational Education and Training
VET Delivered to Secondary Students
Vocational Education and Training (VET) as part of the VETDSS (VET Delivered to Secondary Students) Program, allows students to undertake a VET qualification, such as a Certificate II or Certificate III course, as part of their Year 10, VCE or VCE Vocational Major studies.
For more information about VET at Albert Park College click here.