Careers and Pathways

Information which follows is a summary of the most common VCAA studies required by TAFE and university courses. Students should check ALL prerequisite subjects for ALL courses in which they are interested.

Year 10 students can download a PDF of the prerequisites for 2026.

Year 11 students can download a PDF of the prerequisites for 2025.

Prerequisites which follow apply to both university and TAFE courses, although few TAFE courses actually have prerequisite studies.

All courses are arranged in broad interest areas.

Agriculture, Renewable Resources

Includes Agriculture, Forestry, Farm Management, Horse Management, Parks Management and Horticulture and Environmental Management.

Prerequisites Units 3 & 4  – Sometimes require a Maths.

Built Environment

Includes Architecture, Building and Construction, Planning, Industrial Design, Interior Design, Land Architecture, Quantity Surveying, Drafting and Furniture Technology.

Prerequisites Units 3 & 4  – Art or Visual Communication is sometimes essential.

Business

Prerequisites Units 3 & 4  – Some courses require Maths Methods (Melbourne Uni & Monash Clayton) or Further Maths.

Computing

Includes Digital Technology, Programming, Computing, Instrumentation, Data Management, Information Systems, Hardware and Software Engineering.

Prerequisites Units 3 & 4  – Carefully check the Mathematics requirements for each particular course.

Education

Includes Primary Teaching, Early Childhood, Secondary Teaching, Curriculum Studies and Teaching of Specific Studies such as Languages, English, History, Business, Drama, Mathematics, Physical Education and Science.

Prerequisites Units 1 & 2  – English and Maths (General or Methods)

Prerequisites Units 3 & 4 – English

NOTE:  Students wishing to teach a specific study eg. Science, will need to satisfy prerequisites for that course – eg. Units 3 and 4 Maths and Chemistry.

Engineering

Includes Civil, Electrical, Communication and Electronic, Computer Systems, Chemical, Geological, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Agricultural and Aerospace Engineering.  Also Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.

Prerequisites Units 3 & 4  – Most require Chemistry or Physics and Mathematics Methods.  Specialist Maths very useful.

Health

Includes Childcare, Nursing, Medicine, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Podiatry, Prosthetics and Orthotics, Occupational Health and Safety, Disability Studies, Optometry, Environmental Health, Medical Radiation, Speech Pathology, Psychiatric Nursing and Dentistry.

Prerequisites Units 3 & 4 – Students should check the relevant Prerequisites for these courses as they will vary according to institute requirements e.g. Undergraduate Medicine at Monash requires Chemistry.

Humanities, Social Sciences

Includes Language, Welfare Studies, Librarianship, English, Literature, History, Politics, Recreation, Journalism, Public Relations, Professional Writing, Sociology, Social Work, Community Development, Linguistics, Drama, Cultural Studies, Media Studies, Peace Studies, Heritage Management Women’s Studies, Psychology and Justice.

Prerequisites Units 3 & 4 – English

Law

Prerequisites Units 3 & 4 – English

Combined Degrees e.g. Science/Law ~  Students need to check prerequisites for individual universities for these courses.

Mathematics

Prerequisites Units 3 & 4  – Maths Methods and preferably Specialist Maths.

Physical Education, Recreation

Includes Human Movement and Exercise Science

Prerequisites Units 3 & 4  – English.  Some require Physical Education and/or a Science and Maths.

Sciences, Technology

Includes Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geology, Biochemistry, Mathematics, Behavioural Sciences, Psychology, Aquatic Science, Anatomy, Genetics, Computer Science, Meteorology, Physiology, Zoology, Food Technology, Health Promotion, Automated Systems, Consumer Science, Print Technology, Surveying and Intelligence Instrumentation.

Prerequisites Units 1 & 2 – Some courses require at least 2 Units of Mathematics and Chemistry or Physics.

Prerequisites Units 3 & 4  – Usually Maths Methods and either Chemistry, Physics or Biology, (Psychology useful for Behavioural Science).

Visual and Performing Arts

Includes Graphic Communications, Fashion, Media Studies, Gold and Silversmithing, Film and Television, Fine Art, Textiles, Painting, Printing, Performing Arts, Dance, Music, Ceramics, Craft and Photography, Computer Aided Design, Theatre Technology and Interior Decoration.  Selection for these courses are usually by interview and/or audition/folio presentation.

Prerequisites Units 3 & 4 – Sometimes involves the presentation of a folio of work – students are advised to take Art, Studio Arts or Visual Communication.

Note: For VCE: Vocational Major there is a separate page explaining this.

The Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) administers a joint selection system on behalf of the Victorian tertiary institutions. Each year, VTAC publishes the ‘Tertiary Entrance Requirements’ for the graduating students two years hence.  The VTAC Course and Prerequisite Explorer is available at www.vtac.edu.au.  Parents and students can discuss these details with the Careers Counsellor.

Minimum Entry Requirements

To be eligible for entry into a tertiary institution students will need to have:

• satisfactorily completed the VCE. including three Unit 3 and 4 sequences;  and

• satisfactorily completed Units 3 & 4 of  one English subject (see page 4).  i.e. a total of four Unit 3 and 4.

Course Requirements

Once students have satisfied the minimum entrance requirements, they will also need to satisfy specific course requirements for each course for which they wish to apply.  Before students look at the detailed requirements for each course listed in the Tertiary Entrance Requirements 2021, (for Year 12 students in 2020) and the Tertiary Entrance Requirements 2022 (for Year 11 students in 2020), there are a few terms used there which need explaining:

Prerequisite Studies

These studies must be satisfactorily completed before students can be considered for that course.  Usually these studies must be completed at Units 3 and 4 level, but sometimes they are required at Units 1 and 2 level.  Prerequisites can be listed as specific studies or as a range of studies from which students can choose.  Some courses require that a particular level of performance must also be achieved before that study can be counted as a prerequisite.

Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)

The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) ranges from 0 to 99.95. The ATAR is a percentile ranking of a student who applies for a tertiary course.  It gives the comparative placement of that applicant in the population of tertiary applicants who have applied for a tertiary course in that year on the basis of their VCE studies including at least some VCE study taken in that year.  Put simply, if you receive a rank of 75.00, it would mean that you achieved an overall result equal to or better than 75.00% of the applicants for that year. Similarly, ranks of 30.05 and 63.40 would indicate that you achieved an overall result equal to or better than 30.05% and 63.40% of the applicants for that year.

How the ATAR is calculated: The ATAR will take into account an applicant’s global score in one English subject (or ESL) and the applicant’s best three other global scores, and 10% of the applicant’s next two best global scores.  All VCE results will be adjusted by a comparison process (scaling), that is made comparable with other studies, to ensure that it is not easier or more difficult to get similar results in different studies.  In all then, up to six global scores may be used, and all the global scores used are adjusted by the comparison process.   These scores will be used to place a student in a percentile ranking, thus forming an ATAR.  A student will not be able to calculate an ATAR themselves by simply using their VCE result

APPRENTICESHIP

An arrangement between a young person and an employer for the purpose of learning a trade.  This arrangement provides for on-the-job training plus a course of study at a TAFE College. There is no special level of education required.

ARTICULATION

Moving from one sector of education to another and gaining credit, eg. “articulating” from a TAFE course to a degree course with advanced standing.

ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank)

The percentile ranking of an applicant for a tertiary course compared to all applicants for that particular tertiary course for that year. eg. If a student receives a rank of 75.00, it would mean that they achieved an overall result equal to or better than 75.00% of the applicants for that year.  The ATAR is calculated from the applicant’s English score, the applicant’s best 3 other subject scores and 10% of the applicant’s fifth and sixth subject scores.

BACHELOR

When the word “Bachelor” appears before the name of a course (eg. Bachelor of Science) this indicates the course of study is taken at a University, usually over a minimum of three years.  Successful completion of the course results in the award of a degree.

CAMPUS

Most universities have more than one teaching site.  Each site is called a “campus” (eg. Deakin University has campuses at Burwood, Geelong, Toorak and Warrnambool).

CSP

Commonwealth Supported Place – the payment tertiary students must make towards the cost of their courses. This is charged by the Federal Government Taxation Office and payment can be made at the start of each semester or deferred until after graduation and employment.

DEFERMENT

A place is offered to a student and accepted, but study is postponed for one year. Available for most university courses but not all.

DEGREE

A course of study for a minimum of three years full time at a university.   Requires Year 12 for entry, although there are arrangements for credit transfer of some TAFE studies.   Can be completed part-time in some cases.

DIPLOMA

An award from TAFE on completion of a two year full time (or equivalent part-time) course.  Generally requires completion of Year 12 for entry.   These courses develop skills or knowledge in a specific area usually associated with employment in a particular job, working with professional (degree trained) and other paraprofessional (diploma trained) workers.

DOUBLE DEGREE COURSES

Some degree courses can be combined with another course – the prerequisites for each need to be satisfied for an offer to be made, eg. Arts/Law.  This arrangement allows for a shorter completion time.

FACULTY

A department within a university responsible for a particular area of learning (eg. Engineering Faculty, Arts Faculty, etc.)

FURTHER EDUCATION

A term used for learning after secondary school, applied to TAFE courses, adult learning centres and universities.

GAT

This is a General Achievement Test, which all VCE students studying a 3 & 4 Unit must take.  The test results are used by VCAA to verify a student’s achievements in school assessed tasks.

HANDBOOK

A publication which every TAFE college and university publishes to describe their courses and the facilities available.

HIGHER EDUCATION

A term used for learning at universities.

MAJOR STUDY

Three years of study in a particular area of knowledge at University.

OFFER

Offer of a place in a tertiary or TAFE course when a student meets the prerequisites.

PREREQUISITE

A unit or VCE study which must be satisfactorily completed in order to be eligible for entry to a particular course.

PROVIDERS

TAFE colleges or employers who provide vocational training.

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING (RPL)

Credit given for study done in the past or for experience in taking up further study.

SCALING

A way of adjusting study scores for tertiary selection purposes.

SCHOOL ASSESSED COURSEWORK

The internally assessed work component of each Unit 3/4 sequence of the VCE

SCHOOL ASSESSED TASKS

The production components of particular VCE subjects

SEAS

Special Entry Access Scheme – schemes targeted at University and TAFE applicants who have been unable to reach their full potential because of life circumstances.

SEMESTER

Two school terms (six months) of study.

SPECIAL PROVISION

Ways of assisting students with difficulties to study for the VCE under special conditions.

STATE TRAINING BOARD

Regulates all TAFE training courses.

STUDENT PATHWAYS

A course for a student through the VCE and on into TAFE or tertiary study or work.

TAFE

Technical and Further Education – there are approximately 15 TAFE colleges throughout Victoria.   TAFE offers short courses, apprenticeship training, traineeship, Certificate courses and Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses.

TERTIARY COURSES / TERTIARY STUDY

Courses at universities.  This term is also occasionally applied to TAFE courses.

UNDERGRADUATE

A person studying for a first degree at a university.

VCAA

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority – controls the design and teaching of the Victorian Certificate of Education, a four semester course of study commenced at Year 11.

VCE

Victorian Certificate of Education. This term has its own separate explanation page.

VCE - Vocational Major

The VCE Vocational Major (VM) is a vocational and applied learning program within the VCE designed to be completed over a minimum of two years.  This term is explained in detail here. 

VET

VET stands for Vocational Educational Training. VET in the VCE or VCAL allows students to include vocational studies within their senior secondary certificate. Students undertake nationally recognised training from either accredited state curriculum or national training packages which may contribute to their VCE and/or VCAL.

VOCATIONAL PATHWAY

A program setting out career options for students, including study at school, TAFE college or university and on into work.

VTAC GUIDE

A book containing a description of each Victorian TAFE and university’s courses and their prerequisites and other requirements.

YOUTH ALLOWANCE

Financial support provided by the Federal Government to students l6 years and over, to encourage and assist them to continue their studies.