Dear Student, 

Congratulations on your commitment to continuing your studies towards your Higher School Certificate. This commitment is an important one and requires a great deal of thought, preparation, and research. 

Students and parents/caregivers, please read this website carefully before making your course selections. The information in this booklet should be used as the basis for making choices about subjects and courses for 2026/2027. This handbook gives you information on the courses available and where they could lead you. The detail provided for each course ensures that you understand the commitment required to complete each course successfully. 

Where a decision has been made to return to school, course choice becomes extremely important. Your choice of courses will significantly impact upon your options after you leave school. 

This handbook contains descriptions of all of the courses that are available for selection by students who enrol in the 2026, Year 11 cohort at Murwillumbah and Wollumbin High Schools. 

General information for students 

Study in senior school requires a significant step-up in responsibility. Successful senior school study requires: 

• The ability to set sound goals for the future. 

• Commitment to completing set tasks in given time frames, additional reading and research. 

• Motivation to study. 

• A commitment to abide by school policies, including those regarding the wearing of the school uniform, school behaviour expectations and high levels of attendance. 

Please note: 

It is recommended that students spend 18 hours per week on homework and study for Year 11 courses and up to 24 hours per week for HSC courses.  

Remember, 

All courses in the senior school require considerable effort and commitment. There are no easy courses. The courses in this handbook have been selected to support the ambitions of a wide variety of students. 

A HSC education is not intended to be entirely vocational in orientation. 

A broad education is an asset to any person. Students are encouraged to participate in courses they find enjoyable and stimulating. 

Several questions need to be considered by students when choosing courses: 

• What are my likes and dislikes? 

• Where do my abilities lie? 

• What will motivate me? 

• What are my realistic career options? 

• Do I envisage pursuing tertiary study, and if so, which path should I use to pursue it? 

Students should think carefully about their course choices. The senior years should be academically challenging and enjoyable. Success will be based on individual performance, not simply on course choices. Students should NOT choose courses based on the assumption that some grant a mark advantage by virtue of the examination scaling process. This assumption is wrong. The scaling process is based on the student’s performance and the quality of the candidature statewide. For students who do not achieve well in a course, scaling will not assist them. Individual students need to achieve at a high level to score a high HSC mark. Students should not select courses below or above their ability level in order to try and maximise marks, nor should they choose courses just because their friends do or because they like the teacher. 

Discuss with and seek advice from a wide range of people including your parents/caregivers, head teachers, subject teachers, year advisor and career adviser before making your final course selections. 

Additionally, students need to be absolutely sure which HSC courses, if any, are required for entry to the careers or further education pathways they are considering. This information is available from the Careers Adviser. 

Students should choose courses based on interest, ability and need for entry to further education or career. 

Links to other useful information sources: 

NESA:

 https://www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/nesa/hsc/subject-selection  

Australia’s National Career Information Service:

https://myfuture.edu.au/ 

Career Tools:

https://murwillumbah.careertools.com.au/ 

All students have their own login

  Please Note:

The course information contained in the rest of this booklet has been supplied by the New South Wales Education Standards Authority, (NESA). The material included in the booklet has been reproduced for the information of students and parents. All details were correct at the time of printing. However, the Higher School Certificate regularly undergoes change. Students and parents should check with Head Teachers or on the NESA website regarding all aspects of the courses they are considering undertaking next year. 

Here are a number of methods of gaining a HSC. To gain a HSC a student can: 

1. Satisfy HSC Minimum Standards Test; and 

2. Complete two years of senior schooling – satisfactorily complete courses at Year 11 level followed by the HSC level. 

3. Accumulate the HSC over a period of up to five years. The five-year period commences in the first year the student attempts a HSC course examination. By the end of the period of accumulation, students must have met all Year 11 and HSC patterns of study requirements. This would suit students interested in part-time study. 

4. Vocational Education & Training courses where the skills (competencies) achieved are recognised by both the Board of Studies (for the HSC) and Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). The AQF accreditation is nationally recognised by industry, employers, and other training providers. These courses provide an invaluable start to a career where skills attained contribute directly to the requirements of the particular industry. 

5. School Tailored Programs. Some schools offer a tailored program of study with a strong focus on vocational outcomes including the achievement of Certificate II qualifications and the development of employability skills. Contact your school’s careers adviser to see if your school offers such a pathway. 

6. Repeating courses. Students may repeat one or more HSC courses, but this must be done within the five-year accumulation period. In the calculation of the ATAR, the most recent mark in the course will be used. It is not based on the best mark scored during the times the course was repeated. 

7. Recognition of Prior Learning. Students may be granted credit transfer, that is, be able to count studies in educational institutions such as TAFE towards your HSC. Students may also be granted advanced standing; that is, be exempted from some components of the HSC courses if they can demonstrate achievement of syllabus outcomes in another way. 

8. School-based apprenticeships and traineeships. School-based traineeships are contracts of part-time employment, which includes formal training. The formal training will be counted as units of study toward your HSC. Students will still be at school while working part-time. Participants will complete a minimum of 100 – 180 days of on-the-job training over Year 11 and Year 12. A training wage is paid while at work. There will be an opportunity to complete additional days during the school holidays. 

Students must be committed to maintaining a sound level of achievement in all HSC subjects. Working part-time whilst studying presents some students a time management challenge. 

School-based traineeships are explained in more detail later in this handbook. 

This credential is issued by the NESA to provide recognition for those students who complete satisfactory Stage 5 (Year 10) at least. This cumulative credential summarises academic results in Stage 5 and Stage 6 and course participation up to the point that the student leaves school. An up-to- date transcript or Student e-Record can be generated from the NESA website at any point in time. 

It will include a grade for those courses satisfactorily completed and list those courses the student is currently participating in. In addition, students may sit for separate Literacy and Numeracy Tests which will be helpful when seeking employment. 

This credential is only available at the time a student exits from the school system between the end of Year 10 and the end of Year 12. 

To be awarded the HSC a student must: 

• Satisfactorily complete courses that meet the pattern of study required by the NESA for the award of the Higher School Certificate. This includes the completion of the practical, oral or project works required for specific courses and the assessment requirements for each course. 

• Satisfy the requirements of the NESA Minimum Standards online Test. 

• Sit for, and make a serious attempt at, the Higher School Certificate examinations. 

• Study a minimum of 12 units for Year 11 and a minimum of 10 units for the Higher School Certificate. The pattern of study for Year 11 and the HSC must include the following: 

• An English course (of min 2-unit value); either English Standard, English Advanced or English Studies. 

• At least two other Board Developed Courses of 2-unit value or greater. 

• At least four subject areas 

• The NESA publication, Studying for the New South Wales Higher School Certificate – An Information Booklet for Year 10 Students, contains all the HSC rules and requirements for the HSC. See your year adviser for a copy. 

• For students seeking an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), the pattern of study must include a minimum of 10 Board Developed units in the HSC year, including at least 2 units of an English Board Developed course. The booklet, Steps to Uni for Year 10 Students contains important information about entry to university courses (mainly NSW Universities), course prerequisites and other information to assist in making appropriate selections of HSC courses for study in Year 11 and 12 in preparation for university entry. Copies are available in the Careers Office, or they can be purchased from UAC. See your Year Advisor for more details. 

• For those not wishing to receive an ATAR, once the six units of Board Developed Courses are selected, the rest of the courses may be made up from Board Endorsed Courses. 

The following is a guideline to help explain the pattern of courses. All courses offered for the Higher School Certificate have a unit value. Most courses are 2 units courses however, some have a value of 1 unit or 3 units. 

Each unit involves class time of approximately 2 hours each week or 60 hours each year. In the HSC each unit has a value of 50 marks. Hence, a 2-unit course has a value of 100 marks. 

The majority of courses are offered as 2-unit courses. However, Extension 1 courses are available in a number of subjects. Extension 1 courses require students to work beyond the standard of the content of the 2-unit course. 

2 units = 4 hours each week / 120 hours each year = 100 marks  

Extension Courses 

Extension 1 courses carry a value of 1 unit and a mark value of 50. 

Extension 1 courses are available in Year 11 for English and Mathematics only. 

Extension 2 courses are available in English and Mathematics as well as Extension 1 courses in History, Music, some Languages and VET at the HSC stage. 

Some Board Developed VET courses have extension courses called “specialisation studies” at a value of 1, 2, 3 and 4 units. 

Satisfactory completion of the Year 11 Extension 1 course is required before enrolment in any Extension 2 HSC course. Extension 2 courses require students to work beyond the standard of the content of the Extension 1 course. Extension 2 courses must be taken concurrently with the corresponding Extension 1 course. Extension 2 courses have a mark value of 50 marks. 

There are four different types of courses offered in Years 11 and 12. 

Board Developed Courses 

These courses are developed by NESA. There is a syllabus for each course, which contains: 

• The course objectives, structure, content, and outcomes 

• Specific course requirements 

• Assessment requirements 

• Sample examination papers and marking guidelines 

• The performance scale (except for Vocational Education and Training Courses) 

All students entered for the HSC who are studying these courses follow the same course syllabus. 

Board Developed Courses are examined externally at the end of the HSC course and can count towards the calculation of the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). 

Board Endorsed Courses 

There are two main types of Board Endorsed Courses – Content Endorsed Courses and School Designed Courses. 

• Content Endorsed Courses (CEC) have a syllabus endorsed by the NESA to cater for areas of special interest not covered in the Board Developed Courses. Most HSC VET (Vocational Education and Training) courses delivered by TAFE are Content Endorsed Courses. 

• Schools Design Courses are special courses designed by individual schools to meet student needs. NESA must approve these courses. Once approval is granted, schools offer selected courses to senior students as part of the Higher School Certificate. 

Note: Some Board Endorsed Courses are one-year courses. 

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 your Record of Achievement. Board Endorsed Courses do not contribute to the calculation of an ATAR. 

Vocational Education & Training (VET) Courses 

Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses are offered as part of the Higher School Certificate. VET courses are either Board Developed or Board Endorsed courses. They enable students to study courses which are industry specific 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. These courses each have a workplace component specifying a minimum number of hours that students must spend in the workplace or a simulated workplace at school. Students receive special documentation showing the competencies gained. 

Schools will deliver some of these courses, while TAFE or other providers will deliver others. 

All VET courses count towards the Higher School Certificate and appear on your Record of Achievement. However, only Board Developed VET courses contribute to the calculation of an ATAR. These are generally classed as Board Developed Courses, where the exam must be sat for the course to contribute to a student’s ATAR. 

For more information on VET courses refer to the VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (VET) COURSES section of this booklet. 

Some common characteristics apply to these courses: 

• Learning occurs both in structured workplace training (on the job) and the classroom. 

• Successful completion of a full 240-hour VET course within a Board Developed VET Framework provides students with an opportunity to achieve an AQF qualification at Certificates II or III level. Students successfully completing less than the full requirements for a qualification level i.e. 120-hour course or exiting a course early will receive a Statement of Attainment outlining the competencies achieved. 

Study of VET Board Developed Courses involves spending a mandatory minimum number of hours (often 35hrs/year) in a structured work placement in an actual workplace setting where learning certain prescribed skills and knowledge occurs. Work placement is an HSC requirement. Failure to complete a structured work placement will jeopardise the course result and may jeopardise the HSC. 

All VET Frameworks are Board Developed Courses and may contribute up to 2 units towards an ATAR. Students have the option to sit for a HSC examination in all the courses listed above to have them count towards an ATAR. 

Some of these courses can be studied in schools while others can be studied at TAFE Institutes or with other training providers. It could be a combination of learning experiences. 

School Delivered VET Courses 

MLC offers students the opportunity to study the following VET Board Developed Industry Framework courses at school: 

• Hospitality  

• Primary Industries 

TAFE Delivered VET Courses – TVET 

Alternatively, the North Coast Institute of TAFE will offer TVET courses specifically designed to meet local needs. It is important to note that TAFE may not be able to provide student selections in every instance. Refer to the VET Courses TAFE Delivered section of this booklet for a list of available courses. 

The North Coast Institute of TAFE campuses at Kingscliff and Murwillumbah also offer a wide variety of VET Board Endorsed Courses which count towards your HSC. These courses will NOT count towards an ATAR. Refer to the VET Courses TAFE Delivered section of this booklet for a list of available courses. 

Students need to carefully consider their own circumstances before selecting these courses as students are responsible for getting themselves to the venues on time each week. The majority of courses conclude after school hours and students make their own way home. Due to extended class time, attendance is critical to the successful completion of course requirements. 

See your careers adviser or the TVET Guide for a full list of VET courses available. 

If a student chooses to undertake a TAFE delivered course, it is the student’s responsibility to arrange their own transport to and from the TAFE campus of their choice. 

See the TVET Guide here - TAFE NSW TVET Guide 2026.  Please note that not all courses are offered in the Northern Rivers.  Please see your Careers Adviser for the 2026 TVET Course List for the Northern Rivers.  

Life Skills Courses (as part of a special program of study) 

Students accessing a Special Program of Study in Stage 6 will, in general, need to have completed at least four Generic Life Skills courses within a Special Program of Study in Stage 5 (Years 9 and 10). 

Further, participation in a Year 11 and HSC years. 

Stage 6 (Years 11 & 12) Life Skills Courses will be available for students following a Special Program of Study for the Higher School Certificate. 

Life Skills courses have Board Developed status and can be used in place of other Board Developed Courses to meet requirements for the award of the Higher School Certificate. Each Life Skills course comprises a 2-unit Year 11 course and a 2-unit HSC course. 

NESA expects that most students meet the outcomes for a 2-unit Year 11 course and a 2-unit HSC course over a total of 240 indicative hours. That is, 120 indicative hours of study will occur in each level of the course. 

There is no external examination for any Life Skills courses, but all Life Skills courses count towards the Higher School Certificate and appear on your Record of Achievement. Life Skills courses do not count in the calculation of an ATAR. 

For more information on Life Skills courses see the careers adviser in your school. 

What is the HSC minimum standard? 

NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) has implemented the HSC minimum standard to help ensure that students have the key literacy and numeracy skills for life after school. Students in New South Wales will need to demonstrate a minimum standard of literacy and numeracy to receive the HSC credential from 2020. The HSC minimum standard is set at level 3 of the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). These skills are essential for everyday tasks and learning after school such as writing a letter for a job application or understanding a mobile phone plan. The standard is assessed through online tests across three areas: reading, writing and numeracy. The minimum standard online tests are 45 minutes long and include a multiple-choice reading test, a multiple-choice numeracy test and a writing test based on a variety of prompts. Examples of the tests are available on the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) website. Students who do not meet the HSC minimum standard can still: 

• Sit the HSC exams. 

• Receive an ATAR for University applications 

• Receive a ROSA 

• Receive a HSC minimum standard report. 

There are no pre-requisites for choosing subjects for stage 5 or stage 6. Students do not need to achieve the minimum standard to choose a subject they will study in stage 5 or 6. 

Students can request to sit practice tests to help them become familiar with the online test structure and to determine their readiness to meet the minimum standard. 

Students will have two opportunities per year to sit the minimum standard online tests in each area of Reading, Numeracy and Writing, in Year 10, 11 and 12. Students will also have up to 5 years from the time they start the HSC courses to sit the minimum standard online tests. The tests are administered by schools via a lockdown browser. If a student is not intending to pursue a HSC certificate, they can opt out of attempting the minimum standard tests. 

Disability provisions and exemptions: Students with additional learning needs may be eligible for extra provisions for the minimum standard online tests or be exempt from meeting the HSC minimum standard in order to receive their HSC. Students taking four or more Life Skills courses can be exempt from meeting the HSC minimum standard. Students studying Life Skills English will be exempt from the Reading and Writing Minimum Standard Tests. Students studying Life Skills Mathematics will be exempt from the Numeracy Minimum Standard Test. 

Further Information NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) HSC minimum standard | NSW Education Standards 

The HSC reports will provide students with detailed descriptions of the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to be attained in each course. 

Teachers are provided with a syllabus package for each course. The packages include the NESA syllabus content which teachers use to develop teaching programs, examination specifications, sample examination papers, sample marking guidelines and a performance scale. 

The syllabuses, along with assessment and examination information and a performance scale are used to describe each student’s level of achievement and give a clear idea of the standards expected. 

The HSC reports will provide a description of student achievement. 

School-based assessment tasks will contribute to 50% of the HSC mark. The school assessment mark will be based on student performance in assessment tasks undertaken during the course. The remaining 50% of the HSC mark will come from the HSC examination. 

The HSC mark for 2-unit courses will be reported on a scale of 0 to 100. A mark of 50 will represent the minimum standard expected. If a student only achieves the minimum standard expected in a course, they will receive a mark of 50. There will be five performance bands above 50 that correspond to different levels of achievement in knowledge, skills and understanding. The band from 90–100 will correspond to the highest level of achievement.

On satisfactory completion of all HSC requirement, students will receive a portfolio containing: 

The HSC Testamur. 

The official certificate confirming your achievement of all requirements for the award. 

The Record of School Achievement. 

This document lists the courses you have studied 

and reports the marks and bands you have achieved. 

Course Reports. 

For every HSC Board Developed Course you will receive a Course Report showing your marks, the Performance Scale and the band description for that course. 

A graph showing the state-wide distribution of marks in the course is also shown. 

The AUSTRALIAN TERTIARY ADMISSIONS RANK (ATAR) is calculated by the universities. 

It is likely students will need an ATAR if they are considering applying for a university, Qld TAFE Diploma courses, ADFA or the Police Force after leaving school. 

Eligibility for an ATAR. 

To be eligible for an ATAR in NSW, students must satisfactorily complete at least 10 units of HSC courses. These courses must include at least: 

• 10 units of HSC Board Developed courses 

• 2 units of English 

• three HSC Board Developed courses of 2 units or greater 

• four subject areas. 

Calculation of the ATAR. 

The ATAR will be based on an aggregate of scaled marks in ten units of Board Developed courses comprising: 

• Your best two units of English and 

• Your best eight units from the remaining units. 

Important Notes:

(a) Subject is the general name given to an area of study. A Course is a branch of study within a subject. A subject may have different courses, for example, with the subject English, the courses will include English Standard, English Studies, English Advanced and English Extension. 

(b) Board Developed Courses count toward an ATAR, all board developed courses have an HSC exam that must be sat for ATAR eligibility. 

(c) Board Endorsed Courses either at school or TAFE are not considered in the calculation of an ATAR. 

(d) Students may accumulate courses over a period of no more than five years. 

(e) If a student repeats a course only the last satisfactory attempt is used in the calculation of the ATAR. 

For further information go to Who gets an ATAR? - UAC