VCE Subject Choices

The study of English contributes to the development of literate individuals capable of critical and creative thinking, aesthetic appreciation and creativity. This study also develops students’ ability to create and analyse texts, moving from interpretation to reflection and critical analysis. Through engagement with texts from the contemporary world and from the past, and using texts from Australia and from other cultures, students studying English become confident, articulate and critically aware communicators and further develop a sense of themselves, their world and their place within it. English helps equip students for participation in a democratic society and the global community. Students build on their knowledge in the key discipline concepts of language, literature and literacy, and the language modes of listening, speaking, reading, viewing and writing.

Units 1 and 2

• Make personal connections with texts 

• Explore vocabulary, text structures, language features and ideas from within texts

• Demonstrate an understanding of effective and cohesive writing through the crafting of their own texts designed for a specific context and audience 

• Describe individual decisions made during writing processes

• Explore and analyse how the vocabulary, text structures, language features and ideas in a text construct meaning

• Explore and analyse persuasive texts within the context of a contemporary issue

• Construct a point of view text for oral presentation

Units 3 and 4

• Produce analytical and creative responses to texts

• Analyse how argument and persuasive language can be used to position audiences

• Create their own texts intended to position audiences

• Identify and analyse how argument and persuasive language are used in text/s that attempt to influence an audience

• Create a text which presents a point of view

The study of English Language enables students to further develop and refine their own skills in reading, writing, listening to and speaking English. Students learn about personal and public discourses in workplaces, fields of study, trades or social groups.

In this study students read widely in order to develop their analytical skills and understanding of linguistics. Students are expected to study a range of texts, including publications and public commentary about language in print and multimodal form. Students also observe and discuss contemporary language in use, as well as consider a range of historical and contemporary written and spoken texts.

Unit 1: Language and Communication

• The nature and functions of language

• Language acquisition

Unit 2: Language Change

• English over time

• Englishes in contact

Unit 3: Language Variation and Purpose

• Informality

• Formality

Unit 4: Language Variation and Identity

• Language variation in Australian society

• Individual and group identities

Literature focuses on the meaning derived from texts, the relationship between texts, and the contexts in which texts are produced and read, and the experiences the reader brings to the texts. Students undertake close reading of texts and analyse how language and literary elements and techniques function within a text. Emphasis is placed on recognition of a text’s complexity and meaning, and on consideration of how that meaning is embodied in its literary form. 

The study provides opportunities for reading deeply, widely and critically, responding analytically and creatively, and appreciating the aesthetic merit of texts. Students examine the historical and cultural contexts within which both readers and texts are situated. It investigates the assumptions, views and values which both writer and reader bring to the texts and it encourages students to contemplate how we read as well as what we read. It considers how literary criticism informs the readings of texts and the ways texts relate to their contexts and to each other.

Unit 1

• Reading practices

• Exploration of literary movements and genres

Unit 2

• Voices of country

• The text in its context

Unit 3

• Adaptations and transformations

• Developing interpretations

Unit 4

• Creative responses to texts

• Close analysis of texts

Business Management enables students to develop knowledge and skills that enhance their confidence and ability to participate effectively as socially responsible and ethical members, managers and leaders of the business community, and as informed citizens, consumers and investors. The study of Business Management leads to opportunities across all facets of the business and management field such as small business owner, Project Manager, Human Resource Manager, Operations Manager or Executive Manager. Further study can lead to specialisation in areas such as Marketing, Public Relations and Event Management.

Unit 1: Planning a Business

• The concept of entrepreneurship

• The factors affecting business ideas and the internal and external environments within which businesses operate

• The importance of the business sector to the national economy and social wellbeing

Unit 2: Establishing a Business

• The legal requirements that must be satisfied to establish a business

• The essential features of effective marketing 

• The best way to meet the needs of the business in terms of staffing and financial record keeping

• Various management practices in this area by applying this knowledge to contemporary business case studies

Unit 3: Managing a Business

• The key processes and considerations for managing a business efficiently and effectively to achieve business objectives

• Different types of businesses and their respective objectives and stakeholders

• Strategies to manage both staff and business operations to meet objectives, and develop an understanding of the complexity and challenge of managing businesses

• Theoretical perspectives with current practice through the use of contemporary Australian and global business case studies from the past four years

Unit 4: Transforming a Business

• The importance of reviewing Key Performance Indicators to determine current performance and the strategic management necessary to position a business for the future

• A theoretical model to undertake change and consider a variety of strategies to manage change in the most efficient and effective way to improve business performance

• The importance of effective management and leadership in change management

• Using one or more contemporary business case studies from the past four years, students evaluate business practice against theory

The study of economics examines the role of consumers, businesses, governments and other organisations in decision-making about the allocation of resources, the production and distribution of goods and services and the effect that these decisions may have on material and non-material living standards. Developing students’ understanding of economics will enable them to appreciate the reasons behind these decisions as well as the intended and unintended consequences of economic decision-making. Acquisition of economics knowledge and skills assists students to make more informed and responsible economic decisions and contribute to public discourse as informed citizens.

Unit 1: Economic Decision-Making

• Students explore their role in the economy, how they interact with businesses, and the role of the government in the economy

• Fundamental economic concepts

• Basic economic models where consumers and businesses engage in mutually beneficial transactions

• Investigatation into the motivations behind both consumer and business behaviour 

• Individuals' responses to incentives

• Contemporary examples and case studies to enhance their understanding of the introductory economics concepts

Unit 2: Economic Issues and Living Standard

• The link between economic activity and economic growth and investigate the importance of economic growth in raising living standards

• The benefits and costs of continued economic growth 

• The extent to which our current measurements of living standards are adequate

Unit 3: Australia's Living Standards

• The role of the market in allocating resources 

• The factors that affect the price and quantity traded for a range of goods and services

• The key measures of efficiency and how market systems might result in efficient outcomes

• The need for government intervention in markets and why markets might fail to maximise society’s living standards

• Unintended consequences of government intervention in the market

Unit 4: Managing the Economy

• The role of aggregate demand policies in stabilising the business cycle to achieve the domestic macroeconomic goals

• How the Australian Government can alter the composition of budgetary outlays and receipts to directly or indirectly affect the level of aggregate demand

• The achievement of domestic macroeconomic goals and living standards

• The role of the Reserve Bank of Australia with a focus on its responsibility to conduct monetary policy

• How the tools of monetary policy can affect interest rates

• The transmission mechanism of monetary policy to the economy and how this contributes towards the domestic macroeconomic goals and living standards

The study of VCE Legal Studies enables students to become active and informed citizens by providing valuable insight into their relationship with the law and the legal system. Students develop knowledge and skills to enhance their confidence and ability to access and participate in the legal system. They will learn to appreciate the underlying principles of the rule of law, how legal systems and processes aim to achieve social cohesion, as well as how they themselves can affect positive change to laws and the legal system.

Unit 1: The Presumption of Innocence

• Legal foundations, such as the different types and sources of law, the characteristics of an effective law, and an overview of Parliament and the courts

• The principles of justice

• Key concepts of criminal law and the application of these to actual and/or hypothetical scenarios

• How legal principles and information are used in making reasoned judgments

• How a criminal case is determined, and the types of sanctions

Unit 2: Wrongs and Rights

• Key concepts of civil law and apply these to actual and/or hypothetical scenarios to determine whether a party is liable in a civil dispute

• The methods and institutions that may be used to resolve a civil dispute and the application of these through an investigation of civil cases 

• How human rights are protected in Australia and an investigation of a contemporary human rights issue in Australia

Unit 3: Rights and Justice

• Rights available to an accused and to victims in the criminal justice system, 

• The roles of the judge, jury, legal practitioners and the parties

• The ability of sanctions and remedies to achieve their purposes

• The extent to which the principles of justice are upheld in the justice system

• How to apply legal reasoning and information to actual and/or hypothetical scenarios with regard to the criminal justice system

Unit 4: The People, the Law and Reforms

• How the Australian Constitution establishes the law-making powers of the Commonwealth and state parliaments, and how it protects the Australian people 

• The significance of the High Court in protecting and interpreting the Australian Constitution

• Parliament and the courts, and the relationship between the two in law-making

• How to apply legal reasoning and information to actual and/or hypothetical scenarios with regard to legal reform

VCE Food Studies takes an interdisciplinary approach to the exploration of food, with an emphasis on extending food knowledge and skills, and building individual pathways to health and wellbeing through the application of practical food skills. VCE Food Studies provides a framework for informed and confident food selection and food preparation within today’s complex architecture of influences and choices.

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 and roles of food. Students research sustainability and the legal, economic, psychological, sociocultural, health, ethical and political dimensions of food, and critically evaluate information, marketing messages and new trends.

Unit 1: Food Origins

• Major factors in the development of a globalised food supply

• Adaptations of selected food from earlier cuisines in contemporary recipes

• Patterns of change in Australia’s food industries and cultures

• Contemporary uses of foods indigenous  to Australia and those foods introduced through migration

Unit 2: Food Makers

• Relationships, opportunities and challenges within Australia’s food systems

• Commercial food production principles

• Evaluation of food products prepared in different settings for a range of dietary requirements

• Creation of a food product that illustrates potential adaptation in a commercial context

Unit 3: Food in Daily Life

• Processes of eating and digesting food

• Science behind the development of the Australian Dietary Guidelines

• Principles of nutrition in practical activities to examine specific dietary needs

• Factors affecting food behaviours of individuals through examining the relationships between food access, values, beliefs and choices

• Evaluate factors affecting planning and preparing healthy meals for children and families

Unit 4: Food Issues, Challenges and Futures

• Evaluation of a selected food trend, fad or diet, and claims on food packaging and advertisements

• Practical activities that meet the healthy eating recommendations of the Australian Dietary Guidelines

Applied Computing focuses on four interrelated disciplines where skills are in high demand and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. These disciplines are data analytics, programming, emerging and innovative technologies, and cyber security. Applied Computing facilitates student-centred learning that enables students to build capabilities in their critical and creative thinking, communicate and collaborate with their peers, and develop personal, social and digital literacy skills. Students are provided with practical opportunities and choices to create digital solutions for real-world problems in a range of settings.

The recommended device that students purchase for this subject is either a Windows laptop or a MacBook.

Unit 1: Applied Computing

• Data analysis: Use of software tools to create data visualisations in response to teacher-provided solution requirements, designs and data

• Programming: Use of an appropriate OOP language to create a working software solution in response to teacher-provided solution requirements

Unit 2: Applied Computing

• Innovative Solutions: Work collaboratively to design and develop an innovative solution to an identified problem, need or opportunity

• Cyber Security: Investigatation of emerging trends in cyber security and how networks enable data and information to be exchanged locally and globally

Unit 3: Data Analytics

• Data Analytics: Interpretation of teacher-provided solution requirements and designs, extract data from large repositories, manipulate and cleanse data, conduct statistical analysis and develop data visualisations to display findings

• Analysis and Design: Formulation of a project plan, prepare data, and generate design ideasto create infographics and/or dynamic data visualisations

Unit 4: Data Analytics

• Development and Evaluation: Development of infographics and/or dynamic data visualisations that assess the effectiveness of a project plan

• Data Security: Response to a case study to analyse the impact of a data breach on an organisation, identify and evaluate threats, evaluate current security strategies and make recommendations to improve security strategies

Unit 3: Software Development

• Programming: Interpretation of teacher-provided solution requirements and designs and use appropriate features of an object-oriented programming language to develop working software modules

• Analysis and Design: Documentation of a problem, need or opportunity, formulate a project plan, document an analysis, and generate design ideas and a preferred design for creating a software solution

Unit 4: Software Development

• Development and Evaluation: Development of a software solution that meets requirements and assess the effectiveness of the project plan

• Secure Software Development Practices: Response to a case study to analyse an organisation’s software development practices, evaluate current security controls and make recommendations to improve practices

Students are provided with broad understandings of health and wellbeing that reach far beyond the individual. Students view health, wellbeing and development holistically across the lifespan and the globe, and through a lens of social equity and justice.

Unit 1: Understanding Health and Wellbeing

• Concepts of health

• Youth health and wellbeing

• Health and nutrition

Unit 2: Managing Health and Development

• Developmental transitions

• Youth health literacy

Unit 3: Australia's Health in a Globalised World

• Understanding health and wellbeing

• Promoting health in Australia

Unit 4: Health and Human Development in a Global Context

• Global health and human development

• Health and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

Students will develop a strong understanding of how the human body moves and responds to physical activity, helping them develop practical strategies to stay active and healthy for life. Students will explore how the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and respiratory systems work together during movement, and learn how to improve performance and prevent injury. Through both practical and theory-based lessons, students will apply science to sport. They’ll also assess their own physical activity levels and design strategies to boost their fitness and health. Along the way, they will explore current issues in sport and physical activity, including fairness, access and methods of legal and illegal performance enhancement. By the end of the course, they will have the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions about training, health and participation.

Unit 1: The Human Body in Motion

• How does the muscoskeletal system work to produce movement?

• What role does the cardiovascular system play in movement?

Unit 2: Physical Activity, Sport, Exercise and Society

• How do physical activity, sport and exercise contribute to a healthy lifestyles?

• What are the contemporary issues associated with physical activity and sport?

Unit 3: Movement Skills and Energy for Physical Activity, Sport and Exercise

• How are movement skills improved?

• How does the body produce energy?

Unit 4: Training to Improve Performance

• What are the foundations of an effective training program?

• How is training implemented effectively to improve fitness?

• Integrated movement experiences

This interesting course investigates important issues in our lives today like why the climate is changing and how will we use resources in future. Students will develop an understanding of the causes and possible responses to natural and human environmental impacts at local, national and global scales. Major processes that affect these environments are investigated and the ways in which governments, organisations and individuals respond to these processes are evaluated.  With understanding, we can help to ensure that the changing landscape and population in Australia and the world are managed in a sustainable way.

Unit 1: Hazards and Disasters

• Two contrasting types of hazards, such as nuclear power, air pollution, malaria, rising sea level and bushfires, and responses to them 

• Conduct a Bushfires field trip to gather primary data on the characteristics, impacts and responses of the Black Saturday bushfires in the Kinglake region

Unit 2: Tourism - Issues and Challenges

• The characteristics of tourism;  with particular emphasis on ethical tourism, where it has developed, how it has changed, and its impacts on people and places 

• Fieldwork to investigate and evaluate strategies for managing tourism

• The study of tourism at local, regional and global scales emphasises the interconnection within and between places

Unit 3: Changing the Land

• This course links closely to student interests with particular reference to issues such as climate change and the use of natural resources

• The causes and possible responses to climate change at local, national and global scales

• Two investigations of geographical change are studied: change to land cover and change to land use

• Major processes that are changing land cover including deforestation and melting glaciers and ice sheets

• Fieldtrip in the Docklands region as part their investigative work on land use change

Unit 4: Human Population - Trends and Issues

• The patterns of population change, movement and distribution

• How governments, organisations and individuals have responded to those changes in different parts of the world, including China and Japan

• Trends and issues associated with changing population dynamics are also studied

History is the practice of understanding and making meaning of the past. Students learn about their shared history and the people, ideas and events that have created present societies. It builds a conceptual and historical framework within which students can develop an understanding of the issues of their own time and place. Students will develop the skills necessary to analyse visual, oral and written records and write about them academically. The study of history draws links between the social/political institutions and language of contemporary society and its history and sets accounts of the past within the framework of the values and interests of that time.

Unit 1: Modern History 1918-1939

• The events, ideologies and movements of the period after World War I

• The emergence of conflict and extremist ideologies, such as fascism in Germany

• The social life and cultural expression in the 1920s and 1930s and their relation to the technological, political and economic changes of the period

• The causes of World War II in Europe

Unit 2: Modern History 1945-2000

• The causes of the Cold War in the aftermath of World War Two and significant events in the period including the Cuban Missile Crisis

• Social and political movements in the USA, such as McCarthyism and counter-culture

• The ways that traditional ideas, values and political systems were changed by individuals and movements in a range of contexts from 1945 to 2000

Unit 3: The Russian Revolution

• How particular long-term conditions contributed to the outbreak of revolution

• The impact of short-term triggers such as Bloody Sunday and World War I

• The actions of key individuals and ideologies that mobilised movements to challenge existing order, such as the influence of Lenin and the Bolsheviks

• The forces that opposed change which resulted in compromises of the revolutionary cause, such as the Red Terror during the Russian Civil War

• The extent to which the revolution improved the lives of everyday people

•  The issues faced in post-revolutionary Russia, such as the Great Famine and War Communism

Unit 4: The Chinese Revolution

• How particular long-term conditions contributed to the outbreak of revolution

• The impact of short-term triggers such as the Shanghai Massacre and the Sino-Japanese War

• The influence of Sun Yixian and his Three Principles of the People on both the Guomindang and the Chinese Communist Party

• The forces that opposed change, resulting in compromises of the revolutionary cause, such as The Great Leap Forward and The Great Proletarian Revolution

• The extent to which the revolution improved the lives of everyday people

• The issues faced in post-revolution China, such as the First Five Year Plan and purges of intellectuals and landlords

The study of French develops students’ ability to understand and use a language which is widely learned and spoken internationally, and which is an official language of many world organisations and international events. The ability to use and understand French also provides students with a direct means of access to the rich and varied culture of francophone communities around the world.

Unit 1

• Exchange meaning in a spoken interaction

• Interpret information from two texts and respond in English and French

• Present information and ideas in writing for specific audience and purpose

Unit 2

• Respond in writing in French to spoken, written or visual texts presented in French

• Analyse and use information from written, spoken or visual texts to produce an extended written response in French

• 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

• 3-4 minute oral role-play negotiating a solution to a personal issue on the topic of Tourism

• Interpret and respond to 3 or more texts with specific text type, audience, purpose and context on the topic of  Arts and Culture

• Express ideas in a 250 word personal, imaginative, informative written piece on the topic of Further Education and Career Aspirations

Unit 4

• 3-4 minute interview analysing an aspect of a cultural product or practice on the topic of Immigration

• 250 word written analysis of 3 or more texts on the topic of Technology

• Present information, concepts and ideas in evaluative or persuasive writing on an issue in French on the topic of the Environment and Sustainability

Learning Japanese opens up a world of opportunities for senior students. Japan is one of Australia’s closest economic and strategic partners and its culture is increasingly embraced by people across the world. By studying Japanese, students will develop their skills in communication, understanding and using Japanese in a variety of contexts, as well as build cross-cultural understanding. 

Unit 1

• Exchange meaning in a spoken interaction about students’ personal world

• Interpret information from two texts and respond in English and Japanese about school in Japan

• Present information and ideas in writing for specific audience and purpose on the topics of study and lifestyle

Unit 2

• Respond in writing in Japanese to written texts presented in Japanese on the topic of travel

• Analyse and use information from written and spoken texts to produce an extended written response in Japanese

• Explain information, ideas and concepts orally in Japanese to a specific audience about an aspect of Japanese culture on the topic of festivals

Unit 3

• 3-4 minute oral role-play negotiating a solution to a personal issue on the topic of travel

• Interpret and respond to 3 or more texts with specific text type, audience, purpose and context on the topic of life in Japan

• Express ideas in a 250 word personal, imaginative, informative written piece on the topic of study and future

Unit 4

• Present information, concepts and ideas in evaluative or persuasive writing on an issue on the topic of environment and sustainability

• Written analysis of 3 or more texts on the topic of technology

• 3-4 minute interview analysing an aspect of a cultural product or practice

Foundation Mathematics Units 1 and 2 are designed for students who are not intending to study VCE General Mathematics or Mathematical Methods. Foundation Mathematics Units 1 and 2 focus on providing students with the mathematical knowledge, skills, understanding and dispositions to solve problems in real contexts for a range of workplace, personal, further learning, and community settings relevant to contemporary society. They are also designed as preparation for Foundation Mathematics Units 3 and 4 and contain assumed knowledge and skills for these units.

Units 1 and 2

•  Algebra, number and structure

• Data analysis, probability and statistics

• Discrete mathematics

• Space and measurement

Units 3 and 4

• Algebra, number and structure

• Data analysis, probability and statistics

• Discrete mathematics

• Space and measurement

Units 1 and 2 introduce various mathematical concepts and focus on applying mathematical concepts to real-world situations. They provide a broad study of mathematics, encompassing various non-calculus-based topics. This subject is designed to be accessible to a wide range of students and is a good choice for students who want to develop their ability to use mathematical techniques in everyday contexts and prepare for further studies where mathematical knowledge is beneficial.

Units 3 and 4 build upon the foundation from Units 1 and 2, delving deeper into a selection of topics. They are designed for students who wish to develop their ability to apply mathematical techniques to everyday situations, are interested in pursuing careers or further studies where a strong foundation in mathematics is helpful, but not necessarily a prerequisite for highly specialised mathematical fields. Students must have completed Units 1 and 2 of a VCE Mathematics study other than Foundation Maths in order to undertake Units 3 and 4 General Mathematics

Units 1 and 2

• Data analysis and statistics

• Univariate and Bivariate Data

• Algebra, number and structure

• Functions, relations and graphs

• Matrices

• Graphs and Networks

• Space and measurement

Units 3 and 4

• Data analysis and Statistics

• Recursion and financial modelling

• Matrices

• Networks and decision mathematics

Mathematical Methods Units 1 and 2 provide an introductory study of simple elementary functions of a single real variable, algebra, calculus, probability and statistics and their applications in a variety of practical and theoretical contexts. Assessment tasks include the opportunity for components to be completed with and without the use of effective and appropriate use of CAS technology or as applicable to demonstrate the achievement of outcomes outlined in all the areas of study.

Mathematical Methods Units 3 and 4 extend the introductory study of elementary functions of a single real variable, to include combinations of these functions, algebra, calculus, probability and statistics, and their applications in a variety of practical and theoretical contexts. Students will apply techniques, routines and processes involving rational and real arithmetic, sets, lists and tables, diagrams and geometric constructions, algorithms, algebraic manipulation, equations, graphs, differentiation, anti-differentiation, integration and inference, with and without the use of technology. 

Units 1 and 2

• Functions, relations and graphs

• Algebra, number and structure

• Calculus

• Data analysis, probability and statistics. 

Units 3 and 4

• Algebra, number and structure

• Data analysis

• Probability and Statistics

• Calculus

• Functions, Relations and Graphs

Specialist Mathematics Units 1 and 2 provide a course of study for students who wish to undertake an in-depth study of mathematics, with an emphasis on concepts, skills and processes related to mathematical structure, modelling, problem solving and reasoning. When Specialist Mathematics Units 1 and 2 and Mathematical Methods Units 1 and 2 are taken in conjunction, they provide a comprehensive preparation for Specialist Mathematics Units 3 and 4. 

The development of the course content in Units 3 and 4 will highlight mathematical structure, reasoning and applications across a range of modelling contexts. Students wishing to study Specialist Maths Unit 3 and 4 must have completed Mathematical Methods Units 1 and 2 and have achieved a minimum average C+ standard on their assessments. The must have a current enrolment in, or previous completion of Math Methods Units 3 and 4 and are strongly recommended to have already completed Specialist Maths Unit 1 and 2.

Units 1 and 2

• Proof and number

• Graph theory

• Logic and algorithms

• Sequences and series

• Combinatorics and Matrices

Units 3 and 4

• Algebra, number and structure

• Calculus

• Data analysis, probability and statistics

• Discrete mathematics

• Functions, relations and graphs

• Space and measurement

Drama is studied as a form of cultural and personal expression, giving students insight into diverse societies, traditions, and perspectives while developing their own theatrical voice.

Students explore the role of the performer, director, and designer, considering how dramatic works are constructed, interpreted, and realised. They reflect on the social, political, and historical context of performance styles, and develop their skills in analysing and evaluating their own work and that of others. Drama is presented as a dynamic art form that can challenge assumptions, reinforce values, celebrate identity, and entertain.

Unit 1: Dramatic Storytelling and Devised Performance

• Explore performance styles from different social, cultural, and historical contexts

• Investigate traditions of ritual and storytelling and their influence on contemporary drama

• Devise, create, and present solo and ensemble performances reflecting real or imagined characters

• Use stimulus material based on personal, cultural, or community experiences

• Apply and manipulate dramatic elements, conventions, and production areas to create meaning

• Experiment with transformation of character, time, and place

Unit 2: Exploring Australian Identity in Drama

• Investigate aspects of Australian identity in contemporary drama using inquiry learning

• Study work of Australian drama practitioners and performance styles

• Examine communication of personal and cultural perspectives by artists

• Devise and present solo and/or ensemble performances based on Australian contexts

• Document the play-making process and reflect on creative decisions

• Consider the impact of cultural and historical contexts on creative choices

Unit 3: Interpreting Playscripts and Ensemble Performance

• Research and devise ensemble performances using project-based learning

• Draw on practices of contemporary and traditional drama practitioners

• Examine and interpret playscripts for dramatic potential through performance styles and conventions

• Collaborate to create, develop, and present ensemble performances informed by selected styles

• Use play-making techniques and explore conventions of transformation, symbol, expressive skills, and performance elements

• Consider intended meaning and audience impact of the work

• Document and evaluate creative and performance choices

• Reflect on how ensemble performance communicates themes, messages, and dramatic intent

Unit 4: Devised Solo Performance and Interpretation

• Develop and present a devised solo performance exploring contemporary drama practice

• Use inquiry learning and project-based methods to explore stimulus material

• Develop character-driven work drawing on multiple performance styles

• Apply play-making techniques, conventions, dramatic elements, and performance skills to shape solo work

• Refine use of symbol, transformation, and expressive skills to construct meaning

• Present solo performance in response to a prescribed structure

• Support performance with documentation and analysis of the creative process

VCE Music encourages active engagement in listening, performing, and creating music, helping students develop musicianship, creativity, and critical awareness of music’s social and cultural contexts. Through analysing, interpreting, and responding to music from diverse times and cultures, students refine their ability to express musical ideas and communicate meaning. The study supports varied learning backgrounds and prepares students for further education, community participation, and lifelong involvement in music. 

Unit 1: Organisation of Music

• Students explore how music is organised by performing, creating, analysing, and responding to works with different structural approaches.

• They prepare and perform solo and/or ensemble pieces to build technical skill, expression, and stylistic understanding, with at least two pieces linked to their study of music organisation.

• Students create short music exercises—through arranging, composing or improvising—that reflect their understanding of musical structure and processes.

• They develop knowledge of music language by analysing and responding to a variety of works, focusing on how musical elements and devices are used to communicate ideas.

Unit 2: Effect in Music

• Students explore how music can be used to create specific effects by performing, analysing, and responding to a variety of musical works.

• They develop technical and expressive skills through ensemble and/or solo performances, including at least one piece designed to convey a particular effect.

• Students create short musical exercises—through arranging, composing, or improvising—that demonstrate their understanding of musical organisation and expressive intent.

• Through analysis and response, they deepen their understanding of how musical elements and compositional devices are used to communicate ideas, and they further develop their ability to identify, recreate, and notate musical concepts.

Units 3 and 4: Music Inquiry

• This study supports students interested in performing, composing/arranging, and investigating music, both individually and collaboratively.

• Music making is seen as an integrated process involving activities like composing, interpreting, performing, and critiquing music with creative and informed engagement.

• Students create and perform music that demonstrates influences from existing styles or performers, connecting their own work to broader musical contexts.

• Through listening and analysis, students develop aural skills and explore how musical elements and styles influence others, including their own creative work.

In this subject, students delve into how life is sustained, inherited and evolves. Key topics include cell structure and function, reproduction, genetics, diversity, biochemical pathways and the immune system.

Unit 1: How do Organisms Regulate their Functions?

• Cell structure, growth and death

• Specialised cells and homeostasis

Unit 2: How does Inheritance Impact on Diversity?

• Genetic inheritance and meiosis

• Phenotypic expression and adaptations

• Population dynamics and ecosystem roles

Unit 3: How do Cells Maintain Life?

• Nucleic acids, gene expression and proteins

• Biochemical pathways: photosynthesis and respiration

Unit 4: How does Life Change and Respond to Challenges?

• Immune response and disease

• Evolution and evidence for change over time

In this subject, students delve into the nature of matter, chemical reactions, and the application of chemistry in everyday life. Key topics include the structure of materials, reaction types, sustainable chemistry, and organic compounds.

Unit 1: How can the Diversity of Materials be Explained?

• Atomic structure and bonding

• Metals, polymers and molecular substances

• Measurement of chemical quantities

Unit 2: How do Chemical Reactions Shape the Natural World?

• Acids, bases and redox reactions

• Reactions in water and gases

• Practical investigation

Unit 3: How can Design and Innovation Help to Optimise Chemical Processes?

• Energy sources and electrochemical cells

• Reaction rates and equilibrium

Unit 4: How are Carbon-Based Compounds Designed for Purpose?

• Organic molecules and functional groups

• Food and medicinal chemistry

• Instrumental analysis

• Scientific investigation

Students examine the laws of motion and energy, fields, waves and quantum theory. Throughout the course, students will develop skills in modelling, experimental analysis and scientific communication.

Unit 1: What Ideas Explain the Physical World?

• Light and thermal energy

• Radioactivity and electricity

Unit 2: What do Experiments Reveal about the Physical World?

• Forces and motion

• Student investigation of a selected context (e.g. astrophysics, sports science, or music)

Unit 3: How do Fields Explain Motion and Electricity?

• Gravitational, electric and magnetic fields

• Electricity production and transmission

Unit 4: How have Creative Ideas and Investigation Revolutionised Thinking in Physics?

• Particle and wave models of light and matter

• Relativity and modern physics applications

The course focuses on how biological, psychological and social factors influence behaviour and mental processes. Key topics include brain function, development, learning, memory, stress and wellbeing.

Unit 1: How are Behaviour and Mental Processes Shaped?

• Human development and brain plasticity

• Cultural influences and theories of development

Unit 2: How do External Factors Influence Behaviour and Mental Processes?

• Social cognition and perception

• Group behaviour and cultural differences

Unit 3: How does Experience Affect Behaviour and Mental Processes?

• Nervous system and stress

• Learning and memory

Unit 4: How is Wellbeing Supported and Maintained?

• Sleep and mental health

• Sleep-wake cycles and psychological functioning

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

• Artists, artworks and audiences

• The Creative Practice

• Documenting and reflecting on the Creative Practice

Unit 2: Interpreting Artworks and Developing the Creative Practice

• The artist, society and culture

• The collaborative Creative Practice

• Documentation of collaboration using the Creative Practice

Unit 3: Investigation, Ideas, Artworks and the Creative Practice

• Investigation and presentation

• Personal investigation using the Creative Practice

Unit 4: Interpreting, Resolving and Presenting Artworks and the Creative Practice

• Documentation and critique of the Creative Practice

• Resolution and presentation of a Body of Work

• Comparison of artists, their practice and their artworks

VCE Media supports students to develop and refine their planning and analytical skills, critical and creative thinking and expression, and to strengthen their communication skills and technical knowledge. Students gain knowledge and skills in planning and expression valuable for participation in and contribution to contemporary society. 

This study leads to pathways for further theoretical and/ or practical study at tertiary level or in vocational education and training settings; including screen and media, marketing and advertising, games and interactive media, communication and writing, graphic and communication design, photography and animation.

Unit 1: Media Forms, Representations and Australian Stories

• Understanding of audiences and core concepts in media forms

• Exploration of media codes, conventions, and meaning construction

• Analysis of representations, narratives, and media codes in constructing media realities

• Understanding audiences as both producers and consumers of media

• Examination of the impact of media creators and institutions on production

• Research skills development to analyse narratives and the influence of media professionals

• Understanding features of Australian fictional and non-fictional narratives in various media forms

Unit 2: Narrative Across Media Forms

• Development of understanding of narrative concepts in various media products and forms

• Analysis of narratives in traditional and newer media forms including film, television, sound, news, print, photography, games, and interactive digital forms

• Examination of the influence of media technology developments on society and individuals

• Study of media convergence and hybridization effects on design, production, distribution, and audience engagement

• Production activities to design and create narratives using appropriate media codes and conventions

Unit 3: Media Narratives and Pre-Production

• Exploration of societal stories through media narratives

• Consideration of media codes and conventions in structuring meaning

• Assessment of audience engagement, consumption, and interpretation of narratives using media language

• Use of the pre-production stage to design media products for specific audiences

• Investigation of media forms aligned with student interests and intent

• Development of skills in selected media forms through experimentation with media technologies

• Documentation and reflection on progress in media production skills

Unit 4: Media Production and Issues in the Media

• Focus on production and post-production stages of media creation

• Realisation and refinement of media production designs from Unit 3

• Response to feedback and personal reflection to document production iterations

• Exploration of the relationship between media and audiences

• Consideration of opportunities and challenges in current media industry developments

• Examination of communication between media and audiences

• Analysis of the media's role in government and institutional communication

• Study of the Australian government's role in media regulation

The complex demands of 21st-century living have broadened the scope of the designer’s work, and the potential of design to solve ill-defined problems is recognised across sectors including business, industry and education.

The study of VCE Visual Communication Design seeks to cultivate future-ready designers who have a critical and reflective eye, a refined aesthetic sensibility, and who are equipped with the skills, knowledge and mindsets necessary to address the problems of life. Through exposure to the cultures and traditions of design practice, students learn how designers visually communicate ideas and information when designing for people, communities and societies. They develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions required of a multidisciplinary designer whom is a reflective, responsible and empathetic practitioner equipped with agency and initiative.

Unit 1: Finding, Reframing and Resolving Design Problems

• Reframing design problems

• Solving communication design problems

• Design's influence and influences on design

Unit 2: Design Contexts and Connections

• Design, place and time

• Cultural ownership and design

• Designing interactive experiences

Unit 3: Visual Communication in Design Practice

• Professional design practice

• Design analysis

• Design process: Defining problems and developing ideas

Unit 4: Delivering Design Solutions

• Design process: Refining and resolving design concepts

• Presenting design solutions