VCE | TCC Curriculum Guide

Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)

The following information provides descriptions for all of the VCE subjects available for study at Trinity College.

The maps displayed show links to subjects related to each other and to allow students to select an ideal pathway to their preferred senior subjects. Students can choose any combination of pathways to suit their interests as there are no prerequisites for entry into VCE, but students are strongly encouraged to select subjects that align with those that they wish to take in VCE.

Religious Education

The Religious Education of students at Trinity College is developed through being part of a community whose life, values and aims are centred upon the inspiration taken from the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Church. The central aim of the Religious Education Program is to foster in students the following four aspects of human life: - awareness of Self - awareness of Others - awareness of The World - awareness of The Faith Community The program seeks to teach the content of the Catholic faith in a way which contributes to understanding and provides opportunities for students to respond in faith. Through immersion of students in the life of the school they can experience the values of a Christian community and will also be given the opportunity for participation in prayer and worship. The program develops religious literacy, incorporating an appreciation, understanding and desire to know more of the Catholic/Christian tradition, including the symbols and rituals of the community. The content of the Religious Education Program at Trinity College: - is based on the sources of our faith; - is faithful to the teachings and practices of the Catholic Church; - reflects the Core Values, Mission, and Vision of the school; - is sequential and allows for a deepening of understanding, knowledge and experience. The Religious Education of students at Trinity College uses, as its primary framework for course structure, the Awakenings Program as recommended by the Catholic Education Office Ballarat. This program draws from and incorporates the many rich developments in Religious Education over recent decades, providing opportunities and understanding relevant to the individual student, taking into account the needs, interests, abilities, cultural backgrounds and stages of development of students.

Accreditation Period: 2023-2027

In this unit students explore the origins of religion and its role in the development of society, identifying the nature and purpose of religion over time.

They investigate the contribution of religion generally to the development of human society. They also focus on the role of religious traditions over time in shaping personal and group identity. Students examine how individuals, groups and new ideas have affected and continue to affect religious traditions.

The unit provides an opportunity for students to understand the often complex relationships that exist between individuals, groups, new ideas and religious traditions broadly and in the Australian society in which they live. A range of examples are studied throughout the unit. For all areas of study, students explore detailed examples from more than one religion. These may be from one or more than one of the groups below. In addition, for Areas of Study 1 and 2 further shorter illustrative examples are selected for study from across all the groups below.

Spiritualities of First Nations peoples (such as in Australia and Oceania; Africa; Canada and the rest of the Americas; Siberia and the rest of Russia; Scandinavia)
Spiritual and religious ideas in prehistory (associated with, for example, hunter-gatherer societies, Çatalhöyük, Göbekli Tepe, Jericho, Lascaux, Stonehenge)
Religious traditions of ancient civilisations and empires (such as Babylonia, Canaan, Ancient China, Ancient Egypt, the Indus Valley civilisation, Ancient Rome, Sumer)
Asian religious and philosophical traditions (such as Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Jainism, Shintoism, Sikhism, Taoism)
Abrahamic religions (such as the Bahaʼi Faith, Christianity, Islam, Judaism).

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4.

Units

Compulsory Unit 1: The Role of Religion in Society Students explore the spiritual origins of religion and understand its role in the development of society, identifying the nature and purpose of religion over time. They investigate religion’s contribution to the development of human society. The role of spiritualities, religious traditions and religious denominations in shaping personal and group identity over time is also a focu. Students examine how individuals, groups and new ideas have affected and continue to affect spiritualities, religious traditions and religious denominations. The unit provides an opportunity for students to understand the often complex relationships that exist between individuals, groups, new ideas, truth narratives, spiritualities and religious traditions broadly and in the Australian society in which they live.

Unit 2: Religion and Ethics Today, religious and philosophical traditions interact with other sources of authority and moral values represented in the media and popular culture. Nevertheless, society still often relies on cultural heritages that contain a variety of ethical perspectives as well as values centred on human dignity and basic justice. These perspectives and values remain fundamental to many legal and social systems, and to codes of behaviour. They constitute the everyday categories of ethical discourse in the world. They are taken by the individuals and groups that hold them to be the starting point and common ground for discussion about ethical issues and moral behaviour in societies where multiple worldviews coexist. In this unit students study in detail various methods of ethical decision-making in at least two religious traditions and their related philosophical traditions. They explore ethical issues in societies where multiple worldviews coexist.

Optional Unit 3: The Search for Meaning Students study the purposes of religion generally and then consider the religious beliefs developed by a religious tradition or religious denomination in response to the big questions of life. Students study how particular beliefs within a religious tradition or religious denomination may be expressed through the other aspects of religion, and explore how this is intended to foster meaning for adherents. Students then consider the interaction between significant life experiences and religion. Religious traditions or religious denominations are to be selected from Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism.

Unit 4: Religion, Challenge and Change This unit focuses on the interaction over time of religious traditions and religious denominations and the societies of which they are a part. Traditions and denominations are in a constant state of development as members apply their talents and faith to extend the intellectual and aesthetic nature of a tradition’s or denomination’s beliefs, of the expression of these beliefs and of the application of these beliefs to their lives. Opportunities for development also come from significant challenges in the interaction of religious traditions and religious denominations and society, including the needs and insights of their members and other people and groups within wider society. In this unit students explore challenges for religious traditions or religious denominations generally over time and then undertake a study of challenge and change for a religious tradition or religious denomination. Religious traditions or religious denominations are to be selected from Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism.

Students in Year 12 will study the New Awakenings RE program if they are not undertaking VCE Religion & Society, Units 3 / 4.

Term 1: Meaning and Purpose

Identify and critique potential challenges posed by different religious and philosophical traditions in Australia and the importance of working with the challenge of respecting otherness for the common good. Investigate spiritualities of the Christian tradition together with spiritualities from other traditions and worldviews, discerning how they offer meaning and purpose for people’s lives.

Term 2: Lifestyle

Discern, differentiate and describe the characteristics of a Christian life lived consciously in service for the good of others and creation with those of a life lived in service for the good of others and creation. Investigate some ways in which the arts, sciences and humanities enable exploration of the fundamental questions of life while at the same time enabling people of faith to engage with the mystery of God.

Term 3: Mission

Critically examine the principles of Catholic Social Teaching in light of contemporary social and personal issues that affect the marginalised and vulnerable of the world. In light of Catholic Social Teaching, identify and critique the impact of Catholic organisations/institutions for the flourishing of human beings in their care and in society.

Explore Religious Education Career Pathways

Community Services

Performing Arts

Drama | Music

The Performing Arts subjects are fundamental to the learning of all students. Performing Arts makes a distinct and unique contribution to each young person’s ability to perceive, imagine, create, think, feel, symbolise, communicate, understand as well as to become confident and creative individuals. The Performing Arts at Trinity College can be broken into two strands: Music and Drama. These strands will provide all students with the opportunity to imagine and creatively engage, personally and collectively, within their real and imagined worlds. Music and Drama assist in developing identity, confidence, social participation and inclusion. Units explore cultural diversity and indigenous cultural heritage in line with national curriculum.

Accreditation Period: 2019-2024

In VCE Drama, students tell stories, explore ideas, make sense of their worlds and communicate meaning through the practice of performance-making. The study of drama enables students' individual and collective identities to be explored, expressed and validated. Students develop an ability to empathise through understanding and accepting diversity. Students draw from, and respond to, contexts and stories that reflect different cultures, genders, sexualities and abilities.

The study of drama may provide pathways to training and tertiary study in acting, dramaturgy, theatre-making, script writing, communication and drama criticism.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 and Unit 4 as a sequence.

Units

Unit 1: Introducing Performance Styles In this unit students study three or more performance styles from a range of social, historical and cultural contexts. They examine drama traditions of ritual and storytelling to devise performances that go beyond re-creation and/or representation of real life as it is lived. This unit focuses on creating, presenting and analysing a devised solo and/or ensemble performance that includes real or imagined characters and is based on stimulus material that reflects personal, cultural and/or community experiences and stories. This unit also involves analysis of a student’s own performance work and a work by professional drama performers. Students apply play-making techniques to shape and give meaning to their performance. They manipulate expressive and performance skills in the creation and presentation of characters, and develop awareness and understanding of how characters are portrayed in a range of performance styles. They document the processes they use as they explore a range of stimulus material, and experiment with production areas, dramatic elements, conventions and performance styles.

Unit 2: Australian Identity In this unit students study aspects of Australian identity evident in contemporary drama practice. This may also involve exploring the work of selected drama practitioners and associated performance styles. This unit focuses on the use and documentation of the processes involved in constructing a devised solo or ensemble performance. Students create, present and analyse a performance based on a person, an event, an issue, a place, an artwork, a text and/or an icon from a contemporary or historical Australian context. In creating the performance, students use stimulus material that allows them to explore an aspect or aspects of Australian identity. They examine selected performance styles and explore the associated conventions. Students further develop their knowledge of the conventions of transformation of character, time and place, the application of symbol, and how these conventions may be manipulated to create meaning in performance and the use of dramatic elements and production areas. Students analyse their own performance work as well as undertaking an analysis of a performance of an Australian work, where possible, by professional actors. An Australian work might: - be written, adapted or devised by Australian writers or theatre-makers - reflect aspects of Australian identity, for example the voice of Australia’s first peoples, the Celtic perspective, the twentieth or twenty-first century migrant experience, the refugee experience, urban and rural perspectives. Across this unit, students study performance styles from a range of historical and/or social and/or cultural contexts.

Unit 3: Devised Ensemble Performance In this unit students explore the work of drama practitioners and draw on contemporary practice as they devise ensemble performance work. Students explore performance styles and associated conventions from a diverse range of contemporary and/or traditional contexts. They work collaboratively to devise, develop and present an ensemble performance. Students create work that reflects a specific performance style or one that draws on multiple performance styles and is therefore eclectic in nature. They use play-making techniques to extract dramatic potential from stimulus material, then apply and manipulate conventions, dramatic elements, expressive skills, performance skills and production areas. Throughout development of the work they experiment with transformation of character, time and place, and application of symbol. Students devise and shape their work to communicate meaning or to have a specific impact on their audience. In addition, students document and evaluate stages involved in the creation, development and presentation of the ensemble performance. Students analyse and evaluate a professional drama performance selected from the prescribed VCE Drama Unit 3 Playlist published annually on the VCAA website.

Unit 4: Devised Solo Performance This unit focuses on the development and the presentation of devised solo performances. Students explore contemporary practice and works that are eclectic in nature; that is, they draw on a range of performance styles and associated conventions from a diverse range of contemporary and traditional contexts. Students develop skills in extracting dramatic potential from stimulus material and use play-making techniques to develop and present a short solo performance. They experiment with application of symbol and transformation of character, time and place. They apply conventions, dramatic elements, expressive skills, performance skills and performance styles to shape and give meaning to their work. Students further develop and refine these skills as they create a performance in response to a prescribed structure. They consider the use of production areas to enhance their performance and the application of symbol and transformations. Students document and evaluate the stages involved in the creation, development and presentation of their solo performance. Students are encouraged to attend performances that incorporate a range of performance styles to support their work in this unit.

Accreditation Period: 2023-2027

Music is uniquely an aural art form and its essential nature is abstract. It is a complex socio-cultural phenomenon that exists distinctively in every culture and is a basic expression and reflection of human experience. It allows for the expression of the intellect, imagination and emotion, and the exploration of values, and fosters an understanding of continuity and change. Active participation in music develops musicianship through creating, performing, responding and analysing, and fosters an understanding of other times, places, cultures and contexts. Students develop ideas about the ways in which music can interact with other art forms, technology and design, and other fields of endeavour.

Music learning has a significant impact on the cognitive, affective, motor, social, cultural and personal competencies of students. It supports and encourages flexible cognitive and behavioural skills, and creativity, which are further enhanced by the non-verbal communication methods found in musical socialisation. Students learn to pose and solve problems, work independently and in collaboration, and create and convey meaning from various viewpoints. The nature of music study allows students to develop their capacity to manage their own learning, work together with others, and engage in activity that reflects the real-world practice of performers, composers and audiences, working towards the development of a personal voice.

Through performance, students sing and play music, demonstrating their knowledge and practical music skills through refining solo and/or ensemble performances. Students realise music ideas through the demonstration and interpretation of music elements and concepts to convey meaning and/or emotion to an audience.

Through creating, students explore the manipulation of sound, producing new music works and arrangements. Using the music elements and concepts, students apply their knowledge and understanding of compositional devices to their own creations and the works of others.

Through responding and analysing, students investigate and explain the use of music elements, concepts and compositional devices, and respond to music from a variety of contexts, styles and genres. They develop knowledge and skills in identifying and understanding how music is organised, how effect is created and how influences and cultural contexts are manifested in works.

VCE Music equips students with personal and musical knowledge and skills that enable them to focus on their musicianship in particular areas and follow pathways into tertiary music study or further training in a broad spectrum of music related careers. VCE Music also offers students opportunities for personal development and encourages them to make an ongoing contribution to the culture of their community through participation in life-long music making.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4. It is recommended that students arrange for instrumental lessons to complement the units.

Units

Unit 1: Organisation of Music In this unit, students explore and develop their understanding of how music is organised. By performing, creating, analysing and responding to music works that exhibit different approaches, students explore and develop their understanding of the possibilities of musical organisation.

Unit 2: Effect in Music In this unit, students focus on the way music can be used to create an intended effect. By performing, analysing and responding to music works/examples that create different effects, students explore and develop their understanding of the possibilities of how effect can be created. Through creating their own music, they reflect this exploration and understanding.

Unit 3: Music Repertoire Performance In this unit, students begin developing the recital program they will present in Unit 4. This preparation includes consideration of the historical performance practices and interpretative traditions that inform the styles represented in their programs. Students use music analysis skills to refine strategies for developing their performances. They analyse technical, expressive and stylistic challenges relevant to the works they are preparing for performance, and present these strategies for assessment at a school-based discussion. Students analyse interpretation in a wide range of recorded music, responding to and analysing musical elements, concepts and compositional devices. They develop their ability to identify, recreate and notate music language concepts such as scales, melodies, chords, harmony and rhythmic materials that relate to the works studied.

Unit 4: Music Repertoire Performance In this unit, students continue to develop the performance program established in Unit 3 for their end-of-year practical examination. This preparation includes consideration of the historical performance practices and interpretative traditions that inform the styles represented in their programs. Students use music analysis skills to refine strategies for further developing and presenting their final recital. They analyse technical, expressive and stylistic challenges relevant to the works they are preparing for performance, and present these strategies for assessment at a school-based viva voce. Students analyse interpretation in a wide range of music, responding to and analysing musical elements, concepts, compositional devices and music language. Students also learn how to recognise and notate music language concepts such as scales, melodies, chords, harmony and rhythmic materials that relate to the works studied.

Explore Performing Arts Career Pathways

Entertainment

Music

Performing Arts

Visual Arts

Art | Visual Communication Design | Media

Involvement in Visual Arts is an important part of our lives. We can use the arts to express our emotional, social, cultural, political and religious beliefs and we learn to appreciate experiences of others through their expression in one or other art form. Visual Arts at Trinity College can be broken into three strands: Art, Media and Visual Communication Design. Within these strands, students learn to express and communicate their feelings; this provides them with opportunities to gain a sense of their social and individual identity. Students learn ways of experiencing, developing, representing and understanding emotions, values and cultural beliefs. They learn to take risks, be imaginative, question, explore solutions, share opinions, develop, practise and refine techniques to help in the development of their own art works and the understanding and appreciation of the work of others.

Accreditation Period: 2023-2027

Art is an integral part of life and contributes to a progressive society. Artworks and visual language are a potent and dynamic means to communicate personal experiences and ideas, and cultural values, beliefs and viewpoints on experiences and issues in contemporary society.

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.

Entry

Although there are no prerequisites for Units 1, 2 and 3, it is strongly recommended that students complete Year 10 Arts prior to enrolling for Units 1 and 2. It is also strongly encouraged that students satisfactorily complete Units 1 and 2 prior to enrolling in Units 3 and 4. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4.

Units

Unit 1: Interpreting Artworks and Exploring the Creative Practice 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. Visiting and viewing exhibitions and displays of artwork is a necessary part of this study. It helps students understand how artworks are displayed and exhibitions are curated. It also has an influence on the students’ own practice and encourages them to broaden and develop their own ideas and thinking around their own art making. A strong focus on the way we respond to artworks in galleries, museums, other exhibition spaces and site-specific spaces is integral to study and research in VCE Art Making and Exhibiting. The way institutions design exhibitions and present artworks, and how they conserve and promote exhibitions, are key aspects of the study.

Unit 2: Interpreting Artworks and Developing the Creative Practice In Unit 2 students use Inquiry learning to investigate the artistic and collaborative practices of artists. They use the Cultural Lens, and the other Interpretive Lenses as appropriate, to examine artworks from different periods of time and cultures, and to explore the different ways that artists interpret and communicate social and personal ideas in artworks Students explore the collaborative practices of artists and use the Creative Practice to make and present artworks. They develop visual responses based on their investigations, exploring the way historical and contemporary cultural contexts, ideas and approaches have influenced the artworks and the practices of the artists they investigate, as well as their own art practice. Artworks can acknowledge specific ideas or beliefs, or commemorate people, institutions, social movements and events. They can reinforce the intentions and purpose of a social, cultural or community group, or they can challenge social or cultural attitudes and assumptions. Throughout Unit 2, students examine the importance of the social and cultural contexts of artworks and analyse the varying social functions that art can serve. They also investigate how artworks can be created as forms of expression for specific social and cultural contexts. Students research historical and contemporary artworks and explore diverse and alternative approaches to making and presenting artworks. While the focus of this unit is on the Cultural Lens, students should continue to apply aspects of the Structural and Personal Lenses where relevant in the analysis and interpretation of artworks and in the documentation of their art practice.

Unit 3: Investigation, Ideas, Artworks and the Creative Practice In this unit students use Inquiry and Project-based learning as starting points to develop a Body of Work. They explore ideas and experiment with materials, techniques and processes using the Creative Practice. The research of historical and contemporary artists is integral to students’ use of the Creative Practice and informs the basis of their investigation. Students also investigate the issues that may arise from the artworks they view and discuss, or those evolving from the practice of the artist. Unit 3 commences with students researching the practice of a selected artist as the starting point to develop a finished artwork. The finished artwork will contribute to the Body of Work developed over Units 3 and 4. In Unit 3, the Interpretive Lenses are used in Making and Responding throughout the students’ art practice. Students apply the Interpretive Lenses to researched artworks and in their reflective analysis and evaluation of their use of the Creative Practice. They use critical and creative thinking skills to explore and develop ideas, and experiment with materials, techniques and processes.

Unit 4: Interpreting, Resolving and Presenting Artworks and the Creative Practice In Unit 4 students continue to develop their art practice through Project-based and Inquiry learning as their research and exploration continues to support the development of their Body of Work. Throughout their research students study the practices of selected historical and contemporary artists to inform their own art practice. They use the Interpretive Lenses to analyse, compare and interpret the meanings and messages of artworks produced by the artists they study. Students also apply the Interpretive Lenses throughout the Creative Practice to resolve and refine their Body of Work. Students continue to build upon the ideas begun in Unit 3 and present a critique of their use of the Creative Practice. They reflect on the feedback from their critique to further refine and resolve a Body of Work that demonstrates their use of the Creative Practice and the realisation of their personal ideas. The students present their Body of Work to an audience accompanied by documentation of their use of the Creative Practice. In Unit 4, Areas of Study 1 and 2 are taught concurrently. The critique in Area of Study 1 takes place before the resolution and presentation of the Body of Work. Documentation of the Creative Practice is carried throughout Areas of Study 1 and 2 in the refinement, resolution and presentation of the student’s Body of Work. The students’ use of the Creative Practice involves both Making and Responding and is underpinned by the Interpretive Lenses. Students use the Interpretive Lenses to analyse and interpret the meanings and messages of artworks created by the artists they study and to investigate the practices used to create them. Applied together, these Interpretive Lenses enable students to appreciate how an artwork may contain different aspects and layers of meaning and to acknowledge the validity of diverse interpretations. Students view a range of artworks in different contexts and interpret the ideas and meanings communicated in the artworks.

Accreditation Period: 2023-2027

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.

Visiting and viewing exhibitions and displays of artwork is a necessary part of this study. It helps students understand how artworks are displayed and exhibitions are curated. It also has an influence on the students’ own practice and encourages them to broaden and develop their own ideas and thinking around their own art making.

A strong focus on the way we respond to artworks in galleries, museums, other exhibition spaces and site-specific spaces is integral to study and research in VCE Art Making and Exhibiting. The way institutions design exhibitions and present artworks, and how they conserve and promote exhibitions, are key aspects of the study.

Entry

Units

Unit 1: Explore, Expand and Investigate In this unit students explore materials, techniques and processes in a range of art forms. They expand their knowledge and understanding of the characteristics, properties and application of materials used in art making. They explore selected materials to understand how they relate to specific art forms and how they can be used in the making of artworks. Students also explore the historical development of specific art forms and investigate how the characteristics, properties and use of materials and techniques have changed over time. Throughout their investigation students become aware of and understand the safe handling of materials they use. Students explore the different ways artists use materials, techniques and processes. The students’ exploration and experimentation with materials and techniques stimulates ideas, inspires different ways of working and enables a broad understanding of the specific art forms. Their exploration and experimentation is documented in both visual and written form in a Visual Arts journal.

Unit 2: Understand, Develop and Resolve In Unit 2 students continue to research how artworks are made by investigating how artists use aesthetic qualities to represent ideas in artworks. They broaden their investigation to understand how artworks are displayed to audiences, and how ideas are represented to communicate meaning. Students respond to a set theme and progressively develop their own ideas. Students learn how to develop their ideas using materials, techniques and processes, and art elements and art principles. They consolidate these ideas to plan and make finished artworks, reflecting on their knowledge and understanding of the aesthetic qualities of artworks. The planning and development of at least one finished artwork are documented in their Visual Arts journal. Students investigate how artists use art elements and art principles to develop aesthetic qualities and style in an artwork. Working in their Visual Arts journal they begin to discover and understand how each of the art elements and art principles can be combined to convey different emotions and expression in their own and others’ artworks. They also explore how art elements and art principles create visual language in artworks. Students begin to understand how exhibitions are planned and designed and how spaces are organised for exhibitions. They also investigate the roles associated with the planning of exhibitions and how artworks are selected and displayed in specific spaces. This offers students the opportunity to engage with exhibitions, whether they are in galleries, museums, other exhibition spaces or site-specific spaces.

Unit 3: Collect, Extend and Connect In this unit students are actively engaged in art making using materials, techniques and processes. They explore contexts, subject matter and ideas to develop artworks in imaginative and creative ways. They also investigate how artists use visual language to represent ideas and meaning in artworks. The materials, techniques and processes of the art form the students work with are fundamental to the artworks they make. Students use their Visual Arts journal to record their art making. They record their research of artists, artworks and collected ideas and also document the iterative and interrelated aspects of art making to connect the inspirations and influences they have researched. The Visual Arts journal demonstrates the students’ exploration of contexts, ideas and subject matter and their understanding of visual language. They also document their exploration of and experimentation with materials, techniques and processes. From the ideas documented in their Visual Arts journal, students plan and develop artworks. These artworks may be made at any stage during this unit, reflecting the students’ own ideas and their developing style. In order to receive constructive feedback on the progress of their art making, and to develop and extend their ideas, students present a critique of their artworks to their peer group. Students show a selection of their developmental work and artworks from their Visual Arts journal in their presentation. After the critique students evaluate their work and revise, refine and resolve their artworks. More information about the critique is available in the online Support materials for VCE Art Making and Exhibiting. Students will visit an exhibition in either a gallery, museum, other exhibition space or site-specific space. They must visit or view a minimum of two exhibitions during the current year of study. Exhibitions studied must be from different art spaces, to give students an understanding of the breadth of artwork in current exhibitions and to provide a source of inspiration and influence for the artworks they make. The exhibitions can be selected from the recommended list of exhibitions in the VCE Art Making and Exhibiting Exhibitions List, which is published annually on the VCAA website. Students must select one exhibition space for study in Unit 3 and a different exhibition space for study in Unit 4. Students research the exhibition of artworks in these exhibition spaces and the role a curator has in planning and writing information about an exhibition.

Unit 4: Consolidate, Present and Conserve In Unit 4 students make connections to the artworks they have made in Unit 3, consolidating and extending their ideas and art making to further refine and resolve artworks in -specific art forms. The progressive resolution of these artworks is documented in the student’s Visual Arts journal, demonstrating their developing technical skills in a specific art form as well as their refinement and resolution of subject matter, ideas, visual language, aesthetic qualities and style. Students also reflect on their selected finished artworks and evaluate the materials, techniques and processes used to make them. The progress of individual student artworks is an important element of Unit 4, and throughout the unit students demonstrate their ability to communicate to others about their artworks. They articulate the development of subject matter, ideas, visual language, their choice of materials, their understanding of the inherent characteristics and properties of the material, their use of techniques and processes, and aesthetic qualities. Acting on their critique from Unit 3, students further develop their ideas and broaden their thinking to make new artworks. Students organise the presentation of their finished artworks. They make decisions on how their artworks will be displayed, the lighting they may use, and any other considerations they may need to present their artworks. Students also present a critique of their artworks and receive and reflect on feedback. Students continue to engage with galleries, museums, other exhibition spaces and site-specific spaces and examine a variety of exhibitions. They review the methods used and considerations involved in the presentation, conservation and care of artworks, including the conservation and care of their own artworks. Students must visit or view a minimum of two exhibitions during the current year of study. Exhibitions studied must be from different art spaces, to give students an understanding of the breadth of artwork in current exhibitions and to provide a source of inspiration and influence for the artworks they make. Students must select one exhibition space for study in Unit 3 and a different exhibition space for study in Unit 4. The exhibitions can be selected from the recommended list of exhibitions in the VCE Art Making and Exhibiting Exhibitions List, which is published annually on the VCAA website. Students document the investigation and review of artworks and exhibitions in their Visual Arts journal.

Accreditation Period: 2024-2028

This study provides students with the opportunity to examine the media in both historical and contemporary contexts while developing skills in media design and production in a range of media forms.

VCE Media provides students with the opportunity to analyse media concepts, forms and products in an informed and critical way. Students consider narratives, technologies and processes from various perspectives, including an analysis of structure and features. They examine debates about the role of the media in contributing to and influencing society. Students integrate these aspects of the study through the individual design and production of their media representations, narratives and products.

VCE Media supports students to develop and refine their planning and analytical skills, and their critical and creative thinking and expression, and to strengthen their communication skills and technical knowledge. Students gain knowledge and skills in planning and expression that are 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.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4. However, students need to have a solid background in Digital Technologies.

Units

Unit 1: Media Forms, Representations and Australian Stories The relationship between audiences and the media is evolving. Audiences engage with media products in many ways. They share a common language with media producers and construct meanings from the representations within a media product. In this unit, students develop an understanding of audiences and the core concepts underpinning the construction of representations and meaning in different media forms. They explore media codes and conventions and the construction of meaning in media products. Students analyse how representations, narratives and media codes and conventions contribute to the construction of the media realities that audiences read and engage with. Students gain an understanding of audiences as producers and consumers of media products. Through analysing the structure of narratives, students consider the impact of media creators and institutions on production. Students work in a range of media forms and develop and produce representations to demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics of each media form, and how they contribute to the communication of meaning. Students develop an understanding of the features of Australian fictional and non-fictional narratives in different media forms. They develop research skills to investigate and analyse selected narratives, focusing on the media professionals’ influence on production genre and style. They experience the voices and stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creators to gain an understanding and appreciation of how their stories contribute to our cultural identity.

Unit 2: Narrative Across Media Forms Fictional and non-fictional narratives are fundamental to the media and are found in all media forms. Media industries such as journalism and filmmaking are built upon the creation and distribution of narratives constructed in the form of a series of interconnected images and/or sounds and/or words, using media codes and conventions. New media forms and technologies enable participants to design, create and distribute narratives in hybrid forms such as collaborative and user-generated content, which challenges the traditional understanding of narrative form and content. Narratives in new media forms have generated new modes of audience engagement, consumption and reception. In this unit, students further develop an understanding of the concept of narrative in media products and forms in different contexts. Narratives in both traditional and newer forms include film, television, digital streamed productions, audio news, print, photography, games and interactive digital forms. Students analyse the influence of developments in media technologies on individuals and society; design, production and distribution of narratives in the media; and audience engagement, consumption and reception. Students undertake production activities to design and create narratives that demonstrate an awareness of the structures and media codes and conventions appropriate to corresponding media forms.

Unit 3: Media Narratives, Contexts and Pre-Production In this unit, students explore stories that circulate in society through a close analysis of a media narrative. Narratives are defined as the depiction of a chain of events in a cause-and-effect relationship occurring in physical and/or virtual space and time in fictional and non-fictional media products. Students consider the use of codes and narrative conventions to structure meaning and explore the role these play in media narratives. Through the close analysis of a media narrative, students develop media language and terminology and a deeper understanding of how codes and narrative conventions are combined in a narrative. They study how social, historical, institutional, culture, economic and political contexts may influence the construction of media narratives and audience readings. Through the study of a media narrative, students explore specific codes and narrative conventions and begin the process of research to support their understanding of how they can adopt and employ these techniques in their own works. They investigate a media form that aligns with their interests and intent, developing an understanding of the codes and narrative conventions appropriate to audience engagement, consumption and reception within the selected media form. Students use the pre-production stage of the media production process to design the production of a media product for a specified audience. They explore and experiment with media technologies to develop skills in their selected media form, and reflect on and document their progress. Students undertake pre-production planning appropriate to their selected media form and develop written and visual planning documents to support the production and post-production of a media product in Unit 4.

Unit 4: Media Production; Agency and Control In and Of The Media In this unit students focus on the production and post-production stages of the media production process, bringing the pre-production plans created in Unit 3 to their realisation. Students refine their media production in response to feedback and through personal reflection, documenting the iterations of their production as they work towards completion. The context in which media products are produced, distributed and consumed is an essential framework through which audiences view and read media products. Social, historical, institutional, cultural, economic and political contexts can be seen through explicit or implied views and values conveyed within media products. The media disseminate these views and values within a society and, as a result, can play a key role in influencing, reinforcing or challenging the cultural norms. In this unit, students view a range of media products that demonstrate a range of values and views, and they analyse the role that media products and their creators play within the contexts of their time and place of production. Students explore the relationship between the media and audiences, focusing on the opportunities and challenges afforded by current developments in the media industry. They consider the nature of communication between the media and audiences, explore the capacity of the media to be used by governments, institutions and audiences, and analyse the role of the Australian government in regulating the media.

Accreditation Period: 2024-2028

Visual Communication Design is distinct in its study of visual language and the role it plays in communicating ideas, solving problems and influencing behaviours. Students learn how to manipulate type and imagery when designing for specific contexts, purposes and audiences. They choose and combine manual and digital methods, media and materials with design elements and principles. In doing so, students learn how aesthetic considerations contribute to the effective communication and resolution of design ideas, and how an understanding of visual language, its role and potential is the foundation of effective design practice.

Students explore how designers visually communicate concepts when designing messages, objects, environments and interactive experiences. They work both together and independently to find and address design problems, making improvements to services, systems, spaces and places experienced by stakeholders, both in person and online. Students employ a design process together with convergent and divergent thinking strategies to discover, define, develop and deliver design solutions. Drawings are used to visually represent relationships, ideas and appearances, while models and prototypes are produced for the purposes of testing and presentation. Students participate in critiques, both delivering and receiving constructive feedback and expanding their design terminology.

During this study, students consider various factors that impact design decisions, including conceptions of good design, aesthetic impact, and economic, technological, environmental, cultural and social influences. Students also consider how best to accommodate the varied needs of people and our planet, both now and in the future, using human-centred design principles, together with ethical, legal, sustainable and culturally appropriate design practices. Students learn about the relationships between design, place and time, acknowledging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander design knowledges, histories, traditions and practices.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 and Unit 4 as a sequence.

Units

Unit 1: Finding, Reframing and Resolving Design Problems In this unit 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 learn the value of human-centred research methods, working collaboratively to discover design problems and understand the perspectives of stakeholders. They draw on these new insights to determine communication needs and prepare design criteria in the form of a brief. This process of discovery introduces students to the phases of the VCD design process and to the modes of divergent and convergent thinking. Students integrate these ways of thinking and working into future design projects, together with their newly evolved conceptions of good design across specialist fields. Practical projects in Unit 1 focus on the design of messages and objects, while introducing the role of visual language in communicating ideas and information. Students participate in critiques by sharing ideas in progress and both delivering and responding to feedback. Students learn to apply the Develop and Deliver phases of the VCD design process and use methods, media and materials typically employed in the specialist fields of communication and industrial design. Student projects invite exploration of brand strategy and product development, while promoting sustainable and circular design practices. They also consider how design decisions are shaped by economic, technological, cultural, environmental and social factors, and the potential for design to instigate change.

Unit 2: Design Contexts and Connections Unit 2 builds on understandings of visual communication practices developed in Unit 1. Students draw on conceptions of good design, human-centred research methods and influential design factors as they revisit the VCD design process, applying the model in its entirety. Practical tasks across the unit focus on the design of environments and interactive experiences. Students adopt the practices of design specialists working in fields such as architecture, landscape architecture and interior design, while discovering the role of the interactive designer in the realm of user-experience (UX). Methods, media and materials are explored together with the design elements and principles, as students develop spaces and interfaces that respond to both contextual factors and user needs. Student learning activities highlight the connections between design and its context, and the emotive potential of interactive design experiences in both physical and digital spaces. Students also look to historical movements and cultural design traditions as sources of inspiration, and in doing so consider how design from other times and places might influence designing for the future. Design critiques continue to feature as an integral component of design processes, with students refining skills in articulating and justifying design decisions, and both giving and receiving constructive feedback. Connections between design, time and place are also central to the study of culturally appropriate design practices in Area of Study 2. Students learn about protocols for the creation and commercial use of Indigenous knowledge in design, with a particular focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander design traditions and practices. Students also consider how issues of ownership and intellectual property impact the work of designers across contexts and specialist fields.

Unit 3: Visual Communication in Design Practice In this unit students explore and experience the ways in which designers work, while also analysing the work that they design. Through a study of contemporary designers practising in one or more fields of design practice, students gain deep insights into the processes used to design messages, objects, environments and/or interactive experiences. They compare the contexts in which designers work, together with their relationships, responsibilities and the role of visual language when communicating and resolving design ideas. Students also identify the obligations and factors that influence the changing nature of professional design practice, while developing their own practical skills in relevant visual communication practices. Students study not only how designers work but how their work responds to both design problems and conceptions of good design. They interrogate design examples from one or more fields of design practice, focusing their analysis on the purposes, functions and impacts of aesthetic qualities. This exposure to how, why and where designers work, what they make and the integral role of visual language in design practice provides the foundation for students’ own investigation of the VCD design process. Students explore the Discover, Define and Develop phases of the VCD design process to address a selected design problem. In the Discover and Define phases, research methods are used to gather insights about stakeholders and a design problem, before preparing a single brief for a real or fictional client that defines two distinct communication needs. Students then embark on the Develop phase of the VCD design process, once for each communication need. They generate, test and evaluate design ideas and share these with others for critique. These design ideas are further developed in Unit 4, before refinement and resolution of design solutions.

Unit 4: Delivering Design Solutions In this unit students continue to explore the VCD design process, resolving design concepts and presenting solutions for two distinct communication needs. Ideas developed in Unit 3, Outcome 3 are evaluated, selected, refined and shared with others for further review. An iterative cycle is undertaken as students rework ideas, revisit research and review design criteria defined in the brief. Manual and digital methods, media and materials are explored together with design elements and principles, and concepts tested using models, mock-ups or low-fidelity prototypes. When design concepts are resolved, students devise a pitch to communicate and justify their design decisions, before responding to feedback through a series of final refinements. Students choose how best to present design solutions, considering aesthetic impact and the communication of ideas. They select materials, methods and media appropriate for the presentation of final design solutions distinct from one another in purpose and presentation format, and that address design criteria specified in the brief.

Explore Visual Arts Career Pathways

Art

Entertainment

Media Studies

Design and Technology

Food | Textiles | Wood | Engineering | Systems Engineering

This learning area emphasises engagement in designing, creating and evaluating processes, products and technological systems using a range of materials as a way of developing creativity and innovation. Creativity can be described as applying imagination and lateral and critical thinking throughout design and development processes. Design is a vital step in transforming ideas into creative, practical and commercial realities. Designing and its application involve planning and organising production and evaluating products in a real context.

Accreditation Period: 2023-2027

Australia has a varied and abundant food supply. Globally, many people do not have access to a secure and varied food supply and many Australian, amid a variety of influences, consume food and beverage products in quantities that may harm their health. Also, food and cooking, and their central roles in our lives, have become prominent topics in digital media and publishing. This study examines the various factors for this increased exposure and the background to this abundance of food, and it explores reasons for our food choices.

VCE Food Studies is designed to build the capacities of students to make informed food choices and develop an understanding about food security, food sovereignty and food citizenship. Students develop their understanding of food while acquiring skills that enable them to take greater ownership of their food decisions and eating patterns. This study complements and supports further training and employment opportunities in the fields of home economics, food technology, food manufacturing and hospitality.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4.

Units

Unit 1: Food Origins In this unit students focus on food from historical and cultural perspectives, and investigate the origins and roles of food through time and across the world. In Area of Study 1 students explore how humans have historically sourced their food, examining the general progression from hunter-gatherer to rural-based agriculture, to today’s urban living and global trade in food. Students consider the origins and significance of food through inquiry into one particular food-producing region of the world. In Area of Study 2 students focus on Australia. They look at Australian indigenous food prior to European settlement and how food patterns have changed since, particularly through the influence of food production, processing and manufacturing industries and immigration. Students investigate cuisines that are part of Australia’s culinary identity today and reflect on the concept of an Australian cuisine. Students consider the influence of innovations, technologies and globalisation on food patterns. Throughout this unit they complete topical and contemporary practical activities to enhance, demonstrate and share their learning with others.

Unit 2: Food Makers In this unit students investigate food systems in contemporary Australia. Area of Study 1 focuses on commercial food production industries, while Area of Study 2 looks at food production in domestic and small-scale settings, as both a comparison and complement to commercial production. Students gain insight into the significance of food industries to the Australian economy and investigate the capacity of industry to provide safe, high-quality food that meets the needs of consumers. Students use practical skills and knowledge to produce foods and consider a range of evaluation measures to compare their foods to commercial products. They consider the effective provision and preparation of food in the home, and analyse the benefits and challenges of developing and using practical food skills in daily life. In demonstrating their practical skills, students design new food products and adapt recipes to suit particular needs and circumstances. They consider the possible extension of their role as small-scale food producers by exploring potential entrepreneurial opportunities.

Unit 3: Food in Daily Life In this unit students investigate the many roles and everyday influences of food. Area of Study 1 explores the science of food: our physical need for it and how it nourishes and sometimes harms our bodies. Students investigate the science of food appreciation, the physiology of eating and digestion, and the role of diet on gut health. They analyse the scientific evidence, including nutritional rationale, behind the healthy eating recommendations of the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (see www.eatforhealth.gov.au), and develop their understanding of diverse nutrient requirements. Area of Study 2 focuses on influences on food choices: how communities, families and individuals change their eating patterns over time and how our food values and behaviours develop within social environments. Students inquire into the role of food in shaping and expressing identity and connectedness, and the ways in which food information can be filtered and manipulated. They investigate behavioural principles that assist in the establishment of lifelong, healthy dietary patterns. Practical activities enable students to understand how to plan and prepare food to cater for various dietary needs through the production of everyday food that facilitates the establishment of nutritious and sustainable meal patterns.

Unit 4: Food Issues, Challenges and Futures In this unit students examine debates about Australia’s food systems as part of the global food systems and describe key issues relating to the challenge of adequately feeding a rising world population. In Area of Study 1 students focus on individual responses to food information and misinformation and the development of food knowledge, skills and habits to empower consumers to make discerning food choices. They also consider the relationship between food security, food sovereignty and food citizenship. Students consider how to assess information and draw evidence-based conclusions, and apply this methodology to navigate contemporary food fads, trends and diets. They practise and improve their food selection skills by interpreting food labels and analysing the marketing terms used on food packaging. In Area of Study 2 students focus on issues about the environment, climate, ecology, ethics, farming practices, including the use and management of water and land, the development and application of innovations and technologies, and the challenges of food security, food sovereignty, food safety and food wastage. They research a selected topic, seeking clarity on current situations and points of view, considering solutions and analysing work undertaken to solve problems and support sustainable futures. The focus of this unit is on food issues, challenges and futures in Australia. Practical activities provide students with opportunities to apply their responses to environmental and ethical food issues, reflect on healthy eating recommendations of the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, and consider how food selections and food choices can optimise human and planetary health.

Accreditation Period: 2024-2028

VCE Product Design and Technologies offers students a range of relevant practical and applied experiences that can support future career pathways in design fields. These include industrial design, textiles, jewellery, fashion, interior spaces and exhibitions, engineering, building and construction, furniture, and transport. Future pathways also include careers in specialised areas of arts and design at professional, industrial and vocational levels.

VCE Product Design and Technologies offers students a unique focus on creativity through the development and production of innovative and ethical products. Through the study of VCE Product Design and Technologies students become solution-focused and equipped to deal with both the interdisciplinary (interrelationship of multiple disciplines) and transdisciplinary (when disciplines interconnect to form new ideas) natures of design. This is achieved through collaboration (shared work) and teamwork (working on own tasks with a common goal to others), use of computer-aided manufacturing, work practice in designing and making, and development of speculative, critical and creative thinking skills. Students work with a variety of materials, tools and processes to develop their technacy and they employ innovative and ethical practices as they practise design. All of this contributes to the real-life industry relevance of this course.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4.

Units

Unit 1: Design Practices This unit focuses on the work of designers across relevant specialisations in product design. Students explore how designers collaborate and work in teams; they consider the processes that designers use to conduct research and the techniques they employ to generate ideas and design products. In doing this, they practise using their critical, creative and speculative thinking strategies. When creating their own designs, students use appropriate drawing systems – both manual and digital – to develop graphical product concepts. They also experiment with materials, tools and processes to prototype and propose physical product concepts. In this unit, students analyse and evaluate existing products and current technological innovations in product design. They achieve this through understanding the importance of a design brief, learning about factors that influence design, and using the Double Diamond design approach as a framework. In their practical work, students explore and test materials, tools and processes available to them in order to work technologically, and they practise safe skill development when creating an innovative product. This is achieved through the development of graphical product concepts and the use of prototypes to explore and propose physical product concepts.

Unit 2: Positive Impacts for End Users Designers should look outward, both locally and globally, to research the diverse needs of end users. They should explore how inclusive product design solutions can support belonging, access, usability and equity. In this unit, students specifically examine social and/or physical influences on design. They formulate a profile of an end user(s), research and explore the specific needs or opportunities of the end user(s) and make an inclusive product that has a positive impact on belonging, access, usability and/or equity. Students also explore cultural influences on design. They develop an awareness of how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples design and produce products, how sustainable design practices care for Country, and how traditions and culture are acknowledged in contemporary designs. Students also have opportunities to make connections to personal or other cultural heritages.

Unit 3: Ethical Product Design and Development In this unit students research a real personal, local or global need or opportunity with explicit links to ethical considerations. They conduct research to generate product concepts and a final proof of concept for a product solution that addresses the need(s) or opportunities of the end user(s). Product designers respond to current and future social, economic, environmental or other ethical considerations. This unit focuses on the analysis of available materials in relation to sustainable practices, tensions between manufacturing and production, modern industrial and commercial practices, and the lifecycles of products from sustainability or worldview perspectives. Students plan to develop an ethical product through a problem-based design approach, starting with a need or opportunity and using a design process and testing to problem-solve. The design brief, product concepts and the final proof of concept are developed through the Double Diamond design approach, using design thinking. Students undertake the role of a designer to generate, analyse and critique product concepts, with the chosen product concept becoming the final proof of concept. Throughout a design process, the product concepts and the final proof of concept are evaluated using relevant factors that influence product design, and shaped using design thinking. Students learn about ethical research methods when investigating and defining their design need and/or opportunity and generating and designing their product concepts.

Unit 4: Production and Evaluation of Ethical Designs In this unit students continue to work as designers throughout the production process. They observe safe work practices in their chosen design specialisations by refining their production skills using a range of materials, tools and processes. Students collect, analyse, interpret and present data, use ethical research methods and engage with end user(s) to gain feedback and apply their research and findings to the production of their designed solution. Students also focus on how speculative design thinking can encourage research, product development and entrepreneurial activity through the investigation and analysis of examples of current, emerging and future technologies and market trends.

Accreditation Period: 2019-2024

VCE Systems Engineering promotes innovative systems thinking and problem-solving skills through the application of the System Engineering Process. The study is based on understanding and designing integrating mechanical and electrotechnological engineering systems. The study provides students the opportunities to learn about and engage with systems in a practical and purposeful perspective. Students’ will gain a range of knowledge about these technological systems and the applications they can be used for.

VCE Systems Engineering integrates aspects of design, planning, producing, testing and evaluating in a project management process. This is to prepare the students for a career in engineering, manufacturing and design through a university or TAFE vocational study pathway, employment, apprenticeships and traineeships. The study provides a rigours academic foundation and the practical working knowledge of design strategies, production processes and evaluation practices.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4.

Units

Unit 1: Mechanical Systems This unit focuses on engineering fundamentals as the basis of understanding concepts, principles and components that operate in mechanical systems. The term ‘mechanical systems’ includes systems that utilise all forms of mechanical components and their linkages. While this unit contains the fundamental physics and theoretical understanding of mechanical systems and how they work, the focus is on the creation of a system. The creation process draws heavily upon design and innovation processes. Students create an operational system using the systems engineering process. The focus is on a mechanical system; however, it may include some electrotechnological components. All systems require some form of energy to function. Students research and quantify how systems use or convert the energy supplied to them. Students are introduced to mechanical engineering principles including mechanical subsystems and devices, their motions, elementary applied physics, and related mathematical calculations that can be applied to define and explain the physical characteristics of these systems.

Unit 2: Electrotechnological Systems In this unit students study fundamental electrotechnological engineering principles. The term ‘electrotechnological’ encompasses systems that include electrical/electronic circuitry including microelectronic circuitry. Through the application of the systems engineering process, students create operational electrotechnological systems, which may also include mechanical components or electro-mechanical subsystems. While this unit contains fundamental physics and theoretical understanding of electrotechnological systems and how they work, the focus is on the creation of electrotechnological systems, drawing heavily upon design and innovation processes. Electrotechnology is a creative field that responds to, and drives rapid developments and change brought about through technological innovation. Contemporary design and manufacture of electronic equipment involves increased levels of automation and inbuilt control through the inclusion of microcontrollers and other logic devices. In this unit students explore some of these emerging technologies. Students study fundamental electrotechnological principles including applied electrical theory, standard representation of electronic components and devices, elementary applied physics in electrical circuits and mathematical processes that can be applied to define and explain the electrical characteristics of circuits. This unit offers opportunities for students to develop, apply and refine their knowledge in the creation of an operational system.

Unit 3: Integrated and Controlled Systems In this unit students study engineering principles used to explain physical properties of integrated systems and how they work. Students design and plan an operational, mechanical and electrotechnological integrated and controlled system. They learn about the technologies used to harness energy sources to provide power for engineered systems. Students commence work on the creation of an integrated and controlled system using the systems engineering process. This production work has a strong emphasis on innovation, designing, producing, testing and evaluating. Students manage the project, taking into consideration the factors that will influence the creation and use of their integrated and controlled system. Students’ understanding of fundamental physics and applied mathematics underpins the systems engineering process, providing a comprehensive understanding of mechanical and electrotechnological systems and how they function. Students learn about sources and types of energy that enable engineered technological systems to function. Comparisons are made between the use of renewable and non-renewable energy sources and their impacts. Students develop their understanding of technological systems developed to capture and store renewable energy and technological developments to improve the credentials of non-renewables.

Unit 4: Systems Control In this unit students complete the creation of the mechanical and electrotechnological integrated and controlled system they researched, designed, planned and commenced production of in Unit 3. Students investigate new and emerging technologies, consider reasons for their development and analyse their impacts. Students continue producing their mechanical and electrotechnological integrated and controlled system using the systems engineering process. Students develop their understanding of the open-source model in the development of integrated and controlled systems, and document its use fairly. They effectively document the use of project and risk management methods throughout the creation of the system. They use a range of materials, tools, equipment and components. Students test, diagnose and analyse the performance of the system. They evaluate their process and the system. Students expand their knowledge of emerging developments and innovations through their investigation and analysis of a range of engineered systems. They analyse a specific emerging innovation, including its impacts.

The VCE VET Hospitality program is drawn from a national training package and offers portable qualifications which are recognised throughout Australia. These qualifications provide students with a broad range of skills and knowledge to prepare them for a diverse range of occupations in the hospitality industry including commercial cookery, catering and food and beverage service.

Scored assessment is available for the Scored Units 3 and 4 sequence of the VCE VET Hospitality program.

Qualifications

SIT20316 Certificate II in Hospitality

This course prepares students with a limited range of hospitality operational skills and basic knowledge. Includes units such as; prepare/serve expresso coffee, non-alcoholic beverages, food and beverage service, advice on food, and functional transactions.

Entry

There are no entry requirements for these qualifications.

ATAR Contribution

Students wishing to receive an ATAR contribution for the VCE VET Hospitality program Units 3 and 4 sequence must undertake scored assessment for the purpose of achieving a study score. This study score can contribute directly to the ATAR, either as one of the student's best four studies (the primary four) or as a fifth or sixth study increment.

Explore Design & Technology Career Pathways

Automotive

Food Studies

Metalwork & Engineering

Digital Technologies

In Digital Technologies, students are actively engaged in the processes of analysing problems and opportunities, designing, developing and evaluating digital solutions, and creating and sharing information that meets a range of current and future needs. Students learn to safely and ethically exploit the capacity of information systems to create digital solutions. These solutions and information are created through the application of computational, design and systems thinking, and technical skills.

Accreditation Period: 2020-2024

Technology continues to evolve rapidly, providing opportunities for enterprising individuals to create new technologies and innovative uses for existing technologies. This study equips students with the knowledge and skills required to adapt to a dynamic technological landscape, including the ability to identify emerging technologies, envisage new uses for digital technologies and consider the benefits that these technologies can bring to society at a local and at a global level.

VCE Applied Computing facilitates student-centred learning that enables students to build capabilities in critical and creative thinking, and to develop communication and collaboration, and personal, social and information and communications technology (ICT) skills. Students are provided with practical opportunities and choices to create digital solutions for real-world problems in a range of settings.

VCE Applied Computing provides a pathway to further studies in areas such as business analysis, computer science, cybersecurity, data analytics and data science, data management, games development, ICT, networks, robotics, software engineering and telecommunications, and other careers relating to digital technologies.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 and Unit 4 as a sequence.

Units

Applied Computing Unit 1 In this unit students are introduced to the stages of the problem-solving methodology. Students focus on how data can be used within software tools such as databases and spreadsheets to create data visualisations, and the use of programming languages to develop working software solutions.

Unit 2 In this unit students focus on developing innovative solutions to needs or opportunities that they have identified, and propose strategies for reducing security risks to data and information in a networked environment.

Data Analytics Unit 3 In this unit students apply the problem-solving methodology to identify and extract data through the use of software tools such as database, spreadsheet and data visualisation software to create data visualisations or infographics. Students develop an understanding of the analysis, design and development stages of the problem-solving methodology.

Unit 4 In this unit students focus on determining the findings of a research question by developing infographics or dynamic data visualisations based on large complex data sets and on the security strategies used by an organisation to protect data and information from threats.

Software Development Unit 3 In this unit students apply the problem-solving methodology to develop working software modules using a programming language. Students develop an understanding of the analysis, design and development stages of the problem-solving methodology.

Unit 4 In this unit students focus on how the information needs of individuals and organisations are met through the creation of software solutions. They consider the risks to software and data during the software development process, as well as throughout the use of the software solution by an organisation.

Accreditation Period: 2019-2024

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4.

Units

Explore Digital Technologies Career Pathways

Computing & IT

Languages

English | English as Additional Language | LOTE

English focuses on a study of Language and how it works, an appreciation of Literature in its various modes, and the development of skills for Literacy in our world. The Year 7 to 10 curriculum links directly to the VCE English Units, ensuring students are equipped with the skills required to study and respond to texts and communicate effectively in both oral and written forms.

Accreditation Period: 2024-2028

The study of English empowers students to read, write, speak and listen in different contexts. VCE English and English as an Additional Language (EAL) prepares students to think and act critically and creatively, and to encounter the beauty and challenge of their contemporary world with compassion and understanding. Students work to collaborate and communicate widely, and to connect with our complex and plural society with confidence.

Through engagement with texts drawn from a range of times, cultures, forms and genres, and including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and voices, students develop insight into a varied range of ideas. They extend their skills in responding to the texts they read and view, and their abilities in creating original texts, further expanding their language to reflect accurately the purpose, audience and context of their responses.

By developing broad skills in communication and reflection, the study of English enables students to participate in their diverse, dynamic and multicultural world productively and positively.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

EAL students are those whose first language is a language or dialect other than English and who require additional support to assist them to develop proficiency in English. An interview with the Director of Learning is required to investigate this option.

Students who are eligible to complete the VCE EAL study units must fulfil the criteria of an EAL student, as defined by VCAA.

For Units 1 and 2, provision for EAL students is a matter for school decision. For Units 3 and 4, EAL students need to meet the VCAA criteria for enrolment in VCE EAL. EAL students must undertake the study as outlined in the VCAA study design.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4.

Units

Unit 1: Reading and Exploring Texts / Crafting Texts In Study Area 1, students engage in reading and viewing texts with a focus on personal connections with the story. They discuss and clarify the ideas and values presented by authors through their evocations of character, setting and plot, and through investigations of the point of view and/or the voice of the text. They develop and strengthen inferential reading and viewing skills, and consider the ways a text’s vocabulary, text structures and language features can create meaning on several levels and in different ways. In Study Area 2, students engage with and develop an understanding of effective and cohesive writing. They apply, extend and challenge their understanding and use of imaginative, persuasive and informative text through a growing awareness of situated contexts, stated purposes and audience. Students read and engage imaginatively and critically with mentor texts that model effective writing. Through guided reading of mentor texts, students develop an understanding of the diverse ways that vocabulary, text structures, language features and ideas can interweave to craft compelling texts. They consider these texts through knowledge of the ways purpose, context (including mode) and audience influence and shape writing.

Unit 2: Reading and Exploring Texts / Exploring Argument In Study Area 1, students develop their reading and viewing skills, including deepening their capacity for inferential reading and viewing, to further open possible meanings in a text, and to extend their writing in response to text. Students will develop their skills from Unit 1 through an exploration of a different text type from that studied in Unit 1. Students read or view a text, engaging with the ideas, concerns and tensions, and recognise ways vocabulary, text structures, language features and conventions of a text work together to create meaning. Through discussions about representations in a text, they examine the ways readers understand text considering its historical context, and social and cultural values. They also explore the text through the prism of their own cultural knowledge, experiences and understanding of the world, and extend their observations into analytical and abstracted explorations. In Study Area 2, students consider the way arguments are developed and delivered in many forms of media. Through the prism of a contemporary and substantial local and/or national issue, students read, view and listen to a range of texts that attempt to position an intended audience in a particular context. They explore the structure of these texts, including contention, sequence of arguments, use of supporting evidence and persuasive strategies. They closely examine the language and the visuals employed by the author, and offer analysis of the intended effect on the audience. Students apply their knowledge of argument to create a point of view text for oral presentation.

Unit 3: Reading and Responding to Texts / Creating Texts In Study Area 1, students are required to critically discuss how authors constructs meaning with respect to their contextual values, intended audience, presentation and language. In this area of study: - Students critically view a text with a focus on the characters (their motivations and relationships), settings, plot and the point of view. - They also consider how the ideas, concerns and conflicts within the text are influenced by the author's historical context and the existing values. - Students communicate these insights in analytical forms such as formal essays. In Study Area 2, students continue to develop their creative processes and writing skills. - Students use their assigned mentor texts to gain inspiration for their own writing. - They will acknowledge the role that their mentor texts played in their creative decisions. - They will reflect on the impace of their creative decisions on their audience, and how that was deliberately considered to serve a purpose.

Unit 4: Reading and Responding to Texts / Analysing Argument In Study Area 1, rather than just discussing the impact of the author's context on the text, this course prepares students to consider how the different audiences' contexts will shape their interpretation of the text. - Students further develop their reading and viewing skills. - Students refine their ability to present their ideas in essay form. - Their analysis should demonstrate a strong understanding of how language, context, values and structure intertwine to communicate nuanced meanings to different audiences. In Study Area 2, students analyse recent media publications on topical and/or controversial matters. - Students unpack the arguments presented in their contemporary text. - They will need to consdier how the text's language features and forms, and visuals are constructed to enhance the argument and influence the intended audience. - After viewing and evaluating a diverse range of views on a topic of their choice, students present their point of view in a mode that is most suitable for their context, purpose and intended audience.

Accreditation Period: 2023-2027

The study of VCE Literature fosters students' enjoyment and appreciation of the artistic and aesthetic merits of stories and storytelling, and enables students to participate more fully in the cultural conversations that take place around them. By reading and exploring a diverse range of established and emerging literary works, students become increasingly empowered to discuss texts. As both readers and writers, students extend their creativity and high-order thinking to express and develop their critical and creative voices.

Throughout this study, students deepen their awareness of the historical, social and cultural influences that shape texts and their understanding of themselves as readers. Students expand their frameworks for exploring literature by considering literary forms and features, engaging with language, and refining their insight into authorial choices. Students immerse themselves in challenging fiction and non-fiction texts, discovering and experimenting with a variety of interpretations in order to develop their own responses.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4.

Units

Unit 1: Reading Practices / Exploration of Literary Movements and Genres In Study Area 1, students consider how language, structure and stylistic choices are used in different literary forms and types of text. They consider both print and non-print texts, reflecting on the contribution of form and style to meaning. Students reflect on the degree to which points of view, experiences and contexts shape their own and others’ interpretations of text. Students closely examine the literary forms, features and language of texts. They begin to identify and explore textual details, including language and features, to develop a close analysis response to a text. In Study Area 2, students explore the concerns, ideas, style and conventions common to a distinctive type of literature seen in literary movements or genres. Examples of these groupings include literary movements and/or genres such as modernism, epic, tragedy and magic realism, as well as more popular, or mainstream, genres and subgenres such as crime, romance and science fiction. Students explore texts from the selected movement or genre, identifying and examining attributes, patterns and similarities that locate each text within that grouping. Students engage with the ideas and concerns shared by the texts through language, settings, narrative structures and characterisation, and they experiment with the assumptions and representations embedded in the texts.

Unit 2: Voices of Country / The Text in its Context In Study Area 1, students explore the voices, perspectives and knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors and creators. They consider the interconnectedness of place, culture and identity through the experiences, texts and voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including connections to Country, the impact of colonisation and its ongoing consequences, and issues of reconciliation and reclamation. Students examine representations of culture and identity in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ texts and the ways in which these texts present voices and perspectives that explore and challenge assumptions and stereotypes arising from colonisation. Students acknowledge and reflect on a range of Australian views and values (including their own) through a text(s). Within that exploration, students consider stories about the Australian landscape and culture. In Study Area 2, students focus on the text and its historical, social and cultural context. Students reflect on representations of a specific time period and/or culture within a text. Students explore the text to understand its point of view and what it reflects or comments on. They identify the language and the representations in the text that reflect the specific time period and/or culture, its ideas and concepts. Students develop an understanding that contextual meaning is already implicitly or explicitly inscribed in a text and that textual details and structures can be scrutinised to illustrate its significance. Students develop the ability to analyse language closely, recognising that words have historical and cultural import.

Unit 3: Adaptations and Transformations / Developing Interpretations In Study Area 1, students focus on how the form of a text contributes to its meaning. Students explore the form of a set text by constructing a close analysis of that text. They then reflect on the extent to which adapting the text to a different form, and often in a new or reimagined context, affects its meaning, comparing the original with the adaptation. By exploring an adaptation, students also consider how creators of adaptations may emphasise or minimise viewpoints, assumptions and ideas present in the original text. In Study Area 2, students explore the different ways we can read and understand a text by developing, considering and comparing interpretations of a set text. Students first develop their own interpretations of a set text, analysing how ideas, views and values are presented in a text, and the ways these are endorsed, challenged and/or marginalised through literary forms, features and language. These student interpretations should consider the historical, social and cultural context in which a text is written and set. Students also consider their own views and values as readers. Students then explore a supplementary reading that can enrich, challenge and/or contest the ideas and the views, values and assumptions of the set text to further enhance the students’ understanding. Examples of a supplementary reading can include writing by a teacher, a scholarly article or an explication of a literary theory. A supplementary reading that provides only opinion or evaluation of the relative merits of the text is not considered appropriate for this task. Informed by the supplementary reading, students develop a second interpretation of the same text, reflecting an enhanced appreciation and understanding of the text. They then apply this understanding to key moments from the text, supporting their work with considered textual evidence.

Unit 4: Creative Responses to Texts / Close Analysis of Texts In Study Area 1, students focus on the imaginative techniques used for creating and recreating a literary work. Students use their knowledge of how the meaning of texts can change as context and form change to construct their own creative transformations of texts. They learn how authors develop representations of people and places, and they develop an understanding of language, voice, form and structure. Students draw inferences from the original text in order to create their own writing. In their adaptation of the tone and the style of the original text, students develop an understanding of the views and values explored. Students develop an understanding of the various ways in which authors craft texts. They reflect critically on the literary form, features and language of a text, and discuss their own responses as they relate to the text, including the purpose and context of their creations. In Study Area 2, students focus on a detailed scrutiny of the language, style, concerns and construction of texts. Students attend closely to textual details to examine the ways specific passages in a text contribute to their overall understanding of the whole text. Students consider literary forms, features and language, and the views and values of the text. They write expressively to develop a close analysis, using detailed references to the text.

Accreditation Period: 2019-2024

The study of Indonesian contributes to student personal development in a range of areas, including communication skills, intercultural understanding, cognitive development, literacy and general knowledge. Learning and using an additional language encourages students to examine the influences on their perspectives and society, and to consider issues important for effective personal, social and international communication. It enables students to examine the nature of language, including their won, and the role of culture in language, communication and identity. By understanding the process of language learning, students can apply skills and knowledge to other contexts and languages. Learning a language engages analytical and reflective capabilities and enhances critical and creative thinking.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 and Unit 4 as a sequence.

Units

Units 1-4 In these units, students develop an understanding of the language and culture/s of Indonesian-speaking communities through the study of topics from the prescribed themes. Students access and share useful information on the topics and subtopics through Indonesian and consolidate and extend vocabulary and grammar knowledge and language skills. They focus on analysing cultural products or practices including visual, spoken or written texts. Students investigate the way Indonesian speakers interpret and express ideas, and negotiate and persuade in Indonesian and investigate aspects of culture through the study of two or more subtopics from the prescribed themes and topics.

Explore English and Languages Career Pathways

English

Entertainment

Languages

Health & Physical Education

The Health and Physical Education (HPE) program at Trinity College will contribute to students becoming self-confident, independent, disciplined, healthy and physically fit. Students in Years 7 to 10 will undertake Health and Physical Education for the whole year. Assessed HPE learning areas include First Aid and safety, mental health and wellbeing with a focus on body image and the media, challenge and adventure activities, games and sports, lifelong physical activities, rhythmic and expressive movement activities.

Accreditation Period: Units 1/2 2017-2024 / Units 3-4 2018-2024

The study of VCE Physical Education enables students to integrate a contemporary understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of performance and participation in physical activity with practical application. Through engagement in physical activities, VCE Physical Education enables students to develop the knowledge and skills required to critically evaluate influences that affect their own and others’ performance and participation in physical activity. This study equips students with the appropriate knowledge and skills to plan, develop and maintain their involvement in physical activity, sport and exercise across their lifespan and to understand the physical, social, emotional and cognitive health benefits associated with being active. The study also prepares students for employment and/or further study at the tertiary level or in vocational education and training settings in fields such as exercise and sport science, health science, education, recreation, sport development and coaching, health promotion and related careers.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4.

Units

Unit 1: The Human Body in Motion In this unit students explore how the musculoskeletal and cardiorespiratory systems work together to produce movement. Through practical activities students explore the relationships between the body systems and physical activity, sport and exercise, and how the systems adapt and adjust to the demands of the activity. Students investigate the role and function of the main structures in each system and how they respond to physical activity, sport and exercise. They explore how the capacity and functioning of each system acts as an enabler or barrier to movement and participation in physical activity. Using a contemporary approach, students evaluate the social, cultural and environmental influences on movement. They consider the implications of the use of legal and illegal practices to improve the performance of the musculoskeletal and cardiorespiratory systems, evaluating perceived benefits and describing potential harms. They also recommend and implement strategies to minimise the risk of illness or injury to each system.

Unit 2: Physical Activity, Sport and Society This unit develops students’ understanding of physical activity, sport and society from a participatory perspective. Students are introduced to types of physical activity and the role participation in physical activity and sedentary behaviour plays in their own health and wellbeing as well as in other people’s lives in different population groups. Through a series of practical activities, students experience and explore different types of physical activity promoted in their own and different population groups. They gain an appreciation of the level of physical activity required for health benefits. Students investigate how participation in physical activity varies across the lifespan. They explore a range of factors that influence and facilitate participation in regular physical activity. They collect data to determine perceived enablers of and barriers to physical activity and the ways in which opportunities for participation in physical activity can be extended in various communities, social, cultural and environmental contexts. Students investigate individual and population-based consequences of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour. They then create and participate in an activity plan that meets the physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines relevant to the particular population group being studied. Students apply various methods to assess physical activity and sedentary behaviour levels at the individual and population level, and analyse the data in relation to physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines. Students study and apply the social-ecological model and/or the Youth Physical Activity Promotion Model to critique a range of individual- and settings-based strategies that are effective in promoting participation in some form of regular physical activity.

Unit 3: Movement Skills and Energy for Physical Activity This unit introduces students to the biomechanical and skill acquisition principles used to analyse human movement skills and energy production from a physiological perspective. Students use a variety of tools and techniques to analyse movement skills and apply biomechanical and skill acquisition principles to improve and refine movement in physical activity, sport and exercise. They use practical activities to demonstrate how correct application of these principles can lead to improved performance in physical activity and sport. Students investigate the relative contribution and interplay of the three energy systems to performance in physical activity, sport and exercise. In particular, they investigate the characteristics of each system and the interplay of the systems during physical activity. Students explore the causes of fatigue and consider different strategies used to postpone fatigue and promote recovery.

Unit 4: Training to Improve Performance In this unit students analyse movement skills from a physiological, psychological and sociocultural perspective, and apply relevant training principles and methods to improve performance within physical activity at an individual, club and elite level. Improvements in performance, in particular fitness, depend on the ability of the individual and/or coach to gain, apply and evaluate knowledge and understanding of training. Students analyse skill frequencies, movement patterns, heart rates and work to rest ratios to determine the requirements of an activity. Students consider the physiological, psychological and sociological requirements of training to design and evaluate an effective training program. Students participate in a variety of training sessions designed to improve or maintain fitness and evaluate the effectiveness of different training methods. Students critique the effectiveness of the implementation of training principles and methods to meet the needs of the individual, and evaluate the chronic adaptations to training from a theoretical perspective.

Accreditation Period: 2018-2024

VCE Health and Human Development provides students with broad understandings of health and wellbeing 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 support and improve health and wellbeing and those that put it at risk. The study provides opportunities for students to view health and wellbeing, and development, holistically – across the lifespan and the globe, and through a lens of social equity and justice. VCE Health and Human Development is designed to foster health literacy. As individuals and as citizens, students develop their ability to navigate information, to recognise and enact supportive behaviours, and to evaluate healthcare initiatives and interventions. Students take this capacity with them as they leave school and apply their learning in positive and resilient ways through future changes and challenges. VCE Health and Human Development offers students a range of pathways including further formal study in areas such as health promotion, community health research and policy development, humanitarian aid work, allied health practices, education, and the health profession.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to Unit 4.

Units

Unit 1: Understanding Health and Wellbeing This unit looks at health and wellbeing as a concept with varied and evolving perspectives and definitions. It takes the view that health and wellbeing are subject to a wide range of contexts and interpretations, with different meanings for different people. As a foundation to the understanding of health, students should investigate the World Health Organization’s (WHO) definition and also explore other interpretations. Wellbeing is a complex combination of all dimensions of health, characterised by an equilibrium in which the individual feels happy, healthy, capable and engaged. For the purposes of this study, students should consider wellbeing to be an implicit element of health. In this unit students identify personal perspectives and priorities relating to health and wellbeing, and enquire into factors that influence health attitudes, beliefs and practices, including among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Students look at multiple dimensions of health and wellbeing, the complex interplay of influences on health and wellbeing and the indicators used to measure and evaluate health status. With a focus on youth, students consider their own health as individuals and as a cohort. They build health literacy through interpreting and using data, through investigating the role of food, and through extended inquiry into one youth health focus area.

Unit 2: Managing Health and Development This unit investigates transitions in health and wellbeing, and development, from lifespan and societal perspectives. Students look at changes and expectations that are part of the progression from youth to adulthood. This unit promotes the application of health literacy skills through an examination of adulthood as a time of increasing independence and responsibility, involving the establishment of long-term relationships, possible considerations of parenthood and management of health-related milestones and changes. Students enquire into the Australian healthcare system and extend their capacity to access and analyse health information. They investigate the challenges and opportunities presented by digital media and health technologies, and consider issues surrounding the use of health data and access to quality health care.

Unit 3: Australia's Health in a Globalised World This unit looks at health, wellbeing and illness as multidimensional, dynamic and subject to different interpretations and contexts. Students begin to explore health and wellbeing as a global concept and to take a broader approach to inquiry. As they consider the benefits of optimal health and wellbeing and its importance as an individual and a collective resource, their thinking extends to health as a universal right. Students look at the fundamental conditions required for health improvement, as stated by the World Health Organization (WHO). They use this knowledge as background to their analysis and evaluation of variations in the health status of Australians. Area of Study 2 focuses on health promotion and improvements in population health over time. Students look at various public health approaches and the interdependence of different models as they research health improvements and evaluate successful programs. While the emphasis is on the Australian health system, the progression of change in public health approaches should be seen within a global context.

Unit 4: Health and Human Development in a Global Context This unit examines health and wellbeing, and human development in a global context. Students use data to investigate health status and burden of disease in different countries, exploring factors that contribute to health inequalities between and within countries, including the physical, social and economic conditions in which people live. Students build their understanding of health in a global context through examining changes in burden of disease over time and studying the key concepts of sustainability and human development. They consider the health implications of increased globalisation and worldwide trends relating to climate change, digital technologies, world trade and the mass movement of people. Area of Study 2 looks at global action to improve health and wellbeing and human development, focusing on the United Nations’ (UN’s) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the work of the World Health Organization (WHO). Students also investigate the role of non-government organisations and Australia’s overseas aid program. Students evaluate the effectiveness of health initiatives and programs in a global context and reflect on their capacity to take action.

Accreditation Period: 2024-2028

VCE Outdoor and Environmental Studies provides students with the skills and knowledge to safely participate in activities in outdoor environments and to respect and value diverse environments. The blend of direct practical experience of outdoor environments with theory-based study enables informed understanding of human relationships with nature. Historically, humans have 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. Outdoor environments also provide space for connectedness with nature and opportunities for reflection upon the past, present and future. These varying values and approaches generate a range of impacts on outdoor environments and can result in pressures and tensions between user groups, leading to issues concerning the preservation and sustainability of outdoor environments. Outdoor and Environmental Studies enables students to critically analyse these different relationships, effects and issues, providing the knowledge and skills to participate in and contribute to contemporary society. Outdoor and Environmental Studies offers students a range of pathways including further formal study in areas where interaction with outdoor environments is central, such as natural resource management, nature-based tourism, outdoor leading and guiding, environmental research and policy, education, and agriculture.

It is recommended that in completing each unit, students spend between 25 and 50 hours actively participating in outdoor experiences.

Levies

Please note that this subject attracts a $600 levy to cover costs of additional camps and excursions required for this area of study.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to Unit 4.

Units

Unit 1: Connections with Outdoor Environments This unit examines some of the ways in which Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous peoples understand and relate to nature through experiencing outdoor environments. The focus is on individuals and their personal responses to experiencing outdoor environments. Students are provided with the opportunity to explore the many ways in which nature is understood and perceived. Students develop a clear understanding of the range of motivations for interacting with outdoor environments, the factors that affect an individual’s access to experiencing outdoor environments and how they connect with outdoor environments. Through outdoor experiences, students develop practical skills and knowledge to help them act sustainably in outdoor environments. Students understand the links between practical experiences and theoretical investigations, gaining insight into a variety of responses to, and relationships with, nature.

Unit 2: Discovering Outdoor Environments This unit focuses on the different ways to understand outdoor environments and the impact of humans on outdoor environments. In this unit students study the effects of natural changes and impacts of land management practices on the sustainability of outdoor environments by examining a number of case studies of specific outdoor environments, including areas where there is evidence of human intervention. Students develop the practical skills required to minimise the impact of humans on outdoor environments. They comprehend a range of vocational perspectives that inform human use of outdoor environments. Through reflecting upon their experiences of outdoor environments, students make comparisons between outdoor environments, as well as develop theoretical knowledge about natural environments.

Unit 3: Relationships with Outdoor Environments The focus of this unit is the ecological, historical and social contexts of relationships between humans and outdoor environments in Australia. Case studies of a range of impacts on outdoor environments are examined in the context of the changing nature of human relationships with outdoor environments in Australia over 60,000 years. Students consider several factors that influence relationships with outdoor environments. They also examine the dynamic nature of relationships between humans and their environment. Students are involved in multiple experiences in outdoor environments, including in areas where there is evidence of human interaction. Through these practical experiences, students make comparisons between, and reflect upon, outdoor environments, as well as develop theoretical knowledge and skills about specific outdoor environments. Students undertake an independent investigation into the changing relationships with, and sustainability of, at least two different visited outdoor environments across both Units 3 and 4, which is assessed in Unit 4, Outcome 3.

Unit 4: Sustainable Outdoor Environments In this unit students explore the sustainable use and management of outdoor environments. They observe and assess the health of outdoor environments and consider the importance of this health for the future of Australian outdoor environments and the Australian population. Students examine the importance of the sustainability of human relationships with outdoor environments and the urgent need to balance human needs and the needs of outdoor environments. They investigate current acts and conventions as well as management strategies for achieving and maintaining healthy and sustainable Australian outdoor environments in contemporary Australian society. Students engage in multiple related experiences in outdoor environments, conducting an ongoing investigation into the health of, and care for, these places. They learn and apply the practical skills and knowledge required to sustain healthy outdoor environments and evaluate the strategies and actions they employ. Through these practical experiences, students reflect upon outdoor environments and make comparisons between them by applying theoretical knowledge developed about outdoor environments. As global citizens, students investigate how individuals and community members take action towards promoting sustainable and healthy outdoor environments and describe possible solutions to threats facing outdoor environments and their sustainability. Students undertake an independent investigation into the changing relationships with, and sustainability of, at least two different visited outdoor environments across both Units 3 and 4, which is assessed in Unit 4, Outcome 3.

The VCE VET Sport and Recreation program is designed to cater for students seeking employment in the Sport and Recreation industry. The program is based on the blend of both theory and practical activities, which suits students studying either VCE or VCAL. At the completion of the certificate, students will have acquired skills, knowledge and confidence to facilitate programs within Sport and Recreation.

Qualification

SIS30115 Certificate III in Sport and Recreation

This qualification provides students with the skills and knowledge to work in the sport and recreation industries. In Units 1 and 2, students can choose from a range of electives to create a program of their choice, including sport specific activities, conducting events, outdoor recreation or fitness programs. Units 3 and 4 offers scored assessment and includes core units such as plan and conduct programs, risk assessment, and conduct coaching with foundation level participants. Employment opportunities reflect roles such as recreation officer, activity operation officer, sport and recreation attendant, community activities officer or leisure services officer.

Entry

The Units 3 and 4 sequence of the program is not designed as a stand-alone study. Students are strongly advised against undertaking the Units 3 and 4 sequence without first completing Units 1 and 2.

Scored Assessment

Scored assessment is available for SIS30115 Certificate III in Sport and Recreation, based on the Units 3 and 4 sequence.

In VET Sport and Recreations, scored assessment is categorised into three tasks:

Work performance
Portfolio (1)
Portfolio (2)

Students wishing to receive a study score for VCE VET Sport and Recreation must undertake scored assessment. This consists of three coursework tasks, worth 66% of the overall study score, and an end-of-year examination which is worth 34% of the overall study score.

Explore Health & Physical Education Career Pathways

Health

Outdoor Education

Physical Education

The Humanities

Civics and Citizenship | Economics and Business | Geography | History

Humanities is a broad area of learning which draws upon the areas of Civics and Citizenship, Economics and Business, Geography as well as History. Beyond Secondary Education, the Humanities Learning Area offers strong job prospects and many university options, including studying Commerce, Law, Politics, Accounting, International Business and Economics – these courses can lead to many successful career paths in both the private and public sector.

Accreditation Period: 2023-2027

In contemporary Australian society there is a range of businesses managed by people who establish systems and processes to achieve a variety of business objectives. These systems and processes are often drawn from both historical experience and management theories that are designed to optimise the likelihood of achieving success.

In studying VCE Business Management, students develop knowledge and skills that enhance their confidence and ability to participate effectively as ethical and socially responsible members of society, managers and leaders of the business community, and as informed citizens, consumers and investors. The study of VCE Business Management leads to opportunities sacross 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.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4.

Units

Unit 1: Planning a Business Businesses of all sizes are major contributors to the economic and social wellbeing of a nation. The ability of entrepreneurs to establish a business and the fostering of conditions under which new business ideas can emerge are vital for a nation’s wellbeing. Taking a business idea and planning how to make it a reality are the cornerstones of economic and social development. In this unit students explore the factors affecting business ideas and the internal and external environments within which businesses operate, as well as the effect of these on planning a business. They also consider the importance of the business sector to the national economy and social wellbeing.

Unit 2: Establishing a Business This unit focuses on the establishment phase of a business. Establishing a business involves compliance with legal requirements as well as decisions about how best to establish a system of financial record keeping, staff the business and establish a customer base. In this unit students examine the legal requirements that must be met to establish a business. They investigate the essential features of effective marketing and consider the best way to meet the needs of the business in terms of staffing and financial record keeping. Students analyse management practices by applying key knowledge to contemporary business case studies from the past four years.

Unit 3: Managing a Business In this unit students explore the key processes and considerations for managing a business efficiently and effectively to achieve business objectives. Students examine different types of businesses and their respective objectives and stakeholders. They investigate strategies to manage both staff and business operations to meet objectives, and develop an understanding of the complexity and challenge of managing businesses. Students compare 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 Businesses are under constant pressure to adapt and change to meet their objectives. In this unit students consider the importance of reviewing key performance indicators to determine current performance and the strategic management necessary to position a business for the future. Students study 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. They investigate 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.

Accreditation Period: 2024-2028

VCE Legal Studies examines the institutions and principles that are essential to the Australian legal system. Students develop an understanding of the rule of law, law-makers, legal institutions, the relationship between the people and the Australian Constitution, the protection of rights in Australia, and the Victorian justice system.

Through applying knowledge of legal concepts and principles to a range of actual and / or hypothetical scenarios, students develop an ability to use legal reasoning to argue a case for or against a party in a civil or criminal matter. They develop an appreciation of the ability of people to actively seek to influence changes in the law and analyse both the extent to which our legal institutions are effective, and whether the Victorian justice system achieves the principles of justice.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4.

Units

Unit 1: The Presumption of Innocence Laws, including criminal law, aim to achieve social cohesion and protect the rights of individuals. Criminal law is aimed at maintaining social order. When a criminal law is broken, a crime is committed which is punishable and can result in criminal charges and sanctions. In this unit, students develop an understanding of 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. Students are introduced to and apply the principles of justice. They investigate key concepts of criminal law and apply these to actual and/or hypothetical scenarios to determine whether an accused may be found guilty of a crime. In doing this, students develop an appreciation of the manner in which legal principles and information are used in making reasoned judgments and conclusions about the culpability of an accused. Students also develop an appreciation of how a criminal case is determined, and the types and purposes of sanctions. Students apply their understanding of how criminal cases are resolved and the effectiveness of sanctions through consideration of recent criminal cases from the past four years.

Unit 2: Wrongs and Rights Civil law aims to protect the rights of individuals. When rights are infringed, a dispute may arise requiring resolution, and remedies may be awarded. In this unit, students investigate 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. Students explore different areas of civil law, and the methods and institutions that may be used to resolve a civil dispute and provide remedies. They apply knowledge through an investigation of civil cases from the past four years. Students also develop an understanding of how human rights are protected in Australia and possible reforms to the protection of rights, and investigate a contemporary human rights issue in Australia, with a specific focus on one case study.

Unit 3: Rights and Justice The Victorian justice system, which includes the criminal and civil justice systems, aims to protect the rights of individuals and uphold the principles of justice: fairness, equality and access. In this unit, students examine the methods and institutions in the criminal and civil justice system, and consider their appropriateness in determining criminal cases and resolving civil disputes. Students consider the Magistrates’ Court, County Court and Supreme Court within the Victorian court hierarchy, as well as other means and institutions used to determine and resolve cases. Students explore topics such as the rights available to an accused and to victims in the criminal justice system, the roles of the judge, jury, legal practitioners and the parties, and the ability of sanctions and remedies to achieve their purposes. Students investigate the extent to which the principles of justice are upheld in the justice system. Throughout this unit, students apply legal reasoning and information to actual and/or hypothetical scenarios.

Unit 4: The People, The Law and Reform The study of Australia’s laws and legal system includes an understanding of institutions that make and reform our laws. In this unit, students explore how the Australian Constitution establishes the law-making powers of the Commonwealth and state parliaments, and how it protects the Australian people through structures that act as a check on parliament in law-making. Students develop an understanding of the significance of the High Court in protecting and interpreting the Australian Constitution. They investigate parliament and the courts, and the relationship between the two in law-making, and consider the roles of the individual, the media and law reform bodies in influencing changes to the law, and past and future constitutional reform. Throughout this unit, students apply legal reasoning and information to actual and/or hypothetical scenarios.

Accreditation Period: 2022-2026

The study of VCE History assists students to understand themselves, others and their world, and broadens their perspective by examining people, groups, events, ideas and movements. Through studying VCE History, students develop social, political, economic and cultural understanding. They also explore continuity and change: the world is not as it has always been, and it will be subject to change in the future. In this sense, history is relevant to contemporary issues. It fosters an understanding of human agency and informs decision making in the present.

The study of history fosters the ability to ask searching questions, to engage in independent research, and to construct arguments about the past based on evidence. Historical comprehension enables a source to be understood in relation to its context; that is, students make links between the source and the world in which it was produced.

We can never know the whole past. Historical knowledge rests on the interpretation of sources that are used as evidence. Furthermore, judgments of historical significance made by historians are central to the discipline. Historians do not always agree about the meaning that is taken from the past: historical interpretations are often subject to academic and public debate. The study of history equips students to take an informed position on such matters, helping them develop as individuals and citizens.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4.

Units

Unit 1: Empires Students investigate the foundations and features of empires and the significant global changes they brought to the wider world in the early modern period. Empires at their core were expansionist, dominating trade and political influence in their regional or global contexts. A range of key factors arising from the social, political, economic, cultural, religious, environmental and technological features of Empires played a role in the ambition and quest for power, prestige and influence over rival and competing states.

Unit 2: Modern History In this unit students investigate the nature of social, political, economic and cultural change in the later part of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. Modern History provides students with an opportunity to explore the significant events, ideas, individuals and movements that shaped the social, political, economic and technological conditions and developments that have defined the modern world. Students investigate the nature and impact of the Cold War and challenges and changes to social, political and economic structures and systems of power in the second half of the twentieth century and the first decade of the twenty-first century.

Units 3 and 4: Revolutions 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. Revolutions are caused by the interplay of events, ideas, individuals and popular movements, and the interplay between the political, social, cultural, economic and environmental conditions. Their consequences have a profound effect on the political and social structures of the post-revolutionary society. Revolution is a dramatically accelerated process whereby the new regime attempts to create political, social, cultural and economic change and transformation based on the regime’s ideology. Change in a post-revolutionary society is not guaranteed or inevitable and continuities can remain from the pre-revolutionary society. The implementation of revolutionary ideology was often challenged internally by civil war and externally by foreign threats. These challenges can result in a compromise of revolutionary ideals and extreme measures of violence, oppression and terror. 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 revolution, 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 and/or remained the same. Students use historical interpretations to evaluate the causes and consequences of revolution and the extent of change instigated by the new regime.

Accreditation Period: 2023-2027

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.

Through studying economics, students develop a range of skills, including an ability to gather, organise, analyse and synthesise a wide selection of economics information. They undertake independent inquiry, think critically and work collaboratively with their peers to develop vialbe solutions to contemporary econmoic issues. In the process, students appreciate the different viewpoints about issues that may affect the modern economy and broader society. Over time, the changing nature of work will require students to be equipped with the kinds of transferrable, problem-solving, communication, evaluation and critical analysis skills developed through the study of economics.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4.

Units

Unit 1: Economic Decision-Making Economics is a dynamic and constantly evolving field of social science, which looks at the way humans behave and the decisions made to meet the needs and wants of society. In this unit students explore their role in the economy, how they interact with businesses, and the role of the government in the economy. Students are introduced to and explore fundamental economic concepts. They examine basic economic models where consumers and businesses engage in mutually beneficial transactions, and investigate the motivations behind both consumer and business behaviour. They examine how individuals might respond to incentives. Students are encouraged to investigate contemporary examples and case studies to enhance their understanding of the introductory economics concepts. Students use demand and supply models to explain changes in prices and quantities traded. Through close examination of one or more markets, they gain insight into the factors that may affect the way resources are allocated in an economy and how market power can affect efficiency and living standards. Students consider the insights of behavioural economics and how those insights contrast with the traditional model of consumer behaviour. They investigate at least one behavioural economics experiment, and analyse how the theories and observations of behavioural economics have been used by government in planning and implementing policy, and by businesses in managing their relationships with consumers.

Unit 2: Economic Issues and Living Standards A core principle of economics is maximising the living standards of society. This is done through economic decisions that optimise the use of resources to produce goods and services that satisfy human needs and wants. Economic activity is therefore a key consideration for economics. Students consider the link between economic activity and economic growth and investigate the importance of economic growth in raising living standards. They evaluate the benefits and costs of continued economic growth and consider the extent to which our current measurements of living standards are adequate. Economics provides useful tools for investigating contemporary issues that inspire debate and wide differences in opinion. Students undertake an applied economic analysis of two contemporary economics issues from a local, national and international perspective. They use the tools of data collection, analysis, synthesis and evaluation to examine the issue through an economics lens. They do this through investigation of the economic factors influencing the issue and via examination of its economic importance at a local, national and international level. Students consider the perspectives of relevant economic agents and evaluate the validity and effectiveness of individual and collective responses to the issue.

Unit 3: Australia's Living Standards The Australian economy is constantly evolving. The main instrument for allocating resources is the market, but government also plays a significant role in resource allocation. In this unit students investigate the role of the market in allocating resources and examine the factors that affect the price and quantity traded for a range of goods and services. Students develop an understanding of the key measures of efficiency and how market systems might result in efficient outcomes. Students consider contemporary issues to explain the need for government intervention in markets and why markets might fail to maximise society’s living standards. As part of a balanced examination, students also consider unintended consequences of government intervention in the market. Students develop an understanding of the macroeconomy. They investigate the factors that affect the level of aggregate demand and aggregate supply in the economy and apply theories to explain how changes in these variables might affect achievement of domestic macroeconomic goals and living standards. Students assess the extent to which the Australian economy has achieved these macroeconomic goals during the past two years. Australia’s living standards depend, in part, on strong economic relationships with its major trading partners. Students investigate the importance of international economic relationships and the effect of these on Australian living standards. Students analyse how international transactions are recorded, and examine how economic factors might affect the value of the exchange rate, the terms of trade and Australia’s international competitiveness. Students also analyse how changes in the value of the exchange rate, the terms of trade and international competitiveness affect the domestic macroeconomic goals.

Unit 4: Managing the Economy The ability of the Australian economy to achieve its domestic macroeconomic goals has a significant effect on living standards in Australia. Policymakers, including the Australian Government and the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), can utilise a wide range of policy instruments to affect these goals and to affect living standards. This unit focuses on the role of aggregate demand policies in stabilising the business cycle to achieve the domestic macroeconomic goals. Students develop an understanding of how the Australian Government can alter the composition of budgetary outlays and receipts to directly and indirectly affect the level of aggregate demand, the achievement of domestic macroeconomic goals and living standards. Students also examine the role of the RBA with a focus on its responsibility to conduct monetary policy. Students consider 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 achievement of the domestic macroeconomic goals and living standards. Students consider and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the aggregate demand policies in achieving the domestic macroeconomic goals and living standards. Expanding the productive capacity of the economy and improving Australia’s international competitiveness is critical to ensuring that economic growth, low inflation and employment opportunities can be maintained both now and into the future. Students consider how the Australian Government utilises selected aggregate supply policies to pursue the achievement of the domestic macroeconomic goals and living standards over the long term.

Accreditation Period: 2022-2026

VCE Geography enables students to examine natural and human phenomena, how and why they change, their interconnections and the patterns they form across the Earth's surface. In doing so, they develop a better understanding of their own place and its spaces and those in other parts of the world. These spatial perspectives, when integrated with historical, economic, ecological and cultural perspectives, deepen understanding of places, environments and human interactions with these.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4.

Units

Unit 1: Hazards and Disasters This unit investigates how people have responded to specific types of hazards and disasters. Hazards represent the potential to cause harm to people and or the environment, whereas disasters are defined as serious disruptions of the functionality of a community at any scale, involving human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts. Hazards include a wide range of situations including those within local areas, such as fast-moving traffic or the likelihood of coastal erosion, to regional and global hazards such as drought and infectious disease. Students undertake an overview of hazards before investigating two contrasting types of hazards and the responses to them. Students examine the processes involved with hazards and hazard events, considering their causes and impacts, human responses to hazard events and the interconnections between human activities and natural phenomena, including the impact of climate change.

Unit 2: Tourism Issues and Challenges In this unit students investigate the characteristics of tourism: where it has developed, its various forms, how it has changed and continues to change and its impact on people, places and environments, issues and challenges of ethical tourism. Students select contrasting examples of tourism from within Australia and elsewhere in the world to support their investigations. Tourism involves the movement of people travelling away from and staying outside of their usual environment for more than 24 hours but not more than one consecutive year (United Nations World Tourism Organization definition). The scale of tourist movements since the 1950s and its predicted growth has had and continues to have a significant impact on local, regional and national environments, economies and cultures. The travel and tourism industry is directly responsible for a significant number of jobs globally and generates a considerable portion of global GDP. The study of tourism at local, regional and global scales emphasises the interconnection within and between places as well as the impacts, issues and challenges that arise from various forms of tourism. For example, the interconnections of climate, landforms, culture and climate change help determine the characteristics of a place that can prove attractive to tourists. There is an interconnection between places tourists originate from and their destinations through the development of communication and transport infrastructure, employment, and cultural preservation and acculturation. The growth of tourism at all scales requires appropriate management to ensure it is environmentally, socially, culturally and economically sustainable.

Unit 3: Changing the Land This unit focuses on two investigations of geographical change: change to land cover and change to land use. Land cover includes biomes such as forest, grassland, tundra, bare lands and wetlands, as well as land covered by ice and water. Land cover is the natural state of the biophysical environment developed over time as a result of the interconnection between climate, soils, landforms and flora and fauna and, increasingly, interconnections with human activity. Natural land cover is altered by many processes such as geomorphological events, plant succession and climate change. Students investigate two major processes that are changing land cover in many regions of the world: melting glaciers and ice sheets, and deforestation. They investigate the distribution and causes of the two processes. They select one location for each of the processes to develop a greater understanding of the changes to land cover produced by these processes, the impacts of these changes and responses to these changes at different scales. People have modified land cover to produce a range of land uses to satisfy needs such as housing, resource provision, communication and recreation. Land use change is a characteristic of both urban and rural environments and occurs at both spatial and temporal scales. At a local scale, students investigate land use change using appropriate fieldwork techniques and secondary sources. They investigate the processes of change, the reasons for change and the impacts of change.

Unit 4: Human Population Trends and Issues Students investigate the geography of human populations. They explore the patterns of population change, movement and distribution, and how governments, organisations and individuals have responded to those changes in different parts of the world. Students study population dynamics before undertaking an investigation into two significant population trends arising in different parts of the world. They examine the dynamics of populations and their environmental, economic, social, and cultural impacts on people and places. The growth of the world’s population from 2.5 billion in 1950 to over 7 billion since 2010 has been on a scale without parallel in human history. Much of the current growth is occurring within developing countries while the populations in many developed countries are either growing slowly or are declining. Populations change through growth and decline in fertility and mortality, and by people moving to different places. The Demographic Transition Model and population structure diagrams provide frameworks for investigating the key dynamics of population. Population movements such as voluntary and forced movements over long or short terms add further complexity to population structures and to environmental, economic, social, and cultural conditions. Many factors influence population change, including the impact of government policies, economic conditions, wars and revolution, political boundary changes and hazard events. Students investigate the interconnections between the reasons for population change. They evaluate strategies developed in response to population issues and challenges, in both a growing population trend of one country and an ageing population trend of another country, in different parts of the world.

Explore Humanities Career Pathways

Mathematics

Mathematics pervades all aspects of our lives: as citizens, in our homes and in the workplace. It has applications in all human activities and provides a universal way of solving problems in diverse areas such as science and engineering, business and finance, technology, arts and crafts and many everyday activities. Competence in mathematics enhances both our understanding of the world and the quality of our participation in Australian society. Under the Victorian Curriculum in the Mathematics Learning Area, students in Years 7- 10 complete work from three areas of study: (i) Number and Algebra, (ii) Measurement and Geometry and, (iii) Statistics and Probability. As Mathematics is an integral part of all students’ education, the aim of the Mathematics Learning Area is to ensure maximum success and progress. Year 10 students may elect to participate in an advanced class called “Mathematical Reasoning”, where they will be further extended with topics aligning with the Mathematical Methods (CAS) and Specialist Mathematic courses.

Accreditation Period: 2023-2027

Mathematics is the study of function and pattern in number, logic, space and structure. It provides both a framework for thinking and a means of symbolic communication that is powerful, logical, concise and precise and a means by which people can understand and manage their environment. Essential mathematical activities include calculating, abstracting, proving, applying, investigating, modelling and problem-solving.

This study is designed to provide access to worthwhile and challenging mathematical learning in a way which takes into account the needs and aspirations of a wide range of students. It is also designed to promote students’ awareness of the importance of mathematics in everyday life in an increasingly technological society, and confidence in making effective use of mathematical ideas, techniques and processes.

All students in all the mathematical units offered will apply knowledge and skills, model, investigate and solve problems, and use technology to support learning mathematics and its application in different contexts.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Foundation Mathematics Units 1 and 2. Units 3 and 4 of a study are designed to be taken as a sequence.

Units

Units 1 and 2: Foundation Mathematics 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. The areas of study are: - Algebra, number and structure; - Data analysis, probability and statistics; - Financial and consumer mathematics; and - Space and measurement

Units 3 and 4: Foundation Mathematics Foundation Mathematics Units 3 and 4 focus on providing students with the mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding to solve problems in real contexts for a range of workplace, personal, further learning, community and global settings relevant to contemporary society. The areas of study for Units 3 and 4 are: - Algebra, number and structure; - Data analysis, probability and statistics; - Discrete mathematics; and - Space and measurement.

Accreditation Period: 2023-2027

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to General Mathematics Units 1 and 2. Students studying General Mathematics Units 3 and 4 will generally have studied at least one Mathematics subject at Units 1 and 2 level (NOT Foundation Mathematics).

Units 3 and 4 of a study are designed to be taken as a sequence.

Units

Units 1 and 2: General Mathematics General Mathematics Units 1 and 2 cater for a range of student interests, provide preparation General Mathematics Units 3 and 4 and further study or employment post schooling. The areas of study are: - Data analysis, probability and statistics; - Algebra, number and structure; - Functions, relations and graphs; - Discrete mathematics; and - Space and measurement.

Units 3 and 4: General Mathematics General Mathematics Units 3 and 4 focus on real-life application of mathematics and consist of the following areas: - Data analysis, probability and statistics; and - Discrete mathematics.

Accreditation Period: 2023-2027

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Mathematical Methods Units 1 and 2. However, students attempting Mathematical Methods are expected to have a sound background in algebra, function, and probability.

Students studying Mathematical Methods Units 3 and 4 will generally have studied at least Mathematical Methods Units 1 and 2, as a minimum. It is a distinct benefit if another Unit 1 and Unit 2 of Mathematics has also been studied.

Units 3 and 4 of a study are designed to be taken as a sequence.

Units

Units 1 and 2: Mathematical Methods Mathematical Methods provides the delivery of subject matter in a variety of practical and theoretical contexts. The areas of study are: - Functions, relations and graphs; - Algebra, number and structure; - Calculus; and - Data analysis, probability and statistics.

Units 3 and 4: Mathematical Methods Mathematical Methods Units 3 and 4 extend the introductory studies of simple functions to include combinations of functions and their application in a variety of practical and theoretical contexts. The areas of study include: - Algebra, number and structure; - Data analysis, probability and statistics, - Calculus; and - Functions, relations and graphs.

Accreditation Period: 2023-2027

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Specialist Mathematics Units 1 and 2. However, students attempting Specialist Mathematics are expected to have a sound background in algebra, function, and probability.

Students studying Specialist Mathematics Units 3 and 4 should, in all but the most exceptional cases, have prepared by studying both Math Mathematical Methods Units 1 and 2 and Specialist Mathematics Units 1 and 2. Enrolment in Specialist Mathematics Units 3 and 4 assumes a current enrolment in, or previous completion of, Mathematical Methods Units 3 and 4.

Units 3 and 4 of a study are designed to be taken as a sequence.

Units

Units 1 and 2: Specialist Mathematics 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, reasoning and proof. This study has a focus on interest in the discipline of mathematics and investigation of a broad range of applications, as well as development of a sound background for further studies in mathematics and mathematics related fields. Areas of study are: - Algebra, number and structure; - Data analysis, probability and statistics; - Discrete mathematics; - Functions, relations and graphs; and - Space and measurement.

Units 3 and 4: Specialist Mathematics Specialist Mathematics areas of study: - Algebra, number and structure; - Calculus; - Data analysis, probability and statistics; - Discrete mathematics; - Functions, relations and graphs; and - Space and measurement. This course will highlight the mathematical structure, reasoning and proof and applications across a range of modelling contexts.

Explore Mathematics Career Pathways

Maths

Science

Agriculture | Biology | Chemistry | Physics | Psychology

A major goal of Science education is to develop citizens who are capable of engaging in informed debate about Science and its applications. A fundamental goal for Science education is to stimulate, respond to and nourish curiosity, wonder and questioning. Science provides us with one view of the world – a view that changes as our knowledge and understanding of science evolves. It is becoming increasingly important that students understand scientific challenges and redirections, and the implications of these for their own life choices, the environment and the community (local and global) in which they live. Science extends our understanding beyond what affects us to include what we cannot see, feel, hear or touch but can only imagine. Increasing emphasis will be placed on the role of science and the work of Australian and other scientists in addressing issues of sustainability at a local and global level. Science education provides opportunities for students to develop the skills and understanding appropriate to service and good citizenship. It also encourages students to articulate science values and accept the ethical principles embedded in science research. While only some students directly pursue a career in science and scientific research, all students need to appreciate the significance of science for the long-term future of our society.

Accreditation Period: 2022-2026

The study of Biology explores the diversity of life as it has evolved and changed over time and considers how living organisms function and interact. It explores the processes of life, from the molecular world of the cell to that of the whole organism and examines how life forms maintain and ensure their continuity. Students engage in a range of scientific investigation methodologies to develop key science skills involving controlled experiments, fieldwork, case studies, correlational studies, classification and identification, modelling, simulations, literature reviews, and the development of a product, process or system. Knowledge and application of the safety and ethical guidelines associated with biological investigations is integral to the study of VCE Biology.Students develop their understanding of scientific processes and develop capacities that enable them to critically assess the strengths and limitations of science, respect evidence-based conclusions and gain an awareness of the ethical contexts of scientific endeavours. Students consider how science is connected to innovation in addressing contemporary biological challenges.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4.

Units

Unit 1: How Do Organisms Regulate Their Functions? In this unit students examine the cell as the structural and functional unit of life, from the single celled to the multicellular organism, including the requirements for sustaining cellular processes. Students focus on cell growth, replacement and death and the role of stem cells in differentiation, specialisation and renewal of cells. They explore how systems function through cell specialisation in vascular plants and animals, and consider the role homeostatic mechanisms play in maintaining an animal’s internal environment.

Unit 2: How Does Inheritence Impact on Diversity? In this unit students explore reproduction and the transmission of biological information from generation to generation and the impact this has on species diversity. They apply their understanding of chromosomes to explain the process of meiosis. Students consider how the relationship between genes, and the environment and epigenetic factors influence phenotypic expression. They explain the inheritance of characteristics, analyse patterns of inheritance, interpret pedigree charts and predict outcomes of genetic crosses. Students analyse the advantages and disadvantages of asexual and sexual reproductive strategies, including the use of reproductive cloning technologies. They study structural, physiological and behavioural adaptations that enhance an organism’s survival. Students explore interdependences between species, focusing on how keystone species and top predators structure and maintain the distribution, density and size of a population. They also consider the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and perspectives in understanding the survival of organisms in Australian ecosystems.

Unit 3: How Do Cells Maintain Life? In this unit students investigate the workings of the cell from several perspectives. They explore the relationship between nucleic acids and proteins as key molecules in cellular processes. Students analyse the structure and function of nucleic acids as information molecules, gene structure and expression in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and proteins as a diverse group of functional molecules. They examine the biological consequences of manipulating the DNA molecule and applying biotechnologies. Students explore the structure, regulation and rate of biochemical pathways, with reference to photosynthesis and cellular respiration. They explore how the application of biotechnologies to biochemical pathways could lead to improvements in agricultural practices.

Unit 4: How Does Life Change and Respond to Challenges? In this unit students consider the continual change and challenges to which life on Earth has been, and continues to be, subjected to. They study the human immune system and the interactions between its components to provide immunity to a specific pathogen. Students consider how the application of biological knowledge can be used to respond to bioethical issues and challenges related to disease. Students consider how evolutionary biology is based on the accumulation of evidence over time. They investigate the impact of various change events on a population’s gene pool and the biological consequences of changes in allele frequencies. Students examine the evidence for relatedness between species and change in life forms over time using evidence from paleontology, structural morphology, molecular homology and comparative genomics. Students examine the evidence for structural trends in the human fossil record, recognising that interpretations can be contested, refined or replaced when challenged by new evidence.

Accreditation Period: 2023-2027

VCE Chemistry enables students to investigate a range of chemical, biochemical and geophysical phenomena through the exploration of the nature of chemicals and chemical processes. Sustainability principles, concepts and goals are used to consider how useful materials for society may be produced with the least possible adverse effects on human health and the environment. In undertaking this study, students apply chemical principles to explain and quantify the behaviour of matter, as well as undertake practical activities that involve the analysis and synthesis of a variety of materials.

VCE Chemistry provides for continuing study pathways within the discipline and can lead to a range of careers. Branches of chemistry include organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, analytical chemistry, physical chemistry and biochemistry. In addition, chemistry is applied in many fields of human endeavour including agriculture, bushfire research, dentistry, dietetics, education, engineering, environmental science, forensic science, forestry, horticulture, medicine, metallurgy, meteorology, nursing, pharmacy, sports science, toxicology, veterinary science and viticulture.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 and Unit 4 as a sequence.

Units

Unit 1: How Can The Diversity of Materials Be Explained? The development and use of materials for specific purposes is an important human endeavour. In this unit students investigate the chemical structures and properties of a range of materials, including covalent compounds, metals, ionic compounds and polymers. They are introduced to ways that chemical quantities are measured. They consider how manufacturing innovations lead to more sustainable products being produced for society through the use of renewable raw materials and a transition from a linear economy towards a circular economy. Students conduct practical investigations involving the reactivity series of metals, separation of mixtures by chromatography, use of precipitation reactions to identify ionic compounds, determination of empirical formulas, and synthesis of polymers.

Unit 2: How Do Chemical Reactions Shape the Natural World? Society is dependent on the work of chemists to analyse the materials and products in everyday use. In this unit students analyse and compare different substances dissolved in water and the gases that may be produced in chemical reactions. They explore applications of acid-base and redox reactions in society. Students conduct practical investigations involving the specific heat capacity of water, acid-base and redox reactions, solubility, molar volume of a gas, volumetric analysis, and the use of a calibration curve.

Unit 3: How Can Design and Innovation Help to Optimise Chemical Processes? The global demand for energy and materials is increasing with world population growth. In this unit students investigate the chemical production of energy and materials. They explore how innovation, design and sustainability principles and concepts can be applied to produce energy and materials while minimising possible harmful effects of production on human health and the environment. Students analyse and compare different fuels as energy sources for society, with reference to the energy transformations and chemical reactions involved, energy efficiencies, environmental impacts and potential applications. They explore food in the context of supplying energy in living systems. The purpose, design and operating principles of galvanic cells, fuel cells, rechargeable cells and electrolytic cells are considered when evaluating their suitability for supplying society’s needs for energy and materials. They evaluate chemical processes with reference to factors that influence their reaction rates and extent. They investigate how the rate of a reaction can be controlled so that it occurs at the optimum rate while avoiding unwanted side reactions and by-products. Students conduct practical investigations involving thermochemistry, redox reactions, electrochemical cells, reaction rates and equilibrium systems.

Unit 4: How Are Carbon-Based Compound Designed for Purpose? Carbon is the basis not only of the structure of living tissues but is also found in fuels, foods, medicines, polymers and many other materials that we use in everyday life. In this unit students investigate the structures and reactions of carbon-based organic compounds, including considering how green chemistry principles are applied in the production of synthetic organic compounds. They study the metabolism of food and the action of medicines in the body. They explore how laboratory analysis and various instrumentation techniques can be applied to analyse organic compounds in order to identify them and to ensure product purity. Students conduct practical investigations related to the synthesis and analysis of organic compounds, involving reaction pathways, organic synthesis, identification of functional groups, direct redox titrations, solvent extraction and distillations.

The VCE VET Agriculture program is drawn from a national training package and offers portable qualifications which are recognised throughout Australia. These qualifications provide students with a broad range of skills and knowledge to pursue a career or further training in related industries.

Qualification

AHC20116 Certificate II in Agriculture

Certificate II in Agriculture provides an entry level occupational outcome in agriculture. The qualification enables individuals to select a livestock production or cropping context as a job focus or, in the case of mixed farming enterprises, both. Industry expects individuals with this qualification to carry out routine tasks under general supervision and exercise limited autonomy with some accountability for their own work. This qualification is suitable for an Australian Apprenticeship. Job roles vary across different industry sectors and may include: Assistant Animal Attendant/Stockperson, Assistant Farm or Station Hand/ Labourer.
Pathways from the qualification

Further training pathways from this qualification include, but are not limited to, Certificate III in Agriculture (Dairy Production), Certificate III in Pork Production, Certificate III in Horse Breeding.

This qualification provides an entry level occupational outcome in agriculture. Job roles and titles vary across different industry sectors, with employment opportunities existing in a number of designated sectors such a beef, dairy, sheep and wool production.

Pathways may include employment into roles such as:

Assistant animal attendant/stockperson
Assistant Farm or Station hand
Assistant Farm or Station worker

Entry

There are no entry requirements for this qualification.

Accreditation Period: 2023-2027

VCE Physics enables students to use observations, experiments, measurements and mathematical analysis to develop qualitative and quantitative explanations for phenomena occurring from the subatomic scale to macroscopic scales. They explore the big ideas that changed the course of thinking in physics such as relativity and quantum physics. While much scientific understanding in physics has stood the test of time, many other areas continue to evolve, leading to the development of more complex ideas and technological advances and innovation. In undertaking this study, students develop their understanding of the roles of careful and systematic observation, experimentation and modelling in the development of theories and laws. They undertake practical activities and apply physics principles to explain and quantify phenomena.

VCE Physics provides for continuing study pathways within the discipline and can lead to a range of careers. Physicists may undertake research and development in specialist areas including acoustics, astrophysics and cosmology, atmospheric physics, computational physics, communications, education, engineering, geophysics, instrumentation, lasers and photonics, medical diagnosis and treatment, nuclear science, optics, pyrotechnics and radiography. Physicists also work in cross-disciplinary areas such as bushfire research, climate science, forensic science, materials science, neuroscience, remote sensing, renewable energy generation, sports science and transport and vehicle safety.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4.

Units

Unit 1: How is Energy Useful to Society? In this unit students examine some of the fundamental ideas and models used by physicists in an attempt to understand and explain energy. Models used to understand light, thermal energy, radioactivity, nuclear processes and electricity are explored. Students apply these physics ideas to contemporary societal issues: communication, climate change and global warming, medical treatment, electrical home safety and Australian energy needs.

Unit 2: How Does Physics Help Us to Understand the World? In this unit students explore the power of experiments in developing models and theories. They investigate a variety of phenomena by making their own observations and generating questions, which in turn lead to experiments. In Area of Study 1, students investigate the ways in which forces are involved both in moving objects and in keeping objects stationary and apply these concepts to a chosen case study of motion. In Area of Study 2, students choose one of eighteen options related to climate science, nuclear energy, flight, structural engineering, biomechanics, medical physics, bioelectricity, optics, photography, music, sports science, electronics, astrophysics, astrobiology, Australian traditional artefacts and techniques, particle physics, cosmology and local physics research. The selection of an option enables students to pursue an area of interest through an investigation and using physics to justify a stance, response or solution to a contemporary societal issue or application related to the option.

Unit 3: How Do Fields Explain Motion and Electricity? In this unit students use Newton’s laws to investigate motion in one and two dimensions. They explore the concept of the field as a model used by physicists to explain observations of motion of objects not in apparent contact. Students compare and contrast three fundamental fields – gravitational, magnetic and electric – and how they relate to one another. They consider the importance of the field to the motion of particles within the field. Students examine the production of electricity and its delivery to homes. They explore fields in relation to the transmission of electricity over large distances and in the design and operation of particle accelerators.

Unit 4: How Have Creative Ideas and Investigation Revolutionised Thinking in Physics? A complex interplay exists between theory and experiment in generating models to explain natural phenomena. Ideas that attempt to explain how the Universe works have changed over time, with some experiments and ways of thinking having had significant impact on the understanding of the nature of light, matter and energy. Wave theory, classically used to explain light, has proved limited as quantum physics is utilised to explain particle-like properties of light revealed by experiments. Light and matter, which initially seem to be quite different, on very small scales have been observed as having similar properties. At speeds approaching the speed of light, matter is observed differently from different frames of reference. Matter and energy, once quite distinct, become almost synonymous. In this unit, students explore some monumental changes in thinking in Physics that have changed the course of how physicists understand and investigate the Universe. They examine the limitations of the wave model in describing light behaviour and use a particle model to better explain some observations of light. Matter, that was once explained using a particle model, is re-imagined using a wave model. Students are challenged to think beyond how they experience the physical world of their everyday lives to thinking from a new perspective, as they imagine the relativistic world of length contraction and time dilation when motion approaches the speed of light. They are invited to wonder about how Einstein’s revolutionary thinking allowed the development of modern-day devices such as the GPS.

Accreditation Period: 2023-2027

VCE Psychology is designed to enable students to explore the complex interactions between thought, emotions and behaviour. They develop an insight into biological, psychological and social factors and the key science skills that underpin much of psychology. VCE Psychology is designed to promote students’ understanding of how society applies such skills and psychological concepts to resolve problems and make scientific advancements. The study is designed to promote students’ confidence and their disposition to use the information they learn in the study in everyday situations.

Students who study VCE Psychology can consider a pathway within this discipline that can lead to a range of careers and roles that work with diverse populations and communities. Areas that registered psychologists may work in include clinical, developmental, educational, environmental, forensic, health, neuropsychology, sport and exercise, and organisational psychology. Psychologists can also work in cross-disciplinary areas such as academia and research institutions, medical research, management and human resources, and government, corporate and private enterprises, or as part of ongoing or emergency support services in educational and institutional settings. Students exposed to the study of VCE Psychology recognise the diverse nature of the discipline and career opportunities within the field.

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4.

Units

Unit 1: How Are Behaviour and Mental Processes Shaped? In this unit students examine the complex nature of psychological development, including situations where psychological development may not occur as expected. Students examine the contribution that classical and contemporary knowledge from Western and non-Western societies, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, has made to an understanding of psychological development and to the development of psychological models and theories used to predict and explain the development of thoughts, emotions and behaviours. They investigate the structure and functioning of the human brain and the role it plays in mental processes and behaviour and explore brain plasticity and the influence that brain damage may have on a person’s psychological functioning.

Unit 2: How Do Internal and External Factors Influence Behaviour and Mental Processes? In this unit students evaluate the role social cognition plays in a person’s attitudes, perception of themselves and relationships with others. Students explore a variety of factors and contexts that can influence the behaviour of individuals and groups, recognising that different cultural groups have different experiences and values. Students are encouraged to consider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s experiences within Australian society and how these experiences may affect psychological functioning. Students examine the contribution that classical and contemporary research has made to the understandings of human perception and why individuals and groups behave in specific ways. Students investigate how perception of stimuli enables a person to interact with the world around them and how their perception of stimuli can be distorted.

Unit 3: How Does Experience Affect Behaviour and Mental Processes? In this unit students investigate the contribution that classical and contemporary research has made to the understanding of the functioning of the nervous system and to the understanding of biological, psychological and social factors that influence learning and memory. Students investigate how the human nervous system enables a person to interact with the world around them. They explore how stress may affect a person’s psychological functioning and consider stress as a psychobiological process, including emerging research into the relationship between the gut and the brain in psychological functioning. Students investigate how mechanisms of learning and memory lead to the acquisition of knowledge and the development of new and changed behaviours. They consider models to explain learning and memory as well as the interconnectedness of brain regions involved in memory. The use of mnemonics to improve memory is explored, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ use of place as a repository of memory.

Unit 4: How Is Mental Wellbeing Supported and Maintained? In this unit students explore the demand for sleep and the influences of sleep on mental wellbeing. They consider the biological mechanisms that regulate sleep and the relationship between rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep across the life span. They also study the impact that changes to a person’s sleep-wake cycle and sleep hygiene have on a person’s psychological functioning and consider the contribution that classical and contemporary research has made to the understanding of sleep. Students consider ways in which mental wellbeing may be defined and conceptualised, including social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) as a multidimensional and holistic framework to wellbeing. They explore the concept of mental wellbeing as a continuum and apply a biopsychosocial approach, as a scientific model, to understand specific phobia. They explore how mental wellbeing can be supported by considering the importance of biopsychosocial protective factors and cultural determinants as integral to the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.