Accounting
Prerequisites
Nil.
Course Description
Unit 1: Semester 1 – Role of accounting in business
This unit explores the establishment of a business and the role of accounting in the determination of business success or failure. In this, it considers the importance of accounting information to stakeholders. Students analyse, interpret and evaluate the performance of the business using financial and non-financial information. They use these evaluations to make recommendations regarding the suitability of a business as an investment.
Students record financial data and prepare reports for service businesses owned by sole proprietors.
Where appropriate, the accounting procedures developed in each area of study should incorporate the application of the Conceptual Framework and financial indicators to measure business performance and take into account the range of ethical considerations faced by business owners when making decisions, including financial, social and environmental.
There are two areas of study:
- On completion of this unit the student should be able to describe the resources required to establish and operate a business and select and use accounting reports and other information to discuss the success or otherwise of the business.
- On completion of this unit the student should be able to identify and record financial data, report and explain accounting information for a service business, and suggest and apply appropriate financial and non-financial indicators to measure business performance.
ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework (50%)
2. Examination (50%)
Unit 2: Semester 2 – Accounting and decision-making for a trading business
In this unit students develop their knowledge of the accounting process for sole proprietors operating a trading business, with a focus on inventory, accounts receivable, accounts payable and non-current assets. Students use manual processes and ICT, including spreadsheets, to prepare historical and budgeted accounting reports.
Students analyse and evaluate the performance of the business relating to inventory, accounts receivable, accounts payable and non-current assets. They use relevant financial and other information to predict, budget and compare the potential effects of alternative strategies on the performance of the business. Using these evaluations, students develop and suggest to the owner strategies to improve business performance.
Where appropriate, the accounting procedures developed in each area of study should incorporate application of the Conceptual Framework, financial indicators and ethical considerations for business owners when making business decisions, including financial, social and environmental.
There are three Areas of Study:
- On completion of this unit the student should be able to record and report for inventory and discuss the effect of relevant financial and non-financial factors, and ethical considerations, on the outcome of business decisions.
- On completion of this unit the student should be able to record and report for accounts receivable and accounts payable and analyse and discuss the effect of relevant decisions on the performance of the business including the influence of ethical considerations.
- On completion of this unit the student should be able to record and report for non-current assets and depreciation.
ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework (50%)
2. Examination (50%)
Unit 3: Semester 1 – Financial accounting for a trading business
This unit focuses on financial accounting for a trading business owned by a sole proprietor and highlights the role of accounting as an information system. Students use the double entry system of recording financial data and prepare reports using the accrual basis of accounting and the perpetual method of inventory recording.
Students develop their understanding of the accounting processes for recording and reporting and consider the effect of decisions made on the performance of the business. They interpret reports and information presented in a variety of formats and suggest strategies to the owner to improve the performance of the business.
There are two Areas of Study:
- On completion of this unit the student should be able to record financial data using a double entry system; explain the role of the General Journal, General Ledger and inventory cards in the recording process.
- On completion of this unit the student should be able to record transactions and prepare, interpret and analyse accounting reports for a trading business.
Unit 4: Semester 2 – Recording, reporting, budgeting and decision-making
In this unit students further develop their understanding of accounting for a trading business owned by a sole proprietor and the role of accounting as an information system. Students use the double entry system of recording financial data, and prepare reports using the accrual basis of accounting and the perpetual method of inventory recording. Both manual methods and ICT are used to record and report.
Students extend their understanding of the recording and reporting process with the inclusion of balance day adjustments and alternative depreciation methods. They investigate both the role and importance of budgeting in decision-making for a business. They analyse and interpret accounting reports and graphical representations to evaluate the performance of a business. From this evaluation, students suggest strategies to business owners to improve business performance.
There are two Areas of Study:
- On completion of this unit the student should be able to record financial data and balance day adjustments using a double entry system, report accounting information using an accrual-based system and evaluate the effect of balance day adjustments and alternative methods of depreciation on accounting reports.
- On completion of this unit the student should be able to prepare budgeted accounting reports and variance reports for a trading business using financial and other relevant information, and model, analyse and discuss the effect of alternative strategies on the performance of a business.
ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework – Unit 3 (25%)
2. Coursework – Unit 4 (25%)
3. Examination (50%)
Australian and Global Politics
VCE Australian and Global Politics is a dynamic and exciting subject in which students consider contemporary power at both national and global levels. Students explore, explain, analyse, and evaluate key national and global issues and events to form a critical understanding of the world in which they live. As a result, students will also develop their skills of critical thinking, analysis, synthesis, and argument. The course provides knowledge and skills that prepare students for formal study at the tertiary level and leads to opportunities in a range of careers, including academia, management, government, journalism, and law. In addition, students will become informed citizens, voters and participants in their local, national and international communities.
There are no pre-requisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Year 11 students who decide to study Global Politics Units 1 and 2 will have an excellent opportunity to build foundational political knowledge and skills to help them excel in Global Politics Units 3 and 4 in Year 12. Some Year 11 students may choose to study the Unit 3 and 4 course if they meet the academic requirements.
Prerequisites
Nil.
Course Description
Unit 1: Semester 1 – Ideas, actors and power
In this unit students are introduced to the key ideas relating to the exercise of political power. They analyse and evaluate different approaches to governmental power by comparing Australian democracy with a non-democratic political system. Students will investigate case studies of political parties, interest groups and media issues to analyse the importance of these forms of participation in the Australian political system. They will also explore the ways social media and the 24-hour news cycle influence political debate.
ASSESSMENT:
1. Coursework (60%)
2. Examination (40%)
Unit 2: Semester 2 – Global connections
This unit introduces students to the global community and the global actors that are part of this community. In Area of Study 1 students explore the myriad ways lives have been affected by the increased interconnectedness – the global links – of the world through the process of globalisation. These links include a study of the roles of NGOs, global corporations and social media. Students will also evaluate Australia’s participation in the global community. In Area of Study 2, students consider the extent to which global actors cooperate and share visions and goals as part of the global community. They investigate the concept of a global community through considering contemporary case studies of global cooperation and conflict.
ASSESSMENT:
1. Coursework (60%)
2. Examination (40%)
Unit 3: Semester 1 – Global actors
Students investigate the key global actors in twenty-first century global politics, including states, intergovernmental organisations, non-state actors and transnational cooperations. They use contemporary evidence to analyse the key global actors and their aims, roles and power. This helps them to develop an understanding of the key actors through an in-depth examination of the concepts of national interest and power as they relate to the state. Students will also analyse and evaluate the way in which one Asia-Pacific state uses power within the region to achieve its objectives.
Unit 4: Semester 2 – Global challenges
In this unit students investigate key global challenges facing the international community in the twenty-first century. They examine and analyse the debates surrounding two ethical issues, which are underpinned by international law. Students will evaluate the effectiveness of responses to two ethical issues that are selected from the following: human rights, people movement, development (e.g. global poverty) and arms control. Students also explore the context and causes of global crises and consider the varying effectiveness of responses and challenges to solving them. Two global crises are selected from the following: climate change, armed conflict, terrorism, and economic instability.
ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework – Unit 3 (25%)
2. Coursework – Unit 4 (25%)
3. Examination – (50%)
Business Management
Business Management examines the ways businesses manage resources to achieve objectives. The VCE Business Management study design follows the process from the first idea for a business concept, to planning and establishing a business, through to the day-to-day management of a business. It also considers changes that need to be made to ensure continued success of a business. Students develop an understanding of the complexity of the challenges facing decision makers in managing these resources.
Prerequisites
Nil.
Course Description
Business Management Units 1/2
Unit 1: Semester 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.
ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework (50%)
2. Examination (50%)
Unit 2: Semester 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.
ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework (50%)
2. Examination (50%)
Business Management Units 3/4
Unit 3: Semester 1 – 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: Semester 2 – 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.
ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework – Unit 3 (25%)
2. Coursework – Unit 4 (25%)
3. Examination (50%)
Economics
Economics is the study of how resources are allocated to meet the needs and wants of society. It attempts to explain how and why individuals behave the way they do and the consequences of their decision making. Studying Economics as a social science enables students to gain valuable insight into the economic problems that they may face on an individual basis and collectively as a society to meet the needs and wants of citizens, and may therefore assist them in making more informed and responsible decisions.
Prerequisites
Nil.
Course Description
Economics Units 1/2
Unit 1: Semester 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.
ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework (50%)
2. Examination (50%)
Unit 2: Sem 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.
ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework (50%)
2. Examination (50%)
Economics Units 3/4
Unit 3: Sem 1- 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: Sem 2 – 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.
ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework – Unit 3 (25%)
2. Coursework – Unit 4 (25%)
3. Examination (50%)
Geography
Prerequisites
Nil.
Course Description
Unit 1: Semester 1 – Hazards and disasters
In this unit students undertake an overview of hazards before investigating two contrasting types of hazards and the responses to them by people.
Hazards represent the potential to cause harm to people and or the environment, whereas disasters are judgments about the impacts of hazard events. 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 examine the processes involved with hazards and hazard events, including their causes and impacts, human responses to hazard events and interconnections between human activities and natural phenomena. This unit investigates how people have responded to specific types of hazards, including attempts to reduce vulnerability to, and the impact of, hazard events.
Types of hazards are commonly classified by their causes:
- geological (or geophysical) hazards include volcanic activity, erosion, earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides and avalanches.
- hydro-meteorological (weather, climate, water) hazards include droughts, floods, storms, storm surges and bushfires.
- biological hazards include infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria, animal-transmitted diseases, water-borne diseases, and plant and animal invasion such as blackberries and cane toads in Australia.
- technological hazards are human-induced and exacerbated hazards including oil spills, air pollution, radiation leaks, flooding primarily caused by land clearances, epidemics caused by poor living conditions and hazards caused by current climate change such as rising sea levels or increased intensification of weather events.
There may be considerable interconnection between the causes and types of hazards. For example, a region may be at risk from a number of hazards: high seasonal rainfall may result in a primary flood hazard which may in turn generate a secondary hazard of landslides.
Students undertake fieldwork in this unit.
ASSESSMENT
1. Analysis Task (25%)
2. Fieldwork (25%)
3. Classwork (10%)
4. Examination (40%)
Unit 2: Semester 2 – Tourism
In this unit, students investigate the characteristics of tourism, with particular emphasis on where it has developed, its various forms, how it has changed and continues to change, and its impacts on people, places and environments.
They 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). Over one billion tourists a year cross international boundaries with greater numbers involved as domestic tourists within their own countries. The Asia and the Pacific hosts 23 per cent of international arrivals. The scale of tourist movements since the 1950s, and its predicted growth, continues to have a significant impact on local, regional and national environments, economies and cultures. The travel and tourism industry is directly responsible for one in every twelve jobs globally and generates around 5 per cent of its GDP. (UNTWO Annual Reports 2011–2013).
The study of tourism at local, regional and global scales emphasises the interconnection within and between places. For example, the interconnections of climate, landforms and culture 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, together with cultural preservation and acculturation. The growth of tourism at all scales requires careful management to ensure environmentally sustainable and economically viable tourism.
Students undertake fieldwork in this unit.
ASSESSMENT
1. Analysis Task (25%)
2. Fieldwork (25%)
3. Classwork (10%)
4. Examination (40%)
Unit 3: Semester 1 – 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 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 has been altered by many processes such as geomorphological events, plant succession and climate change. People have modified land cover to produce a range of land uses to satisfy needs such as housing, resource provision, communication, recreation and so on.
Students investigate three major processes that are changing land cover in many regions of the world:
- deforestation
- desertification, and
- melting glaciers and ice sheets.
Students investigate the distribution and causes of these three processes. They select one location for each of the three 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.
At a local scale, students investigate land use change using appropriate fieldwork techniques and secondary sources. They investigate the scale of change, the reasons for change and the impacts of change.
Students undertake fieldwork and produce a fieldwork report.
Unit 4: Semester 2 – Human population – trends and issues
In this unit 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.
In this unit, 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 economic, social, political and environmental 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 by 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 economic, social, political and environmental conditions. Many factors influence population change, including the impact of government policies, economic conditions, wars and revolution, political boundary changes and hazard events.
ASSESSMENT
UNIT 3
1. Structured questions and Fieldwork report – Unit 3 (50%)
2. Analysis of geographic data – Unit 3 (50%)
UNIT 4
3. Analysis of geographic data – Unit 4 (40%)
4. Structured questions – Unit 4 (60%)
History – Overview
History is a dynamic discipline that involves structured inquiry into the human actions, forces and conditions that have shaped the past and present. The study of history assists students to understand themselves, others, and the contemporary world, and broadens their perspective by examining a range of people, groups, events, ideas, and movements. The potential scope of historical inquiry is vast and formed by the questions that historians pursue, the availability of historical sources, and the capacity of historians to interpret those sources. VCE History reflects this by enabling students to explore a variety of eras, events and people.
At GGS, we offer Unit 1 and 2 Modern History, Units 3 and 4 in History – Revolutions and Units 1-4 in Ancient History.
Ancient History investigates individuals and societies (Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and China) across three millennia. Modern History examines the causes and consequences of conflict and change in the modern era. Revolutions explores the causes and consequences of significant social upheaval (in France and Russia) in the modern period.
Ancient History
Prerequisites
Nil.
Course Description
Unit 1: Semester 1 – Ancient Mesopotamia
In this unit students investigate the emergence of early societies in Ancient Mesopotamia. The lands between the rivers Tigris and the Euphrates have been described as the ‘cradle of civilisation’. Although this view is now contested in ancient history and archaeology, the study of Ancient Mesopotamia provides important insights about the growth of cities and the development of civilisations.
ASSESSMENT
1. Assessment Tasks (70%)
2. Examination (30%)
Unit 2: Semester 2 – Ancient Egypt or Early China (at teacher’s discretion)
Ancient Egypt:
Ancient Egypt gave rise to a civilisation that endured for approximately three thousand years. Unlike Mesopotamia, Egypt was not threatened by its neighbours for the greater part of its history. Kingdoms rose, flourished and fell around the banks of the River Nile – the lifeblood of urban settlements in Upper and Lower Egypt. In this unit students investigate features of the Old Kingdom Egypt and the representation of power, authority, beliefs, values and attitudes in Middle Kingdom Egypt and the Second Intermediate Period.
OR
Early China:
Early China begins with the pre-imperial period (up to 221 BCE) which is known as Ancient China and concludes with the end of the Han Empire in 220 CE. Students initially investigate the development of civilisation in early China and use a range of primary sources to investigate the origins and features of early civilisations. Students will subsequently consider the rise, expansion and fall of the Qin and Han dynasties, and how these dynasties presented their power and authority.
ASSESSMENT
1. Assessment Tasks (70%)
2. Examination (30%)
Unit 3: Ancient Greece
Students will learn about what it was like to live in Ancient Greece during the Archaic Period (800-454BCE), looking at the complex interplay of social, political and economic factors. They will learn how the political features of Ancient Greece changed and developed over time, influenced by the Athenian and Spartan constitutions. Additionally, they will see how Trade, War and the sharing of ideas between societies influenced how people lived. They will examine the causes and consequences of the conflict between Greece and Persia, the Persian invasions and Spartan expansion. This will then take students into an in depth study of the Peloponnesian War (460-404 BCE), examining the causes and consequences of the war, how the power of Athens shifted significantly during the war and the role of significant individuals Pericles, Nicias, Alcibiades and Lysander in influencing the conflict.
Unit 4: Ancient Rome
Students will learn about the development of Rome, investigating the social, political and economic features of Rome. They will discover the political features and changes of Rome, from the rule of Kings to the Revolution of 509BCE and the development of Rome from village to city, which had a profound impact on social and political change. They will also examine the causes and consequences of the conflict between Rome and Carthage which leave to the First (264-241BCE), Second (218-202BCE) and Third (149-146BCE) Punic Wars. These foundations will lead the students into an investigation of the interests and actions of individuals which led to the demise of the Roman Republic. Students will examine what caused this demise, the role of Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus and the dictatorship and assassination of Julius Caesar.
ASSESSMENT
- Coursework Unit 3 (25%)
- Coursework Unit 4 (25%)
- Exam (50%)
Across Units 3 and 4, students will complete four pieces of coursework: a historical inquiry, evaluation of historical sources, extended responses, and an essay.
History (Modern)
Prerequisites
Nil.
Course Description
Unit 1: Semester 1 – Change and Conflict
Modern History provides students with an opportunity to explore the later part of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century in a global context. Students will initially focus on the topic of ideology and conflict and will examine events, ideologies, individuals, and movements of the period that led to the end of empires and the emergence of new nation states before and after World War One. They will investigate the impact of World War One on nations and how, despite the post-war peace treaties and the establishment of the League of Nations, the world became increasingly hostile and unstable, and a second global conflict began. Students will also consider the significant social, political, economic, cultural, and technological change in the 1920s and 1930s. Through a consideration of change in nations such as the USA, Germany or the USSR, students will examine the patterns of social and cultural change in everyday life and analyse the conditions which influenced these changes.
ASSESSMENT
1. Assessment Tasks (70%)
2. Examination (30%)
Unit 2: Semester 2 – The changing world order
In Unit 2 students explore 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. Students will investigate the causes and consequences of the Cold War; the competing ideologies that underpinned events, the course of the war including proxy wars and conflicts, the consequences on people, groups and nations, and the causes of the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the USSR. In addition, there will also be a study of key political and/or social movements that challenged the traditional ideas, values, and political systems of the time. This will include a focus on the anti-apartheid campaign in South Africa, with a consideration of the causes, methods, and achievements of the movement.
ASSESSMENT
1. Assessment Tasks (70%)
2. Examination (30%)
History (Revolutions)
Prerequisites
Nil.
Course Description
Units 3 and 4: Semester 1 and 2 – Revolutions
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. Students will investigate the significant historical causes and consequences of two political revolutions: the French Revolution of 1789 and the Russian Revolution of October 1917.
In both units, students will develop an understanding of the complexity and multiplicity of causes and consequences in the revolutionary narrative. They will learn to ask historical questions and construct arguments using primary sources and historical interpretations as evidence. Students will analyse the different perspectives and experiences of people who lived through dramatic revolutionary moments and use historical interpretations to evaluate the causes and consequences of revolution.
ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework – Unit 3 (25%)
2. Coursework – Unit 4 (25%)
3. Examination (50%)
Across Units 3 and 4, students will complete four pieces of coursework: a historical inquiry, evaluation of historical sources, extended responses, and an essay.
Legal Studies
Prerequisites
Nil.
Course Description
Legal Studies Units 1/2
Unit 1: Semester 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.
ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework (50%)
2. Examination (50%)
Unit 2: Semester 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.
ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework (50%)
2. Examination (50%)
Legal Studies Units 3/4
Unit 3: Semester 1 – 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: Semester 2 – 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.
ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework – Unit 3 (25%)
2. Coursework – Unit 4 (25%)
3. Examination (50%)