ANCIENT HISTORY
This course is designed to give students an understanding of the ancient world and the people who inhabited it. It is broadly set in three ancient societies - Rome, Egypt and Greece - and is strongly focused on the interpretation and evaluation of ancient sources. Topics covered include the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the legend of the Trojan War, the Tomb of Tutankhamen and Hatshepsut - the woman who became a pharaoh.
MODERN HISTORY
This is mainly twentieth century history, with some nineteenth century topics also included. The course provides student with an excellent understanding of the modern world and how it came into being. Topics include the Industrial Revolution, the Assassination of Kennedy, the Trial of Breaker Morant and the background to World War One. In the HSC course students study Nazi Germany, World War One, and the Pacific War.
BUSINESS STUDIES
This is a course that provides students with excellent background information on how to establish and run a successful business, and opens their eyes on the world of business in general. Different business models, business promotion and the issues involved with management are examined, along with an in-depth look at various case studies. Students are asked to produce a business plan, and apply the principles that they have been studying.
LEGAL STUDIES
This course focuses on the Australian legal system and how it functions in practice. Law making and enforcement as well as the roles of barristers, solicitors and judges are examined. The structure of the Australian court system and the impact of the law on particular groups in Australian society are also covered. Criminal Law, Family Law, Human Rights and the rights of consumers are all topics that are covered in depth in the HSC course.
GEOGRAPHY
In the senior years, Geography returns to a world focus with some of the topics touched upon in years 7 and 8 now being developed in greater detail. Climate, the atmosphere, the biosphere and the hydrosphere are all topics that receive treatment in the Preliminary Course. Students are required to undertake research and apply their skills in the field. In the HSC course students study ecosystems and their management with in depth study of two ecosystems at risk. They also study the urban environments of the world, and the growth of mega-cities. Tourism is also a major topic examined in the HSC course, and the course focuses on the world tourist economy, as well as a study of a tourist enterprise in the local area.
SOCIETY AND CULTURE
This is a course that encourages students to examine the world through the eyes of different cultures. It involves a study of how different societies are structured and the roles assigned to individuals within those societies. The values and beliefs of various cultures are examined in the context of the modern world where cultures constantly meet and sometimes come into conflict. Students are taught the methodologies of examining cultures and the use of various tools to structure such an investigation. The impact of globalisation and the pressures of the commercial world on cultures are themes that appear throughout the course, as well as an examination of popular western culture in that context. Students are taught how to research and present a Personal Interest Project of their choice, and this project forms a significant component of their assessment for the HSC in this subject.
Assessment in Years 11 and 12
Formal assessment programs have been designed according to Board of Studies guidelines for all senior courses in HSIE. Assessment for the Preliminary Course is separate to that for the HSC, and is carried out during the first three terms of year 11. All courses have Trial and Half-Yearly examination components and usually three other formal assessment tasks. The rules of the school's assessment policy apply to these tasks, and students need to be thoroughly familiar with the procedures to be followed with regard to extension applications, or in the event of illness or misadventure. Students are given feedback and marks for course work, but these are not counted towards assessment for the HSC.