Page 1 of 15

HSC Studies COURSE 357-19361V01

Course Information Booklet 2018

Year 11 Preliminary Studies Year 12 HSC Studies

Page 2 of 15

CONTENTS p.3

p.4

p.5

p.6

p.7

p.9

p.10

p.11

p.12

p.13

p.13

1. Introduction to the Higher School Certificate

2. HSC courses/subjects

3. HSC requirements

4. Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank

5. HSC subjects offered at TAFE Digital

6. HSC timeline

7. HSC Assessment Tasks

8. Study options

9. Services for students

10. Enrolment criteria

11. Course fees

12. Textbooks

13. How to enrol

p.14

Using this Course Information Booklet

This Course Information Booklet provides you with an introduction to the TAFE Digital (previously OTEN) HSC Studies Course. Detailed information about the HSC course is provided on the NESA website at http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/home

‘Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.’ —Henry Ford

p.15

Page 3 of 15

INTRODUCTION TO THE HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIFICATE (HSC)

The Higher School Certificate (HSC) is the credential awarded to mark the completion of 13 years of schooling in NSW! A range of subjects is offered so you can study to your ability, interests and goals, and increase your career and educational options for entry to universities and TAFE higher education courses.

The HSC is awarded by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). You must satisfy the NESA eligibility award requirements in order to achieve the HSC.

Please refer to the NESA website for more information: http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/home

The HSC at TAFE Digital TAFE Digital is an adult learning environment, which means that you need to be self-motivated and independent learner to partake in studies successfully.

Teaching staff can be contacted via phone and email and will contact you throughout your studies and give you support along the way. TAFE Digital courses are designed for students of all ages who are not able to participate in studies face-to-face.

Page 4 of 15

HSC COURSES/SUBJECTS There are three types of courses offered by NESA for Preliminary and HSC years. These courses all count towards the HSC; however, not all count towards the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).

• Board Developed Courses (subjects): These courses count towards the ATAR.

• Board Endorsed Courses (subjects): These courses do NOT count towards the ATAR.

• Vocational Education and Training (VET) Courses: Only some of these courses counttowards the ATAR.

Board Developed Courses Board Developed Courses are subjects developed by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).

Each course has a syllabus and involves assessment components and an external examination which count towards the calculation of your ATAR.

English is a compulsory Board Developed Course which you must complete in the Preliminary and HSC years to be eligible for the HSC.

See Page 7 for the list of Board Developed Courses offered at TAFE Digital.

Board Endorsed CoursesBoard Endorsed Courses are subjects which count towards the HSC. However, results in these subjects do NOT count towards the ATAR.

TAFE Digital does not offer any Board Endorsed Courses.

VET CoursesSome Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses include an HSC examination which counts towards the ATAR.

TAFE Digital does not offer VET subjects as part of the HSC Studies course.

“Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who

prepare for it today.” — Malcolm X

Page 5 of 15

HSC REQUIREMENTS What does the HSC involve? The HSC consists of Preliminary and HSC subjects which have been developed by NESA. If you are in Year 11 at school, you are studying Preliminary subjects; if you are in Year 12 at school, you are studying HSC subjects. You cannot be enrolled in an HSC subject unless you have already completed the relevant Preliminary subject.

Board-developed, Board-endorsed and Vocational Education and Training (VET) subjects which you have completed previously can count towards your HSC.

If you successfully complete all the subjects/courses, you will receive a Higher School Certificate award. If you are accumulating your subjects you will receive a Record of School Achievement (RoSA) for each calendar year of study.

What needs to be done to complete the HSC?

To be eligible for the award of the Higher School Certificate, you are required to complete:

• at least 6 Preliminary subjects (minimum12 units)

• at least 5 HSC subjects (minimum10 units)

• Year 11 and Year 12 English

• at least six units of Board Developedsubjects

• the HSC: All My Own Work program.

Page 6 of 15

The Universities Admission Centre (UAC) uses your HSC marks to calculate your ATAR. The conversion of your result is done using a scaling and ranking process. The ATAR was previously called the Universities Admission Index (UAI).

If you complete a certain pattern of study you will be eligible for an ATAR. The ATAR is used for school leavers' admission into tertiary courses such as those offered at university or TAFE colleges.

What do you need to achieve an ATAR? To be eligible to obtain a full ATAR you must complete:

• six Preliminary subjects (12 units)• at least five HSC subjects to give ten HSC units from Board Developed subjects including at

least two units of English• the Board Developed subjects must include at least three subjects of two units or greater• at least four subjects• no more than two units of VET courses can be counted towards a full ATAR.

The ATAR is calculated using two units of English and the next eight highest-ranking units. The ATAR can be accumulated over a maximum of five years.

What is the Limited ATAR? To be eligible for a Limited ATAR, you are required to meet all of the following conditions.

You must:• be at least 20 years of age on 1 March in the year you are sitting for your HSC examinations.• have completed at least three subjects (i.e., 5-9 units) in both the Preliminary and HSC

years, including two units of English in each year.• sit for your HSC exams in three subjects in the same year.

A Limited ATAR cannot be accumulated and VET courses do not count towards the Limited ATAR.

AUSTRALIAN TERTIARY ADMISSION RANK (ATAR)

While most universities will accept the Limited ATAR for admission into many courses, competitive courses such as Medicine, Veterinary Science and others will not accept the

Limited ATAR. You are advised to check with universities if they will admit you into a course on the basis of a full ATAR or a Limited ATAR and for any subject pre-requisites. Further

information is available from the Universities Admission Centre at www.uac.edu.au

Page 7 of 15

HSC SUBJECTS OFFERED TAFE Digital offers a range of subjects to study in the Preliminary and HSC years as listed below. For information regarding the content and focuses of subjects, please refer to the NESA website at http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/course-descriptions/

Board Developed Courses (subjects) ENGLISH Preliminary HSC English Advanced √ √ English Standard √ √ EAL/D (Preliminary) and English ESL (HSC) √ √ English Studies √

HUMANITIES

Ancient History √ √ Modern History √ √ Business Studies √ √ Legal Studies √ √

MATHEMATICS Mathematics Standard (Preliminary) and √ √

Mathematics √ √ Mathematics Extension 1 √ √

SCIENCES Biology √ √ Chemistry √ √ Earth and Environmental Science √ √ Physics √ √

Senior Science √ Personal Development Health & Physical Education

√ √

Food Technology √ √

LANGUAGES French Beginners √ √

√German Beginners √ √ Italian Beginners √

English Extension √

Mathematics General (HSC)

Aboriginal Studies √

Investigating Science √

Page 8 of 15

How do I choose my subjects and units? To help you choose your subjects you should:

• consider your skills and interests• make sure you read university prerequisites

for desired courses and/or the Job Guide• know your abilities, strengths and

weaknesses – look for subjects that interestyou in areas in which you are likely to excel

• ask yourself whether this subject orcombination of subjects will give you aworkload which is realistic to cope with.

What do I do if I don't like my subject choice/s? You may select a subject that you find you don't wish to pursue. If this occurs in the first few weeks of your enrolment, email the HSC Section at oten.hsc@tafensw.edu.au to request a subject change.

If you request a subject change after the first few weeks of your enrolment, you will need to explain your reasons for the request and show that you have made a consistent effort in online study in your other subjects. This is demonstrated through regular submission of assignments.

What does each subject involve?

Preliminary subjects To complete your Preliminary subjects you will need to complete all required assignments that have been set for the subject.

Three of the assignments will be Assessment Tasks that are used to determine your final grade for the Year 11 subject which is reported to NESA.

HSC subjects To complete HSC subjects you will need to complete all required assignments that have been set for the subject.

In addition to the assignments, you will complete three HSC Assessment Tasks during the year, and the HSC examination in October/November of that year.

Calculating your final HSC markFor each subject, the HSC Assessment Tasks accumulate to 50% of your overall HSC mark and the HSC examination comprises the other 50% of your HSC mark.

Page 9 of 15

Higher School Certificate (Year 12)Once you have completed any Preliminary subject you can then be enrolled into the corresponding HSC subject.

You will need to indicate that you wish to sit for the HSC examinations in your subject/s by 28 February in the year that you wish to sit for the HSC exams, and you will need to have completed all Preliminary assignments by that date also.

You should plan backwards from when you wish to sit for your HSC exams to ensure that all of the Preliminary course requirements are completed in good time. Late enrolments into HSC subjects will only be considered in special circumstances and at the principal's discretion.

Your HSC result depends on completion of the HSC examinations which are held in October/November each year.

THE HSC TIMELINE

Preliminary (Year 11)You can enrol at any time in Preliminary subjects.

For the full HSC you are required to complete six Preliminary subjects (at least 12 units).

Each subject will consist of five or six assignments, three of which are Assessment Tasks. Once you have completed the Preliminary Assessment Tasks and coursework assignments, a grade will be reported to NESA and recorded on your Year 11 Record of School Achievement (RoSA).

ENROLLING IN YOUR COURSE

Page 10 of 15

HSC Assessment Tasks

Students will be required to sit three HSC Assessment Tasks per subject, with the exception of Mathematics with Extension 1 which has two HSC Assessment Tasks.

HSC Examinations

HSC Examinations are to held during October and November each year. The HSC timetable will be released in May each year and is published on the NESA website at https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/hsc/key-dates-exam-timetables

We encourage students to plan their HSC timeline by calculating when they intend to sit for their HSC exams and completing their Preliminary subjects in the year prior. Careful planning will lead to successful completion of the HSC course. If you do not complete the work by the set deadlines you may be at risk of receiving an 'N' Determination.

'N' Determinations

'N' Determinations or 'N' Awards are given for failure to meet the subject/course requirements. This may apply if you do not complete the required assignments set for each subject by the due dates, or if you do not complete or make a non-serious attempt on your HSC Assessment Tasks and/or assignments.

Warning Letters will be sent out via email at specific times throughout the course, giving you the opportunity to complete missed assignments and HSC Assessment Tasks. Please ensure that you read these warning letters.

HSC ASSESSMENT TASKS

Page 11 of 15

STUDY OPTIONS Education is important, but we also know that the reason you are looking into studying at TAFE Digital is because there may be other commitments outside study that are preventing you from enrolling in a face-to-face course. We work hard to deliver you a positive learning experience through the use of technology and student support so that study is possible wherever you want, whenever you want, making it even more convenient.

Full-Time Study program YEAR SUBJECTS

1 6 Preliminary Subjects (12 units) 2 5 HSC Subjects (10 units)

Limited ATAR

YEAR SUBJECTS 1 3 Preliminary Subjects (6 units including English) 2 3 HSC Subjects (6 units including English)

Single-subject enrolments and flexible study pathwaysTAFE Digital offers single subject and flexible study options for the HSC. Commercial fees apply for single subject enrolments.

Flexible study options are available to students requiring support. Contact the HSC Studies section on 02 9715 8637, 1300 369 598 or email oten.hsc@tafensw.edu.au

Page 12 of 15

SERVICES TO STUDENTS TAFE Digital offers services to support your study.

CAREER ADVICE If you are unsure of what career path to take, or how to take it, we recommend that you talk with the Counselling and

Career Development Service staff.

You can contact a counsellor by calling 1300 655 993 or via an online inquiry: https://oten.tafensw.edu.au/support-

services/counselling-and-career-development/

DISABILITY SUPPORT UNIT If you have a disability and/or medical condition, you can access the Disability

Support Unit to assist you to achieve your study goals, such as:

• enrolment and course advice• assistance with learning materials• study planning and time

management• exam and assessment special

provisions

Contact the Disability Support Unit on 02 9715 8601 or 1300 362 890 or email oten.equityhelp@tafensw.edu.au

OTHER SUPPORT SERVICESTAFE provides a range of support services to assist students to achieve their career and educational goals. For more information about the services

that are available to students, visit the website at https://oten.tafensw.edu.au/support-services/

SUBJECT ASSISTANCE AND STUDY ADVICE

If choosing a subject is difficult, please contact the HSC Studies section or your TAFE Digital teachers to

assist with your subject selection.

(02) 9715 8637

1300 369 598

Email: oten.hsc@tafensw.edu.au

TEXTBOOKS You can borrow your textbooks from TAFE NSW or

public libraries or you can purchase them from bookshops or online suppliers.

The Co-op Bookshop stocks HSC textbooks:https://www.coop.com.au/textbook/search/

Endeavour Education is another online supplier: http://www.endeavoureducation.com.au/

index.phpYou can also buy textbooks from The Nile:

https://www.thenile.com.au/content/books Along with sites like Gumtree, there is a TAFE Digital Facebook page where you can buy and sell second-

hand textbooks:https://www.facebook.com/OTEN.BuySellBooks

You will find a list of textbooks required for your subjects on p.14 of this booklet.

PPage 13 of 15

ENROLMENT CRITERIA If you are under 20 years of age and attended school in NSW ... To enrol in the HSC Studies course you must have completed Year 10. You should provide your NESA Record of School Achievement (RoSA) or eRecord when you apply to enrol and you will also need to complete the HSC Questionnaire.

If you are under 20 years of age and attended school outside NSW ... To enrol in the HSC Stduies course you must provide evidence of completion of Year 10 studies or equivalent. You will also need to complete the HSC Questionnaire.

If you are over 20 years of age ... To enrol you do not need to have completed Year 10. You will need to complete the HSC Questionnaire and demonstrate that you have the literacy and numeracy skills required to undertake HSC subjects.

COURSE FEES TAFE Digital offers both government-subsidised and commercial (fee-for-service) options.

For more information regarding TAFE NSW fees, seehttps://www.tafensw.edu.au/get-started-at-tafe-nsw/fees-information

HSC Studies course – Government-subsidised enrolmentA subsidised course is when you pay a contribution towards your full qualification and the government pays the rest. A student eligible for the government-subsidised HSC Studies course pays $700 for a two-year course enrolment at OTEN. (Note: Fee concessions and exemptions are provided for eligible students.)

To be eligible for a place in the government-subsidised HSC Studies course, you must be:

1. an Australian citizen, permanent resident or humanitarian visa holder, or a New Zealand citizen2. aged 15 years or older3. no longer attending school4. living or working in NSW.

NOTE: Students who have previously completed the HSC or an equivalent Year 12 qualification are not eligible to enrol in the government-subsidised course.

HSC Studies course – Commercial (fee-for-service) Students enrolling in the Commercial HSC Studies course pay $800 for each subject for a one-year course enrolment or the full commercial course fee of $6600 for a two-year course enrolment .

To be eligible for a place in the commercial HSC Course you may be: 1. enrolled in an independent school2. living or working outside NSW3. repeating the HSC course or one or more subjects

NOTE: If you withdraw from the commercial HSC course, you are not entitled to a refund.

Page 14 of 15

TEXTBOOKS Some subjects will require you to purchase or borrow textbooks. For other subjects, learning materials are provided.

As a TAFE Digital student, you are able to borrow textbooks from any TAFE NSW campus library. Second-hand textbooks may be available from resale websites.

Othello, William Shakespeare (any edition)

English Extension

Adaptation and Appropriation (2nd ed.), Julie Sanders (Routledge 2015)

The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories, Angela Carter (any edition)

English Standard

The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway (any edition)

The Shoe-Horn Sonata, John Misto (any edition)

English EAL/D

The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway (any edition)

English Studies

The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway (any edition)

Food Technology (same textbook for Year 11 and Year 12)

Food Technology in Action (4th ed.), Sue Dengate et al. (John Wiley & Sons, 2010)

General Mathematics

New Century Maths 11 Mathematics Standard (Pathway 2), Klaas Bootsma et al. (Cengage Learning, 2018)

Legal Studies

Legal Studies Preliminary (3rd ed.), David Hamper et al. (Pearson Education, 2009)

Modern History

Modern History Transformed Year 11, Daryl Le Cornu et al. (Cambridge, 2014)

PDHPE

Cambridge Preliminary Personal Development Health and Physical Education, Zane Osborn et al. (Cambridge, 2014)

Year 12

Business Studies

Business Focus HSC, Mike Horsley (Pearson Education, 2011)

English Advanced

Swallow the Air, Tara June Winch (any edition)

Hamlet, William Shakespeare (any edition)

W;t, Margaret Edson (any edition)

The Art of Travel, Alain de Botton (any edition)

English Standard

Swallow the Air, Tara June Winch (any edition)

The Shoe-Horn Sonata, John Misto (any edition)

English EAL/D

Swallow the Air, Tara June Winch (any edition)

The Shoe-Horn Sonata, John Misto (any edition)

Food Technology (same textbook for Year 11 and Year 12)

Food Technology in Action (4th ed.), Sue Dengate et al. (John Wiley & Sons, 2010)

General Mathematics

New Century Maths 12 Mathematics General 2 HSC Course (3rd ed.), Klaas Bootsma et al. (Cengage, 2013)

PDHPE

Cambridge HSC Personal Development Health and Physical Education, Liam McCudden et al. (Cambridge, 2014)

Full-Time Study program

Year 11Aboriginal Studies Nelson Aboriginal Studies, Allison Cadzow et al. (Cengage Learning, 2011)

Ancient HistoryAntiquity 1 Year 11 (4th ed.), Toni Hurley and Christine Murray (Oxford University Press, 2018)

BiologyMacmillan Biology NSW Year 11, Carolyn Jeffery (Macmillan Education, 2017)

Business StudiesBusiness Focus Preliminary Student Book, Mike Horsley et al. (Pearson Education, 2011)

ChemistryChemistry in Focus Year 11, Roland Smith and Anna Davis (Nelson Cengage 2017)

English AdvancedA Room of One's Own, Virginia WoolfOthello, William Shakespeare

English StandardThe Old Man and the Sea, Ernest HemingwayThe Shoe-Horn Sonata, John Misto

English EAL/DThe Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway

English StudiesThe Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway

English ExtensionAdaptation and Appropriation (2nd ed.), Julie Sanders (Routledge 2015)The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories, Angela Carter

Food TechnologyFood Tech Focus Stage 6, Michelle Downie et al. (Nelson Cengage, 2018) or Food Technology in Action (4th ed.), Beverly Burnett-Fell et al. (John Wiley & Sons, 2011)

Investigating ScienceInvestigating Science in Focus Preliminary, Silvia Rudman et al. (Nelson Cengage, 2017)

Legal StudiesLegal Studies Preliminary (3rd ed.), David Hamper et al. (Pearson Education, 2009)

Mathematics StandardNew Century Maths 11 Mathematics Standard (Pathway 2), (4th ed.), Klaas Bootsma et al. (Cengage Learning, 2018)

Modern HistoryKey Features of Modern History (5th ed.), Dennett, B. et al. (Oxford University Press, 2017)

Year 11 (continued)PhysicsPhysics in Focus Year 11, Robert Farr et al. (Nelson Cengage 2017)

PDHPECambridge Preliminary Personal Development, Health and Physical Education, Zane Osborn et al. (Cambridge, 2014)

Year 12Business Studies Business Focus HSC, Mike Horsley (Pearson Education, 2011)

English AdvancedSwallow the Air, Tara June WinchHamlet, William Shakespeare W;t, Margaret EdsonThe Art of Travel, Alain de Botton

English StandardSwallow the Air, Tara June WinchThe Shoe-Horn Sonata, John Misto

English ESLSwallow the Air, Tara June Winch The Shoe-Horn Sonata, John Misto

Food TechnologyFood Technology in Action (4th ed.), Sue Dengate et al. (John Wiley & Sons, 2010)

Legal StudiesLegal Studies HSC (3rd ed.), David Hamper et al. (Pearson Education, 2010)

Mathematics GeneralNew Century Maths 12 Mathematics General 2 HSC Course (3rd ed.), Klaas Bootsma et al. (Cengage, 2013)

PDHPECambridge HSC Personal Development Health and Physical Education, Gareth Hawgood et al. (Cambridge, 2014)

NOTE: Textbooks required for other subjects are tba.

Page 15 of 15

Applying to Study the HSC through TAFE Digital is easy.

You can apply at any time throughout the year for Preliminary Studies. NOTE: If you wish to sit for the HSC exams, you must have completed all Preliminary assignments and be enrolled in your HSC subjects by 28 February.

Online: www.oten.tafensw.edu.au. Type HSC into the search box, press enter, and click onto TAFE Statement in HSC Studies.

Phone: 131 241 to speak to a Student Services officer.

All students need to complete the HSC Questionnaire, which can be found on the TAFE Digital website at www.oten.tafensw.edu.au.Type HSC into the search box and press enter. Complete the HSC Questionnaire and email to oten.hsc@tafensw.edu.au

The HSC Questionnaire will be reviewed. The teaching section will be in contact with you by phone or email to complete your enrolment. For all inquiries regarding the progress of your enrolment application, contact the HSC Studies section.

Find out more!

Website: www.oten.tafensw.edu.au

Email: oten.hsc@tafensw.edu.au

Phone: 02 9715 8637