Ancient History
A study of the past is invaluable, for to be unaware of history is to be ignorant of those forces that have shaped our social and physical worlds. Through the study of Ancient History, students learn both about the interaction of societies and the impact of individuals and groups on ancient events and ways of life. The study of ancient history gives students an understanding of the possibilities and limitations of comparing past to present and present to past by exposing them to a variety of perspectives on key events and issues. The skills, knowledge and understanding that students acquire through studying Ancient History Stage 6 make it a good introduction to the world of work and informed citizenship. This is because Ancient History Stage 6 teaches a critical and intelligent reading of events and documents, as well as the effective and fluent communication of narrative, detail, ideas and judgements.
Modern History
The study of Modern History Stage 6 has a distinctive role in the school curriculum as it challenges students to consider the great social, technological, economic, political and moral transformations from the late eighteenth century to the present. It requires students to analyse the causes, progress and effects of these transformations and, finally, to make judgements about them. Modern History Stage 6 is especially relevant to the lives of students, as the events and issues that form its content are, in many cases, still current. The study of Modern History Stage 6 also contributes to the development of skills that are of great importance in today's workforce. The fluent communication of thoughts and ideas gleaned from the critical analysis of primary and secondary sources is a sought after skill. The ability to deconstruct texts and narratives, pose intelligent questions, test hypotheses and make critical use of information technologies is essential to living and working in the 21st century.
History Extension (HSC only)
An invitation-only course, HSC History Extension provides students who study Ancient History and/or Modern History with the opportunity to gain greater knowledge and understanding of the way history is written. They do this by reviewing the kinds of history that have been composed and the context in which history is constructed over time in order to reflect on some of the problems associated with the writing of history. Students explore these issues through readings selected from the works of various writers and historians from ancient times to the present day and a case study on Elizabeth I: The Elizabethan Age as the focus area of debate. Through this case study, students consider how historians use sources as evidence to establish their interpretations of people and issues. Finally, students have the opportunity to build on the skills of historical enquiry and to apply them by designing and conducting their own historiographical investigation.
Society and Culture
The central goal of Society and Culture is the development of social and cultural literacy and a clear understanding of the interaction of persons, societies, cultures, environments and time. The influence of other aspects of societies and cultures – including power, authority, identity, gender, technologies and globalisation – is also central to the course. Society and Culture draws on cross-disciplinary concepts and social research methods from anthropology; communication; cultural and media studies; philosophy; social psychology; and sociology. Society and Culture is a conceptually based course that promotes students' awareness of the cultural continuities and changes within societies and cultures. It provides them with skills to critically analyse social theories and complementary and contrasting viewpoints about people, societies and cultures. Society and Culture promotes an awareness of individuals, groups and institutions and facilitates intercultural understanding and communication. This course contributes greatly to the promotion of lifelong learning by providing opportunities for students to acquire and refine a range of 21st century skills, through the completion of a Personal Interest Project in the HSC.
Studies of Religion (I Unit and II)
Religion has been and is an integral part of human experience and a component of every culture. An appreciation of society is enhanced by an understanding of religion, its influence on human behaviour and interaction within culture. The Studies of Religion syllabus acknowledges that there are many ways of studying religion. It investigates the significance of the role of religion in society, including Australian society. It recognises and appreciates the place and importance of Aboriginal belief systems and spiritualities in Australia. This syllabus enables students who live in a multifaith and multicultural society to progress from a broad understanding of religious traditions to specific studies within these traditions. In the 2 Unit course, three religious traditions are investigated in depth and in the 1 Unit course, two religious traditions are examined in depth.
Student Requirements:
In each of the Stage 6 courses, there are similar course requirements:
- An exercise or notebook for keeping class notes. A dot point summary book (where applicable) will be provided by the class teacher
- Standard stationary items (pens, pencils)
- A school diary or means of recording assessment tasks and homework (where applicable)
- Internet access (either at home or using facilities in the school library) in order to research, complete assessment tasks and access platforms such as Google Suite (Google Drive, Google Classroom, Google Docs)
Students may supplement or substitute their exercise book with an appropriate device (laptop, iPad, tablet). Mobile phones are not considered an appropriate device for taking class notes or completing assessment tasks.