English Language and Australian Cultural Studies ~ ELACS (Year 12):

The ELACS course is a part of the Western Australian Universities’ Foundation Program (WAUFP) course designed to accommodate to international students for first year undergraduate study in an Australian university.

In studying this course, students are:

• Provided a program that enables students to concentrate on courses that will be of most use in their chosen university course.
• Provided course work that will assist students to settle into the Australian community.
• Developing a variety of study skills in relation to note making, assignment preparation and presentation, preparing for and sitting examinations.
• Developing English language competency.

English as an additional language or Dialect (EALD):

A student who wishes to apply for the EALD program will have to provide documentation as evidence that English is in fact an additional language or dialect to them.

Students who study the course will engage in written and verbal assignments/examinations that are primarily related to Australian culture, history, and practices. Assignments / Examinations range from tasks that require the student to answer questions after listening to verbal conversations to reading written/visual texts and providing a personal stance on a particular idea/issue with evidence.

English ATAR:

“The English ATAR course focuses on developing students’ analytical, creative, and critical thinking and communication skills in all language modes, encouraging students to critically engage with texts from their contemporary world, the past, and from Australian and other cultures. Through close study and wide reading, viewing and listening, students develop the ability to analyse and evaluate the purpose, stylistic qualities, and conventions of texts and to enjoy creating imaginative, interpretive, persuasive and analytical responses in a range of written, oral, multimodal and digital forms.”

• School curriculum and Standard Authority (SCASA)

Mathematical Applications:

“This course focuses on the use of mathematics to solve problems in contexts that involve financial modelling, geometric and trigonometric analysis, graphical and network analysis, and growth and decay in sequences. It also provides opportunities for students to develop systematic strategies based on the statistical investigation process for answering statistical questions that involve analysing univariate and bivariate data, including time series data. The Mathematics Applications ATAR course is designed for students who want to extend their mathematical skills beyond Year 10 level, but whose future studies or employment pathways do not require knowledge of calculus. The course is designed for students who have a wide range of educational and employment aspirations, including continuing their studies at university or TAFE.”

• School curriculum and Standard Authority (SCASA)

Mathematical Methods:

“This course focuses on the use of calculus and statistical analysis. The study of calculus provides a basis for understanding rates of change in the physical world, and includes the use of functions, their derivatives and integrals, in modelling physical processes. The study of statistics develops students’ ability to describe and analyse phenomena that involve uncertainty and variation.

Mathematics Methods provides a foundation for further studies in disciplines in which mathematics and statistics have important roles. It is also advantageous for further studies in the health and social sciences. In summary, this course is designed for students whose future pathways may involve mathematics and statistics and their applications in a range of disciplines at the tertiary level.”

• School curriculum and Standard Authority (SCASA)

Mathematical Specialist:

“This course provides opportunities, beyond those presented in the Mathematics Methods ATAR course, to develop rigorous mathematical arguments and proofs, and to use mathematical models more extensively. Mathematics Specialist contains topics in functions and calculus that build on and deepen the ideas presented in the Mathematics Methods course, as well as demonstrate their application in many areas. The Mathematics Specialist course also extends understanding and knowledge of statistics and introduces the topics of vectors, complex numbers and matrices. Mathematics Specialist is the only ATAR mathematics course that should not be taken as a stand-alone course and it is recommended to be studied in conjunction with the Mathematics Methods ATAR course as preparation for entry to specialised university courses such as engineering, physical sciences and mathematics.”

• School curriculum and Standard Authority (SCASA)

Physics ATAR:

“In the Physics ATAR course students will learn how energy and energy transformations can shape the environment from the small scale, in quantum leaps inside an atom’s electron cloud, through the human scale, in vehicles and the human body, to the large scale, in interactions between galaxies. Students have opportunities to develop their investigative skills and use analytical thinking to explain and predict physical phenomena. Students plan and conduct investigations to answer a range of questions, collect and interpret data and observations, and communicate their findings in an appropriate format. Problem-solving and using evidence to make and justify conclusions are transferable skills that are developed in this course.”

• School curriculum and Standard Authority (SCASA) 

Chemistry ATAR:

“The Chemistry ATAR course equips students with the knowledge, understanding and opportunity to investigate properties and reactions of materials. Theories and models are used to describe, explain and make predictions about chemical systems, structures and properties. Students recognise hazards and make informed, balanced decisions about chemical use and sustainable resource management. Investigations and laboratory activities develop an appreciation of the need for precision, critical analysis and informed decision making.

This course prepares students to be responsible and efficient users of specialised chemical products and processes at home or in the workplace. It also enables students to relate chemistry to other sciences, including biology, geology, medicine, molecular biology and agriculture, and prepares them for further study in the sciences.”

• School curriculum and Standard Authority (SCASA)

Human Biology ATAR:

“The Human Biology ATAR course gives students a chance to explore what it is to be human—how the human body works, the origins of human variation, inheritance in humans, the evolution of the human species and population genetics. Through their investigations, students research new discoveries that increase our understanding of human dysfunction, treatments and preventative measures.

Practical tasks are an integral part of this course and develop a range of laboratory skills; for example, biotechnology techniques. Students learn to evaluate risks and benefits to make informed decisions about lifestyle and health topics, such as diet, alternative medical treatments, use of chemical substances and the manipulation of fertility.”

• School curriculum and Standard Authority (SCASA)

Biology ATAR:

“A unique appreciation of life and a better understanding of the living world are gained through studying the Biology ATAR course. This course encourages students to be analytical, to participate in problem-solving and to systematically explore fascinating and intriguing aspects of living systems, from the microscopic level through to ecosystems.

Students develop a range of practical skills and techniques through investigations and fieldwork in authentic contexts, such as marine reefs, endangered species, urban ecology, or biotechnology. Scientific evidence is used to make informed decisions about controversial issues.”

• School curriculum and Standard Authority (SCASA)

Accounting and Finance ATAR:

“The Accounting and Finance ATAR course focuses on financial literacy and aims to provide students with the knowledge, understandings and a range of skills that enables them to make sound financial judgements. Students develop an understanding that financial decisions have far reaching consequences for individuals and business. The course will provide students with the understanding of the systems and processes through which financial practices and decision making are carried out, as well as the ethical, social and environmental issues involved. Through the preparation, examination and analysis of a variety of financial documents and systems, students develop an understanding of the fundamental principles and practices upon which accounting and financial management are based. An understanding and application of these principles and practices enables students to analyse their own financial data and that of businesses and make informed decisions, forecasts of future performance, and recommendations based on that analysis.”

• School curriculum and Standard Authority (SCASA)

Economics ATAR:

“Economics explores the choices which all people, groups and societies face as they confront the ongoing problem of satisfying their unlimited wants with limited resources. The Economics ATAR course aims to develop students’ ability to analyse the allocation, utilisation and distribution of scarce resources that determine our wealth and wellbeing. The study of Economics provides a framework for examining society’s issues and identifying possible solutions which assist decision making. The emphasis of the course is on the Australian economy.”

• School curriculum and Standard Authority (SCASA)