Students are able to choose one or more of the following Science subjects to study for the HSC:
Biology Stage 6
The biology stage 6 syllabus explores the diversity of life from a molecular to a biological systems level. The course examines the interactions between living things and the environments in which they live. It explores the application of biology and its significance in finding solutions to health and sustainability issues in a changing world.
Year 11 biology course topics
- Module 1 - Cells as the Basis of Life
- Module 2- Organisation of Living Things
- Module 3 - Biological Diversity
- Module 4 Ecosystems
Year 12 biology course topics
- Module 5 - Heredity
- Module 6 - Genetic Change
- Module 7 - Infectious Disease
- Module 8 - Non-infectious Disease and Disorders.
Chemistry Stage 6
The chemistry stage 6 syllabus explores the structure, composition and reactions of and between all elements, compounds and mixtures that exist in the Universe. The discovery and synthesis of new compounds, the monitoring of elements and compounds in the environment, and an understanding of industrial processes and their applications to life processes are central to human progress and our ability to develop future industried and sustainability.
Year 11 chemistry course topics
- Module 1 - Properties and Structure of Matter
- Module 2 - Introduction to Quantitive Chemistry
- Module 3 - Reactive Chemistry
- Module 4 - Drivers of Reactions.
Year 12 chemistry course topics
- Module 5 - Equilibrium and Acid Reactions
- Module 6 - Acid/Base Reactions
- Module 7 - Organic Chemistry
- Module 8 - Applying Chemical Ideas.
Earth and Environmental Science Stage 6
The Earth and environmental science stage 6 syllabus explores the Earth's renewable and non-renewable resources and also environmental issues. An understanding of the Earth's resources and the ability to live sustainably on the planet is a central purpose of the study of Earth and environmental science.
Year 11 Earth and environmental science course topics
- Module 1 - Earth's resources
- Module 2 - Plate tectonics
- Module 3 - Energy transformations
- Module 4 - Human impact.
Year 12 Earth and environmental science course topics
- Module 5 - Earth's processes
- Module 6 - Hazards
- Module 7 - Climate science
- Module 8 - Resource management.
Physics Stage 6
The physics stage 6 syllabus involves the study of matter and its motion through space and time, along with related concepts that include energy and force. Physics deals with the study of phenomena on scales of space and time - from nuclear particles and their interactions up to the size and age of the universe. This allows students to better understand the physical world and how it works, appreciate the uniqueness of the universe, and participate in navigating and influencing the future.
Year 11 physics course topics
- Module 1 - Kinematics
- Module 2 - Dynamics
- Module 3 - Waves and Thermodynamics
- Module 4 - Electricity and Magnetism.
Year 12 physics course topics
- Module 5 - Advanced Mechanics
- Module 6 - Electromagnetism
- Module 7 - The Nature of Light
- Module 8 - From the Universe to the Atom.
Year 12 science extension
The science extension stage 6 syllabus focuses on the nature, development and processes of science. The course requires students to engage with complex concepts and theories and to critically evaluate new ideas, discoveries and contemporary scientific research. Students are challenged to examine a scientific research question influenced by their study of one or more of the scientific disciplines. In doing this, students extend their knowledge of the discipline(s), conduct further analysis and authentic scientific investigations, and uniquely for this course, produce a detailed scientific research report that reflects the standards generally required for publication in a scientific journal.
Students must be studying at least 2 units of science to then pick up science extension.
- Module 1 - The Foundations of Scientific Thinking
- Module 2 - The Scientific Research Proposal
- Module 3 - The Data, Evidence and Decisions
- Module 4 - The Scientific Research Report.