Geography 2 Unit

ATAR Course

Introduction

Geography is an ideal subject choice for students with an interest in, and awareness of the world around them.  It presents a variety of perspectives of the world through time and over space.  The subject has a strong environmental focus, examining a wide range of contemporary issues, both global and local.  There is an emphasis on `hands-on’ learning, and students are frequently in the field, conducting research, observing, questioning, and recording.

The course investigates issues such as:

  • human impacts on ecosystems such as coral reefs, wetlands and coastal dunes.
  • how economic activity is affected by global and local forces using the wine industry as a case study.
  • challenges of living in a `mega city’ of over 10 million eg Mumbai.
  • issues concerning Sydney’s urban sprawl and inner city redevelopment eg Balmain.

For Whom is the Course Intended?

Geography is suited to a wide range of students.  Students will acquire a greater awareness and understanding of the world, and their place in it.  The skills acquired will have many applications in their adult life and in tertiary education.

The study of geography is a logical choice for students wishing to pursue a career as a forester, travel consultant, town planner, meteorological technical officer, environmental scientist, journalist, pilot and many more.

TAFE NSW offers credit to geography students in courses such as Environmental Practices, Climate, and Ecology amongst others.

Pre-Requisites

There are NO pre-requisites for this course.

Assessment

YEAR 11 Course

This is assessed by both course work and a final examination (1½ hours).  An important component of course work is the SGP, a project where the student chooses a topic for investigation, designs a program of research and selects means of presenting the findings of this research.  Students find this a most rewarding and satisfying achievement.

YEAR 12 Course

The HSC Examination is of three hours duration.  Internal assessment comprises a Trial HSC examination of three hours and a range of course work submitted during the year.

Costs

Subject costs are included in the College Resource Fee.

Other Costs: Excursions costs are kept to a minimum. There are two in Year 11 and three in Year 12. Attendance is mandatory for all students as fieldwork is a NESA requirement.