Leaving School in Australia - Year 12 State by State

A guide to Year 12 Certificates and Tertiary Entrance Requirements in Australia
Published by the Board of Studies NSW for the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Certification Authorities (ACACA)


Section 2: Victoria

 

 

What categories of subjects/courses are available for study in the senior secondary school credentialling program in Victoria?

There are two qualifications available for Victorian senior secondary school students – the VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education) and the VCAL (Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning).

VCE

Students undertake studies made up of semester units. Generally, Units 1 and 2 undertaken at Year 11 and units 3 and 4 are undertaken at Year 12 as a sequence over one year. VCE subjects are split into Group A and Group B, except English which is compulsory. Group A relates to Arts/Humanities and Group B relates Mathematics, Science & Technology subjects. One requirement of the VCE is that students must complete and gain an S result for two units from Group A and two units from Group B.

VCE VET units contribute to the satisfactory completion of the VCE, and VCE VET units at Units 3 and 4 level contribute to the Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank (ENTER).


Group A
Accounting, Art, Business Management, Classical Societies & Culture, Contemporary Australian Society, Dance, Drama, Economics, English/ESL*, English Language (Units 1 and 2), Geography, Health & Human Development, History, Industry & Enterprise Studies, International Studies, Languages other than English (LOTE), Legal Studies, Literature, Media, Music Styles, Music Performance (solo/group), Outdoor & Environmental Studies, Philosophy, Physical Education, Political Studies, Religion & Society, Studio Arts, Text & Traditions, Theatre Studies, Visual Communication & Design.

*(These studies will count as Group A once the English requirement has been satisfied).


Group B
Agriculture & Horticulture, Biology, Chemistry, Design & Technology, Environmental Science, Food & Technology, Further Mathematics, Information Processing and Management, Information Technology, Information Systems, Mathematical Methods, Physics, Psychology, Specialist Mathematics, Systems & Technology.


VCE VET Studies - Group A
Arts (Interactive multi-media), Business (Office Administration), Community Recreation, Community Services (Community Work), Dance, Financial Services, Fitness, Food Retail (McDonalds), Music Industry Skills, Music Industry Skills ( Performance/Composition), Music Industry Skills (Technology), Outdoor Recreation, Retail Operations, Small Business Practice, Sport and Recreation, VCE VET Retail Operations.


VCE VET Studies - Group B
Agriculture, Automotive (Automotive Technology), Cisco Networking Program, Clothing Design and Production, Desktop Publishing, Electronics, Engineering Technology, Food Processing (Wine), Food Technology, Furnishing (Cabinet Making), Horse Studies, Horticulture, Hospitality (Operations), Information Technology, Information Technology (General), Information Technology (Network Administration), Information Technology (Software Applications), Laboratory Skills, Seafood Industry (Aquaculture), Seafood Industry (Seafood Processing), Seafood Industry (Sales and Distribution).


VCAL

The VCALcertificate is awarded at 3 levels

  • Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (Foundation)

  • Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (Intermediate)

  • Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (Senior).

The three qualification levels provide flexible entry and exit points for a range of student abilities and interests and offer a clear progression for skills, knowledge and attitudinal development.

At Foundation level, knowledge and employability skills development is supported by a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy skills and preparatory learning, and may include:

  • VCAL Foundation units

  • VCE Units 1 and/or 2

  • units and modules from training packages or accredited VET courses and/or Further Education courses at Certificate I


At Intermediate level, knowledge and employability skills development leads to independent learning, confidence and a high level of transferable skills, and may include:

  • VCAL Intermediate units

  • VCE Units 1 and/or 2

  • units and modules from training packages or accredited VET courses at Certificate I and II

  • units or modules from accredited Further Education courses at Certificate II


At Senior level, knowledge and employability skills development leads to a high level of interpersonal skills, independent action and achievement of tasks that require decision making and leadership, and may include:

  • VCAL Senior units

  • VCE Units 3 and/or 4

  • units and modules from training packages or accredited VET courses at Certificate II and III

  • units or modules from accredited Further Education courses at Certificate III


Students are awarded a VCAL certificate on successful completion of a minimum of 10 credits delivered as:

  • VCAL units (1 credit per unit - each unit is of 100 hours nominal design length)

  • VCE units (1 credit per unit - each unit is of 100 hours nominal design length)

  • VCE VET units (1 credit per unit - each unit is of 100 hours nominal design length)

  • Units and modules drawn from VET training packages or other accredited courses or Further Education (FE) accredited courses (one credit is awarded on successful completion of units and modules of 100 hours nominal design length).


VCAL Learning Programs are comprised of studies in 4 curriculum strands.

  • Literacy/Numeracy Skills strand

  • Industry Specific Skills strand

  • Work Related Skills strand

  • Personal Development Skills strand


Student VCAL Learning Programs must include enrolment in curriculum that can lead to the award of ten credits comprised of:

  • five credits at the VCAL award level at which the student is enrolled, including one literacy credit and one VCAL Personal Development Skills unit credit

  • another five credits which can be drawn from the VCAL award level at which the student is enrolled, or a higher level or one level below

  • two VCAL units

  • one credit in each curriculum strand, including one credit for numeracy and one for literacy

  • Intermediate and Senior VCAL Learning programs must include, in the Industry Specific Skills strand, one credit drawn from units / modules of VET training packages or accredited courses.


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