SOCIETY AND CULTURE
Board Developed Course (ATAR) - 2 Units
Society and Culture is intended for students interested in understanding the interactions between individuals, societies and cultures across local, national and global contexts. It is ideal for those passionate about exploring social justice, cultural diversity, community dynamics and social change.
The course caters to students aspiring to pursue careers in sociology, anthropology, social work, community development, international relations and education.
The course emphasises the development of critical thinking, social research skills and structured analytical writing, including the ability to interpret sociocultural data, evaluate social patterns and understand the influence of cultural perspectives on social change.
Students learn to write with clarity and depth, producing well-organised extended responses, reflective analyses and research-based evaluations that demonstrate critical understanding of social and cultural dynamics.
PRE-REQUISITES
There are no formal pre-requisites for Society and Culture. However, strong reading comprehension, analytical skills and structured writing abilities are highly beneficial due to the course’s emphasis on interpreting sociocultural data, analysing case studies and constructing evidence-based arguments.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Year 11 Topics
• The Social and Cultural World
• Personal and Social Identity
• Intercultural Communication
Year 12 Topics
• Personal Interest Project (PIP)
• Social and Cultural Continuity and Change
• Depth Studies (Two of the following):
- Popular Culture
- Belief Systems and Ideologies
- Social Inclusion and Exclusion
- Social Conformity and Nonconformity
HSC EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS
The HSC examination for Society and Culture consists of a two-hour written paper worth 60 marks and a Personal Interest Project worth 40 marks.
The expected length of extended responses is approximately 600 - 800 words.
UNIQUE FEATURES OF THIS COURSE
The course includes the Personal Interest Project (PIP), which allows students to conduct an independent, evidence-based investigation into a social or cultural topic of interest.
This major project constitutes 40% of the HSC examination mark and requires students to produce a structured report of 3000-5000 words.
Further information is available on the NESA website.
If a student qualifies, the Society and Culture Life Skills Course is available in mainstream classes. More information on Life Skills courses can be found here.