Geography (2U)
Board Developed Course (240 hours)
Available in Years 11 and 12
Geography is an investigation of the world which provides an accurate description and interpretation of the varied character of the earth and its people. It is a key discipline through which students develop the ability to recognise and understand environmental change and the interactions which take place in our world.
The Year 11 course is structured to provide students with opportunities to develop and apply their understanding of the geographical concepts of place, space, environment, interconnection, scale, sustainability and change. Students investigate natural systems; people, patterns and processes; and human–environment interactions. They develop an understanding of the nature and value of geographical inquiry through planning and conducting a geographical investigation.
Course Structure
Preliminary Course (120 indicative hours)
The course comprises 4 focus areas and students are required to study all 4.
Focus areas
Indicative hours
Earth’s natural systems 40
People, patterns and processes 40
Human–environment interactions 20
Geographical Investigation 20
Geographical inquiry skills and tools
The geographical inquiry skills and tools content is to be integrated throughout the course. The focus areas and studies provide the contexts for developing and applying inquiry skills and tools.
The geographical tools are to be integrated with the content of the Year 11 course. Students are to develop an understanding of the purpose and value of particular tools and how they can be used; ie their real-world applications.
A broad range of geographical tools should be integrated into each Year 11 focus area as appropriate. The application of tools in geographical inquiry will depend on the nature of the investigations conducted by students.
If required, selected tools should be accessible for students with disability, eg tactile maps, accessible choropleth maps for colour-blind students, and tactile photography.
Fieldwork
Twelve (12) hours of fieldwork are mandatory for the Year 11 course. Fieldwork may be integrated within one or more of the following focus areas – Earth’s natural systems; People, patterns and processes; Human–environment interactions, as appropriate.
Applying geography in the contemporary world
Students are to develop an appreciation of the relevance of geographical understanding to particular professions and to responsible management, in the context of each Year 11 focus area. This may be done flexibly and in different ways.
Earth’s natural systems
Students investigate the diverse landscapes of the Earth’s surface and its distinctive physical features. They examine the cycles, circulations, interconnections and spatial patterns that combine to form the Earth’s integrated system, and investigate natural processes, cycles and circulations that change the Earth’s land and water cover.
This focus area includes an overview of the uniqueness and diversity of the Earth. It is intended to provide a broad perspective as a context for studying the focus area. Allocate a maximum of 4 hours to this part of the focus area.
People, patterns and processes
Students investigate evidence of human diversity across the Earth’s surface. They examine the spatial patterns and extent of the human footprint, and the human transformations shaping those patterns.
Students investigate the unique character of places and how various human processes are shaping them, through ONE of the following:
● human resilience in diverse environments
● local places and global economic change
● place and cultural change
● political power and contested spaces
● technological advances and the transformation of places.
The study selected must not significantly overlap or duplicate studies selected for Year 12.
This focus area includes an overview of the diversity and extent of human activity. The overview is intended to provide a big-picture perspective as a context for studying the focus area. Allocate a maximum of 4 hours to this part of the focus area.
Human–environment interactions
Students investigate the global nature of land cover change, from temporal and spatial perspectives, as they examine the long-term development of natural systems compared to the short time frame of human activity. They investigate evidence for, and causes of, climate change, as well as the role of humans in contributing to land cover change.
Students investigate the interaction between the Earth’s natural systems and people through the study of ONE of the following:
● a geographic region
● a contemporary hazard
● climate change.
The study selected must not significantly overlap or duplicate studies selected for Year 12.
This focus area includes an overview of change to the Earth’s natural systems over time. The overview is intended to provide a big-picture perspective as a context for studying the focus area. Allocate a maximum of 3 hours to this part of the focus area.
Geographical Investigation
Students plan and conduct ONE Geographical Investigation to develop their understanding of the nature of geographical inquiry through practical research and applying geographical concepts, skills and tools.
HSC Course (120 indicative hours)
The Year 12 course is structured to provide students with opportunities to develop and apply their understanding of the geographical concepts of place, space, environment, interconnection, scale, sustainability and change. Students investigate global sustainability, rural and urban places, and ecosystems and global biodiversity.
The course comprises 3 focus areas and students are required to study all 3.
Focus areas Indicative hours
Global sustainability 30
Rural and urban places 45
Ecosystems and global biodiversity 45
Geographical inquiry skills and tools
The geographical inquiry skills and tools content is to be integrated throughout the course. The focus areas and studies provide the contexts for developing and applying inquiry skills and tools.
The geographical inquiry skills and tools may be assessed in the HSC examination in relation to any of the Year 12 focus areas, as appropriate. Students are to develop an understanding of the purpose and value of particular tools and how they can be used; ie their real-world applications.
A broad range of geographical tools should be integrated into each Year 12 focus area as appropriate.
If required, selected tools should be accessible for students with disability; eg tactile maps, accessible choropleth maps for colour-blind students, and tactile photography.
Fieldwork
Twelve (12) hours of fieldwork are mandatory for the Year 12 course. Fieldwork may be integrated within an individual focus area or across focus areas as appropriate.
Applying geography in the contemporary world
Students are to develop an appreciation of the relevance of geographical understanding to particular professions and to responsible management, in the context of each Year 12 focus area. This may be done flexibly and in different ways.
Global sustainability
Students investigate sustainability in the contemporary world, including principles of, and actions for, sustainability.
Students study ONE global economic activity and its sustainability.
The study selected must not significantly overlap or duplicate studies selected for Geography Stage 5, the Year 11 course or other Year 12 focus areas.
Rural and urban places
Students investigate the spatial characteristics of diverse types of settlements, and the process of urbanisation and urban growth influencing rural and urban places at a global scale.
Students study:
➢ ONE place in a rural setting and ONE place in a larger urban settlement
➢ ONE large city of 5 million people or more, outside Australia.
Examples of places in a rural setting:
● regional centre
● rural town
● village
● remote settlements
Examples of places in an urban setting:
● suburb
● urban precinct
● urban corridor
The studies selected for the rural place, urban place and large city must not overlap.
The studies selected must not significantly overlap or duplicate studies selected for Geography Stage 5, the Year 11 course or other Year 12 focus areas.
Ecosystems and global biodiversity
Students investigate the functioning of ecosystems, their value, the roles of natural and human stresses, and trends in global biodiversity.
Students investigate TWO different types of ecosystems. They undertake a study to illustrate each type of ecosystem selected. At least ONE study is to be selected from outside Australia.
The studies selected must not significantly overlap or duplicate studies selected for Geography Stage 5, the Year 11 course or other Year 12 focus areas.