Biology is one of the most popular HSC courses, with over 19,000 students studying the subject each year. It is important that students are well aware of the requirements of courses before they make their subject choices. So, here are 5 things that you can expect in your HSC biology course.

  1. The four modules

The HSC biology course consists of 4 modules:

Module 5: Heredity

In this module, students examine how life continues through the processes of reproduction and heredity. Students also investigate methods of reproduction in both plants and animals, as well as inheritance patterns. Students will also study evolution, and the cellular processes that create genetic diversity. Lastly, students will also be examining the use of technologies in the study of inheritance, as well as contemporary research and the work of geneticists in medicine and agriculture, and evaluate the effects of such technologies on society.

Module 6: Genetic Change

In this module, students learn about the natural and human-induced causes and effects of genetic change. Students study biotechnology, the uses of biotechnology, and how the processes of inheritance and evolution (from the previous module) can be applied. Students also explore current and future applications of biotechnology on agriculture, industry and medicine, and evaluate the impacts of biotechnology on society.

Module 7: Infectious diseases

In this module, students study the causes of a variety of infectious diseases. Students will also examine the treatment, prevention and control of infectious diseases locally and globally, and evaluate the effectiveness of these methods.

Module 8: Non-infectious diseases and disorders

In this module, students study the causes of non-infectious diseases and disorders, and their effects on human health. Students also explore technologies used in the treatment of non-infectious diseases and disorders and evaluate their effectiveness. Students also study the epidemiology (incidence and distribution of diseases) of non-infectious diseases populations. The module also examines practical applications of stem, and current and future solutions to problems related to the management of human disorders.

*(It is also important to note that working scientifically outcomes, which involve planning and conducting investigations as well as processing and analysing data will be integrated into each module wherever students undertake an investigation. It is important that you do not neglect this content as this is frequently tested in extended responses in trial examinations).

  1. The assessments

The year 12 student assessment schedule involves a maximum of 4 assessment tasks. Each of the individual tasks will have a weighting between 10% – 40%. Only one of the tasks may be a formal written examination with a maximum weighting of 30%, this task is usually the trial examination. One of the tasks will be a based on a depth study worth between 20% – 40%. Other assessments will involve a practical examination, and a processing task such as an open book examination where students are required to conduct research, and then answer exam questions based on this research.

 

  1. Workload 

The HSC biology course is significantly more content heavy than its counterpart. Many students often have the misconception that Biology is an easy subject, which merely requires memorising. However, this is certainly not the case. In order to effectively answer higher order questions, it is imperative that students have a thorough understanding of all concepts. Due to the vast amounts of information that students are expected to know, it is vital that students regularly revise all course content, clearing any doubts that may arise. Unlike in junior years and preliminary biology, cramming will simply not be effective.

  1. Depth studies

A new addition to the HSC biology course, is the depth study, which has replaced option topics. The depth study can be seen as similar to the major work in other HSC subjects. The depth study will require students to delve deeply into a topic of their choice, providing students with an opportunity to pursue their interests in science. Students may be required to conduct experiments, undertake research, create presentations or fieldwork reports, or complete extension work on content already covered within the syllabus.

  1. The HSC exam

The HSC Biology exam is 3 hours and 5 minutes long, with 5 minutes of reading time and 3 hours of working time. Sweeping changes to the HSC Biology syllabus, have also meant that the style of the HSC exam is now significantly different. In previous years, students were able to get away with simply memorising concepts. However, as seen in the 2019 exam, the new syllabus requires more of an in depth understanding. Many of the questions in the 2019 exam were unexpected and obscure, allowing only students with a thorough understanding of the course to succeed. For example, question 26 of the 2019 was a 5 marker on the differing abilities of indigenous populations to digest lactose. Whilst obscure at first, the question required a thorough understanding of evolution and DNA.

  1. Scaling

Scaling is the process of converting HSC marks into scaled marks for comparison across different subjects. A different level of scaling is applied to each subject, reflecting the different demands of each subject. Though students should not choose their subjects based on scaling, students should still be aware of scaling so that they are able to strategically divide their efforts. Both Chemistry and Physics scale better than Biology. For example, as student that is in the 90th percentile in Chemistry will receive a scaled marked of 41.5/50, whilst a student in the 90th percentile in Biology will receive a scaled mark of 39/50. Ultimately, students should choose subjects based on their interests and strengths as opposed to scaling, as this is what will allow students to achieve their personal best.

  1. University requirements

When choosing HSC subjects, it is also important to consider potential university courses of interests. Many university courses such as electrical engineering, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine have recommended the study of Biology. Though the study of Biology is not necessary to gain entry into these subjects, it may beneficial, and is something students should consider when choosing their subjects

In conclusion…

HSC biology is an extremely interesting and rewarding subject to study. Yes, it may be slightly difficult and content heavy, but with consistent effort success if definitely possible!