health and human development or biology

[_Ruby_27]

so I am and year 10 at the moment and we are currently picking our vce subjects and i am having a hard time picking between hhd and bio
I was wondering if anyone had done either of these and what there opinion on them is  and which subject would they consider harder?

[lm21074]

Hey Ruby!

Welcome to ATAR Notes

Are you looking at choosing between HHD 1&2 and Bio 1&2 or between their 3&4 equivalents?

With subject selection, it's best to choose subjects that you think you would enjoy, rather than picking them based on opinions and perceived difficulty - it's entirely your decision. Have you had exposure to either subject in Year 10 science / health and PE?

Also, what sort of career aspirations are you looking at? HHD can be a great choice if you're looking towards a career in healthcare and allied health, public health, teaching and health sciences. Bio is a great choice for a career in the above fields too, with the addition of other science careers. Regardless of which subject you choose though, you aren't closed off to any career fields.

HHD 1&2 covers topics like the health status of Australia, nutrition, Australia's healthcare system and human development throughout the lifespan and its 3&4 equivalent covers these topics too, except the human development side of things is about health in a global context. Bio 1&2 covers topics like adaptations, body systems, cells, genetics, etc. I am not too sure about 3&4 since I haven't done it, but I know there's a focus on the immune system in U3 and evolution in U4.

To aid your decision and for a good, objective source of information, I'd suggest having a look at the study design for each subject (link for HHD here and link for bio here). The first study designs you will see on those pages are the 2020 adjusted study designs as some content was removed for Units 3 and 4 this year, but the content for Units 1 and 2 remains unchanged. Scroll down to the Units 1&2 section to see what you will be studying in each unit.

The way these subjects are tested are quite different. HHD has all short answer whereas bio has some multiple choice. Bio is arguably more content heavy than HHD, but this is my subjective opinion.

IMO, they're both really great subjects and if you have an interest in the subject areas, it is likely that you'll enjoy whatever you end up picking.

Hope this helps

[homeworkisapotato]

Hey Ruby 
I'm currently doing Bio 3/4 and HHD 1/2, but I have friends doing Bio 1/2 and HHD 3/4, so my advice is a mix of different experiences.
Bio 1/2: It's pretty straightforward and isn't too content heavy. However, some think it's a little dry.
HHD 1/2: Pretty dry tbh but I'm hanging on for 3/4
Bio 3/4: I used to HATE bio when I was young, so imagine my surprise when I actually picked it! The best decision ever and I love it so much. very content heavy for most people but if you have a strong work ethic you'll be fine as with any subject. You learn so much about yourself and the world around you. Adding onto LM, 3/4 has cellular processes (plasma membranes, cellular resp, photosynthesis, nucleic acids, enzymes), immunology (cellular signalling, immune system, immunity), experimental design (bleh), evolution, and DNA manipulation
HHD 3/4: all my friends who picked this love it so much. It's taught them many life skills and subjectively easier.

Similarities:
- somewhat dry in 1/2
- very applicable to world around you
- regarded as content heavy

Differences
- Correct me if I'm wrong but generally Bio is more competitive
- Bio highlights on writing concise answers whereas HHD loves dem sentences

Both are great subjects so go with your passion and trust your gut! All the best!

[brothanathan]

so I am and year 10 at the moment and we are currently picking our vce subjects and i am having a hard time picking between hhd and bio
I was wondering if anyone had done either of these and what there opinion on them is  and which subject would they consider harder?

Hopefully my reply isn't too late

In terms of practicality, what you learn in HHD for 1/2 (no joke) and 3/4 can be applied in nearly everything you pursue. For 3/4, the depth that goes into learning Australia's healthcare system can be very useful, and definitely very practical knowledge that can be easily extended, maintained or updated. If you don't have a particular interest in a certain career or a specific aspiration, HHD would probably be worth a try. + Many people take up 3/4 Biology without having done the 1/2 if you end up taking Biology.

[J_Rho]

Depends on your interests! I HATED hhd but i LOOOOOVE bio, so it depends on where your intrests lie. What other subjects are you picking?? My experince bio goes in more depth, whereas hhd has lots and lots of less indepth topics (similar to psych)