How to choose your VCE subjects

How to choose your VCE subjects

It’s never too early to start thinking about VCE subject selection. Here’s everything you need to know to make choosing your subjects simple and right for you.

VCE subject selection is an exciting task for high school students. Suddenly, you’ve got a sense of independence with the flexibility to choose the subjects that interest you.

It’s also a significant point in your schooling, as you get to decide what the last two years of high school will look like, while shaping your future path into university and your career. That’s a liberating thought for many students, but with a range of subjects on offer, you might also find it a little intimidating, especially if you’re not quite sure what you want to do after high school.

To ensure you’re ready to put pen to paper when VCE subject selection rolls around, we’ve gathered five key points to consider, including insights from a careers adviser.

1. Think about what inspires you

The subjects you choose can shape your future studies, leading to your career. This means it’s important to keep your interests and aspirations in mind, as well as looking at university courses or avenues you might take after high school.

Think about what you enjoy and where your strengths lie. If nothing immediately comes to mind, try asking yourself the important questions:

  1. What am I passionate about? 
  2. What subjects do I currently perform well in?  
  3. Can I see myself working in these areas in the future? 

If writing is a strong point, and you’re thinking about a career in journalism, choosing VCE Literature as well as English would be a wise move. If it’s something you enjoy, you’re likely to get strong results.

Careers Adviser Andrew Wallace from Ballarat High School explains that you should first speak with your teachers, careers counsellors, and friends about your subject selection before making any choices.   

“[As a VCE student, you should] make decisions based on what is best for your own future, not what someone else is doing,” Wallace said.

“The more you know about your options, the more informed decisions you will make.”  

2. Background research is key, just like prerequisites

To pass VCE, students need to complete three units from the English group, including a Unit 3-4 sequence, and at least three sequences of Unit 3–4 studies from other subjects.

VCE subjects are divided into Units 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Units 1 and 2 are often taken together but they can also be taken separately. Your school might offer Units 1 and 2 to Year 10 students, providing the option to get a head start on VCE by giving you a taste of what your assessments are like and what’s required in terms of a study commitment. It’s also a good way to find out if you like that subject area and whether you to proceed with undertaking Units 3 and 4. 

In total across VCE, you’ll need to complete at least 16 units, including:

  • 3 sequences of Unit 3 and 4 subjects
  • 3 units from an English subject (including Unit 3 and 4).

Most students do their VCE over two years, completing between 20 and 24 units. This usually looks like:

  • 6 Unit 1 and 2 subjects in Year 11 (12 units total)
  • 5 Unit 3 and 4 subjects in Year 12 (10 units total).

When you’re choosing your VCE subjects, it’s important to know that some subjects could be a prerequisite to gain entry into your preferred uni course after high school. 

So, do a little investigating into the VCE subjects and requirements that will enable you to study your area of interest down the track. A maths or science subject, for example, is likely to be a prerequisite for anyone interested in a career in engineering or information technology.

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A prerequisite is a class or subject that must be completed to allow entry into a university program. Prerequisites are required in some courses to ensure that a student has the appropriate level of understanding in a field before studying it at a university level. 

There’s no need to worry – if you don’t study a subject that is mandatory for the degree you wish to study in the future, there are other pathways into the degree. 

For example, at RMIT a student can begin with a vocational course (otherwise known as TAFE), then upon completion, begin the university course of their dreams. This option can be locked in after Year 12 with RMIT’s Guaranteed Pathways program. Scroll down the page for more info on pathways!

At RMIT you can find prerequisites for courses and more on our program/course pages. Start by browsing the RMIT site for the course that you’re interested in. Then once you’ve found it, check the section titled Admissions for the required study score and prerequisites for the course. 

You may not know the exact program you wish to study in the future, but if you have a general idea, look at the entry requirements for a wide range of courses and find the prerequisite subjects they have in common. Including these in your VCE program will open the door to more options after high school.

3. Focus on you!

Your VCE subject selection is personal to you. It’s important to follow your own interests and focus on what you enjoy, even if your best friend’s subject choices don’t match your own, for example.

Some students also fall into the trap of selecting subjects they think will reward them with a high study score, and thus a higher ATAR. You shouldn’t let scaling or the fact that a subject sounds impressive, influence your choices. Picking a subject for either of these reasons when you don’t enjoy it or haven’t performed well in class or assessments could actually have a negative impact on your study score if you struggle to keep up with the classwork.

4. Know your Plan B into university

The interests and aspirations you have as you approach VCE subject selection might change by the time you finish school, and that’s okay.

If you find yourself in a position where you didn’t choose a subject that is a prerequisite for the course you want to study, just remember: the traditional path to uni isn’t the only one. 

As Andrew Wallace explains, if you don’t meet the entry requirements of your course at first, there are still ways to get there.

“If a student hasn’t studied the correct prerequisite subjects during VCE such as Maths Methods or Biology, they will not be eligible for university courses that list those subjects as prerequisites, regardless of how high their ATAR is. But don’t despair! There are many other options to gain entry into your course of choice.  

“Prerequisites can change from year to year and from university to university, so it’s important to check with your careers counsellor.”

“[Remember,] the ATAR is only one avenue to university and does not define a student’s future potential. TAFE also offers a wide range of courses which can lead to further education or direct employment without the stress of trying to achieve a high ATAR.” 

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RMIT’s  ATAR Course Finder helps you search for courses by entering your estimated ATAR. Although ATAR requirements for each course are subject to change by the time you’re in Year 12, it can give you a good idea of what’s available in study areas you’re interested in.

Pathways at RMIT are alternate ways to reach your dream course by first completing a TAFE qualification. If you don’t get the ATAR you were hoping for, you can choose a TAFE course, which is usually shorter and more hands-on than an undergraduate degree (commonly referred to as a bachelor’s degree). 

After completing your TAFE qualification, you can apply for credit for prior study or experience. This helps you get into the degree you were originally aiming for, and and you can even pick up an additional qualification along the way.   

You can research pathways using RMIT’s Pathways Finder. You can also take advantage of RMIT’s Pathways Guaranteed, which guarantees that you’ll have a place in your undergraduate degree when you complete your TAFE qualification.

5. Reach out for advice

If you have any questions or need guidance with course prerequisites and VCE subjects, you can always chat to a career adviser or VCE coordinator at your school. They will have information on a variety of tertiary programs in your interest areas and what you need to do to be eligible for them.

Check out career expos and university open days, like RMIT's Open Day. You may be two or three years off finishing Year 12, but these events are a great way to get excited and inspired for university. 

If you need more info, a good place to start is with the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) website. The VTAC site has tips on VCE subject selection and explains how ATARs are calculated. 

Youth Central is another independent source of information on everything from SACs (school assessed curriculum) to VET (Vocational Education and Training).

Don’t stress, VCE hasn’t arrived yet! But when it does, you’ll be ready to launch into your subjects, confident in your choices and ready to give your best shot.  

Story: Jacqueline Guldon and Jacob Johnston

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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.

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