Taking a VCE subject in Year 10

[harrypotterfan]

So today I, along with other students from my year level were invited to do a VCE subject in Year 10 next year. I am currently in Year 9. My school does this thing where Year 9 students are selected to take a VCE subject in Unit 1/2. (not really sure what that means) Once you get invited, you have to sign up for the subject you want to do in VCE, so I'm not guaranteed a spot yet, depending on if there are any available spots in the certain subject I chose. The sign up form is due in early August so I have some time to think about it. My school does offer a  range of VCE subjects, but we are not allowed to do Maths or English.
Here is a list of subjects my school does allow:
Accounting
Art
Drama
Economics
History
Health & Human Development
Indonesian
Italian
Legal Studies
Literature
Languages other than English (Indonesian & Italian)
Music
Physical Education
Global Politics
Religion and Society
Texts and Traditions
Visual CommunicationBiology
Chemistry (not recommended at my school)
Information Technology
Physics
Psychology
I was just wondering if you guys have done, are doing or knows someone who is doing VCE in Year 10 and if you advise that I do it. If you have done VCE in Year 10, I would love it if you comment your experience and why it was or wasn't worth it. I am quite interested but I'm unsure on which subjects suites me and will help me. I do kind of what to do psychology, health and human development, ICT or history, that's if I get accepted first. I don't really have an idea on what you actually learn in these subjects, as my school has never exposed me to these subjects. It would be excellent if you let me know about these subjects so I would have a clearer understanding and a final decision to pick which subject I want to take. Also please feel free to comment about anything I should know about VCE because I don't have siblings who can tell me about it.
Thanks   

[bills]

Hi, I'm currently in year 10 and undertaking two VCE subjects this year (Biology and Maths Methods). I think it's really beneficial taking a VCE subject in year 10 as you get exposed to what VCE feels like. The workload is a bit more than year ten subjects, but it is definitely manageable.

To answer your question what a Unit 1/2 is, each VCE subject is divided into four units. You do units 1 and 2 in one year, and units 3 and 4 in the next year.

[Aaron]

Put simply, it reduces your workload in Year 12. If you do a Unit 1+2 subject in Year 10, you usually do the Unit 3+4 in Year 11.

Like above has said as well... it really is beneficial to get a taste of how the VCE system works and what is required before you actually get into Year 11 and 12 and have it as a full workload.

[Jay.C]

So today I, along with other students from my year level were invited to do a VCE subject in Year 10 next year. I am currently in Year 9. My school does this thing where Year 9 students are selected to take a VCE subject in Unit 1/2. (not really sure what that means) Once you get invited, you have to sign up for the subject you want to do in VCE, so I'm not guaranteed a spot yet, depending on if there are any available spots in the certain subject I chose. The sign up form is due in early August so I have some time to think about it. My school does offer a  range of VCE subjects, but we are not allowed to do Maths or English.
Here is a list of subjects my school does allow:
Accounting
Art
Drama
Economics
History
Health & Human Development
Indonesian
Italian
Legal Studies
Literature
Languages other than English (Indonesian & Italian)
Music
Physical Education
Global Politics
Religion and Society
Texts and Traditions
Visual CommunicationBiology
Chemistry (not recommended at my school)
Information Technology
Physics
Psychology
I was just wondering if you guys have done, are doing or knows someone who is doing VCE in Year 10 and if you advise that I do it. If you have done VCE in Year 10, I would love it if you comment your experience and why it was or wasn't worth it. I am quite interested but I'm unsure on which subjects suites me and will help me. I do kind of what to do psychology, health and human development, ICT or history, that's if I get accepted first. I don't really have an idea on what you actually learn in these subjects, as my school has never exposed me to these subjects. It would be excellent if you let me know about these subjects so I would have a clearer understanding and a final decision to pick which subject I want to take. Also please feel free to comment about anything I should know about VCE because I don't have siblings who can tell me about it.
Thanks   

Hey!! I am in year 11 this year and last year I did do VCE biology! I was very hesitant at first thinking, will I be able to cope, can I do it, am I good enough. But I honestly can say it is one of the best things you can do. It gave me an edge over my friends who wear not completing a VCE subject for the following reasons: 

1. Advanced my organisational skills which are essential when you get to year 11 and year 12.
2. It gave me a taste for what I could expect from VCE
3. It allowed me to find a subject that I was really passionate about and as a result I actually wanted to study.
4. It allows you to complete a 3/4 in year 11, thus giving you more time to focus on it and hopefully achieve a higher study score.
5. It got me use to a large work load which you will eventually have to deal with in year 11 and 12.

This year I am doing both psychology and health and human development and I find these subjects to be quite interesting. They do not come with an overwhelming work load and they are good subjects to start your VCE journey because they are not overly difficult and the concepts are pretty easy to wrap you head around.

In terms of what is included in both health and human development and psychology I have attached links to both there study designs below. You can have a read through them as it outlines what you will be learning throughout both of the units. In closing I would 100% recommend completing a VCE subject in year 10 as it puts you at an advantage over your peers and also may allow you to find what you are passionate about studying.

Psychology: http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/vce/psychology/PsychologySD-2013.pdf
HHD: http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/documents/vce/hhd/healthhumandevelopmentsd-2014.pdf

Good luck in your studies and if you have any further questions feel free to ask.

 I hoped this helped 

[heids]

I think it's quite common to do this, and highly advise it.  (I wasn't allowed to).

A unit is a semester of that subject.  So originally, VCAA intended units 1 and 2 to be year 11, and units 3 and 4 to be year 12.  Only scores from Units 3/4 count to your final score for the subject (in your ATAR); in other words, the work you do in year 10 will not actually count to your final score, but the unit 3/4 subject you do in year 11 will.

See Year 12 subjects in Year 11: A guide to starting VCE early.

Of those subjects, I've done Health and Human Development, which I really enjoyed.  In my opinion, it would be FAR easier than history, somewhat easier than psychology, and I've no idea compared to ICT; I personally think it's quite an 'easy' subject well suited to year 10/11.

click here for a HHD course overview - unit 3/4 courtesy user Joseph41

Units 1 and 2
I don't remember very well, but from memory you learn about: physical, social, emotional and intellectual development; health; factors that increase or decrease risk of diseases; healthy eating; and how we develop over the lifespan (prenatal, childhood, youth, adulthood); nutrition.

Note: AOS means 'area of study', which just means a particular chunk or section of the year's work.

Unit 3: Australia’s health
AOS 1: Understanding Australia’s health
AOS 1 includes health, and why it is important; the health of Australians compared to other nations; variations in health within Australia, and reasons for those variations; the National Health Priority Areas; and nutrition as a factor that influences health.

AOS 2: Promoting health in Australia
AOS 2 includes different models of health, including models that the Australian Government has used (and uses) to guide its health policies; the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion; the role of VicHealth; Australia’s health system, including Medicare; the role of the Australian Government in promoting good health; and the role of non-government agencies in doing likewise.

Unit 4: Global health and human development
AOS 1: Introducing global health and human development
AOS 1 includes the distinction between developed and developing countries; sustainability and human development, and why they are important; factors that influence the discrepancy in health between Australia and other nations; the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals.

AOS 2: Promoting global health and human development
AOS 2 includes the interrelationship between health, human development and sustainability; types of aid, and how and when they are used; the United Nations and its role in global health; the World Health Organisation; priorities of the Australian Government; programs focusing on literacy, food security, HIV/AIDS and malaria, immunisation, safe water and sanitation.

Feel free to ask any specific questions about how the ATAR works or whatever!

[Coffee]

It is a good idea to do a 1/2 in Year 10. I did but ended up dropping it because I hated the subject.

As for what subject you should do, my best advice would be to do whatever interests you most. In saying that, if you know what you want to do at university, it might be a good to knock out some pre-requisites. So literature or biology might be a good choice. If you're interested in history though you might want to consider accelerating in that subject as it's very content heavy and it would be helpful for you to complete that as your only 3/4 subject as opposed to all the other Year 12's who are juggling 3 or 4 other subjects alongside it.

Something to think about I guess... Let us know how you get on.

[MightyBeh]

Definitely do at least one. Like everyone else said, it introduces you to the VCE structure and content while you have a lot more time to dedicate to it. In my own experience, I maybe didn't put as much effort into my 1/2 in year 10 as I should have; but I'm still way better off for it and I'm glad I did it.

Also have a look at the study designs; if you can be bothered to sift through all the technical jargon it might help you decide.

Spoiler

Accounting
Art
Drama
Economics
History (this one has a new study design coming in next year, here's the current one)
Health & Human Development
Indonesian
Italian
Legal Studies
Literature (also a new study design in 2016, here's the current one)
Music
Physical Education
Global Politics
Religion and Society
Texts and Traditions
Visual Communication
Biology
Chemistry
Information Technology (New study design again, here's the old one)
Physics
Psychology

Unless school is particularly stressful or something along those lines, there's pretty much no downside to accelerating and I'd totally recommend you do it.

[heids]

I don't think there's much point reading the study design, try the Study Summaries.

Go the indexes of each subject (HHD, History, Psychology and IT, or just google 'vcaa psychology index' or whatever subject you want), and the bottom link under the heading 'Curriculum' will be a Word document called 'Study summary'.  From memory, they're easier to read and understand.