11–12Geography 11–12 Syllabus (2022)

Geography 11–12 explores the relationships between places, people, and environments to develop an understanding of how they shape and transform the world. Students examine how different processes and influences interact to form and transform particular places, environments, and natural and human phenomena, and the challenges that may arise from these.

Through the study of Geography 11–12, students learn to:

• analyse the interactions of natural and human processes
• assess how places and environments can be managed sustainably
• examine the role of natural systems and human activity in shaping the world and how they may vary from place to place
• apply geographical tools and the concepts of place, space, environment, interconnection, scale, sustainability and change, to make sense of the world.

Year 11 course structure and requirements

Year 11 course (120 hours)

The course comprises of 4 focus areas and students are required to study all 4.

Year 11 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, i.e. 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, e.g. 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 in an individual focus area or across focus areas as appropriate.

Some students with disability may require adjustments and/or additional support to engage in fieldwork.

When conducting fieldwork that involves people, ethical practices such as adherence to intellectual property (IP) rights must be considered. If fieldwork is proposed for Aboriginal sites or is about Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Cultural heritage, Indigenous cultural and intellectual property (ICIP) is an ethical consideration.

In such cases, participants should be familiar with a range of Loading  for working with Aboriginal Communities and ensure appropriate consultation occurs with local communities and education consultants. For more information refer to Loading .

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.

Further information about the investigation is provided in the Geographical Investigation section of this syllabus.

Year 12 course structure and requirements

Year 12 course (120 hours)

The course comprises of 3 focus areas and students are required to study all 3.

Year 12 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, i.e. 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, e.g. 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 into an individual focus area or across focus areas as appropriate.

Some students with disability may require adjustments and/or additional support to engage in fieldwork.

When conducting fieldwork that involves people, ethical practices such as adherence to intellectual property (IP) rights must be considered. If fieldwork is proposed for Aboriginal sites or is about Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Cultural heritage, Indigenous cultural and intellectual property (ICIP) is an ethical consideration.

In such cases, participants should be familiar with a range of Loading  for working with Aboriginal Communities and ensure appropriate consultation occurs with local communities and education consultants. For more information refer to Loading .

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 settlement

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.

Safety and risk management

Schools are required to ensure they follow Loading  in delivering the Geography 11–12 Syllabus.