ATAR POLITICS AND LAW What you need to

ATAR POLITICS AND LAW What you need to know about doing this subject!

Why do the subject? Engage with big ideas and grapple with current issues in your study of Politics and Law will help you to think more critically of the world around you and expose you to plenty of interesting issues with which you can engage your family and friends. It will help you to analyse the values that shape our society today and show you the way in which you can participate in changing your society in the future.

Politics and Law enables students to: Discover the difference between democratic and non-democratic societies. Discuss the values that underpin our political and legal structures and how they sustain Australian democracy. Make informed decisions about issues that shape and affect Australian society. Discover how individuals, pressure groups and political parties function within our democracy. Consider the problems and issues of our legal system. Understand the spirit that motivates leaders and inspires citizens.

Politics and Law skills employers want: TIME MANAGEMENT. CRITICAL THINKING. SYNTHESIS OF INFORMATION TO CREATE A BALANCED ARGUMENT. THE ABILITY TO RECOGNISE HOW DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW AFFECT AN ISSUE. THE ABILITY TO MAKE A REASONED DECISION. EXCELLENT COMMUNICATION SKILLS.

Politics and Law – the course What kinds of things will I learn about in this course? You will learn about democratic and non-democratic societies, especially Australia. Current political and legal issues will inform the course. What kinds of skills do the successful students in the course have? Successful students have good reading and writing skills. They enjoy keeping up to date with current affairs through various media. They are prepared time each day to keep up to date with their course work and to revise their work.

Assessment What kinds of assessment will I do? You will do a research inquiry, write essays, use source documents to shape an answer to an issue and write short answers in response to questions under test conditions. “Assessments helped to consolidate my learning and gave me an opportunity to show what I had learned. They helped to show the gaps in my knowledge and gave me a good idea of the amount of study required to achieve a mark with which I was happy. ”

Course combinations What other courses go well with this course? Past students have found this course combines well with Literature, ATAR English, Politics and Law, Economics, Psychology and Religion and Life. On several occasions top achieving Politics and Law students at Newman College have also been top achievers in Chemistry and/or Physics. They have gone on to study science at university but have found that the skills that they developed studying Politics and Law helped with their assignments and writing.

Excursions Will this course require me to miss other classes? In Year 11 a day will be spent visiting the courts and parliament. It is strongly recommended that you join the Mock Trials team, which is an extra-curricular activity. “It helped my knowledge of the law, I enjoyed the camaraderie and challenge in preparing for the trial and it gave me increased self confidence and public speaking skills”.

Most enjoyable aspects Students enjoy law, especially criminal law. They also like the topical nature of the politics course. “There is something new and fresh every time because we talk about what happens on the news. I like being able to engage with adults and talk knowledgeably with my parents about what is going on. ” “You can’t guess it. You have to put in the work to get the rewards. Do the time to learn about crime!”

Careers using Politics and Law