Philosophy and Ethics learning area contacts:

Curriculum and Assessment Advice – COVID-19 »

• ATAR

  The Philosophy and Ethics ATAR course engages students with three classical questions of the human condition: ‘What is real?’; ‘How do we know?’ and ‘How should we live?’ Within this context, the course gives students the opportunity to explore the world of concepts from both contemporary and historical perspectives. Students are taught clarification, evaluation and argument. They develop the specific skills to inquire, reason and make judgements.

  Years 11 and 12 Glossary of key words used in the formulation of questions
  Also available in  Word Format

  Syllabus

  •  ATAR Syllabus Year 11 (282.6 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 3:20pm
  •  ATAR Syllabus Year 11 (282.4 KB)
  •  ATAR Syllabus Year 12 (for teaching and examination from 2020) (368.6 KB) Last updated: 22 Jan 2020 8:59am
  •  ATAR Syllabus Year 12 (for teaching and examination from 2020) (163.5 KB)
  •  ATAR Syllabus Year 12 - For teaching from 2023 (307.3 KB) Last updated: 12 Aug 2022 3:54pm
  •  ATAR Syllabus Year 12 - For teaching from 2023 (166.1 KB)
  •  ATAR Year 12 summary of minor syllabus changes for 2023 (527.0 KB) Last updated: 12 Aug 2022 3:54pm
  •  ATAR Year 12 summary of minor syllabus changes for 2023 (20.3 KB)

  Grading

  • Available work samples are housed within the Teacher Support Material Extranet. Teachers can login or register for an account at Extranet login.

  • Grade descriptions in Year 11 syllabus

  • Grade descriptions in Year 12 syllabus

  Support Materials

  • Minor syllabus changes have been made to Year 12 ATAR for implementation in 2023. The support materials are currently being updated to reflect these changes.
  •  ATAR Year 12 sample assessment outline (751.9 KB) Last updated: 16 Sep 2022 9:00am
  •  ATAR Year 12 sample assessment outline (349.5 KB)
  •  ATAR Year 12 sample assessment tasks (384.5 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 3:09pm
  •  ATAR Year 12 sample assessment tasks (535.9 KB)
  •  ATAR Year 12 sample course outline (279.0 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 3:43pm
  •  ATAR Year 12 sample course outline (374.0 KB)
  •  ATAR Year 11 sample assessment outline (234.5 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 3:10pm
  •  ATAR Year 11 sample assessment outline (347.4 KB)
  •  ATAR Year 11 sample assessment tasks (391.3 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 3:34pm
  •  ATAR Year 11 sample assessment tasks (417.2 KB)
  •  ATAR Year 11 sample course outline (280.4 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 3:47pm
  •  ATAR Year 11 sample course outline (359.2 KB)
  •  ATAR Year 11 and 12 websites resource lists (16.4 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 3:01pm
  •  ATAR Year 11 and 12 websites resource lists (47.5 KB)
  •  ATAR Year 11 and 12 combined resource lists (28.7 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 3:35pm
  •  ATAR Year 11 and 12 combined resource lists (41.0 KB)
  •  ATAR Year 11 and 12 introduction resource lists (17.3 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 3:25pm
  •  ATAR Year 11 and 12 introduction resource lists (51.5 KB)
  •  ATAR Year 11 and 12 print materials resource lists (15.9 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 3:28pm
  •  ATAR Year 11 and 12 print materials resource lists (42.5 KB)

  Examination Materials

  •  2022 PAE Examination Front Cover (297.3 KB) Last updated: 26 Aug 2022 7:13am
  •  2021 Acknowledgement variations for ATAR course exams (599.8 KB) Last updated: 27 Apr 2022 9:12am
  •  2021 Examination (396.1 KB) Last updated: 16 Feb 2022 11:19am
  •  2021 Summary examination report for candidates (193.6 KB) Last updated: 06 Apr 2022 7:00am
  •  2021 Marking key (795.4 KB) Last updated: 16 Feb 2022 11:19am
  •  Additional Past ATAR Course Examinations
• General

  The Philosophy and Ethics General course requires students to ask the questions: What is real?’; ‘How do we know?’ and ‘How should we live?’ They examine some elements of reasoning and the basic components of argument. Students are taught clarification, evaluation and argument. They develop the specific skills to inquire, reason and make judgements.

  Syllabus

  •  General Syllabus Year 11 (243.0 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 3:12pm
  •  General Syllabus Year 11 (339.0 KB)
  •  General Syllabus Year 12 (308.1 KB) Last updated: 10 May 2018 2:03pm
  •  General Syllabus Year 12 (157.1 KB)

  Grading

  • Grade descriptions in Year 11 syllabus

  Support Materials

  •  General Year 12 sample assessment outline (237.6 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 2:56pm
  •  General Year 12 sample assessment outline (352.7 KB)
  •  General Year 12 sample assessment tasks (406.8 KB)
  •  General Year 12 sample assessment tasks (376.3 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 2:58pm
  •  General Year 12 sample course outline (367.3 KB)
  •  General Year 12 sample course outline (265.6 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 3:43pm
  •  General Year 11 sample assessment outline (350.5 KB)
  •  General Year 11 sample assessment outline (234.8 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 3:26pm
  •  General Year 11 sample assessment tasks (398.4 KB)
  •  General Year 11 sample assessment tasks (372.8 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 2:56pm
  •  General Year 11 sample course outline (361.5 KB)
  •  General Year 11 sample course outline (283.8 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 3:32pm
  •  General Year 11 and 12 websites resource lists (47.5 KB)
  •  General Year 11 and 12 websites resource lists (16.4 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 3:46pm
  •  General Year 11 and 12 combined resource lists (28.7 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 3:04pm
  •  General Year 11 and 12 combined resource lists (41.0 KB)
  •  General Year 11 and 12 introduction resource lists (17.3 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 3:05pm
  •  General Year 11 and 12 introduction resource lists (51.5 KB)
  •  General Year 11 and 12 print materials resource lists (15.9 KB) Last updated: 16 Jun 2016 3:42pm
  •  General Year 11 and 12 print materials resource lists (42.5 KB)

  Externally Set Task Materials 2023

  •  2023 General EST Unit 3 Content (182.2 KB) Last updated: 21 Sep 2022 3:40pm

  Externally Set Task Materials 2022

  •  2022 General EST Unit 3 Content (277.9 KB) Last updated: 23 Sep 2021 8:43am

  Externally Set Task Materials 2021

  •  2021 PAE General EST Unit 3 Content (279.2 KB) Last updated: 24 Sep 2020 1:37pm

  Externally Set Task Materials 2020

  •  2020 General EST Unit 3 Content (279.4 KB) Last updated: 25 Sep 2019 3:46pm

  Externally Set Task Materials 2019

  •  2019 General EST Unit 3 content (148.3 KB) Last updated: 20 Sep 2018 9:50am

  • Externally set tasks with their associated marking key and work samples are teacher resources and are housed within the Teacher Support Material Extranet. Teachers can login or register for an account at http://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/extranet/login.

  Externally Set Task Materials 2018

  •  2018 General EST Unit 3 content (141.8 KB) Last updated: 22 Sep 2017 12:25pm

  • Externally set tasks with their associated marking key and work samples are teacher resources and are housed within the Teacher Support Material Extranet. Teachers can login or register for an account at http://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/extranet/login.

  Externally Set Task Materials 2017

  •  2017 General EST Unit 3 content (165.3 KB)
  •  2017 General EST Unit 3 content (148.8 KB) Last updated: 26 Sep 2018 9:50am

  • No student sample responses available for 2017 EST

  • Externally set tasks with their associated marking key and work samples are teacher resources and are housed within the Teacher Support Material Extranet. Teachers can login or register for an account at http://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/extranet/login.

  Externally Set Task Materials 2016

  •  General sample EST (302.4 KB)
  •  General sample EST (201.1 KB) Last updated: 22 Feb 2019 10:34am
  •  General sample EST marking key (311.6 KB)
  •  General sample EST marking key (229.8 KB) Last updated: 22 Feb 2019 10:34am

  • Externally set tasks with their associated marking key and work samples are teacher resources and are housed within the Teacher Support Material Extranet. Teachers can login or register for an account at http://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/extranet/login.