Human Society and its Environment (HSIE)

In human society and its environment (HSIE), both subjects of history and geography are mandatory from Kindergarten to Year 10.

Students learn specific historical and geographical concepts and skills in history and geography. They also have an opportunity to learn more about people and the societies and environments in which they live through elective subjects in Years 7 to 10 (Stages 4 to 5).

A large number of individual subjects make up the key learning area of HSIE in which students:

research, gather and analyse information
question and make judgements
write for a variety of purposes.

In Year 11 and 12, students can choose from a range of HSIE courses. These include:

Aboriginal Studies
Ancient History
Business Studies
Economics
Geography
History Extension
Legal Studies
Modern History
Society and Culture
Studies of Religion.

History at Camden High School

"Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it?" - George Santayana

History is a disciplined process of inquiry into the past that develops students' curiosity and imagination. Awareness of history is an essential characteristic of any society, and historical knowledge is fundamental to understanding ourselves and others. It promotes the understanding of societies, events, movements and developments that have shaped humanity from earliest times. It helps students appreciate how the world and its people have changed, as well as the significant continuities that exist to the present day. History, as a discipline, has its own methods and procedures which make it different from other ways of understanding human experience. The study of history is based on evidence derived from remains of the past. It is interpretative by nature, promotes debate and encourages thinking about human values, including present and future challenges. The process of historical inquiry develops transferable skills, such as the ability to ask relevant questions; critically analyse and interpret sources; consider context; respect and explain different perspectives; develop and substantiate interpretations, and communicate effectively.

Geography at Camden High School

“Geography explains the past, illuminates the present and prepares us for the future. What could be more important than that?” – Michael Palin.

The aim of Geography is to stimulate students’ interests in and engagement with the world. Through geographical inquiry students, develop an understanding of the interactions between people, places and environments using a variety of methods to enable students to become informed, responsible and active citizens. Throughout the mandatory course in Stages 4 and 5, students have the opportunity to study, in depth, the concepts of place, space, environment, interconnection, scale, sustainability and change as well as various geographical skills such as mapping, graphing and statistics and visual representations. In addition to this, students undertake several fieldwork activities throughout both the Stage 4 and 5 courses.