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- Can students offer subjects beyond the norm combination?
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- How many H2 subjects does a student have to take? Is the number still three or four just like the previous ‘A’ level subjects?
- Will students be allowed to offer H2 Maths if they did not offer Additional Mathematics at ‘O’ Level?
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- Why should students offer H1 subjects?
- Can a student offer a subject at both H1 and H2 levels?
- As an H1 subject is half the curriculum time and content of a H2 subject, can JC students complete the syllabus in one year?
- Is there a cap on the number of H1 subjects that can be taken for examination at the end of JC1/CI2?
- Can students switch from H1 to H2 and vice versa?
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1. Can students offer subjects beyond the norm combination?
The norm is for students to offer three H2 and one H1 content-based subjects, one of which is a contrasting subject. Students must also offer General Paper, MTL and Project Work. This would present a manageable workload for students to enjoy a holistic education. Students who have the passion for a particular subject and have the time to go beyond the norm may offer additional H1/H2 subjects or up to two H3 subjects. For most students, they should not offer more than the norm so that they have time for co-curricular and other activities.
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2. What are H2 subjects? How are they different from the previous ‘A’ level subjects?
H2 subjects are equivalent to the previous ‘A’ level subjects in terms of demand and intellectual challenge. Most H2 subjects would have similar coverage as the previous ‘A’ level subjects but would have content reduced to free up curriculum time for contrasting subjects and non-academic pursuits.
3. How many H2 subjects does a student have to take? Is the number still three or four just like the previous ‘A’ level subjects?
The norm is for students to offer three H2 and one H1 content-based subjects (one of which is a contrasting subject), in addition to GP, MTL and PW. Such a combination will mean a total curriculum time of between 26-29 hours per week. This will be manageable for most students. Students who have the passion for a particular subject and have the time to go beyond the norm may offer additional H2 subjects. For most students, however, they should not offer more than the norm so that they have time for their co-curricular and other activities.
4. Will students be allowed to offer H2 Maths if they did not offer Additional Mathematics at ‘O’ Level?
The H2 Maths syllabus assumes knowledge of Additional Maths at 'O' level. However, schools may allow students who did not offer Additional Maths at ‘O’ level to offer H2 Maths if they show an aptitude for the subject. These students must be prepared to put in the work to bridge the knowledge gap.
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5. What are H1 subjects and how are they different from the AO’ level subjects? How do they compare with H2 subjects?
An H1 subject is equivalent to half of an H2 subject in terms of curriculum time. However, the intellectual difficulty and rigour of an H1 subject is comparable with the H2 subject. For example, H2 History comprises 2 papers: Paper 1 is on International History (1945-2000) and Paper 2 is on History of Southeast Asia (1900-1997). H1 History comprises only one paper, International History (1945-2000). It is half of H2 History in terms of content but the skills for H1 History are similar to H2 History. Historical skills such as construction of argument, use of evidence and interpretation of the past are emphasised as these skills are fundamental to the History discipline. Students offering H1 History would be expected to demonstrate these skills in essays and source-based study. In that sense, an H1 subject retains the academic rigour of an H2 subject.
6. Why should students offer H1 subjects?
H1 subjects will broaden students and allow them to pursue an area of interest in which they do not intend to specialise. Also, H1 subjects will enable students to acquire foundational knowledge and skills in a subject area which will support their future studies at university level.
7. Can a student offer a subject at both H1 and H2 levels?
Students are not allowed to take the same subject at both H1 and H2 levels as this would lead to a narrowing of the range of learning. Generally, an H1 subject covers part of the skills and content found in the corresponding H2 subject.
8. As an H1 subject i s half the curriculum time and content of an H2 subject, can JC students complete the syllabus in one year?
Yes, schools may choose to offer the H1 subject either over one or two years. JC students may sit for the H1 examination at the end of JC1. CI students may complete the syllabus in either two or three years.
9. Is there a cap on the number of H1 subjects that can be taken for examination at the end of JC1/CI2?
As is the current policy, students can sit for the H1 MTL exams at the end of JC1/CI2. In addition, students can sit for one H1 content-based subject examination at the end of JC1/CI2. However, students are not allowed to repeat the H1 content-based subject in their JC2/CI3 year.
10. Can students swit ch from H1 to H2 and vice versa?
Students who wish to switch between H1 and H2 in the same subject may do so, but will have to obtain the necessary permission from their school. In switching from H1 to H2, a student must be mindful that there are knowledge gaps and different demands between the two syllabi. Also, if a student switches to the same subject at H2 level in JC2 after taking the GCE ‘A’ level examination for the H1 subject at the end of JC1, the H1 grade obtained at JC1 will not be reflected in the school graduation certificate.
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11. What is a contrasting subject? Why should students offer a contrasting subject?
A contrasting subject is a content-based subject taken outside a student’s main area of specialisation. For example, students doing three H2 Maths/Science subjects could offer H1 Literature as a contrasting subject. This is for the purpose of broadening the students’ experience. Contrasting subjects could be offered at H1 or H2 level. The new subject, Knowledge and Inquiry, will be considered a contrasting subject for both Humanities & the Arts, and Mathematics & Science, as it requires students to read widely from the different disciplines. For example, H1 Mathematics will provide an Arts student a grounding in Statistics useful in social science studies at tertiary level.
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12. Are H3 programmes the same as the previous ‘S’ papers?
H3 programmes are meant to allow exceptional students to pursue a subject or area in which they have the interest and aptitude. Unlike the previous ‘S’ papers, H3 programmes have separate syllabi that take students beyond H2 syllabi. H3 programmes may also take on different modes, such as an extended research essay or a university-taught course.
13. Do H3 subjects replace 'S' papers where scholarships are concerned? What are the eligibility criteria?
For information on PSC scholarships, please refer to the PSC website at http://app.psc.gov.sg/scholarships/html/scholarships.asp.
14. What are the benefits of taking an H3 programme?
H3 programmes will enable our students to pursue their passions and stretch themselves. Currently, universities may admit up to 10% of their students under discretionary admission. From 2008, students’ H3 scores will be considered for discretionary admission.
15. How many H3 programmes can a student offer?
Students who have a passion for a particular subject and the time to manage a workload beyond the norm subject combination may choose to specialise by offering a maximum of two H3 programmes.
16. Can a student offer an H3 programme without offering the corresponding subject at H2 level?
No. H3 programmes are intended to build on the knowledge and skills taught at H2 level but in a more specialised area. Because of the depth involved, students will have to offer H3 programmes together with the corresponding subject at H2 level to acquire the foundational knowledge needed for the H3 programme. For example, students who wish to offer H3 Art will also have to offer H2 Art.
17. How does a student qualify to offer an H3 programme?
As schools best know their students’ abilities, schools will have the autonomy to select students for H3 programmes, just as they did previously when they selected exceptional students for ‘S’ papers.
18. What is the curriculum time for an H3 programme and how is the time allocated?
The total curriculum time for H3 programmes is between 112 to 210 hours, depending on the nature of the programmes, e.g. whether it involves field trips or laboratory work. This is about ½ to ¾ of the curriculum time of an H2 subject. The curriculum time takes into account lectures, tutorials, field work, laboratory and research work, consultation with mentors, and independent work by students.
19. What are the criteria for determining if a subject is to be offered as an H1, H2 or H3 subject? For example, Biology is offered at the H2 level but at the H3 level, an integrated science is offered instead. How is this decided?
H1 syllabi are designed in various ways so that they present half the learning load of the subject at H2 level. H3 programmes assume that students are offering the subject at H2 level but allow students to study the subject at greater depth or in a more specialised area. This allows different modes of H3’s to be offered. In the case of Biology, considering the dynamic nature of the subject, offering an integrated Science subject which includes Biology and Chemistry would reflect the current development in the life sciences.
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20. With content reduction, will students lose out in terms of in-depth knowledge in the subject? Will they be adequately prepared for university?
The sizing of subject content was worked out carefully and in consultation with the universities and the JCs/CI. Students will continue to be adequately prepared for university education. There is also greater emphasis placed on thinking and processing skills in the revised curriculum.
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21. Is KI a content-based subject?
KI has both a knowledge (content) component and a skills-based
component. KI may be offered in lieu of GP. At the same time it is regarded as a contrasting subject for both the Science and Arts. Students offering KI must offer it as their fourth H2 subject. For admission to NUS and NTU, half of the KI grade points will be counted towards GP and the other half can be counted as a H1 content-based grade.
22. Are there selection criteria for KI?
KI has to be offered as students' fourth H2 subject. It is an intellectually demanding subject. Students offering the subject should have a good command of the English Language, a curious mind and a keen interest in the world around them. They are expected to do much reading. There is an independent study component where students are required to work on a research topic of their choice for six months, so students offering KI should be capable of and comfortable with working independently.
23. Are repeat students allowed to drop KI?
Repeat students who wish to drop KI would have to take up GP and a contrasting subject if theyhave no other contrasting subject besides KI.
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24. Will students be able to sit the Mother Tongue Languages (MTL) and Foreign Languages (FL) examinations at the end of JC1?
There will be no change of policy with regard to the offering of MTL and FL. Students will continue to be allowed to sit for the H1 MTL and FL examinations at the end of JC1.
25. If a student has already obtained a pass in ‘O’ level Higher MTL and does not wish to do H1 MTL, can he/she offer another subject in lieu of H1 MTL?
There is no change in the MTL policy. Students need not take the H1 MTL examination if they have obtained a D7 or better in Higher MTL at ‘O’ level as they would have been deemed to have fulfilled the MTL requirement. However, as MTL is an integral part of the 'A' level curriculum, H1 MTL cannot be replaced with another subject. Students who do not offer H1 MTL for examination are still expected to engage actively in the learning of MTL.
As the H2 Mother Tongue Language and Literature (MTLL) (i.e. Chinese Language and Literature, Malay Language and Literature and Tamil Language and Literature) syllabi already include a 50% language component, JC/CI students may offer H2 MTLL in lieu of H1 MTL.
26. Can MTLL and FL at H2 level be considered content subjects?
MTLL and FL at H2 level are considered content subjects. MTLL at H2 level have significant literature content, covering classical and modern prose and poetry while H2 FL have wide-ranging topic areas that include political, cultural and social issues. H2 MTLL and FL can therefore be offered as contrasting subjects for science students.
27. Can H1 FL be counted towards the H1 content subject?
For a student taking H1 FL as third language (L3), should he/she offer MTL, PW and a H1 content subject at the end of JC1/CI2, the H1 FL can be counted towards the H1 content subject.
All examinable subjects taken at ‘A’ level can be counted towards the university aggregate. For students taking H1 FL as L3 (i.e. not as their MTL), the H1 FL grade can be counted towards the aggregate of "GP+PW+3H2+1H1". As H1 FL is not a contrasting subject, students should have one H2 contrasting subject.
28. Under the current 'A' level curriculum, what are the Mother Tongue subjects that can be counted towards the University Admission Score?
(a) For university admission from AY2008, students can opt to include H1 Mother Tongue Language (MTL) in their university score. As per previous practice, ‘O’ level HMTL grades can take the place of H1 MTL in the computation of the University Admission Score. ‘O’ level HMTL cannot be counted together with H1 MTL. The better grade of the two subjects may be used.
(b) In the current ‘A’ level curriculum, ‘A’ level MTL and ‘A’ level HMTL have merged to become H2 Mother Tongue Language and Literature (MTLL). H2 MTLL, with its literature component, is regarded as a content-based subject and can be used for computation of the University Admission Score together with ‘O’ level HMTL.
(c) Students will be allowed to count both H1 MTL and H2 MTLL towards the University Admission Score.
The following table shows what can and cannot be counted together under the previous and the current ‘A’ level curriculum.
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Current Curriculum
(since 2006)
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Previous Curriculum
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1
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‘O’ Higher MTL cannot be counted together with H1 MTL.
(The better grade of the 2 subjects may be used)
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‘O’ Higher MTL cannot be counted together with ‘AO’ MTL.
(The better grade of the 2 subjects may be used)
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2.
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‘O’ Higher MTL can be counted together with H2 MTLL.
H1 MTL can be counted together with H2 MTLL
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‘O’ Higher MTL cannot be counted together with ‘A’ MTL.
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‘O’ Higher MTL can be counted together with ‘A’ Higher MTL.
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‘AO’ MTL cannot be counted together with ‘A’ MTL
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29. Is there any change in the Bonus Point Scheme for MT subjects (for admission into MT-related courses in the universities)?
The allocation of MT bonus points for students applying for MT-related courses in the universities will be in parity with the previous practice. The following MT bonus points will be awarded:
(a) Two bonus points for applicants who have passed H2 MTLL;
(b) One bonus point for applicants who obtained an A grade in H1 MTL;
(c) One bonus point for applicants who obtained at least a B grade in H1 General Studies in Chinese; and
(d) Students offering any combinations of MT-related subjects are allowed to accumulate the MT bonus points allocated for each subject, including a combination of H1 MTL and H2 MTLL.
(e) The cap on bonus points for MT will be three.
The following table shows the MT bonus points awarded under the previous and the current ‘A’ level curriculum.
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Subject
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MT Bonus Points
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Current Curriculum
since 2006
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Previous Curriculum
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H2 MTLL
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2 pts for a pass
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1 pt for a pass in ‘A’ MTL
2 pts for a pass in ‘A’ HMTL
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H1 MTL
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1 pt for an A
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1 pt for at least an A2 in ‘AO’ MTL
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General Studies in CL
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1 pt for at least a B
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1 pt for at least a B3
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Cap of MT bonus point
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3 pts
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2 pts
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30. What curriculum will be offered by the CI?
The CI will offer the current ‘A’ level curriculum, like the JCs. However, the CI will continue to offer a three-year course instead of the two-year course offered by JCs.
31. Will the CI offer the same curriculum as the JCs?
The CI will offer the range of subjects similar to the previous curriculum. It will continue to offer Commerce subjects such as Principles of Accounting and Management of Business, both at H2 level.
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32. How is a good balance achieved between the greater emphasis on knowledge skills with values education and character development?
The revised JC curriculum will continue to place emphasis on the non-academic curriculum. This will help students develop strength of character, and important qualities such as initiative and leadership skills, as well as life skills. There will be more opportunities inside and outside of schools for students to engage in projects and ventures. These will help develop initiative, independence and an entrepreneurial mindset.
33. Is CCA counted in the computation of the University Admission Score?
CCA will not be counted. However, from 2007, CCA achievements will be considered for discretionary admission into the universities or particular faculties.
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34. How will the students be graded?
The grading system for the three levels of study is shown below:
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H1 Subjects
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H2 Subjects
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H3 Subjects
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A
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A
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Distinction
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B
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B
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Merit
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C
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C
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Pass
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D
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D
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Ungraded
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E
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E
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S
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S
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