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New VCE Subject - Algorithmics 3&4

MGC will be offering students who have completed or enrolled in Maths Methods 1&2 the opportunity to choose Algorithmics 3&4 as a VCE subject in 2016.

Algorithmics is the study of rules, systems and processes that solve complex problems either quickly or exactly.  Examples of this are Google Page rank, how Facebook determines what items appear in your newsfeed, automated online loan applications, or even whether or not you are a citizen of a country in the absence of birthplace data. Given the rise of the Internet of Things, algorithms that can sort through your metadata will become increasingly important for government agencies and business.

The new subject has been developed by the VCAA in conjunction with the University of Melbourne and Monash University to meet the future demand for creating, implementing and understanding the use of Algorithms. It is classed as a HESS (Higher Education Scored Study) so unlike University Enrichment subjects it can count in the students’ top 4 subjects for their ATAR. It is essentially first year university Computer Science and enables students with a strength in Mathematics another subject to choose from. Algorithmics 3&4 provides the foundation for studying Computer Science and Software Engineering at a tertiary level, and at the University of Melbourne students are offered first year subject credit points towards the Bachelor of Science and the Bachelor of Biomedicine.

This subject is not designed to turn students into coders, but into computational thinkers who can understand how to take a complex problem in real-life and apply the best problem-solving method (algorithm) to it. This is an invaluable skill to anyone no matter what field of work they are in.

For further information refer to the MGC Senior School Handbook 2016, the VCAA website (http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/) or the University of Melbourne School of Engineering (http://www.cis.unimelb.edu.au/schools/algorithmics.html.