Do you know what subjects you are going to choose when you get to Grade 10? Whether you like it or not, your subject choice is going to affect your career choice – from the courses you will qualify for, to the jobs you will be able to get.
On this page, we will look at the Grade 10 -12 compulsory subjects, as well as the choice subjects that you can select based on your carer preferences.
I would definitely say that, subject choice in Grade 10 should be carefully supervised by an experienced career guide. Many learners have got no clue on what subjects they are most likely to excel in, what their personality types are, as well as the reality of the job market out there. Many universities, such as the University of Cape Town, University of Johannesburg, Wits and many others, often visit the schools all over South Africa to help students with subject choices.
The subjects you choose in Grade 10 will be your main subjects that you will study until you finish your high school. However, with proper motivation, It is still possible to change subjects in Grade 11, yet almost impossible to change in Grade 12.
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Subjects to Choose in Grade 10
In this section, we will look at the subjects to choose in Grade 10, from the compulsory to the elective ones. All learners in from Grade 10 onwards, are required to have a minimum of 7 subjects: 4 compulsory and 3 elective subjects.
Compulsory Subjects in Grades 10–12
There are 4 compulsory subjects for Grade 10 learners are:
- A Home Language (consisting of all 11 South African official languages)
- A First Additional Language
- Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy
- Life Orientation
Depending on your mathematical abilities, you will have to choose between pure Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy. Having Mathematics Grade 12 will open more career doors for you than Mathematical Literacy. With Grade 12 Mathematics, you will have high subjects credits than with Grade 12 Mathematical Literacy. That’s a reality in all South African universities.
Elective Subjects in Grade 10 – 12
When it comes to the elective subjects, Grade 10 learners can choose from the following 20 credit subjects:
- Accounting
- Agricultural Sciences
- Business Studies
- Dramatic Arts
- Economics
- Engineering Graphics and Design
- Geography
- History
- Consumer Studies
- Information Technology
- Life Sciences
- Music
- Physical Sciences
- Religious Studies
- Visual Arts
Grade 10 – 12 learners need to choose 3 subjects in this category. So, these 3 subjects combined with the compulsory subjects will form a total of 7 subjects.
Extra Subjects for Grade 10 – 12
After Grade 10 learners have chosen their 7 subjects as demonstrated above, they can now choose extra subjects if they wish to do so. The extra subjects you can choose in Grade 10 are the following:
- Computer Applications Technology,
- Design,
- Dance,
- Mechanical Technology,
- Hospitality Studies, and
- Tourism
Important note: Learners should not chose extra subjects (more than 7) if they are average students, as this will surbotage the performance in other high credit subjects.
However, learners with more than 7 subjects are able to use that to their advantage when they apply for university courses. Extra subjects are used as a backup for incase learners do not perform well in some subjects. For example: depending on the specific application requirements, extra subjects in Grade 12 can stand in the position of those subjects with lower marks.
High Credit Subjects in South Africa
Amongst all the subjects we discussed above, do you know what the high value subjects are? Well, if you did not know, high value subjects are those subjects that carry more value towards your university application. These subjects still have same credits as the compulsory and elective subjects. However, they are valued higher than others when you calculate your APS score at universities.
The high credit subjects in South Africa are the following:
- Mathematics
- Physical Science
- Life Sciences
Although these are high credit subjects, you still need to do wel in these subjects in order to se the benefits. If you do well in the three subjects above, you will be able to apply for any course in South African universities. And, your chances of being rejected due to space issue will be relatively minimal.
That’s all. All the best with your Grade 10 subject choice.
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