General subjects suit students interested in pathways to tertiary studies, vocational education and training and work after senior secondary schooling. They include Extension subjects.
Results in General subjects contribute to the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) and may contribute to an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).
All General syllabuses are underpinned by:
Literacy skills
Literacy is the knowledge and skills about language and texts needed to understand and convey content.
Numeracy skills
Numeracy the knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions that students need to:
- use mathematics in a wide range of situations
- recognise and understand the role of mathematics in the world
- develop the dispositions and capacities to use mathematical knowledge and skills purposefully.
21st century skills
The skills students need for success in life and work in the 21st century. These skills include critical thinking, creative thinking, communication, collaboration and teamwork, personal and social skills, and ICT skills.
Flexible curriculum delivery
Queensland schools can use flexible strategies to deliver senior curriculum and assessment. These strategies include:
- variable progression rates
- combined classes
- school partnership arrangements.
Read the full report: Flexibility in senior secondary schooling: Flexible Curriculum Delivery Working Group findings (PDF, 308.9 KB).
The new QCE system maintains flexibility for schools in the delivery of senior syllabuses.
Concurrent delivery
All General syllabuses have a ‘Concurrent delivery’ resource. You can access this resource through the Resources tab in the Syllabuses application in the QCAA Portal.
The resource offers strategies to support combined classes. It explains how to align teaching, learning and assessment across Units 1 and 2 with Units 3 and 4.
Alternative sequences
For 13 General syllabuses, schools can implement an alternative sequence course of study. This is an option for managing combined classes of low-candidature subjects.
Subjects
Comparability with General syllabuses
Alternative sequences have the same syllabus objectives and subject matter as the parent syllabus. Where necessary, they may reorganise subject matter and assessment requirements to ensure comparable complexity across Units 1 and 2 and Units 3 and 4.
Subject results
An alternative sequence subject result does not differ from its parent General syllabus subject result for both certification and tertiary entrance purposes.
For example, a student awarded 74/100 for the General Modern History syllabus and a student awarded 74/100 in the Alternative Sequence Modern History will both have a 74/100 for Modern History recorded on their statement of results and provided to QTAC.
Access to alternative sequences
Alternative sequences and implementation resources are available to registered schools via the QCAA Portal.
School principals seeking access should contact: scu@qcaa.qld.edu.au.
More information
See the General syllabuses pages for subject-specific information, including links to syllabuses and teaching, learning and assessment resources.
- Last updated:
- 1 September 2026
