VWO subject combinations
The common component, specialised components and optional component comprise the following subjects and half-subjects:
Common component (for all pupils)
· Dutch language and literature 480
· English language and literature 400
· French language and literature 1 160
· German language and literature 1 160
· general science 200
· history and social studies 200
· culture and the arts 1 200
· physical education 1 160
Pupils may, if they wish, swap the half-subjects mathematics B1, physics 1 and chemistry 1 for mathematics B1&2, physics 1&2 and chemistry 1&2 respectively, all of which are full subjects.
Pupils may, if they wish, swap the full subject mathematics A1&2 for the half-subject mathematics B1 or the full subject mathematics B1&2.
Culture and society (specialised component)
· one of the following half-subjects, to be combined with the corresponding half-subject from the common component:
o French language and literature 2 200
o German language and literature 2 200
or one of the following subjects:
o Latin language and literature 480
o Greek language and literature 480
· one of the subjects or half-subjects listed under a) with the study load indicated, or philosophy with a study load of 320 hours
· the half-subject culture and the arts 2 with a study load of 200 hours, combined with one of the following half-subjects with a study load as indicated:
o culture and the arts 3 (art and design) 280
· history 360
· mathematics A1 360
Havo subject combinations
The common component, specialised components and optional component comprise the following subjects and half-subjects:
Common component (for all pupils)
· Dutch language and literature 400
· English language and literature 360
· French language and literature 1 or German language and literature 1 160
· general science 160
· history and social studies 120
· culture and the arts 1 120
Pupils may, if they wish, swap the half-subjects mathematics B1, physics 1 and chemistry 1 for mathematics B1&2, physics 1&2 and chemistry 1&2 respectively, all of which are full subjects.
Pupils may, if they wish, swap the full subject mathematics A1&2 for the half-subject mathematics B1 or the full subject mathematics B1&2.
Culture and society (specialised component)
· one of the following half-subjects, to be combined with the corresponding half-subject from the common component:
o French or German language and literature 1&2: 360
· the half-subject culture and the arts 2 with a study load of 120 hours, combined with one of the following half-subjects with a study load as indicated:
The HAVO and VWO school-leaving examinations cover the following subjects:
· the subjects that make up the common component, including the literature element of language studies, for which a separate mark is awarded, although there is no separate study load;
· the relevant specialised subjects, including a project with a study load of 80 hours;
· pupils cannot be examined twice in the same subject, e.g. they can sit the exam in economics 1 or in economics 1,2, but not in both;
· pupils can, however, sit exams in both mathematics A and mathematics B;
· subjects or other elements of the curriculum that make up the optional component.
Not every subject taken as part of the optional component has to be an exam subject. The optional component generally accounts for 120 hours of the exam syllabus, depending on the study load in the specialised component. Schools may offer pupils the chance to take additional subjects - bringing the study load to over 120 hours - without sitting an exam in them.
Marks are awarded on a scale ranging from 1 (very poor) to 10 (excellent). A six is a pass. Pupils can still be awarded an overall pass mark even if they get a lower grade in up to two subjects (either two fives or one four and one five is acceptable). Pupils who get a grade of 3 or lower in any of their subjects have failed. In addition, pupils must have no more than one grade 4 or 5 in their specialised subjects.
Rodica Barlau-2002