SACE Stage 2 Design, Technology and Engineering
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ExploreAbout this exam
Design, Technology and Engineering is a Stage 2 subject within the South Australian Certificate of Education, the senior secondary qualification delivered by the SACE Board of South Australia. Stage 2 is the final year of the certificate, and the subject is listed alongside the other Stage 2 subjects published by the Board. It suits students who want to combine practical designing and making with engineering-oriented thinking, and who intend to use the subject in a pathway to further study, training, traineeships or employment. This profile describes the subject in two domains: Design and Technology Skills and Knowledge, and Design and Technology Application. Detailed assessment requirements, performance standards and grade descriptors are published by the SACE Board in the subject outline and supporting teaching materials, so candidates should treat those official documents as authoritative rather than relying on third-party summaries. Preparation should centre on the Board's own resources for the subject: the subject outline, performance standards and grades, learning and assessment plans, and the quality assurance, moderation and external assessment pages. Students should also read the exam rules, preparing for an exam guidance and the exam timetable, and check Students Online for results, the Record of Achievement and the Tertiary Entrance Statement. Note that the Board has announced that sample exams and exam front covers will be removed from its website, with past examination papers remaining available as the most accurate exam preparation resource. This page is independent study material and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the SACE Board.
What you'll study
About SACE Stage 2 Design, Technology and Engineering preparation
Who awards this subject and where do I find the official rules?
The SACE Board of South Australia is the authority. Its website publishes the Stage 2 subject listing, the subject outline, performance standards and grades, learning and assessment plans, moderation information and exam rules. Use those documents as the source of truth for assessment requirements.
What does the exam actually cover?
This profile splits the subject into Design and Technology Skills and Knowledge, and Design and Technology Application. The precise assessable content, weightings and task types are set out in the Board's subject outline and assessment materials, so check those rather than assuming a fixed structure.
How hard is Stage 2 Design, Technology and Engineering?
Difficulty is not published as a statistic. The subject combines design thinking with engineering knowledge and practical application, so students who document their design process carefully and can justify decisions under exam conditions generally cope better than those who rely on practical work alone.
Can I resit or retake the exam?
The source text does not describe a retake policy for this subject, so no figure or rule is stated here. Ask your school's SACE coordinator or the SACE Board directly, and check the rules of assessment for students and special provisions pages.
How should I order my study?
Start with the subject outline and performance standards so you know what is judged, then build design and engineering knowledge, then practise applying it. Finish with past examination papers, which the Board describes as the most accurate resource for exam preparation.
Are sample exams still available?
The Board announced that sample exams and exam front covers will be removed from the SACE website, and that past examination papers remain available and continue to provide the most accurate resource for exam preparation. No effective date was given, so check the site.
What are the most common mistakes candidates make?
Typical failure modes are describing a product without justifying design decisions, ignoring the performance standards when judging their own work, and leaving past papers until the last week. Practising written justification and reviewing standards early addresses most of these.
Where do I get my results and tertiary statement?
The Board announced that the SACE Record of Achievement and the SATAC Tertiary Entrance Statement will be available digitally only in Students Online from 2025. Results are also covered under the Board's end-of-year and mid-year results pages.
Is this page run by the SACE Board?
No. This is independent study material for candidates. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced by the SACE Board of South Australia, and official documents on the Board's website always take precedence over anything written here.