Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Social Science (1808)

  • Approved Abbreviation: BA/BSocSc
  • Western Sydney University Program Code: 1808
  • AQF Level: 7

CRICOS Code: 089201M

This program applies to students who commenced in 2020 or later.

Students should follow the program structure for the session start date relevant to the year they commenced.

Commencement Year 2017 to 2019 - 1808.2 Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Social Science

Commencement Year 2015 to 2016 - 1808.1 Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Social Science

This double degree program is designed for students whose interests span the Arts and Social Sciences. It will produce versatile graduates who can work across a range of academic and professional disciplines, including the opportunity to develop global perspectives and communication skills in an Asian language. In the Social Science area, students can design their own academic program within the Bachelor of Social Science program structure, which must include a Social Science Major. This qualification in Social Science is then combined with an Arts major, such as: Culture and Society; English; History and Political Thought; International Relations and Asian Studies; Islamic Studies; Philosophy; Linguistics; Indigenous Australian Studies; Arabic; Chinese; Japanese.

Students in this double degree also have the opportunity to complete a semester of study overseas and receive advanced standing towards their BA majors and minors subject to WSU limits on advanced standing. Students are encouraged to do so but must discuss this with a BA course advisor first.

Study Mode

Four years full-time or eight years part-time.

Program Advice

enquiriesHCA@westernsydney.edu.au

Prospective students should visit the following websites for general enquiries about this program.

Enquire about this program| Local Admission | International Admission |

Location

Campus Attendance Mode Advice
Bankstown City Campus Full Time Internal See above
Bankstown City Campus Part Time Internal See above
Parramatta Campus - Victoria Road Full Time Internal See above
Parramatta Campus - Victoria Road Part Time Internal See above
Penrith Campus Full Time Internal See above
Penrith Campus Part Time Internal See above

Admission

Assumed Knowledge: two units of HSC English.

IELTS (Academic) - 6.5 overall score with a minimum 6.0 in each subtest

Applications from Australian and New Zealand citizens and holders of permanent resident visas may be made via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) or directly through the Western Portal. Use the links below to apply via UAC or Western Sydney University. Applications made directly to Western Sydney do not have an application fee.

http://www.uac.edu.au/
https://westernsydney.uac.edu.au/ws/

Applicants who have undertaken studies overseas may have to provide proof of proficiency in English. Local applicants who are applying through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) will find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on the UAC website. Local applicants applying directly to the University should also use the information provided on the UAC website.

International students currently completing an Australian Year 12 in or outside Australia, an International Baccalaureate in Australia or a New Zealand National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) level 3 must apply via UAC International.

http://www.uac.edu.au/

All other International applicants must apply directly to the University via the International Office.  

International students applying to the University through the International Office can find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on their website.

International Office

Overseas qualifications must be deemed by the Australian Education International - National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) to be equivalent to Australian qualifications in order to be considered by UAC and Western Sydney University.

Program Structure

Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 320 credit points comprising

  • A Bachelor of Social Science Core of 80 credit points
  • A Bachelor of Arts Core of 40 credit points
  • A Bachelor of Arts major of 80 credit points
  • A Bachelor of Arts minor of 40 credit points
  • A Social Science major of 80 credit points

Social Science Core Subjects

Subject Title Credit Points
CULT 3001Applied Social Research10
CULT 3007Contemporary Social Issues and Professional Practice10
CULT 2005Ethics in the Social Sciences10
HUMN 1041People, Place and Social Difference10
HUMN 2066Investigating and Communicating Social Problems10
BEHV 1021The Individual in Society10
CULT 1017Understanding Society10
HUMN 1060Introduction to Indigenous Australia: Peoples, Places and Philosophies10
Total Credit Points80

Arts Core Subjects

Students must complete 40 credit points from the following subjects

Subject Title Credit Points
HUMN 1052Australian Politics and Active Citizenship10
HUMN 1053Diversity, Language and Culture10
LANG 1029Foundations of Academic English10
LANG 1030Thinking Critically About Texts and Society10
Total Credit Points40

Arts Majors

Some Majors and Minors have inherent requirements.

Click here for details of the Inherent Requirements

Note: Not all majors are available on all campuses.

Arts Minors

Note: Not all Arts minors are available on all campuses.

Social Science Majors

Students should seek academic program advice as the Social Science major subjects are all compulsory and only available in particular semesters.

Replaced Majors and Minors

The majors and minors listed below count towards completion of this Program for students who began studying these majors and minors prior to the years indicated below.

M1052 Cultural and Social Analysis, Major, replaced by Culture and Society, Major in 2020 (listed above).
M1054 History and Political Thought, Major, replaced by History and Political Thought, Major in 2020 (listed above).
M1129 International English, Major, replaced by International English, Major in 2020 (listed above).

SM1070 Cultural and Social Analysis, Minor, replaced by Culture and Society, Minor in 2020 (listed above).
SM1072 History and Political Thought, Minor, replaced by History and Political Thought, Minor in 2020 (listed above).
SM1132 International English, Minor, replacedy by International English, Minor in 2020 (listed above).

Recommended Sequence 

Recommended Sequence - Bankstown and Penrith Campuses

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
Autumn sessionCredit Points
LANG 1029 Foundations of Academic English 10
CULT 1017 Understanding Society 10
BEHV 1021 The Individual in Society 10
Select one of the following: 10
Australian Politics and Active Citizenship  
One Level 1 Arts major subject
 
 Credit Points40
Spring session
HUMN 1041 People, Place and Social Difference 10
HUMN 1060 Introduction to Indigenous Australia: Peoples, Places and Philosophies 10
HUMN 1053 Diversity, Language and Culture 10
One Level 1 Arts major subject 10
 Credit Points40
Year 2
Autumn session
HUMN 2066 Investigating and Communicating Social Problems 10
LANG 1030 Thinking Critically About Texts and Society 10
One Level 1 Social Science major subject 10
Select one of the following: 10
Australian Politics and Active Citizenship  
One Level 1 Arts major subject
 
 Credit Points40
Spring session
CULT 2005 Ethics in the Social Sciences 10
One Social Science major subject 10
One Arts major subject 10
One Arts minor subject 10
 Credit Points40
Year 3
Autumn session
CULT 3001 Applied Social Research 10
One Social Science major subject 10
One Arts major subject 10
One Arts minor subject or Social Science major subject 10
 Credit Points40
Spring session
Two Arts Major subjects 20
Two Social Science major subjects or one Social Science major subject and one Arts minor subject 20
 Credit Points40
Year 4
Autumn session
One Arts Major subject 10
One Arts minor subject 10
Two Social Science major subjects or one Social Science major subject and one Arts minor subject 20
 Credit Points40
Spring session
CULT 3007 Contemporary Social Issues and Professional Practice 10
One Arts major subject 10
Two Social Science major subjects or one Social Science major subject and one Arts minor subject 20
 Credit Points40
 Total Credit Points320

Recommended Sequence - Parramatta Campus

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
Autumn sessionCredit Points
BEHV 1021 The Individual in Society 10
CULT 1017 Understanding Society 10
One Level 1 BA Core subject 10
One Level 1 BA Core subject 10
 Credit Points40
Spring session
HUMN 1041 People, Place and Social Difference 10
HUMN 1060 Introduction to Indigenous Australia: Peoples, Places and Philosophies 10
One Level 1 BA Core subject 10
One Level 1 BA Core subject 10
 Credit Points40
Year 2
Autumn session
HUMN 2066 Investigating and Communicating Social Problems 10
One Level 1 Social Science major subject 10
One Level 1 Arts major subject 10
One Arts minor subject 10
 Credit Points40
Spring session
CULT 2005 Ethics in the Social Sciences 10
One Level 1 Arts major subject 10
Two Social Science major subjects or one Social Science major subject and one Arts minor subject 20
 Credit Points40
Year 3
Autumn session
CULT 3001 Applied Social Research 10
One Social Science major subject 10
One Arts major subject 10
One Arts minor subject or one Social Science major subject 10
 Credit Points40
Spring session
Two Arts Major subjects 20
Two Social Science major subjects or one Social Science major subject and one Arts minor subject 20
 Credit Points40
Year 4
Autumn session
One Arts Major subject 10
One Arts minor subject 10
Two Social Science major subjects or one Social Science major subject and one Arts minor subject 20
 Credit Points40
Spring session
CULT 3007 Contemporary Social Issues and Professional Practice 10
One Arts major subject 10
Two Social Science major subjects or one Social Science major subject and one Arts minor subject 20
 Credit Points40
 Total Credit Points320

Equivalent Core Subjects

The Core subjects listed below count towards completion of this program for students who passed these units in 2020 or earlier.

CULT 1020 Working with Communities, replaced by HUMN 1060 Introduction to Indigenous Australia: Peoples, Places and Philosophies

HUMN 2049 Social Research Methods, replaced by HUMN 2066 Investigating and Communicating Social Problems