Bachelor of Social Science (Advanced) (1733)

  • Approved Abbreviation: BSocialSci(Adv)
  • Western Sydney University Program Code: 1733
  • AQF Level: 7

This program applies to students who commenced in 2015 or later.

The Bachelor of Social Science (Advanced) degree is a broadly based, inter-disciplinary three year program offering flexibility and choice within a range of offerings in the social sciences. The degree is available to high-performing students and is comprised of an eight subject social science core, an eight subject social science major, four subjects of advanced study and four electives or an optional international placement. The majors and minors available within the social sciences include: Anthropology, Child and Community, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Geography and Urban Studies, Heritage and Tourism, Peace and Development Studies and Sociology. The advanced subjects that students undertake will complement these areas of study by encouraging students to develop leadership skills, by extending their capacity for critical and creative thinking, and by providing work experience in relevant fields. Students will also be encouraged to develop greater intercultural awareness and understanding through the option of an international placement and will benefit from being mentored by academics in relevant disciplines. The degree allows students to pursue studies in the social sciences that accord with their personal and occupational interests. It seeks to equip students with the interdisciplinary and specialist skills and knowledge, and real world experience that a new graduate would need in order to be competitive in the workforce or to undertake postgraduate study in the social sciences and related disciplines.

Study Mode

Three years full-time or six years part-time.

Program Advice

Dr Julia Kantek

Location

Campus Attendance Mode Advice
Liverpool Campus Full Time Internal Julia Kantek
Liverpool Campus Part Time Internal Julia Kantek
Parramatta Campus - Victoria Road Full Time Internal Julia Kantek
Parramatta Campus - Victoria Road Part Time Internal Julia Kantek
Penrith Campus Full Time Internal Julia Kantek
Penrith Campus Part Time Internal Julia Kantek

Admission

  • Assumed knowledge: two units of HSC English.
  • Recommended studies: HSC English Standard, or equivalent.
  • ATAR of at least 90.

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

Applicants who have undertaken studies overseas may have to provide proof of proficiency in English. Local and International 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.

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

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.

Special Requirements Prerequisites

Students who opt to enrol in SSIP as alternate core/electives are required to complete a Working with Children Check and obtain medical clearance for HUMN 3101 Social Sciences International Placement (II): Placement subject.

Program Structure

Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 240 credit points with no less than 60 credit points at Level 3.

Recommended Sequence

Students must maintain an average GPA of 5 throughout their degree.

Start-year intake

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
Autumn sessionCredit Points
CULT 1017 Understanding Society 10
BEHV 1021 The Individual in Society 10
Select one major subject 10
Select one elective 10
 Credit Points40
Spring session
HUMN 1060 Introduction to Indigenous Australia: Peoples, Places and Philosophies 10
HUMN 1041 People, Place and Social Difference 10
Select one core advanced subject from the list below 10
Select one major subject 10
 Credit Points40
Year 2
Autumn session
HUMN 2066 Investigating and Communicating Social Problems 10
Select one major subject 10
Select two core advanced subjects from the list below 20
 Credit Points40
Spring session
CULT 2005 Ethics in the Social Sciences 10
Select one core advanced subject from the list below 10
Select one major subject 10
Select one elective 10
 Credit Points40
Year 3
Autumn session
CULT 3001 Applied Social Research 10
Select two major subjects 20
Select one elective 10
 Credit Points40
Spring session
CULT 3007 Contemporary Social Issues and Professional Practice 10
Select two major subjects 20
Select one elective or Social Sciences International Placement subjects 10
 Credit Points40
 Total Credit Points240

Social Sciences International Placement Subjects

Those students who undertake the Social Sciences International Placement in Year 3 would be exempted from completing CULT 3007 Contemporary Social Issues and Professional Practice and three electives. The program structure would be varied as follows:

Plan of Study Grid
Year 3
Autumn sessionCredit Points
CULT 3001 Applied Social Research 10
Select two major subjects 20
Select one elective 10
 Credit Points40
2H session
HUMN 3100 Social Sciences International Placement (1): Preparation for Placement 10
HUMN 3101 Social Sciences International Placement (II): Placement 20
 Credit Points30
Summer A session
HUMN 3102 Social Sciences International Placement (III): Post-placement Reflections 10
 Credit Points10
 Total Credit Points80

Mid-year intake

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
Spring sessionCredit Points
HUMN 1060 Introduction to Indigenous Australia: Peoples, Places and Philosophies 10
HUMN 1041 People, Place and Social Difference 10
Select one major subject 10
Select one elective 10
 Credit Points40
Autumn session
CULT 1017 Understanding Society 10
BEHV 1021 The Individual in Society 10
Select one major subject 10
Select one core advanced subject from the list below 10
 Credit Points40
Year 2
Spring session
CULT 2005 Ethics in the Social Sciences 10
Select one core advanced subject from the list below 10
Select one major subject 10
Select one elective 10
 Credit Points40
Autumn session
HUMN 2066 Investigating and Communicating Social Problems 10
Select one major subject 10
Select two core advanced subjects from the list below 20
 Credit Points40
Year 3
Spring session
CULT 3007 Contemporary Social Issues and Professional Practice 10
Select two major subjects 20
Select one elective 10
 Credit Points40
Autumn session
CULT 3001 Applied Social Research 10
Select two major subjects 20
Select one elective or Social Sciences International Placement subjects 10
 Credit Points40
 Total Credit Points240

Social Sciences International Placement Subjects

Those students who undertake the Social Sciences International Placement in Year 3 would be exempted from completing CULT 3007 Contemporary Social Issues and Professional Practice and two electives. The program structure would be varied as follows:

Plan of Study Grid
Year 3
2H sessionCredit Points
HUMN 3100 Social Sciences International Placement (1): Preparation for Placement 10
HUMN 3101 Social Sciences International Placement (II): Placement 20
 Credit Points30
Summer A session
HUMN 3102 Social Sciences International Placement (III): Post-placement Reflections 10
 Credit Points10
Autumn session
CULT 3001 Applied Social Research 10
Select two major subjects 20
Select one elective 10
 Credit Points40
 Total Credit Points80

Majors

Students must select one of the following Majors.

Elective Minors 

Core Advanced Subjects - Applied Leadership, Minor

Applied Leadership

 Please note: Applied Leadership, Minor (0178) has been replaced by Creative Leadership, Minor (0286) from 2022. Continuing students enrolled in 0178 are able to remain in and successfully complete the subject requirements of this minor.

Subject Title Credit Points
DESN 2016Creativity, Design Thinking and Visualisation10
CULT 3011Ethical Leadership10
BEHV 2019Citizenship and Community Engagement10
BUSM 1044Leadership in Complexity10

Students who intend to take up an International Placement would follow a variation of this program.

Subject Title Credit Points
HUMN 3100Social Sciences International Placement (1): Preparation for Placement10
HUMN 3101Social Sciences International Placement (II): Placement20
HUMN 3102Social Sciences International Placement (III): Post-placement Reflections10

Equivalent Core Subjects

The core subjects listed below count towards completion of this program for students who passed these subjects 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

Equivalent Alternate Subject

The alternate subject listed below counts towards completion of this program for students who passed this subject in 2018 or earlier.

HUMN 3073 Social Sciences International Placement

Equivalent Core Advanced Subject - Applied Leadership, Minor

The advanced subject from the Applied Leadership, Minor  listed below counts towards completion of this minor for students who passed this subject in 2021 or earlier.

DESN 2002 - Creativity, Innovation and Design Thinking, replaced by DESN 2016 Creativity, Design Thinking and Visualisation
BUSM 1016 - Leadership in a Complex World, replaced by BUSM 1044 Leadership in Complexity
BEHV 2007 - Internship and Community Engagement, replaced by BEHV 2019 Citizenship and Community Engagement

Minor elective spaces

Elective subjects may be used toward obtaining an additional approved minor (40 credit points).  Western Sydney University offers minors in a range of areas including Sustainability and Indigenous Studies.

Global Sustainability Minor 
Indigenous Australian Studies Minor

Western Sydney University also offers the following innovative transdisciplinary Challenge Minors which we encourage those students who have elective space to consider.

Equitable Technologies
Urban Evolution
Migration and Global Change  
Personal Innovation    
Innovating, Creating and Problem Solving 
Eco-Socially Conscious Design and Manufacturing
Water for Life 
Climate Justice
Creative and Visual Communication
Global Workplaces
Innovating For Humans 
Creative Living for Cultural Wellbeing  
Ideate.Strategise.Innovate.
Humanising Data

For more information, visit the Challenge Minor website.  

Search for majors and minors

Students can apply for an elective minor via Western Now.

WesternNow

Students in Advanced programs may use elective subjects toward obtaining an additional approved minor in Critical Thinking.

Critical Thinking