Diploma in Social Science/Bachelor of Humanitarian and Development Studies (6027)
- Approved Abbreviation: DipSocSc/BHumDevStud
- Western Sydney University Program Code: 6027
- AQF Level: 7
CRICOS Code: 096980J
This program has been suspended from July 2023.
Students should follow the program structure for the session start date relevant to the year they commenced.
The Bachelor of Humanitarian and Development Studies covers all aspects of disaster management, humanitarian assistance, and development to equip students with the required skills, knowledge, and practical experience (i.e. humanitarian crisis simulation + international placement) that make them ready to work with national and international government and non-government organisations implementing short- and long-term life-saving programs. The degree provides a theory-driven and as well as a comprehensive field experience package that enhance students’ learning, research skills, real world experience, and career readiness.
The first year of this program is delivered by Western Sydney University The College, as an agent of Western Sydney University, via extended face-to-face hours in smaller learning environments. A Diploma in Social Science exit point is also available at the end of the first year of the program.
For more information on Western Sydney University, The College, please refer to their web site.
Western Sydney University, The College
Early Exit
Students may exit this program on completion of 100 credit points with a 7050 Diploma in Social Science (exit only)
Study Mode
Three years full-time or six years part-time.
Program Advice
For program advice during your first year of study, contact The College: College Program Enquiries
For program advice during your second and subsequent years of study, please use the contact listed for the Bachelor of Humanitarian and Development Studies
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 Campus1 | Full Time | Internal | See above |
| Bankstown City Campus | Part Time | Internal | See above |
| Parramatta Campus - Victoria Road2 | Full Time | Internal | Garry Stevens |
| Parramatta Campus - Victoria Road | Part Time | Internal | Garry Stevens |
| Penrith Campus2 | Full Time | Internal | See above |
| Penrith Campus | Part Time | Internal | See above |
- 1
Students will study at WSU -The College Bankstown City Campus in their first year of study.
- 2
From second year onwards, students will study at either Parramatta (Victoria Rd) or Penrith campus.
Work Integrated Learning
Western Sydney University seeks to enhance student learning experiences by enabling students to engage in the culture, expectations and practices of their profession or discipline. This program includes a placement or other community-based unpaid practical experience.
There is a mandatory work component required for completion of this program. Please contact the Program Advisor listed above for information.
International students should also refer to the link below for more information and a link to the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).
Admission
For more information on applying please see link to The College admission pages below.
https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/thecollege/how_to_apply
Domestic students are required to have:
- Completed an English subject in the NSW Higher School Certificate, Or
- Competency in English at IELTS 6.0 equivalent Or
- Passed The College English test at IELTS 6.0 equivalent Or
- Passed The College Foundation Studies Academic English subject at C grade level or higher.
Met other entry requirements such as:
- An ATAR identified prior to the offer of a place, Or
- Completed The College Foundation Studies program with a Grade Point Average of 5.5 or higher.
International students must satisfy one of the following language requirements:
- IELTS 6.0 with a minimum 5.5 in each sub band Or
- Completed the College EAP 4 program with a 50% pass Or
- Passed The College English test at IELTS 6.0 equivalent Or
- Passed The College Foundation Studies Academic English subject at C grade level or higher for which advanced standing can be applied for.
Academic Entry Requirements vary according to country of origin. However, in general:
- Completion of Year 12 or its equivalent is the minimum entry requirement Or
- Completed The College Foundation Studies program with a Grade Point Average of 5.5 or higher.
Special Requirements
Working with Children Check where required and for international placements, a medical clearance to enrol in HUMN 3101 Social Sciences International Placement (II): Placement.
Recommended Sequence Current
If you commenced in 2022, please refer to the Sequence 2022 tab for details.
Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 260 credit points as per the recommended sequence below.
The early exit College Diploma consists of 100 credit points which includes two College Preparatory subjects.
Western Sydney University The College Subjects
| Year 1 | Credit Points | |
|---|---|---|
| Preparatory subjects | ||
| LANG 0056 | Advanced Communication for Social Science (WSTC Prep) | 10 |
| CULT 0006 | Key Concepts and Skills in the Social Sciences (WSTC Prep) | 10 |
| Credit Points | 20 | |
| Total Credit Points | 20 | |
Students must pass the following University level subjects
| Subject | Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| HUMN 1062 | Introduction to Indigenous Australia: Peoples, Places and Philosophies (WSTC) | 10 |
| CULT 1019 | Understanding Society (WSTC) | 10 |
| HUMN 1042 | People, Place and Social Difference (WSTC) | 10 |
| BEHV 1023 | The Individual in Society (WSTC) | 10 |
| HUMN 1029 | Human Rights, Peace and Development (WSTC) | 10 |
| CULT 1023 | Working with Cultural Differences (WSTC) | 10 |
| POLI 1008 | World Politics and International Relations (WSTC) | 10 |
| HUMN 2033 | Issues in World Development: Rich World, Poor World (WSTC) | 10 |
| Total Credit Points | 80 | |
Students may exit at this point and graduate with the Diploma in Social Science following a passing grade in all of the above subjects. Students who progress onto Year Two may also be awarded the Diploma if they gain a passing grade in all of the above subjects.
- Students must pass all College Preparatory subjects before progressing to the Year Two subjects.
- Students must pass at least 70 credit points of University level subjects in Year One before progressing to the Year Two subjects.
All students must enroll in and complete the 80 credit points of Core subjects, the 80 credit point major and 80 credit points of electives. The recommendation is that electives are chosen from the 40 credit point Social Sciences International Placement and either the list of Recommended Minors or from the Recommended Elective subject list (shown below).
Western Sydney University Subjects
| Year 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Autumn session | Credit Points | |
| HUMN 2066 | Investigating and Communicating Social Problems | 10 |
| HUMN 3116 | Emergency and Disaster Management | 10 |
| Select two recommended electives from the list below or an elective minor | 20 | |
| Credit Points | 40 | |
| Spring session | ||
| CULT 2005 | Ethics in the Social Sciences | 10 |
| BUSM 3082 | Project Management in Humanitarian and Development Studies | 10 |
| HUMN 3119 | Emergency Field Operations: Supply Management and Logistics | 10 |
| Select one elective | 10 | |
| Credit Points | 40 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| CULT 3001 | Applied Social Research | 10 |
| HUMN 3068 | Public Health Response in Complex Emergencies | 10 |
| HUMN 3077 | Sustainable Futures | 10 |
| Select one recommended elective from the list below | 10 | |
| Credit Points | 40 | |
| 2H session | ||
| Recommended Minor – Social Sciences International Placement | ||
| HUMN 3100 | Social Sciences International Placement (1): Preparation for Placement | 10 |
| HUMN 3101 | Social Sciences International Placement (II): Placement | 20 |
| Credit Points | 30 | |
| Summer A session | ||
| HUMN 3102 | Social Sciences International Placement (III): Post-placement Reflections | 10 |
| Credit Points | 10 | |
| Total Credit Points | 160 | |
OR
| Year 3 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spring session | Credit Points | |
| Select four recommended electives from the list below | 40 | |
| Credit Points | 40 | |
| Total Credit Points | 40 | |
Recommended Electives
| Subject | Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 1001 | Accounting Information for Managers | 10 |
| AGRI 2006 | Agriculture, Food and Health | 10 |
| HUMN 3009 | Alternatives to Violence | 10 |
| HUMN 1008 | Cities: Introduction to Urban Studies | 10 |
| HUMN 2014 | Civil Society in Contemporary China | 10 |
| HUMN 3023 | Climate Change and Culture | 10 |
| HUMN 2015 | Community and Social Action | 10 |
| WELF 2002 | Community Work & Development | 10 |
| CULT 3007 | Contemporary Social Issues and Professional Practice | 10 |
| WELF 1002 | Context of Human Services | 10 |
| PUBH 2005 | Culture, Diversity and Health | 10 |
| TEAC 2018 | Education for Sustainability | 10 |
| ENVL 3003 | Environmental Risk Management | 10 |
| HLTH 3007 | Global Nutrition, Food and Community | 10 |
| HUMN 3043 | Globalisation and Sustainability | 10 |
| HUMN 3049 | Home and Away: Ethnicity and Migration in Australia | 10 |
| WELF 2008 | Human Rights, Human Services and the Law | 10 |
| WELF 1003 | Human Services Intervention Strategies | 10 |
| LAWS 3029 | Immigration Law | 10 |
| CULT 3016 | Indigenous Cultures: A Global Perspective | 10 |
| LAWS 3034 | International Criminal Law | 10 |
| HUMN 2073 | Issues in Contemporary Heritage | 10 |
| WELF 3007 | Leadership, Alliances, Sustainability (Block Mode) | 10 |
| BUSM 1044 | Leadership in Complexity | 10 |
| WELF 2011 | Management and Community Organisations (Block Mode) | 10 |
| BUSM 1023 | Managing People at Work | 10 |
| TOUR 2003 | Managing Sustainable Places | 10 |
| HUMN 2037 | Peace-Making and Peace-Building | 10 |
| ENVL 3005 | Planning the City: Development, Community and Systems | 10 |
| BIOS 1030 | Resource Sustainability | 10 |
| HUMN 2048 | Revaluing Indigenous Economics (Day Mode) | 10 |
| HUMN 2053 | The Economics of Cities and Regions | 10 |
Equivalent Subjects
The subject listed below counts towards completion of this program for students who passed this subject in 2022 or earlier.
TOUR 2001 Issues in Contemporary Heritage, replaced by HUMN 2073 Issues in Contemporary Heritage
BUSM 2043 Project Management in Humanitarian and Development Studies, replaced by BUSM 3082 Project Management in Humanitarian and Development Studies
HUMN 2017 Complex Emergencies and International Guidelines, replaced by HUMN 3116 Emergency and Disaster Management
HUMN 2022 Emergency Field Operations: Supply Management and Logistics, replaced by HUMN 3119 Emergency Field Operations: Supply Management and Logistics
POLI 1002 Introduction to International Relations, replaced by POLI 1008 World Politics and International Relations (WSTC)
LANG 0003 - Academic English (WSTC Prep), replaced by LANG 0056 Advanced Communication for Social Science (WSTC Prep)
Other Recommended Minors
Recommended Sequence 2022
If you commenced in 2023 or later, please refer to the Sequence Current tab for details.
Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 260 credit points as per the recommended sequence below.
The early exit College Diploma consists of 100 credit points which includes two College Preparatory subjects.
Western Sydney University The College Subjects
Nirimba, Bankstown and Penrith Campus
Please note that all campuses may not have intakes each year.
Full-time start-year intake
| Year 1 | Credit Points | |
|---|---|---|
| First Term of Study | ||
| LANG 0003 | Academic English (WSTC Prep) | 10 |
| CULT 0006 | Key Concepts and Skills in the Social Sciences (WSTC Prep) | 10 |
| BEHV 1023 | The Individual in Society (WSTC) | 10 |
| Second Term of Study | ||
| CULT 1019 | Understanding Society (WSTC) | 10 |
| HUMN 1042 | People, Place and Social Difference (WSTC) | 10 |
| HUMN 1062 | Introduction to Indigenous Australia: Peoples, Places and Philosophies (WSTC) | 10 |
| Third Term of Study | ||
| HUMN 1029 | Human Rights, Peace and Development (WSTC) | 10 |
| CULT 1023 | Working with Cultural Differences (WSTC) | 10 |
| POLI 1008 | World Politics and International Relations (WSTC) | 10 |
| HUMN 2033 | Issues in World Development: Rich World, Poor World (WSTC) | 10 |
| Credit Points | 100 | |
| Total Credit Points | 100 | |
Students may exit at this point and graduate with the Diploma in Social Science following a passing grade in all of the above subjects. Students who progress onto Year Two may also be awarded the Diploma if they gain a passing grade in all of the above subjects.
- Students must pass all College Preparatory subjects before progressing to the Year Two subjects.
- Students must pass at least 70 credit points of University level subjects in Year One before progressing to the Year Two subjects.
All students must enrol in and complete the 70 credit points of Bachelor of Social Science Core Subjects, a 100 credit point major and 70 credit points of electives. The recommendation is that electives are chosen from the Recommended Electives List.
Western Sydney University Subjects
For program advice during your second and subsequent years of study, please use the contact listed for the Bachelor of Humanitarian and Development Studies.
Bachelor of Humanitarian and Development Studies
Parramatta (Victoria Road) and Penrith Campus
| Year 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Autumn session | Credit Points | |
| HUMN 2066 | Investigating and Communicating Social Problems | 10 |
| One subject from the chosen Major | 10 | |
| And two recommended electives from the list below | 20 | |
| Credit Points | 40 | |
| Spring session | ||
| CULT 2005 | Ethics in the Social Sciences | 10 |
| Select from the following Majors: | 30 | |
| Students in Humanitarian Preparedness and Response Major complete: | ||
Two Major subjects |
||
One recommended elective from the list below |
||
| Students in Human Rights, Protection & Development major complete: | ||
One Major subject |
||
Two recommended electives from the list below |
||
| Credit Points | 40 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| CULT 3001 | Applied Social Research | 10 |
| One subject from the chosen Major | 10 | |
| Two recommended electives from the list below | 20 | |
| Credit Points | 40 | |
| 2H session | ||
| HUMN 3100 | Social Sciences International Placement (1): Preparation for Placement | 10 |
| HUMN 3101 | Social Sciences International Placement (II): Placement | 20 |
| Credit Points | 30 | |
| Summer A session | ||
| HUMN 3102 | Social Sciences International Placement (III): Post-placement Reflections | 10 |
| Credit Points | 10 | |
| Total Credit Points | 160 | |
Majors
Recommended Electives
| Subject | Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 1001 | Accounting Information for Managers | 10 |
| AGRI 2006 | Agriculture, Food and Health | 10 |
| HUMN 3009 | Alternatives to Violence | 10 |
| HUMN 2014 | Civil Society in Contemporary China | 10 |
| HUMN 3023 | Climate Change and Culture | 10 |
| HUMN 2015 | Community and Social Action | 10 |
| WELF 2002 | Community Work & Development | 10 |
| CULT 3007 | Contemporary Social Issues and Professional Practice | 10 |
| WELF 1002 | Context of Human Services | 10 |
| PUBH 2005 | Culture, Diversity and Health | 10 |
| TEAC 2018 | Education for Sustainability | 10 |
| ENVL 3003 | Environmental Risk Management | 10 |
| HLTH 3007 | Global Nutrition, Food and Community | 10 |
| HUMN 3043 | Globalisation and Sustainability | 10 |
| HUMN 3049 | Home and Away: Ethnicity and Migration in Australia | 10 |
| WELF 2008 | Human Rights, Human Services and the Law | 10 |
| WELF 1003 | Human Services Intervention Strategies | 10 |
| LAWS 3029 | Immigration Law | 10 |
| CULT 3016 | Indigenous Cultures: A Global Perspective | 10 |
| LAWS 3034 | International Criminal Law | 10 |
| WELF 3007 | Leadership, Alliances, Sustainability (Block Mode) | 10 |
| BUSM 1044 | Leadership in Complexity | 10 |
| WELF 2011 | Management and Community Organisations (Block Mode) | 10 |
| BUSM 1023 | Managing People at Work | 10 |
| HUMN 2037 | Peace-Making and Peace-Building | 10 |
| ENVL 3005 | Planning the City: Development, Community and Systems | 10 |
| BIOS 1030 | Resource Sustainability | 10 |
| HUMN 2048 | Revaluing Indigenous Economics (Day Mode) | 10 |
| HUMN 3077 | Sustainable Futures | 10 |
| HUMN 2053 | The Economics of Cities and Regions | 10 |
Replaced Elective Subjects
The subjects listed below count towards completion of this program for students who passed these subjects in 2020 or earlier.
HLTH 2002 - Agriculture, Food and Health, replaced by AGRI 2006 Agriculture, Food and Health
Equivalent Subjects
The subject listed below count towards completion of this Program for students who passed this subject in 2022 or earlier.
POLI 1003 Introduction to International Relations (WSTC), replaced by POLI 1008 World Politics and International Relations (WSTC)
The subject listed below count towards completion of this program for students who passed this subject in 2020 or earlier.
CULT 1021 Working with Communities (WSTC), replaced by HUMN 1062 Introduction to Indigenous Australia: Peoples, Places and Philosophies (WSTC)