Objectives
On completion of their course, students are expected to have developed:
* habits of critical thinking and the ability to express themselves orally and in writing with precision and clarity;
* a broad understanding of the main bodies of knowledge and intellectual traditions of the disciplines in the humanities and social sciences;
* a high order of self-motivated intellectual curiosity and the desire for continued learning;
* soundly based knowledge and skills that will permit them to seek a range of employment opportunities.
Entry requirements
Applicants should possess the Victorian Certificate of Education (or equivalent) including English, or TOP including English, or TAFE Middle-Level Certificate, or previous tertiary level study. Mature-age applicants may be required to undertake the Special Tertiary Admissions Test. All applicants should be willing to undertake a normal work load of eight subjects (forty-eight points) a year full-time or four subjects (twenty-four points) a year part-time or by distance education. Part-time and distance education students should note that this may have implications regarding eligibility for Austudy or similar schemes.
Course structure
The various components leading to the awarding of the degree are defined in terms of disciplines, interdisciplinary programs, subjects and sequences. A discipline is a distinct area of study in which a major can be taken. An interdisciplinary program is a distinct area of study comprising subjects from more than one discipline. A subject is a prescribed amount of work extending over a semester at a certain year level within a discipline or interdisciplinary program.
The disciplines from which students may select subjects for inclusion in an arts degree are not confined to those taught by the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Students who are interested in taking subjects from outside the school should discuss this option with the administrative officers at the outset of their studies. In most disciplines there is more than one subject at a given level. A student must spread first-year work over at least four disciplines, three of which must be offered by the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
The value of a subject is expressed in points and a normal year's work for a full-time student is eight subjects (forty-eight points).
Major and minor sequences
Major, minor and first-year sequences may be completed within the following disciplines:
(a) Disciplinary majors or minors - English, history-politics, mass communications, sociology;
(b) Interdisciplinary minors - Australian studies, gender studies.
Students should be aware that they may include subjects from other disciplines for credit towards the Bachelor of Arts. Currently these subjects include GSC2601 (Methods of social research), GSC2602 (Basic statistics and computing for social research), GSC1301 (Welfare issues), GSC1306 (Behavioural studies A), GSC1307 (Behavioural studies B), GSC1801 (Introduction to Koorie society) and GSC2806 (Koorie archaeology). The subjects INM1115 (Beginning Indonesian, part 1) and INM1125 (Beginning Indonesian, part 2), offered through the Faculty of Arts, may also be included in the Bachelor of Arts degree.
A first-year sequence is a pair of first-level subjects which form the first part of a major or minor sequence.
A minor sequence shall require four subjects (twenty-four points) of study and will normally comprise two successive parts, being either a first-year sequence followed by two second-level subjects, or two second-level subjects followed by two third-level subjects.
A major sequence shall normally comprise three successive parts to include a minimum of eight subjects (forty-eight points) and a maximum of ten subjects (sixty points). Normally a major will include a first-level sequence totalling two subjects (twelve points) and such second and third-level subjects as are prescribed in the outline of studies to complete the remaining six to eight subjects (thirty-six to forty-eight points).
It should be noted that some terminology has changed in line with the revision of the degree structure; `units' are now referred to as subjects and `supporting studies' have been replaced by minors. Most upper-level subjects require prerequisites. Where course regulations have changed since the student's initial enrolment, the student may have the choice between the original and the current requirements for completion of the course.
A candidate for the degree must fulfil the following requirements to receive the award of Bachelor of Arts (Humanities and Social Sciences):
(a) complete a total of twenty-four six credit-point subjects (24 x 6 = 144 points);
(b) complete a total of eighteen subjects (18 x 6 = 108 points) within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences;
(c) complete a minimum of eight and a maximum of ten first-level subjects;
(d) complete at least three first-level sequences from disciplines offered by the School of Humanities and Social Sciences;
(e) complete at least one major sequence (8 x 6 = 48 points) and one minor sequence (4 x 6 = 24 points) from disciplines offered by the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. A major will comprise a minimum of eight subjects (8 x 6 = 48 points) and may include a maximum of ten subjects (10 x 6 = 60 points). Normally the first two subjects of a major will be a first-level sequence and the remaining six to eight subjects will be taken from levels two and three;
(f) undertake additional subjects to complete the twenty-four subjects (144 points) needed for the degree. Candidates may complete a second major or a second minor sequence from disciplines offered by the school or from other departments or schools.
The course of study is normally a minimum of three years full-time or six years part-time or by distance education, and normally cannot extend beyond ten years.