Monash University: University Handbooks: Distance Education 2001: Subjects indexed by faculty
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Bachelor of Arts (Journalism)/Bachelor of Social Welfare


General information

Course code: 1802 Gippsland campus HECS fees applicable Attendance compulsory

Aims

The double degree is designed to equip students with broad skills in the analysis of social welfare policy and practice, along with the ability to understand and utilise media and information technology in both the community and in-house developments.

Entry requirements

All applicants should satisfy the university's minimum entry requirements as outlined in the section on entry requirements in this book.
In addition to meeting standard entry requirements, all applicants are required to complete a social welfare course administration form. If you did not receive this form with this book then it can be obtained from the Course Inquiries Centre, telephone 1800 671845 or from the School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences on (03) 5122 6339 or (03) 9902 6339. Applicants will be shortlisted on the basis of information contained in this form, for a more detailed selection process. Applicants are strongly advised that academic criteria are not the only ones for entry into the course. Other factors such as work and life experience, personal qualities and maturity, are taken into account.

Special requirements

Work load

All applicants should be willing to undertake a normal initial work load of at least 24 points a year by distance education. Distance education students should note that this may have implications regarding eligibility for Austudy or similar schemes.

PC requirement

To satisfactorily complete this course it is strongly recommended that students have access to a PC and modem.

Attendance

Students must be aware of the attendance requirements for certain social welfare and journalism units, and should take the cost of this into account before applying for entry to the course.
Students in the double degree must attend the Gippsland campus for two social welfare residential workshops during the course, involving one two-day workshop, and one three-day workshop. Students will also be required to undertake a 16-day placement in their second year and a 60-day field education placement during the final year of the program.
Classes will be held in most units at each weekend school. Normally, this will include lectures and/or seminars, seminar tutorials, or hands-on skills workshops. Attendance at weekend school classes is recommended, but not compulsory for the completion of most units offered by the School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences.

Applied journalism research project

The applied journalism research project is a compulsory unit in the sixth year of study which offers the student the option of undertaking a workplace placement in Australia or overseas, or an individual project selected through negotiation with the unit adviser. To undertake the placement option, students must be available for six to eight weeks during or immediately before one semester of study.

Course structure

Students will undertake a compulsory sequence of study in social welfare and the compulsory journalism sequence.
The course of study is normally a minimum of eight years part-time by distance education. In order to meet the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts (Journalism)/ Bachelor of Social Welfare double degree, a student must complete:
four core units (24 points):

or

(b) a prescribed 13-unit sequence in social welfare (96 points)
(c) a journalism major (48 points)
(d) a total of 192 points (29 units).

Course plan

A course plan for the Bachelor of Arts (Journalism)/Bachelor of Social Welfare may look like the one depicted below:

First semester

Second semester

Year 1

GSC1303 Foundations of interpersonal practice: casework and groupwork
GSC1201 Sociological reflections on everyday life

GSC1304 Communication and counselling skills
GSC1202 Sociological issues

Year 2

GSC1306 Introduction to understanding human behaviour
GSC1902 Newsroom practice and theory

GSC1305 Human services organisational practice
GSC1903 News feature writing

Year 3

AIS1010 Introduction to Australian Indigenous societies
First-level core unit#

GSC2903 Online journalism
GSC1307 Human behaviour across a lifespan

Year 4

GSC2303 Case management theory and functions
GSC2304 Community development

GSC2311 Social welfare issues
GSC2907 Radio and television journalism

Year 5

GSC3901 International journalism
GSC3903 Media, law and ethics

GSC3902 Applied journalism research project
GSC2310 Social policy: developing the links

Year 6

GSC3421 Writing 1 or GSC3413 Communication industries
Elective

Arts elective
Arts elective

Year 7

GSC3306 Field education and practice (full-year unit)
GSC3307 Human services management and practices

GSC3303 Insights into practice

Year 8

Arts elective

GSC3304 Paradigms of practice


# STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO SELECT EITHER GSC1601 OR GSC1602 AS THEIR FIRST-LEVEL CORE UNIT. STUDENTS WHO INTEND TO UNDERTAKE STUDIES IN PSYCHOLOGY ARE ADVISED TO TAKE GSC1602 RATHER THAN GSC1601 AS THEIR RESEARCH METHODS CORE UNIT, AS GSC1601 AND PSY2051 ARE A PROHIBITED COMBINATION.

Initial enrolment

Students entering the double degree program should normally enrol in four units in the first year, two in each semester. Normally, these will all be units which do not require prerequisites. The following is the suggested first-year enrolment:

First semester

Second semester

Credits/exemptions

Students with previously completed or partially completed tertiary studies should complete an application for credit transfer to apply for credits and exemptions. The onus is on the student to provide course records and details of course content and duration (including extracts from relevant handbooks). Students in this category are advised to complete a course plan prior to the commencement of study to ensure they will complete appropriate. Students may be granted up to a maximum of 128 points of credits/exemptions. As a general rule, credits will not be granted for studies completed more than 10 years prior to the date of enrolment in the current course.

Further information

For more detailed information, contact the administrative officers, School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences, telephone (03) 9902 6339 or (03) 5122 6339, email humass.info@arts.monash.edu.au

Completed applications

Completed applications are to be forwarded to the Admissions Officer, School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences, Monash University Gippsland Campus, Churchill, Victoria 3842, by 22 September 2000 to be considered for a first-round offer.

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