In today's information society, we are constantly exposed to ´research findings'. Each day when we read the newspapers or listen to the television news we are told ´Research shows that É', ´According to a recent study É', or ´Studies generally agree that É'. It is essential to have a certain degree of ´research literacy' to be able to cope with the flood of ´facts' we are exposed to on a daily basis. Postgraduate study in applied social research aims to provide an understanding of the particular strengths and weaknesses of each type of empirical study to enable a critical assessment of the facts that are presented to the public. Another issue of concern is the role that research plays in the shaping of government policies. Applied social research is the application of the analytical tools of the social sciences to the social, political and economic problems in today's society. The aim of applied social research is to develop a practical understanding of the design process and execution of social research projects focused on immediate problems and their resolution. Mid-year entry is available for all of the courses and programs listed below. See also http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/prospective/postgraduate/disciplines/
Course
code: 0017 * Course fees: Local students - HECS; international students -
$A13,000 * Coordinator: Ulla Svensson
This course, offered full-time over one year or part-time over two years,
provides training in team research and report writing. It is specifically
designed for people who will conduct research projects, but it is also designed
for policy administrators who will not be doing research of their own but who
will be expected to read research reports, formulate research projects that
will be commissioned, and cooperate with researchers who are either on their
staff or who serve as outside consultants. The main part of the course consists
of a group project on a social policy issue, such as youth homelessness,
domestic violence or foster care, to provide practical experience of each step
in the research process.
Completion of the Postgraduate Diploma of Arts (Applied Social Research), or an equivalent qualification, with a credit average or above.
Students undertake the following full-year 24-point subject:
Additionally, students complete two of the following 12-point subjects not previously completed as part of the Postgraduate Diploma of Arts (Applied Social Research):
Note that the minimum pass grade for subjects in the Master of Arts in Applied Social Research is 60 C, that is, a credit grade or above is required in every subject and the research project.
Course
code: 2845 * Course fees: Local students - HECS; international students -
$13,000 * Coordinator: Ulla Svensson
This course, which is offered full-time over one year or part-time over two
years, seeks to develop practical skills in social research techniques. The
course is designed for those with an undergraduate degree in the social
sciences who wish to deepen their knowledge of social research techniques and
the different kinds of evidence used to investigate contemporary social issues.
Students who complete the course with a grade of credit average or above are
eligible to continue with the MA in applied social research, which involves the
undertaking of a team research project on a policy issue.
Applicants should possess a bachelors pass degree or equivalent qualification with a major in sociology, or a minor in sociology combined with a major in a cognate discipline, at credit average or above in the third-level subjects. Candidates with relevant and substantial experience in the field of social research, or with majors in other social science disciplines, such as political science, history, geography, linguistics and social work, and with some experience in quantitative methods and/or applied social research can be admitted at the discretion of the course coordinator.
Students undertake four of the following 12-point methodology subjects:
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