Monash University: University Handbooks: Off-Campus Learning Guide 2003: Units indexed by faculty
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Bachelor of Arts


General Information

Course code: 0002 + Gippsland campus + HECS fees applicable + Attendance optional

Aims

The broad teaching and learning objectives of the Monash BA degree ask of students that they satisfy the requirements of study within the very wide range of disciplines in the humanities, social sciences and communications offered by the faculty, and of some disciplines offered by other faculties. Students are enjoined to grasp the very special opportunity provided by the BA to open their horizons of understanding and imagination to the many new materials, ideas and values with which they will be confronted.

Entry requirements

All applicants should satisfy Monash Universityís minimum entry requirements as outlined in the section on entry requirements in this guide.

Special requirements

Work load

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

Attendance

There are no compulsory attendance requirements in the degree structure, and it is possible to complete the entire course without attending the campus. Despite this, any students intending to include journalism or psychology should note that compulsory attendance at some weekend schools is required for these units.

Course structure

The course of study is normally six years part-time by off-campus learning. In order to meet the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree, a student must complete:
(a) an arts major (48 points)
(b) an arts minor (24 points)
(c) a minimum of eight and a maximum of 10 first-year-level units, including three arts sequences from the School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences
(d) a minimum of 36 points at third-year-level including those completed in the major
(e) a total of 144 points (24 units).

Definitions

A first-level sequence is a pair of first-level units that usually form the first part of a major or minor.
A major is three years of study in a single discipline, comprising 48 points or more. It comprises 12 points at first-year level and either 12 points at second-year level and 24 points at third-year level or 18 points at second-year level and 18 points at third-year level.
A minor is units in a single discipline, totalling 24 points, including no more than 12 points at first-year level.

Course plan

A course plan for the Bachelor of Arts may look like the one depicted below if all elective units are taken within arts disciplines. There is considerable flexibility in the study program to allow each student to design his or her own study program, subject to completion of prerequisites and in consultation with a course adviser.

First semester

Second semester

Year 1

Arts sequence (first level)
Arts sequence (first level)

Arts sequence (first level)
Arts sequence (first level)

Year 2

Arts sequence (first level)
Elective unit (first level)

Arts sequence (first level)
Elective unit (first level)

Year 3

Arts major
Arts minor

Arts major
Elective

Year 4

Arts major
Elective

Arts major
Arts minor

Year 5

Arts major
Elective

Arts elective
Elective

Year 6

Arts elective
Elective

Elective
Arts major


Students may choose to use the elective units to complete a second major or minor in arts or a discipline offered by another faculty or school.

GSC1611 Understanding university learning

The School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences offers a unit strongly designed to assist students in developing skills for university study. GSC1611 (Understanding university learning) may be taken as a level-one elective at any stage in the course, but it is recommended that students complete this unit in their first year of study. This unit has a foundation core that deals with the basic practice of university scholarship. The core comprises theoretical and practical knowledge in the following areas: reading, writing, oral presentation, critical thinking, learning processes for classroom and resource-base teaching and the use of libraries and other information systems. Students are required to complete the core and to select four options for further study from the following: advanced use of libraries and information systems, specialised essay and report writing and use of computer-based technologies, especially word processing.

Major and minor studies

The following humanities and social sciences majors/minors are available for inclusion in the Bachelor of Arts:

Australian Indigenous studies

Australian Indigenous studies is an interdisciplinary major offering a range of units that are designed to introduce students to the historical, social and political aspects of Australian Indigenous society. The major will provide an understanding of the relationships between Indigenous Australians and the dominant society and develop in students a sound knowledge of and the sensitivity to work within Aboriginal communities. Students completing an Australian Indigenous studies major must complete 48 points including 12 points at first-year level, and either 12 points at second-year level and 24 points at third-year level or 18 points at second-year level and 18 points at third-year level. Students wishing to complete a minor will normally complete 24 points including no more than 12 points at first-year level.

Australian studies

Australian studies is an interdisciplinary minor available within the arts degree. The minor enables students to develop a broad understanding of Australian cultures, lifestyles and societies. Students wishing to undertake the minor must complete 24 points (four units) from the following, noting that prerequisites may apply.

Behavioural studies (subject to approval)

A major in behavioural studies provides an alternative psychology sequence. The units offered contribute to a developing knowledge of psychology as a humanistic discipline. Students intending to complete a major in behavioural studies must complete 48 points including 12 points at first-year level, and either 12 points at second-year level and 24 points at third-year level or 18 points at second-year level and 18 points at third-year level.
Unit offerings were under review at the time of publication. For unit selection, please contact the School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences.

Community studies

This is a minor sequence of interdisciplinary units introducing students to community issues in postmodern contexts. These units aim to expose students to current debates about the meaning, nature and outlook of communities. Students wishing to undertake the minor must complete 24 points (four units) from the following, noting that prerequisites may apply.

* COMPULSORY FOR MINOR.

History-politics

The history-politics sequence is designed to build up a significant body of historical and political knowledge about the processes that are shaping the modern world, including globalisation, regionalism and international relations. Major areas of national and regional study include Asia, Europe, Australia and the United States. The history-politics major packages a range of units that will give students a high level of academic competence in the study of continuity and change in human society and a deeper understanding of the nature of the past and the modern world. Students intending to complete a major in history-politics must complete 48 points including 12 points at first-year level, and either 12 points at second-year level and 24 points at third-year level or 18 points at second-year level and 18 points at third-year level. Note that GSC3504 (Theories and research in history-politics) is a compulsory unit for the history-politics major. Students wishing to do a minor must complete 24 points including no more than 12 points at first-year level.

* COMPULSORY FOR MAJOR.
Students may also have AIS2806/AIS3806 (Archaeology of Indigenous Australia) credited towards the history-politics major.

Languages: Indonesian

The Indonesian major includes both the study of a culture through its language and the development of more generalist skills used in the acquisition of a new language. First-level units aim to develop a tolerance for difference and an interest in alternative ways of expressing the world while providing a framework for carrying out basic communication tasks such as negotiating purchases, providing personal information, and setting appointments. The second-level sequence continues with communicative tasks but extends this study into more thematic work looking at aspects of modern and traditional life in Indonesia. At the third level, students are expected to contribute more of their own opinion on a variety of issues while being sensitive to and aware of the diversity of Indonesian views. In addition to the core language program, there are two higher level units, 'Media massa' and 'Seni drama'. These are specialist units designed for more intensive use of the Indonesian language in a specific field. These units can act as bridging units between study within the language program and mainstream study at an Indonesian university. Students from Indonesia are also encouraged to enrol in these units.
Students at all levels are encouraged to be involved with the Indonesian community and with events centred on Southeast Asia. Opportunities are also available to integrate these experiences into assignments and activities during study. Study in Indonesia is available through accredited courses with scholarships for both language study and mainstream study programs at Indonesian universities. Students undertaking an Indonesian major must complete 48 points, including 12 points at first-year level, 12 points at second-year level, and 24 points at third-year level. Students wishing to undertake a minor must complete 24 points, including no more than 12 points at first-year level. There are three main entry points for Indonesian language study: INM1115 (beginners) for those who have no previous knowledge of Indonesian: INM2215 (post VCE) for those who have completed VCE Indonesian or its equivalent; INM3315 for those who are native speakers of Malay or Indonesian.

* COMPULSORY FOR MAJOR.
Ü NOT OFFERED BY OFF-CAMPUS LEARNING IN 2003.

Journalism

The journalism sequence will equip students with a range of journalism skills and knowledge appropriate for flexible application in a variety of employment settings. The skills and knowledge developed are those required by journalists (or those using journalism skills) for the future. The major sequence is available only within the Bachelor of Arts (Journalism) and a specialisation sequence is available in the Bachelor of Arts (Communication). Minor sequences may be attempted in the Bachelor of Arts subject to availability of places.

Students wishing to complete a minor in journalism must complete GSC1902 and GSC1903 and any two of GSC2903/GSC3913, GSC2907, GSC3901 and GSC2909/GSC3909.

Mass communications

Mass communications is an interdisciplinary major offering a range of units designed to equip students with specialised but flexible skills in describing and analysing the organisation, processes, diverse uses and effects of ëtraditionalí and ënewí mass communications technologies (print, electronic, film and digital) as these are integral components of modern societies. The emphasis is on how media are a part of the way the social relations between individuals and between groups are organised and pursued, rather than on media as picturing these relations and related issues. The major will provide an understanding of the practical operation of mass communication media as well as their social and cultural dimensions, considering the audiences, producers and policy-makers involved. Students will be equipped with skills in utilising language, image and media delivery systems to communicate effectively. Students completing a mass communications major must complete 48 points including 12 points at first-year level, and either 12 points at second-year level and 24 points at third-year level or 18 points at second-year level and 18 points at third-year level. Students must complete 24 points for a minor including two of GSC2410, GSC2411 or GSC3409.

Complementary units

* COMPULSORY UNITS FOR MAJOR.

Psychology

Psychology is concerned with a wide range of phenomena including remembering and forgetting, thinking, problem-solving, learning, the acquisition of skills, language, seeing and hearing, decision-making, verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and emotions. It is also concerned with the practical and ethical applications of psychology research to the profession. While the major focus is on people, animals are also studied because they are of interest in their own right. Monash undergraduate psychology embraces all of these topics at each of the campuses. Students wishing to complete an Australian Psychological Society (APS)-accredited major must undertake 10 units (60 points) comprising of two at first level, three at second level, four at third level and one elective at either second or third level. Students wishing to complete a minor must complete four units (24 points) comprising of two at first level and two at second level.

* COMPULSORY UNITS FOR MAJOR.

Sociology and social research

Sociology is the study of people and the relationships they enter into as members of various social institutions. Students who undertake studies in sociology will be equipped with a broad range of skills including the ability to analyse and interpret data to enable policy development and the theoretical understanding of issues. Students will also have the ability to communicate with a wide variety of people, and will also develop sensitivity to broad social issues and the ability to recognise and respond to community and social issues. Students undertaking a major will complete 48 points, including 12 points at first-year level, and either 12 points at second-year level and 24 points at third year level or 18 points at second-year level and 18 points at third-year level. Students undertaking a minor will complete 24 points including no more than 12 points at first-year level.

* COMPULSORY FOR MAJOR.
# IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT STUDENTS COMPLETE THESE UNITS BEFORE COMPLETING GSC3201 AND GSC3202. THESE UNITS ARE NOT COUNTED TOWARDS THE MAJOR; THEY ARE COMPLETED AS SUPPORTING UNITS ONLY.
Ü 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.

Writing

The writing major provides a sequence of units which will enable students to gain an understanding of a range of contemporary writing practices in the context of cultural and media studies, materialist and feminist frameworks, and analyses of literary and other media forms. Students will become familiar with different kinds of contemporary writing, especially prose forms (eg prose fiction, feature articles, film and TV scripts, reviewing, travel writing, autobiography, biography and the essay), and acquire detailed knowledge of a range of techniques associated with contemporary cultural production. At second and, more fully, at third level, students will be able to reflect critically upon their own practices while developing and applying skills and techniques through individual and collaborative projects. Students completing a major in writing will complete 48 points including 12 points at first-year level, and either 12 points at second-year level, and 24 points at third-year level or 18 points at second-year level and 18 points at third-year level. Students wishing to undertake a writing minor must complete 24 points, including GSC3421 (Writing 1: techniques).

First level
Second and third level

* COMPULSORY FOR MAJOR.

Additional study areas

Students may also complete studies in the following disciplines offered through the School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences:

Public relations
Social welfare
Understanding university learning

A number of options exist for studies from other faculties/schools on the Gippsland campus. Such programs should be discussed with a course adviser prior to enrolment.

Off-campus learning units offered by the Faculty of Arts, Clayton campus

Units listed below can be taken as an elective within the Gippsland campus courses or as a single (non-award) unit. For further information, contact the Faculty of Arts, Clayton campus, on (03) 9905 2107.
The following units are available:

Details about the philosophy units can be found on the Philosophy homepage on the web at www.arts.monash.edu.au/phil.

Advanced standing for previous study

Students with previously completed or partially completed tertiary studies should complete an application for advanced standing 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 commencement of study to ensure they will complete the major/s or minor they intend. Students may be granted up to a maximum of 96 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 officer, School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences, telephone (03) 5122 6339 or (03) 9902 6339, or email humcass.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 27 September 2002 to be considered for a first-round offer.

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