Undergraduate - CourseBachelor of Social Science

Social science students strive to understand, analyse, describe and explain the human world and their position within it, just as scientists attempt to describe and comprehend the natural world. The Bachelor of Social Science is designed to help students make sense of our rapidly changing global culture.

Equally relevant to the professional world of work and the world of knowledge, this course aims to provide students with the skills needed to contribute to the social and cultural fabric of the community and to become truly global citizens.

It introduces students to a range of study in the humanities and social sciences. While each unit provides an introduction to the specific area of study, skills of analysis, communication and research will also be developed.

Social science studies require students to read, debate, examine and discuss issues, teaching them to carefully build arguments and propositions. Students will be encouraged to think independently and to develop new ways of approaching problems.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 7, the Bologna Cycle 1 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 7, the Bologna Cycle 1 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/alignmentofoutcomes.html).

Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that graduates will be able to:

• critically review, analyse, evaluate and synthesise knowledge
• critique arguments by displaying creative thinking in the social science disciplines, preceded by reviewing, consolidating, analysing and synthesising a body of knowledge
• identify and argue current trends in the intellectual context of technological and social change
• independently identify and solve problems en route to an attitude of life-long learning
• present clearly, concisely and coherently the current interpretations and potential future developments in the issues underlying the context of and approaches to the disciplines they study
• write an exposition relfecting a broad understanding of a body of knowledge and theoretical concepts with advanced understanding in some areas.

This course consists of a compulsory social science major and social science minor, with additional studies chosen from a variety of social science disciplines.

Students must complete:

(a.) a social science major (48 points)

(b.) a social science minor in a different area of study (24 points)

(c.) a first-year social science sequence in a third area of study (12 points)

(d.) another 12 points of social science at first, second or third-year level

(e.) additional electives units (48 points)

No more than 10 units (60 points) are to be completed at a first-year level.

Students must complete a minimum of 48 points at third-year level (across the duration of the degree).

Elective units can be identified using the indexes of units at Monash South Africa by facultyindexes of units at Monash South Africa by faculty (http://www.monash.ac.za/study/handbooks/units/index-byfaculty.html) in the current edition of the Handbook. The level of the unit is indicated by the first number in the unit code; undergraduate units are those that commence with the numbers 1-3. Note: Some non-social science units may require permission from the owning school. Students must be able to meet any unit prerequisites.

• African studies
• Child and youth development
• Communications
• Criminology and criminal justice
• Development studies
• French studies
• Geography and environmental science
• International studies
• Journalism
• Literary and cultural studies
• Philosophy
• Psychology
• Public relations practice
• Sociology

Note: A minor only is available for African studies and literary and cultural studies. French studies is available as a first-year sequence only.

Bachelor of Social Science