units

ATS3731

Faculty of Arts

18 September 2017 22 December 2024

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This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2016 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

Monash University

6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

Undergraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Faculty

Arts

Coordinator(s)

Dr Nick Osbaldiston

Offered

Not offered in 2016

Synopsis

This unit explores the various social, cultural and natural elements that make up regional societies in Australia. Studying issues such as population growth, resource and service allocation, climate change and sustainability and the impact of globalisation upon regional communities provides a platform for a more distinct understanding of rural life and the sociological theories that frame them. In particular this unit focuses on exploring the manner in which people in regional/rural areas conduct their lives in the face of diverse environmental, cultural, political and social change. We engage with the research and debates that surround these issues and focus each week on various case studies that provide in-depth illustration of the impact these have for communities.

Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will:

  1. be able to identify and explain the sociological theories that explain regional/rural societies;
  2. be able to identify and understand the significant social, political and cultural issues that regional Australians currently face;
  3. be able to understand the processes, institutions and policies that shape the organisation and structure of regional Australia;
  4. be able to recognise and critically assess debates associated with rural health policy, education policy, climate change, sustainability and population growth;
  5. have gained skills in the written presentation of an argument and have a greater ability to critically assess social issues through sociological reasoning.
  6. in addition, students completing the unit at third level will have gained skills in the construction and writing of research projects.

Assessment

Short essay (1500 words): 40%
Research project (3000 words): 60%

Workload requirements

2 hours (2 hour seminar) per week

See also Unit timetable information

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Nick Osbaldiston

Prerequisites

ATS1367 and ATS1898 or equivalent

Prohibitions

ATS2731, GSC2213, GSC3213, SCY2813, SCY3813