The School of Humanities and Social Sciences formalised its links with the Faculty of Arts in 1993 as a part of the amalgamation between Monash University and the former Gippsland Institute of Advanced Education. As a result of this process the school now operates under the umbrella of the Faculty of Arts, reporting to faculty board, but still maintaining autonomy over courses and student matters.
The requirements for the various courses are set out as simply as possible, but if there are remaining doubts as to their meaning, students should contact the school's administrative officers.
Graduates of the school will:
Graduates of the school will have:
Graduates of the school will:
The School of Humanities and Social Sciences offers the following undergraduate awards:
The Diploma of Arts (Koorie Studies) is a two-year full-time course open to Koorie people, designed to assist students to explore Koorie cultures, histories and traditions. The course provides knowledge and skills to enhance employment prospects and to develop a greater awareness of lifestyle alternatives. The course seeks to contribute towards the maintenance of Koorie culture and to enable students to become actively and constructively involved in the process of self-determination.
The Bachelor of Social Welfare is designed to prepare graduates for work in a wide variety of welfare situations, both urban and rural. The course teaches a broad range of skills and develops appropriate values and attitudes in working with individuals, families, groups and communities in crisis or development. Theoretical perspectives and skills are integrated in practice through the course's field placements.
The Bachelor of Arts degree is designed to give students opportunities to study and appreciate the culture, history, literature, languages, politics and institutions of societies. The construction of major and minor sequences enables students to complete specialised studies of various disciplines and interdisciplinary programs.
The Bachelor of Arts (Administrative Studies) is designed to develop knowledge and understanding in an area of professional specialisation which will assist graduates to participate in a career concerned with managing people in organisational settings. Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of professional values, ethical concerns and legal issues of organisations in their national international contexts.
The Bachelor of Arts (Journalism) provides students with opportunities to develop an understanding of the theoretical and methodological issues in journalism, to understand the role of communication in modern society, and to develop practical skills and experience in the field.
The Bachelor of Arts (Communication) degree provides an inter-disciplinary core to create graduates who are knowledgeable about mass communications and who can apply that knowledge in a range of vocational and academic areas. The degree is aimed at satisfying the community and professional needs of graduates who not only have undertaken a major in communications theory in combination with studies in humanities, but who will have detailed knowledge of an area of specialisation which will direct their future career paths.
The Bachelor of Arts (Psychology and Humanities) degree gives students opportunities to develop an understanding of psychology as a scientific discipline, and to appreciate the role it plays within society as a whole. The construction of major and minor sequences enables students to undertake specialised studies in humanities disciplines.
The fourth-year honours program will enable students to qualify for entry to postgraduate courses, and will also assist students needing a fourth year of study to equip them for future employment.
A range of double degree programs combining studies in arts with disciplines such as social welfare, business, computing and education are also available. These are listed separately in this handbook.
The School of Humanities and Social Sciences offers research programs to graduate students, depending on their needs and previous qualifications. The programs include:
Students are expected to familiarise themselves with university policies and procedures, but should any difficulties arise, advice may be sought from the course advisers within the school. Students should note that the regulations govern the award of the degrees and diplomas rather than the less formal descriptions and diagrams contained in this handbook.
The Bachelor of Social Welfare is recognised by the Victorian Public Service, the Commonwealth Public Service Board, and the Australian Institute of Welfare and Community Workers.
The Bachelor of Arts is recognised by the Victorian Public Service, the Commonwealth Public Service Board and the Directorate of School Education. The psychology major at Monash University Gippsland campus is accredited with the Australian Psychological Society.
In addition to its range of on-campus courses, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences also conducts an extensive distance education program via the Monash Distance Education Centre. Monash's commitment to distance education means that the same opportunities can be offered to students who cannot attend on-campus lecture programs because of work, family commitments or location.
The aim of the distance education program is to provide students with the necessary resources to complete a major part of their coursework off-campus. This involves the provision of (a) course material especially designed for independent study; (b) opportunities for effective lecturer-student and student-student interaction; (c) access to any necessary facilities, eg library, computers, audiovisual material and so forth.
Monash Distance Education Centre's admissions policy is sufficiently flexible to accommodate applicants with a variety of academic and work experience backgrounds. In general, courses are open to applicants who have passed the Victorian Certificate of Education including English, or who hold comparable academic qualifications.
Applications are also invited from mature-age people (twenty-three years and over) who, although they may not hold the required academic qualifications, can demonstrate that they might reasonably be expected to successfully complete the course they are applying for. This would include evidence of academic studies, work or vocational training after leaving school, together with a personal statement/resume and employer references attesting to the applicant's general maturity and motivation (ie references must accompany applications made on the basis of mature-age entry). Mature-age applicants are required to undertake the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) if they do not possess tertiary entrance requirements.
A number of on-campus weekend and vacation schools are organised for distance education students to supplement and enrich the basic coursework they do off-campus. The Bulletin provides students with details of their weekend school timetable. The Bulletin also keeps distance education students up-to-date with university matters.
It is important to note that for some courses there are mandatory attendance requirements, and for some subjects, eg psychology and social welfare, a certain amount of required practical work. Where this is so, the requirement is specified in the course description. If in doubt, contact the School of Humanities and Social Sciences for specific information.
Attendance at these schools is highly recommended and distance education students are encouraged to make as much use of them as their circumstances allow. They add a valuable dimension to the study experience by providing opportunities for interaction with lecturers and fellow students, and provide access to study facilities such as the library and the computer rooms.
Cafeteria facilities and child care services are available, and social functions are provided by the student union. There may be limited on-campus accommodation available to distance education students during weekend and vacation schools.
If you decide to apply for enrolment, the sooner you act the better. Quotas operate on courses and some individual subjects. Instructions included with application forms tell you quite clearly the steps to follow to complete an application.
New applicants for distance education should lodge applications, complete with evidence of entry qualifications, to the administrative officer (admissions), School of Humanities and Social Sciences by 19 September 1997. It will only be possible to consider late applications if quota places remain.
The Monash Distance Education booklet gives details of courses and subjects available by distance education. To obtain a free copy write to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Monash University Gippsland campus, Switchback Road, Churchill 3842, or telephone (03) 5122 6339 or (03) 9902 6339.
A range of computer facilities are available on-campus which Humanities and Social Sciences students may access. Students requiring computing experience may choose to undertake GSC1611 (Understanding university learning) or the two social research subjects offered at first-year level, which provide students with experience in using wordprocessing, spreadsheet and statistical packages such as MS Word, MS Excel and Minitab.