On completion of the major in sociology, students are expected to have developed:
Sociology is the study of people and the relationships they enter into as members of various social institutions. Sociologists study a wide range of social issues that are important in contemporary Australian society. The sociology major offers subjects which draw upon various areas of sociological endeavour.
In addition to standing as a major area of study in the Bachelor of Arts, sociology is an important supporting discipline in other courses. Sociology subjects form an integral part of the welfare and nursing courses and may be taken as an appropriate component in the preparation of both primary and secondary teachers in the School of Education. Sociology subjects may also be taken by students enrolled in courses in the schools of Applied Science, Business and Visual Arts.
To meet the requirements of a major in sociology, students should complete twelve points at first level, sixteen points at second level, and twenty-four points at third level. A minor in sociology should include either two subjects at first level and two subjects at second level, or two subjects at second level and two subjects at third level. The sociology major is designed to meet a range of student needs. Some students want only a basic introduction to sociology and the first-level subjects are designed to meet this need. Other students want to study a number of substantive areas related to their vocational interest and they may select from the range of upper-level subjects offered. Students who want to obtain a specialist qualification in sociology complete the full major.
The two introductory subjects in sociology (GSC1201 and GSC1202) are taken as a first-level humanities and social science sequence. The substantive subjects selected are taken at second and third level. The compulsory third-level subjects (GSC3201 and GSC3202) may only be taken after completing the first level sequence and two second-level subjects. It is highly recommended that students complete the two social research subjects (GSC1601 and GSC1602) before taking GSC3201 and GSC3202.
An honours program has been introduced. Subject details are found in the section on the fourth-year honours program.
Sociology subjects are designed to prepare graduates for a range of occupations where sociological skills are relevant to employment. These include administration, planning, social research, health, welfare, community services and equal opportunity.
Two subjects are currently offered in social research - one dealing with basic statistics and computing for social sciences and the other, methods of social research. The first introduces students to published data - for example, what the monthly unemployment rate means and how the data is collected, the calculation of basic statistics and what the formulae mean, and the use of computers to analyse real data.
The second subject covers the methodology available to social researchers and requires students to apply these techniques in a selected project, working within a small team. The subject has proved of great value when career moves are being planned, eg a new job or graduate study, as the techniques learnt cover many areas which appeal to supervisors, eg working cooperatively in teams, verbal and written skills, computing, and the ability to solve problems.