Bachelor of Social Science in Human Services

at University of South Australia - Magill Campus Australia

Based at the Magill campus, this education degree offers Honours with a difference. Graduate ready to teach, with enhanced career opportunities and the added benefit of graduating with a professional Honours degree. You will graduate skilled, confident and ready to pursue your teaching career in early childhood or primary education (birth to 8 years of age).

This industry-relevant degree is a four-year professional degree solely focused on teaching, that will equip you with the practical skills and theoretical knowledge to thrive as a contemporary teacher in childcare, preschool, and junior primary settings.

What you'll learn

The aim of this degree is to provide you with knowledge across a range of contexts. The learning is largely practically-based, and centres heavily on the principles and concepts relating to early childhood development and learning, as well as curriculum planning for learners aged from birth to eight years of age. The four key components of the curriculum include:

• Primary specialism
• Curriculum studies
• Professional experience
• Education studies

This master degree is designed for those who have already completed an undergraduate degree and who would like to work in a setting where they teach English to speakers of other languages.

The unique curriculum allows you to explore a range of educational issues, further develop research skills and to collaborate, network and interact with like-minded professionals. You will also learn about recent developments in theories, research, debates and practices regarding the teaching of English as an additional language.

What you'll learn

You will graduate from this master degree with an advanced understanding of educational theory and TESOL methodologies; you will also develop advanced research skills.

The curriculum is separated into two different streams - the Education Project pathway and the Education Thesis pathway. Each pathway explores research methods, with the Thesis pathway preparing students for further learning, such as doctoral studies.

The English Language major will equip you with communicative proficiency and intercultural expertise to work in local and global contexts.

You will:

• Develop advanced level English skills to equip you as a career-ready professional
• Gain intercultural expertise to work internationally in a wide range of contexts
• Develop research and project management skills to help you pursue honours, research or postgraduate studies
• Gain a high-level understanding of how English affects the experience of individuals and communities globally.

What you'll learn

The English Language major will equip you with communicative proficiency and intercultural expertise to work in local and global contexts.

Graduates of this degree (the only one of its kind in South Australia) are qualified to work as journalists in any medium, across any platform, and in media organisation newsrooms, local community news sites, niche and community media, and as freelance/entrepreneurial journalists. They are also well qualified to work across communication fields. An emphasis on professional writing opens doors to a wide variety of allied professions, such as technical writing, tender presentations, and marketing and communication.

You can explore journalistic areas of interest such as:

• Science, space and technology
• Data and investigative journalism
• Governments and politics
• International relations
• Economy, business and finance
• Social and legal justice, and inclusion
• Travel writing
• Culture and arts journalism
• Environment and sustainability
• Sports journalism.

This degree provides you with a sound knowledge of the political, behavioural and social sciences, and equips you with the skills needed for professional practice in the human services field as an accredited community worker, policy advocate or manager of human services.

This degree has been developed around the following four major areas of study:

• Behavioural and social sciences
• Human service practice
• Human service management
• Social policy.

Become even more employable by combining your Bachelor of Social Science (Human Services) degree with another degree. With just one year of extra study you can graduate with an additional Bachelor of Psychology or Bachelor of Arts qualification. You can discuss the possibilities with Campus Central. 

As a student studying the History and Global Politics major you will develop an in-depth understanding of the patterns and processes that have shaped our societies over time and help you analyse and predict events in our contemporary world.

Key areas of study include:

• The politics of environmental change in Australia and Asia
• Framing global politics through film and documentaries
• Global politics and development
• World history trends
• Global power in the Indo-Pacific region
• Marginalisation in world affairs

What you'll learn

The History and Global Politics major will highlight the patterns and processes that have shaped our societies over time and help you to analyse and predict events in our contemporary world.

This industry-relevant postgraduate qualification is for students who have already completed a three-year bachelor degree and would like to increase their employment prospects with a teaching qualification specialising in primary education.

What you'll learn

This degree has been designed to develop skilled, committed and flexible primary school educators.

The focus is on practical learning and you will gain the skills needed to teach across the core curriculum learning areas in schools from Reception to Year Seven. There are three major study areas:

• Curriculum studies
• Professional experience
• Education studies

As a student studying the Creative Writing and Literature major you will explore historical and contemporary fiction, non-fiction, poetry, autobiographies, essays, films and plays.

What you'll learn

The Creative Writing and Literature major allows you to delve into a variety of creative forms and texts. You will study historical and contemporary fiction, non-fiction, poetry, autobiographies, essays, films, and plays. As you begin to create your own great classics, you will also learn how different written and multimedia texts have impacted cultures around the world. Under the guidance of highly experienced academics:

• Develop analytical skills
• Develop creative writing skills
• Explore how different written and multimedia texts have impacted on the cultures of the world.

This degree provides a framework for understanding the notions of critical disability studies, ableism, ageism and as well as capacities to support individuals living with disability and utilising support networks to live their optimum life.

You will develop a broad and coherent body of knowledge of human service practice, with in-depth understanding in the underlying principles and concepts of:

• Ethical practice
• Social and emotional development and wellbeing, community engagement and promoting independence
• Policy, legislation and programs to support social value and optimal wellbeing.

In addition to this you will also get practical experience as part of the degree’s field education placement component. This is a valuable learning opportunity where you will build industry networks and further enhance your practical skills. 

This degree provides you with a sound knowledge of the political, behavioural and social sciences, and equips you with the skills to work in a range of fields in social work and human services. It has been developed around four major areas of study: social work theory; social work practice and skills; social policy; and social research.

What you'll learn

This degree focuses on four major areas of study:

• Social work theory: you will develop knowledge of various social work approaches as they relate to individuals, families, communities, groups and organisations
• Social work practice and skills: you will work in our custom-built Social Work and Human Services Studio to develop a range of skills needed to work in social practice - in this dedicated space you will work alongside field practitioners and academic staff in simulated, real-life situations
• Social policy: learn how to identify the social policies that affect people’s lives, and the strategic ways that social workers may be able to influence these policies
• Social research: learn how to use, evaluate and construct research