Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics

at University of Wollongong - Wollongong Campus Australia

The Bachelor of Primary Education (Honours) is an alternative final year option for students who have demonstrated excellence in the first three years of the Bachelor of Primary Education or the Bachelor of Primary Education (Dean’s Scholar) degree.

This degree is a nationally accredited qualification for employment as a Kindergarten to Year 6 teacher in the public and independent school systems. You will learn through on-campus classes, online learning and school and community placements.  The extensive professional experience program involves placement in schools from the second year of the degree allowing you to learn by observation and apply your skills in the classroom early in your degree. 

During your study you will have opportunities for rural professional experiences, to study overseas with UOW's international exchange and study abroad partners, and to join international cultural immersion programs.

What you will study
In the final year of your degree, you will have the opportunity to be involved in a research project of your own choice or interest or work with a Primary Education academic as part of your research. All students will receive supervision throughout their research project and will be required to complete a thesis or other form of research dissemination detailing their research project, their methods and their findings. Participation in the Honours program can lead to further research opportunities as a postgraduate student.

If you are doing, or have done particularly well in your Bachelor of Communication and Media degree, you should consider an Honours year. Your Bachelor of Communication and Media degree will have introduced you to a wide range of topics and problems, and an Honours project will enable you to explore these ideas in much greater depth. Honours research topics are various and negotiable. If you are really interested in a topic and want to find answers, you'll be encouraged and supported.

From a potential employer's perspective, your ability to achieve a complex goal, meet deadlines, investigate independently, use resources effectively and write coherently are highly valued attributes.

The Honours year has a number of functions at UOW; as an in-depth project at the end of undergraduate study, and as a bridge between undergraduate study and advanced research.  It may also afford you the opportunity to explore future career options. Studying Honours teaches you: training in research skills and in information systems (archives, the Library, databases and electronic research networks);  opportunity to practise articulating complex ideas orally and in writing; experience in working closely with a supervisor on a project and in preparing a major project to meet a deadline; and experience in devising, researching and writing up an individual topic of study in an extended argument or thesis.

Photography is a form of art and expression. It is a form of graphic communication that can be instantly understood by a global audience to showcase facts, inform, educate, entertain, reform, or share experiences. Photography will take you through visual experiences and critical thinking: your photos can tell a thousand words.

Studying photography at UOW will teach you both analogue and digital technologies across a diverse range of studio subjects, whilst developing an understanding of traditions and concepts relevant to photography in historical, theoretical and contemporary visual art contexts. You will develop your own style through creative processes, conceptual skills and applying your knowledge into practice.

What you will study
You will undertake a range of studies utilising analogue and digital technologies in diverse studio subjects including digital photography and Photoshop, darkroom processes and printing, studio lighting (portraiture and still life), fieldwork site and context, photo-assemblage and series, and photography in the expanded field of new technologies (including audio and the moving image).

An Honours degree provides you with the opportunity to undertake research on a topic of interest. The degree is designed to give you the skills to demonstrate excellence in research with a clear understanding of a research question in relation to current knowledge.

To graduate with an Honours degree, you will undertake a research thesis within your major study discipline, together with any required coursework. The Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree can currently be taken in the following disciplines: Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Exercise Science, Geology, Marine Science, Nutrition Science, and Physical Geography and Environmental Geosciences.

Studying Sociology at UOW will prepare and enable you to understand, question and analyse human life and society, social processes, cultural and social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behaviour. You will develop an understanding of our diverse and rapidly changing world and identify the roots of and solutions to social problems. In an increasingly dynamic world, where divisions and inequalities are becoming more prevalent, this discipline provides invaluable analytical, research and intellectual skills and an in-depth understanding of our diverse societies and cultures.

The Sociology program at UOW organises specific study areas thematically, allowing you to find your own path through the curriculum, and consolidate in areas of interest over the course of the degree.

What you will study
Specific areas of study include: power and stratification; employment, work futures, and social policy; globalisation, migration, and urban/family life; sexualities, genders and intersectionality; social movements, subcultures and networks; and bodies, biotechnology, emotions and affect.

UOW has experts encompassing the entire breadth of the underlying sciences, IT, engineering and mathematical methodologies in the ICT industry. Working closely with industry partners we ensure all programs remain relevant to industry trends and developments. Students study real-world projects and interact with and learn from industry professionals to ensure their job-readiness upon graduation.

The Bachelor of Information Technology provides foundation knowledge of organisational areas in IT, including:

• Database management
• Programming
• Information systems analysis and design
• Communications and networks
• Security
• Project management
• Web-based technology
• Professional practice in IT

Throughout your degree you will study a common core of subjects that links our computer science, IT and information systems degrees. There is an opportunity to specialise in a major at the Wollongong campus from your second year of study by choosing one or both the following majors:

• Network Design and Management
• Web Design and Development

For students who do not wish to specialise with a major, you will complete advanced subjects providing you with specific knowledge while also instilling you with professional knowledge and skills in information technology.

The Visual Arts and Design major is for those who love not only painting and making, but also designing for real-world environments. The course will develop your skills in traditional areas such as painting and drawing, print-making and photography, and sculpture and textiles. You will also learn contemporary digital design skills, including visual communication design, innovations in design practice and interface design – all underpinned by learnings in history and theory. This dynamic major offers extensive studio time, while equipping you with the design skills essential for success in the contemporary arts and creative industries.

What you will study
The structure of the course is based on a common Creative Arts first year, followed by parallel studies in visual arts and design. This will lead to a capstone project-based subject, which brings together both fields of study. You will also take part in a major showcase and public exhibition by the end of your degree. Student work is exhibited throughout the year.

The Master of Engineering (Mining) provides graduate Engineers with discipline-specific knowledge and technical skills in advanced mining engineering. The degree covers many areas such as mine design and planning, mining systems, resource estimation and mine evaluation, mining geomechanics, mine ventilation and climate, mine health and safety, and computer applications in mining engineering.

This degree

The Master of Engineering delivers expert skills and applied competencies required for the professional engineer. It is designed to train and enhance professional practice, advance technical and specialist skills, and provide an opportunity to put theory into practice with applied projects and research. The degree also delivers communication, strategic and project management skills essential to the practising engineer.

What you will study

You will complete the core subjects in Professional Communications and Engineering Workplace Practice, Innovation and Design, Studies in Surface Mining, Studies in Underground Mining, and Research Methods.

For the Mining major you will study subjects in Tunnelling and Underground Construction, Advanced Mineral Resource Estimation Methods, Environmental Controls in Mines, Mineral Valuation and Risk Analysis, Advanced Mining Safety, Mine Planning and Development, Rock Mechanics and Mineral Beneficiation. You will also complete an advanced project.

The Bachelor of Science Advanced Honours (Biomolecular Physics) degree is for high-achieving students interested in a challenging program leading to a career in scientific research. The UOW Honours website provides lots of useful information regarding research opportunities, scholarships, and application procedures.

Biomolecular physicists are integrated across a wide range of careers including commercial biomedicine, instrumentation and biotech companies (e.g. Sigma and Life Technologies). They assist in developing molecular diagnostic instrumentation for government and institutional research laboratories, as well beam-line scientists at National Research Facilities (e.g. ANSTO and the Australian Synchrotron).

Biomolecular Physicists work closely with other scientists with an aim to develop a better understanding of diseases and improve treatment and diagnostic, and recovery in a range of medical conditions. They seek to develop new methods and technology to assist with better food processing and preservation. This degree will excite and challenge students with an aptitude for physics and mathematics and an interest in biology and chemistry.

What you will study
This degree requires completion of subjects in physics, mathematics, chemistry, biological science and statistics. You will also study specialist subjects in imaging, structure and dynamics of living and soft matters. These lectures will be provided by experts from within UOW and at external research institutes. You will participate in various enrichment activities and develop a close association with an appropriate member of one of the Faculty’s research teams.

Financial planning is the design of specific financial outcomes that meet a client's unique needs and objectives, given their financial resources and risk profile. Its broad approach is to fulfil clients' total needs, incorporating investment planning, taxation and social services planning, retirement planning, risk planning and estate planning. The areas of service provision are very wide including investment and asset portfolio construction and advice, superannuation, retirement and estate planning and associated services.

This degree
The Bachelor of Mathematics and Finance (Honours) teaches you the skills to apply sophisticated mathematical and statistical techniques to real-world problems. You are also encouraged to develop computing and communication skills, which are assets in the job market.

Bankers, investment managers, insurance companies and financial companies all rely on financial mathematics to survive and stay ahead of the competition. Maths and Finance graduates work in all areas of industry and government as risk managers, investment advisers, traders, financial analysts and more. They work in all aspects of the finance sector from traditional banking to futures trading.

There are opportunities for scholarships from corporate partners, plus summer scholarships and undergraduate research projects with academic staff, access to programs of the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI) and inter-university courses via our Access Grid Room.

What you will study
You will learn not only finance but accounting, management and marketing principles. You will investigate securities and the markets they operate in as well as theories of the market and the equilibrium prices of securities. You will learn how to assess investments, and the method for identifying the best financial product for a client, with particular attention to their risk profile. You will learn the codes of conduct governing the financial planning industry and relevant regulatory frameworks, advising techniques, and how to build and maintain clients' investment portfolios.

Subjects you will study include: investment analysis, advanced corporate finance, retirement and estate planning, taxation for financial planners, risk and insurance, and advanced financial planning. You will complete a Mathematics and Finance Honours Project.