Bachelor of Social Science

at University of Wollongong - Wollongong Campus Australia

Psychologists help us to understand who we are and how we think, feel, act and change through scientific study of the human mind and its functions, and how they influence behaviour. Psychological research seeks to identify mechanisms that explain behaviour in various contexts. Clinical psychologists work directly with clients to help them improve their wellbeing and psychological health using evidence-based psychological treatments. Their clients include children, adults, couples, families and organisations, and they can work in a wide range of settings, from private practices to the hospital system.

This degree
The Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) is a four-year undergraduate Honours degree which provides comprehensive training in the scientific study of human behaviour and experience, the physiological, sensory and cognitive processes that underlie it, and how the profession applies this knowledge to practical problems.

The Bachelor of Psychology is a route to Postgraduate coursework or research degrees in Psychology. It is also a partial qualification for provisional registration as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia.

What you will study
This course is for the highly motivated. The Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) program contains a significant research thesis along with coursework. You will learn how the science and practice of psychology is influenced by social, historical, professional and cultural contexts, and knowledge of ethical behaviour. Continuation in the degree will be dependent upon achieving a cumulative average of at least 75% in the Psychology subjects approved for the degree.

The Bachelor of Arts in Western Civilisation combined with the Bachelor of International Studies is an exciting and unique double degree combination. It will take you on a unique philosophical adventure through which you will engage with a carefully curated selection of some of the greatest intellectual and artistic masterpieces ever produced. It will also allow you to examine the relationships of politics, society, culture and the global impact of climate change, revolutions and economic fluctuations.

What you will study

You will philosophically reflect on questions about art, literature, science and religion while also investigating such topics as the nature of selfhood, truth, reason and wisdom. You will discover how great ideas and art can shape us - our understanding of ourselves and the world - and how ideas can make a difference for good or ill. By studying the double degree your studies will be enhanced as you learn about the forces shaping the modern world and the theories that reinforce our understanding of the most important global issues of today.

You will develop informed and reasoned views about significant contemporary concerns, such as the value of democracy, benefiting from your acquired knowledge of the history of ideas. You will become acquainted with diverging perspectives from within various Western traditions of thought and art as well as under-represented voices and perspectives from outside of those traditions.

A core component of the International Studies degree is a language minor. You may choose from Chinese (Mandarin), French, Spanish and Japanese.

Medical Biotechnology is the application of exciting advances in molecular and cell biology to medicine, agriculture, and the environment. Through modern technologies such as genetic engineering, biotechnology is shaping diverse aspects of medicine (cancer, vaccines, therapy and diagnosis of genetic diseases), food production (transgenic plants), and industry (bioremediation).

The Bachelor of Medical Biotechnology (Honours) provides you with the tools and knowledge to work in both medicine and bioremediation. It encompasses the rapidly evolving fields of proteomics, genetic engineering, and advanced techniques in molecular analysis. A new generation of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, hormones, and anti-inflammatory agents are being developed using these technologies. This degree will prepare you to work in biomedical science research and the biotechnology industry, which is at the forefront of these developments.

Honours is built into the fourth year of this program, during which you will undertake a supervised research project.

Chemistry is the central science that enables us to understand our world at the molecular level. The ability to understand the relationship between structure and function of molecules is critical to understanding the processes of life, of the natural world and of the industrial world.

The Bachelor of Science major in Chemistry will give you the knowledge and skills to apply chemistry across the full range of technically-based disciplines including physics, molecular biology, life sciences, geochemistry, environmental science, engineering, and health sciences. These skills include both analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as expertise in using sophisticated laboratory instrumentation, all of which are highly valued by employers in all sectors of the economy.

The Master of Marketing involves an exploration of the motives of consumers during the purchase of products and services. You will learn how to use this market research to make more effective marketing decisions.

Leading Marketing academics will teach you to examine who the customer is to develop a competitive advantage by effectively positioning products/services in the market. You will study how to utilize promotional tools an organization may use to create this competitive advantage and enhance a brand’s equity, whether the organization is a commercial, non-profit, or social entity.

This master’s degree will ultimately enable you to develop and demonstrate technical knowledge and skills in marketing, a field increasingly important for all types of organizations that need to deliver value through the products and services they create. You will have the opportunity to study a wide range of advanced topics in marketing and gain professionally oriented generalist and specialist marketing skills.

The Master of Philosophy (Creative Arts) is a flexible course that provides a bridge towards doctoral level study and the opportunity to immerse yourself in a significant research project.

The course is suited to experienced creative arts practitioners who wish to extend their practice within a scholarly context. It is also appropriate for applicants with an excellent undergraduate creative arts background who wish to extend their scholarly and/or creative skills. You may pursue purely scholarly research or a combination of creative and scholarly research. Research strengths in creative practice include Music, Theatre, Performance, Creative Writing, Visual Arts, Digital Media and Design. Applications from all these disciplines are encouraged, as well as any projects working in interdisciplinary forms.

The degree comprises 24 credit points of coursework and a 72-credit point thesis. Advanced standing for the coursework component of the degree may be awarded, which will determine the appropriate entry point.

As a guide, submission by thesis only will be in the range of 35,000 to 45,000 words. The submission of creative work will normally be by exhibition, performance or presentation in the chosen area of practice, supported by one of the following:

•     an exegesis (approximately 15,000 words) focusing on aspects such as origins of the work, structures and techniques used, and artistic theories underpinning the work; or
•     a dissertation (approximately 15,000 words) that makes a scholarly argument linked to, but not dependent on, the body of creative work.

The Bachelor of Creative Arts - Bachelor of Communication and Media has a strong focus on the creative industries and encourages an understanding of how producers and consumers interact in a media-saturated world. UOW connects hands-on studio production with critical reflection. This degree will equip you with a diverse set of skills including critical and creative thinking and effective communication and problem-solving skills, all of which are required for high achievement in a range of careers.

The Bachelor of Communication and Media degree offers students a strong foundation in global communication and media industries. This degree has a focus on preparing students for global careers in digital and social media, visual communication design, journalism, screen media production, marketing communication, advertising and PR. Students will encounter key ideas in the study and practice of media and communications, and gain flexible and transferable skills that will prepare them for informed engagement with the changing world of global media culture.

You will also become part of the creative industries, one of the fastest growing sectors in the world.  In Australia, over 600,000 people create a living from working in film; television and radio; writing and editing; recording and performing; advertising and marketing; design and visual arts; and architecture.  A Creative Arts degree equips you with a sound knowledge of contemporary arts, art theory and history within Australia and how that fits within an international context, reflecting on social, cultural and ethical issues.

What you will study
The Bachelor of Communication and Media offers five majors - Digital and Social Media, Visual Communication Design, Journalism, Screen Media Production and Marketing, Communication and Advertising. You will need to select one major to specialise in throughout the duration of your degree.

The Bachelor of Creative Arts involves the study of theory and practice-based work in the following major study areas: Creative Writing, Music, Visual Arts or Visual Arts and Design.

Public Health is the art and science of promoting population health, creating health environments and including health in all policies. Public Health practitioners work in government, not for profit and private organisations to improve living standards through preventing infectious diseases and poor health caused by unhealthy lifestyle, enabling positive mental wellbeing based on scientific evidence as well as conducting long terms studies of populations to improve current solutions.

This degree
This degree will provide you with an understanding of the key issues affecting the health of populations. You will develop skills in obtaining, reviewing and analysing health information; planning and managing a health program or project, and in improving the health of populations. This degree will expose you to the way governments, not for profits and private institutions conceptualise and tackle a variety of health challenges and prepare you for the future of public health.

High achieving students can undertake an Honours year at the conclusion of the degree to further develop and apply their research skills. Professional Recognition Graduates can apply to be a full member of the Public Health Association of Australia.

What you will study
During the UOW Bachelor of Public Health you will learn the basics of the health sector and develop an understanding of the problems involving health, illness, treatment and welfare. There is an emphasis on the scientific basis of public health, together with social policy and communication aspects. You will also be provided with career ready experiences throughout the degree to prepare you for a changing world of work.

Quantitative corporate finance and investment looks at the funding source and the capital structure of corporations. It examines tools and analysis utilised in corporate and business financial decision-making from a quantitative perspective. These decision processes may be short-term or long-term. Long-term decisions typically deal with the choice and type of corporate investments, sources of equity or debt funding and financial risk management. Short-term decisions mainly deal with working capital management of short-term assets and liabilities.

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 how to assess investments and the method for identifying the best financial or investment product for a corporation. You'll develop quantitative skills and simultaneously develop an understanding of the corporate finance and investment sector.

Subjects you will study include: investment analysis, portfolio analysis, financial calculus, applied probability and financial risk, international finance, advanced corporate finance, linear and generalised linear models and partial differential equations. You will complete a Mathematics and Finance Honours Project.

The Honours program is an alternative option for students going into the second session of third year from either the Bachelor of Health and Physical Education pass degree or the Bachelor of Health and Physical Education (Dean's Scholar) degree.

Students have the opportunity to be involved in a research project of their own choice or interest or work with a Health and Physical Education academic as part of their research. All students will receive supervision throughout their research project and will be required to complete a thesis detailing their research project, their methods and their findings. Participation in the Honours program can lead to further research opportunities as a postgraduate student.

Honours students are encouraged to:

• Make a contribution to theory, research and pedagogy of education
• Conduct independent research in the form of a thesis as well as other forums such as conference presentations and journal articles
• Seek out opportunities and apply knowledge in educational research that will contribute beneficially to educational research and practice
• Participate in the research culture within the School of Education

What you will study
You will study health and physical education subjects including movement skills, games and sports, rhythmic movements, mental health and sexuality, relationships, drugs and personal safety, curriculum and pedagogy (the method and practice of teaching), anatomy and physiology, biomechanics and educational foundations.

You will also study broader complementary subjects including Aboriginal Education, Information and Communication Technology, Learners with Exceptional Needs, Educational Research, Communication, and Risk and Behaviour management.

The Honours year requires students to learn to conduct educational research in ways that are intellectually honest, with professional integrity and knowledge and enactment of appropriate ethical standards; and become aware of changing conditions and situations in research settings.