Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Social Science in Disability Studies (Dual Degree)

at Western Sydney University - Parramatta South Campus Australia

The Bachelor of Arts (Dean’s Scholars) degree is designed to develop your communication and personal skills, creativity, capacity for independent thought, adaptability to new situations, and problem-solving abilities.

Geography and Urban Studies

Geography is the integrated study of people, places and environments. In this major, you will examine the geography of contemporary Australian cities and regions. The interests of today’s geographers include post-colonialism, the emergence of global information economies, indigenous issues, class and cultural disparities, population movement, sexuality and space, and the global diffusion of popular culture.

Urban Studies is a discipline focused on social justice within the city, through its critical assessments of people’s access to scarce urban resources, such as housing, transport, education and employment.

The political, economic and cultural forces that shape cities and urban policy are the key concerns of the Urban Studies curriculum. These applied interests in urban wellbeing and city structure are the intellectual basis for the urban planning profession.

This double degree program equips you with a degree in science, combined with a good understanding of basic business issues.

You can design your own academic program within the Bachelor of Science program structure, which must include a Science major. This can be combined with a Business major from a variety of disciplines.

This double degree program allows you to span both the commercial and scientific worlds in a way that a single degree cannot.

It permits you to multi-skill, and offers diverse career paths providing high marketability in multiple areas of expertise. 

As a graduate, you will be equipped to work as a scientist, with a good understanding of business principles and practices. Alternatively, as a Business graduate you will be well-prepared to work in science-based industries and institutions.

Human Resource Management

This major is accredited with the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI). Note: Accreditation is currently being sought for course 6037 Diploma in Business/Bachelor of Business. The Human Resource Management Major is designed for people who seek careers in human resource management and industrial relations. Graduates’ careers focus on enhancing the value of human and social capital through supporting employee engagement for many different kinds of organisations, market-oriented and community-oriented organisations and many kinds of people. The teaching philosophy is based on knowledge in action, a fusion of the Australia Human Resource Institute’s capabilities for HR professionals and the Western Sydney University Graduate Attributes designed to secure success. An aim of the program is to instil those values and attitudes that can support leaders in judgements about balancing the pursuit of organisational objectives with creating opportunities for developing people’s capacities and careers. The perspectives are local and international, with an emphasis on the value of cultural and demographic diversity. Graduates have knowledge of how leadership and management of people can support organisational objectives and create organisational opportunities. This capacity comes from grounding in human resource management and industrial relations practice using contemporary law and research in applied projects. Students combine this with an education in the pressures organisations experience in inter-disciplinary subjects focused on money, markets and management. That is, graduates develop commercial acumen and appreciate the competing interests around work, aware of trends locally and internationally. Throughout the program, students are challenged to develop and demonstrate communication, cultural, and analytic skills required to be innovative and responsible team-members and leaders.

This double degree program equips you with a degree in science, combined with a good understanding of basic business issues.

You can design your own academic program within the Bachelor of Science program structure, which must include a Science major. This can be combined with a Business major from a variety of disciplines.

This double degree program allows you to span both the commercial and scientific worlds in a way that a single degree cannot.

It permits you to multi-skill, and offers diverse career paths providing high marketability in multiple areas of expertise. 

As a graduate, you will be equipped to work as a scientist, with a good understanding of business principles and practices. Alternatively, as a Business graduate you will be well-prepared to work in science-based industries and institutions.

Applied Finance

The Applied Finance major equips you with the expert skills to create a career as a finance specialist. In this major you will develop in-depth knowledge of finance with a focus on investment and securities, economics, and banking and finance. The core units in the Bachelor of Business will provide you a foundation of business knowledge and develop your skills in innovation, career planning, and numeracy. The Applied Finance major builds on this knowledge and skills in an applied discipline based context. Finance specialists work in a range of roles within the rapidly growing finance sector. This major fulfils the educational requirements for admission as an Associate (A Fin) of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia (FINSIA) provided the applicant is at least working in the financial services industry. All other students are eligible to apply for Affiliate membership (no postnominals apply).

This double degree program is designed for students whose interests span the Arts and Sciences. Our graduates work across a range of academic and professional disciplines, including the opportunity to develop global perspectives.

International English

International English examines English in its many varieties with a focus on the international development of this language, extending far beyond native English speakers, and identifying features of the language essential to academic and professional performance.

The major provides a basis for international students who may intend to teach English in different countries, or enter other language-centred professions, or for local students intending to pursue post-graduate degrees in education or wanting to improve English skills.

The major provides studies in the varieties and structures of English, informed by specific studies in linguistics, English teaching and bilingualism and language acquisition.

This double degree program allows you to span both the legal and scientific worlds. This Bachelor of Science asks questions about how the natural world works and the impact of humans at its interface. It does so in a systematic, yet rigorously creative way based on inquiry and evidence. A Bachelor of Science will prepare you to take part in this process of inquiry, by both contributing to it and by using scientific knowledge to solve current problems in broad settings.

The Bachelor of Laws program satisfies the academic degree requirements for admission to practice as an Australian lawyer. Students will engage in collaborative face-to-face problem and case-based learning, will be supported by online learning materials, and will participate in authentic assessment to develop knowledge and skills.

Chemistry

A Bachelor of Science with a chemistry major will prepare you to take part in a process of inquiry, by both contributing to it and by using scientific knowledge to solve current problems. The Chemistry program provides a strong background in the key topic areas of contemporary chemistry, including aspects of chemical theory in analytical, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry, with a strong emphasis on practical laboratory skills, and applications in contemporary research, industry and the environment. A research project is available to students in the final year of the degree preparing you for a professional career in a wide range of chemistry based industries. The degree allows for the completion of a second major or additional minors and electives to diversify learning for the careers of the future.

Graduates of this degree can look forward to career opportunities as a research scientist, forensic scientist, or a scientist in environment, mining or manufacturing industries. Other opportunities can be found in pharmaceutical industries, health and food industries, in scientific and technical sales, consumer affairs or you can progress into pursuing a research or secondary teaching career.

This double degree program is designed for students whose interests span the Arts and Social Sciences.

It will give you the skills and versatility to work across a range of academic and professional disciplines, including the opportunity to develop global perspectives and communication skills.

You need to include a Social Science Major, so you can design your own academic program within the Bachelor of Social Science program structure.

History and Political Thought

Since the revival of humanist thought in the Renaissance, universities have placed studies in history and political thought at the centre of exploring what it is to be human.

At the heart of the History and Political Thought major are four compulsory units, which introduce the student to the modern history of humanity (since 1500). Although Europe is very prominent in the major, you will be invited to compare its history to the histories of Asia, Africa and the Americas.

The major culminates in a capstone unit in students’ final semester, discussing historical theories and methods. A wide range of elective units covers European, American, Australian and Asian history and political thought, and includes thematic units which range widely over time and place.

The Graduate Diploma program in public health is designed for health professionals who wish to extend and consolidate both practical and research skills for public health practice. For this program, students will study a wide range of evaluation processes and research methods relating to public health and policy analysis, economic evaluation, epidemiology and biostatistics. This program provides an entry point to the Master of Public Health for those who wish to continue their professional development with further studies.

Subjects of study include: A Global Perspective on Social Determinants of Health; Public Health, Policy and Society; Introduction to Epidemiology; and Introduction to Biostatistics.

You will additionally complete four electives from a wide range of fields of study including but not limited to Communicable Diseases, Health Workforce Planning, Building Organisational Capacity in Health Care and Surveillance and Disaster Planning.

This double degree provides you with the practical skills and knowledge required to excel in the fields of both business and law. The Bachelor of Business degree gives you the knowledge to create a career as a business professional. Whether you wish to pursue a corporate role in a global enterprise or start your own business, this degree will provide you with the skills to do it.  

The Bachelor of Laws program satisfies the academic degree requirements for admission to practice as an Australian lawyer. Students will engage in collaborative face-to-face problem and case-based learning, will be supported by online learning materials, and will participate in authentic assessment to develop knowledge and skills.

In the Bachelor of Communication, through classwork, independent study and engagement with the multicultural nature of our communities, students develop an understanding of the local and international relevance of their chosen studies, with opportunities to develop and produce a range of media outcomes as applied research and professional projects throughout their studies. Through self-directed, team-based and problem-based learning strategies requiring active participation in the community and professional contexts, graduates learn to reflect and value ethical and intellectual conduct as well as respect for diversity and social justice principles.

The Bachelor of Laws provides students with a broad progressive legal education with a strong practical orientation to the law. Students develop skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, research, communication, collaboration, self-management, and ethical and professional awareness and judgement. Students will also develop skills in legal advocacy, negotiation, and legal technology and extend their professional and learning experiences through work integrated learning, clinical placement and international exchange engagements.

The Bachelor of Laws provides you with professional skills including: the ability to analyse legal material and understand fundamental legal principles; an understanding of the relationship between law and society; the skills to analyse and solve legal and non-legal problems and specialised study into the Australian legal system.

The Bachelor of Communication encompasses a wide range of subjects in the field of communication and media with a core program of media studies, practices and theory, and specialised major sequences in advertising, journalism, public relations and media arts production.

Media Arts Production

The major in Media Arts Production is designed to provide students with production skills, complete with practical hands-on experience together with a theoretical foundation in the moving, visual media.

This double degree program is designed for students whose interests span the Arts and Social Sciences.

It will give you the skills and versatility to work across a range of academic and professional disciplines, including the opportunity to develop global perspectives and communication skills.

You need to include a Social Science Major, so you can design your own academic program within the Bachelor of Social Science program structure.

English

The English major invites students to explore contemporary approaches to language, literary studies and writing, including literary criticism and theory, linguistic analysis, genre and textual study, and creative writing. The English major focuses on the imaginative workings of language, and students can study a wide selection of modern and classic literature, as well as the relationships between written texts and other media such as film and information technology.

Students also have the opportunity to produce their own creative writing and to edit and learn how to publish their work. Career prospects include publishing, editing, teaching, writing and advertising.

This double degree program is designed for students whose interests span the Arts and Sciences. Our graduates work across a range of academic and professional disciplines, including the opportunity to develop global perspectives.

Environmental Health

The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and the places we live, work and play all have major impacts on our health and well-being. The testamur major Environmental Health in a Bachelor of Science, will equip you to explore the diverse range of natural and built-environment challenges that confront us, from the mitigation of human health impacts of global climate change through to the more localised issues of air and water quality, waste management, food security, environmental noise and healthy communities.

The major areas of study addressed within the major include air pollution; community studies; emergency management; environmental regulation and policy; environmental monitoring; environmental planning; environmental protection; epidemiology; food safety; noise, occupational environment; risk assessment; sustainable environmental management; toxicology; urban development and water pollution.