Bachelor of Arts in Innovation and Change

at Western Sydney University - Parramatta South Campus Australia

Get ready for a journey of discovery when you study Science at Western. Develop the skills you need to investigate a wide range of scientific disciplines from astronomy to zoology. Help create a sustainable future in all businesses and industries.

Pick which subjects suit your career goals. Open up to a world of unlimited opportunities in astrophysics, conservation biology, drug design and pharmaceuticals, environmental health, food formulation, forensics, biomedical and biophysical research, hospital or pathology labs,  plant science and horticulture, and wildlife management. 

Sustainable Environmental Futures

Understanding how life interacts with water, soil and the atmosphere empowers us to develop sustainable management solutions for our most pressing environmental challenges. In this major you will learn how to apply fundamental scientific knowledge to evaluate and mitigate the impacts of human activities on natural and managed ecosystems, including the built environment. You will have access to world class ecological and environmental research facilities, and will engage in hands-on, field-based learning, taught by a team at the cutting edge of research in this field.

This major will prepare you for careers in urban and natural resource management, environmental consultancy, sustainability planning, biological conservation and environmental policy.

This double degree is designed for students whose interests span the Arts and Business.

Study in the Bachelor of Arts component is designed to develop communication and personal skills, creativity and a capacity for independent thought, adaptability to new situations and problem-solving skills, attributes increasingly demanded by employers.

Geography and Urban Studies

Students in this major examine the geography of contemporary Australian cities and regions. Geography is the integrated study of people, places and environments.

The cutting edge 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 newer discipline focused on social justice within the city, through its critical assessments of peoples’ 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 well-being and city structure are the intellectual basis for the Urban Planning profession.

The Geography and Urban Studies major is a compulsory component of the University’s accredited Planning course.

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.

Zoology

This major will provide students with a detailed understanding of the diversity of the animal kingdom. Students will develop a scientific understanding of how animals function and interact with their environment; from their ecology, behaviour and evolution; to the physiology and biochemistry of cells, tissues and major organ systems. On-campus animal facilities include those for reptiles, small marsupials and rodents, sheep and cattle, as well as over 1000ha of native, rural and aquatic habitats. This major will enable students to graduate with practical laboratory and fieldwork skills that will prepare you across a wide variety of disciplines in this field.

Tailor your studies to your specific goals by combining our Bachelor of Arts degree with the Bachelor of Creative Industries degree.

When you graduate after four years, you have two degrees, and the unique skills relevant to the contemporary employment environment.

The Arts component combines academic knowledge with practical real life training. It is designed to equip you with a broad range of skills and knowledge in research and critical enquiry, and is sufficiently flexible to cater to a range of career aspirations and personal interests.

In the Creative Industries component you will combine a core of entrepreneurship with major studies including culture and society, creative writing, design, enterprise innovation, journalism, literature, media arts, music performance and photo media.

Law and the Creative Industries

The Law and the Creative Industries major equips you with specialised legal skills and knowledge to support your career in the creative industries in Australia.

In this major you will develop tailored, strategic knowledge to enable you to effectively contribute to business decision making and to appreciate the legal and regulatory challenges within the context of creative and innovative enterprises.

The units in this major focus on the fundamentals of Australian law, critique and analysis of law, contracts, torts, alternative dispute resolution and media law, with the option to also incorporate studies in competition and consumer law, intellectual property and law within the employment context. The legal and regulatory focus of this major will provide you with specialised knowledge and skills designed to enhance your access to a range of careers within the creative industries sector.

Students are advised that this specialisation does not qualify students for admission to legal practice in NSW. Students wishing to pursue a career in legal practice should apply for one of the relevant Bachelor of Laws courses.

This degree gives you the skills you need to become an in-demand computing professional. You will gain skills in a practice-based learning environment, be introduced to real-world project experience, and acquire a solid knowledge of ICT theory.

Western’s Bachelor of Information and Communications Technology will give you a strong understanding of several industry domains including networking, databases, systems analysis and design and programming. You will also gain relevant skills in web and mobile technologies, project management, professional communications, operating systems and human computer interaction. As well as the necessary mathematical and statistical skills to succeed as an ICT practitioner, you can choose from a broad range of specialisations including entertainment computing and social media analytics. You will also gain access to industry-leading facilities where you can bring your ideas to life and shape an unlimited future.

Cyber Security

The Cyber Security major aims to develop graduates with sound skills in the discipline of information systems security. Today, the widespread use of networked systems means protecting these systems from various attacks is more important than ever. Cyber Security is an essential aspect of today’s information systems.

This major covers fundamental information security knowledge and security protocols from basic cryptography algorithms to their applications in computer systems and networked systems. Students will learn fundamental security concepts, practical implementation of the security application programs as well as ethical hacking techniques to protect cyber security.

This program combines tourism, event management, social science, business and marketing subjects to prepare graduates for professional roles in tourism, events, and the visitor economy. Students can choose from a suite of majors, including: environmental management, event and festival management, heritage, marketing, place management, planning, sport and sustainability.

The program has been developed with industry to ensure students develop the skills and knowledge desired by employers. Students complete fieldwork, engage with industry and government stakeholders, and are provided with opportunities for international fieldtrips and placements. A final-year professional placement allows students to gain further industry experience and provides a stepping-stone into employment.

Festivals and Events Management

This major combines social science, business and public relation subjects to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to organise and manage festivals and events. Students will learn about the social and cultural significance of festivals and events, and the roles and responsibilities of a variety of stakeholders. The major also explores the important role festivals and events play in tourism and visitor economies. Students who choose to complete the Visitor Economy Professional Placement subject will complete a work placement with a festival/event organiser, providing a stepping-stone to employment.

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.

Cultural and Social Analysis

Cultural and Social Analysis is an interdisciplinary major developing knowledge, research skills and analytic capacities relevant to understanding and interpreting landscapes of cultural diversity and social difference in our contemporary world, both in terms of the broad contours, as well as specific micro-social environments. This major provides grounding in contemporary debates and methodologies in cultural studies and social theory, and draws on various disciplines including history, sociology, communications, and linguistics. Topics include popular culture, everyday urban life, cultural and social impacts of scientific theories and new technologies, multiculturalism, and contemporary spirituality. Study in this area is relevant for work involving commentary and analysis of contemporary social issues and cultural practices (e.g. journalism, teaching, activism) and fields concerned with designing, delivering and evaluating cultural and artistic productions, and education, communication, welfare or health services, in culturally diverse communities.

Students in this major examine the geography of contemporary Australian cities and regions. Geography is the integrated study of people, places and environments.

The cutting edge 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 newer discipline focused on social justice within the city, through its critical assessments of peoples’ 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 well-being and city structure are the intellectual basis for the Urban Planning profession.

The Geography and Urban Studies major is a compulsory component of the University’s accredited Planning course.

Be the supermind that takes on superbugs with our Master of Epidemiology. Find the solutions to challenging epidemics with our Master of Epidemiology. To lead the charge in combating disease, improve global health and establish effective public health policy, reserve your place at Western now.

This combined degree offers you a unique opportunity to gain the creative and business skills necessary to prosper in the contemporary innovation landscape.

Underpinned by a foundation of graphic design, the Bachelor of Design gives you fundamental skills and knowledge in the exciting and constantly changing area of visual communication.

The Creative Industries component combines a core of entrepreneurship with major studies including culture and society, creative writing, design, enterprise innovation, journalism, literature, media arts, music performance and photo media.

The program is designed for those who wish to pursue a creative practice while gaining the business and legal acumen to become a successful part of the creative economy on their own terms.

Cultural and Social Analysis

Cultural and Social Analysis is an interdisciplinary major developing knowledge, research skills and analytic capacities relevant to understanding and interpreting landscapes of cultural diversity and social difference in our contemporary world, both in terms of the broad contours, as well as specific micro-social environments. This major provides grounding in contemporary debates and methodologies in cultural studies and social theory, and draws on various disciplines including history, sociology, communications, and linguistics. Topics include popular culture, everyday urban life, cultural and social impacts of scientific theories and new technologies, multiculturalism, and contemporary spirituality. Study in this area is relevant for work involving commentary and analysis of contemporary social issues and cultural practices (e.g. journalism, teaching, activism) and fields concerned with designing, delivering and evaluating cultural and artistic productions, and education, communication, welfare or health services, in culturally diverse communities.