Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Social Science in History and Political Thought (Dual Degree)

at Western Sydney University - Penrith Campus (Kingswood) Australia

Many future challenges exist at the nexus of environment, infrastructure and technology. Solutions to these will demand innovative engineering combined with applied science and business acumen. Engineers with a head for business will find many opportunities to leverage their highly developed analytical skills towards a host of technical and commercial challenges.

How 4 plus 3 makes 5
This outstanding double degree program combines a 4 year Bachelor of Engineering (honours) degree with the 3 year Bachelor of Business degree to yield a course of study that takes only 5 years to complete (in Full-time mode).The Engineering component of this program is offered at the Penrith and Parramatta City campuses, and the Business component is offered at the Parramatta City campus.

At Western Sydney University, we prepare our students to take on big challenges and succeed. The combined Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Business degree covers all major engineering and business domains. You can also experience many facets of engineering before deciding upon your major at the end of your first year.

Robotics and Mechatronic

Robotics and Mechatronic engineering combines electrical, computing and mechanical engineering and is at the forefront in designing smart machines and systems, such as pilotless spacecraft, car cruise control, automated factories and medical telerobotics. Students explore intelligent mechanical systems and automation through an extensive and integrated hands-on laboratory program, as well as work-integrated industry projects. Students learn in-depth knowledge about the design and construction of these systems to integrate, evaluate and address their performance. The multidisciplinary skills students develop are sought after by leading edge industries, including aerospace and biomedical engineering.

If you’re creative, passionate and a problem solver, our enhanced Arts degree could be for you.

Global Business

The global economy is becoming increasingly important for organisations seeking out new opportunities to expand their customer base and develop partnerships.

Western offers a specialist Computer Science degrees to equip you with the skills you need to be career-ready by specialising in different applications of computer science and computer systems.

Systems Programming

This major aims to develop graduates with sound skills in the discipline of programming. The focus is on programming at the level of system calls to the underlying operating system and many of the units use the industry standard language for systems programming, namely C/C++, as the vehicle of instruction.

There is a strong emphasis on the development of highly efficient and reliable code that can provide support services for higher level application oriented programs, as well as the development of programs suitable for systems administration and management. Practical work utilises the Unix environment. This major is appropriate where a career in systems programming or systems administration is planned, or where the student wishes to develop advanced systems programming skills.

The Bachelor of Criminal and Community Justice degree is designed for current employees within Corrective Services and other similar professions, as well as those external to the industry who wish to pursue a career in corrections, probation and/or parole (Community Corrections).

The degree has been designed in collaboration with Brush Farm, the training academy of Corrective Services NSW.

The degree draws upon disciplinary areas such as Criminal Justice, Criminology, Psychology, Social Work and Welfare in order to provide a theoretical framework for those who work with offenders.

This degree is a specialised degree which targets a range of central themes and issues that are paramount for those who work with victims and also offenders, both in terms of their treatment and management. As well as providing a theoretical framework, the program equips our students with the knowledge and skills to develop and evaluate practice with a view to enhancing work with offenders and victims.

The Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) program is designed for students with interests in learning to address humanity’s issues and challenges through the development and deployment of technical solutions.

This program spans all major engineering domains and prioritises industry relevance via an emphasis on work integrated learning to ensure students are career-ready on graduation. In addition to becoming technical experts in their chosen field of specialisation, students are also challenged to become collaborative and innovative problem solvers with an appreciation for the importance of sustainability and global citizenship.

Sustainability

Human society is facing ever increasing challenges from changing climate, expanding populations and industrial development. Traditional approaches to solve environmental problems needs rethinking and should consider circular economy, life cycle thinking, climate smartness, digitisation. In this Major, students assess various challenges in provision of water, food, infrastructure and energy then propose design solutions using holistic, futuristic and sustainable technologies and strategies. Through hands-on, real-life projects, students explore solutions that integrate technical, technological (IoT), social, cultural, geographical, regulatory and ethical factors. This major will benefit students aiming for careers such as Environmental Engineer/Scientist/Consultant, Natural Resources Manager, Waste Engineer/Manger/ Consultant, and Sustainability Engineer/ Manager/ Consultant.

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.

Peace and Development Studies

The Peace and Development Studies major is concerned with inequalities of power and opportunity that lead to international and local conflict, uneven development, social dislocation and environmental degradation. This major examines the structural causes of racist and gendered violence, environmental crises, forced migration, poverty, resource conflict, and inter-generational inequity.

You will be introduced to theories and methods for identifying, measuring and resolving conflict and environmental degradation. Constructive solutions include empowerment and self-determination, sustainable living, peace building and conflict resolution strategies.

The major is organised around three fields of inquiry: structural inequality, social justice and human rights; development and sustainability; and peace and humanitarian responses/ actions.

During your studies, you will engage with social theory within an interdisciplinary and applied framework of important civic and global issues.

Western offers a specialist Computer Science degrees to equip you with the skills you need to be career-ready by specialising in different applications of computer science and computer systems.

Technology Entrepreneurship

The Technology Entrepreneurship major is focused on guiding students through all stages of turning their innovative idea into a start-up company. In an entrepreneurial ecosystem, you will learn the knowledge and techniques for opportunity discovery, impact analysis, customer analysis, strategic team-building and leadership, the psychology and ethics of the start-up, funding modelling and financial analysis, growth and exit strategies.

We will be helping you with defining your idea, forming a team around it, building a prototype, developing a pitch for investors and running a start-up company.

The specialist knowledge of engineering technologists is a key element in the practice of engineering. The engineering technologist’s focused learning and practical skills are highly utilised in industry and make a significant contribution to Australian engineering success and prosperity.

The Western Sydney region has experienced strong growth and the engineering industry requires engineering technologists in a range of specialisations to support industry.

Civil 

Civil engineering covers the fields of structural design, geotechnical engineering and water engineering, together with infrastructure design and environmental engineering. Graduates may pursue career paths in the fields of design, construction and management of engineering structures and be associated with private industry, government departments, or in city, municipal or shire councils. These career paths may include engineering projects related to residential and commercial buildings, highways and airports, water supply and sewerage schemes.

Graduate destinations include:
Civil Engineering Technologist, Structural Engineering Technologist, Geotechnical Engineering Technologist, Site Engineering Technologist, Water Engineering Technologist, Maintenance Engineering Technologist.

The Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) program is designed for students with interests in learning to address humanity’s issues and challenges through the development and deployment of technical solutions.

This program spans all major engineering domains and prioritises industry relevance via an emphasis on work integrated learning to ensure students are career-ready on graduation. In addition to becoming technical experts in their chosen field of specialisation, students are also challenged to become collaborative and innovative problem solvers with an appreciation for the importance of sustainability and global citizenship.

Civil

Civil engineering covers the fields of structural design, geotechnical engineering and water engineering, together with infrastructure design and environmental engineering. Graduates may pursue career paths in the fields of design, construction and management of engineering structures and be associated with private industry, government departments, or in city, municipal or shire councils. These career paths may include engineering projects related to residential and commercial buildings, highways and airports, water supply and sewerage schemes.

Graduate destinations include:
Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, Geotechnical Engineer, Site Engineer, Water Engineer, Maintenance Engineer, Water Resources Engineer, Water Resource System Analyst, Hydrologist, Hydraulic Engineer, Water Treatment Operator, Subdivision Civil Approvals Engineer, Consulting Engineer, Project Engineer, Project Manager, Design Manager

The Bachelor of Criminal and Community Justice degree is designed for current employees within Corrective Services and other similar professions, as well as those external to the industry who wish to pursue a career in corrections, probation and/or parole (Community Corrections).

The degree has been designed in collaboration with Brush Farm, the training academy of Corrective Services NSW.

The degree draws upon disciplinary areas such as Criminal Justice, Criminology, Psychology, Social Work and Welfare in order to provide a theoretical framework for those who work with offenders.

This degree is a specialised degree which targets a range of central themes and issues that are paramount for those who work with victims and also offenders, both in terms of their treatment and management. As well as providing a theoretical framework, the program equips our students with the knowledge and skills to develop and evaluate practice with a view to enhancing work with offenders and victims.

The Bachelor of Criminal and Community Justice can be described as an ‘applied degree’ insofar as the teaching within the program will link theory to practice. It is important to note that this degree does not guarantee direct employment into Corrective Services or related fields.

Our academics who teach in the program have had first-hand experience working directly with offenders and victims in a variety of settings including prisons, courts and a community setting. This is reflected in some of the specialised subjects, including Assessment and Treatment of Offenders and Managing Offenders in the Community.