Bachelor of Social Science
Bachelor of Social Science
Abbreviation: BSocSc
Course code: R3C
Course contact (faculty or school) (03) 6324 3624
Introductory comments
The Bachelor of Social Science (BSocSc) is a 3-year course, offered on the Launceston
campus only, which provides a focused course of study for students wanting to gain
expertise in social science applied to practical real-world issues. It links the disciplinary
bases of human resource management, sociology, political science, public policy,
psychology and social ecology to their practical applications. It combines units from the
Faculty of Arts with units from the Faculty of Commerce, and the Faculty of Science,
Engineering and Technology. It teaches valuable skills in the methodology of social
research and prepares graduates particularly for careers in the post-industrial service and
information sector.
Students may study full time or part time and have nine enrolment years, including the
year of passing the first unit for the degree, in which to complete course requirements.
Students currently enrolled in other degree courses at the University may apply for entry
to the BSocSc. Credit may be granted for some or all of their previous study. Prospective
students wishing to transfer at a later date to the Bachelor of Social Work degree should
discuss their program with a Faculty Officer. Limited mid-year entry is available to this
course.
Admission & prerequisites
Applicants will be expected to meet the minimum entry requirements, which include
several categories of special admission, set by the University for entry to degree courses.
No specific Faculty or subject prerequisites apply.
Course objectives
The Bachelor of Social Science aims to give undergraduates a broad exposure to applied
social science, while allowing them to study social science and management issues within
a non-professional educational context. Students will be able to link the disciplinary bases
of management and administrative studies to their practical applications.
The program will develop a student’s general abilities in the areas of:
•
written expression
•
linguistic skills
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Bachelor of Social Science
•
creative self-expression
•
capacity to analyse and interpret in a dispassionate and objective manner
•
capacity for reasoned criticism
•
data acquisition and analysis
•
research techniques
•
marshalling facts in support of arguments, and
•
evaluating the possible outcomes of alternative courses of action, with the emphasis
varying according to the particular program chosen.
Students will be able to prepare themselves for careers in the post-industrial service sector
whilst acquiring a qualification that will certify them in the specific knowledge and skills
that social science can offer. Students may obtain professional recognition from the
Australian Human Resources Institute if they have completed a Human Resource
Management major.
Career outcomes
Graduates of the Bachelor of Social Science will be strong applicants for positions in a
wide range of fields such as social and market research, human resource management,
public administration and management in commonwealth, state and local government,
policy analysis, social welfare administration, journalism and the media, and industrial
relations.
Course structure
At level 100, students must complete units from a minimum of three disciplines (weighted
at a maximum of 25% for each discipline). These can be chosen from Sociology, Human
Resource Management, Political Science, Public Policy, Psychology, or Social Ecology. The
remaining 25% can be taken from those mentioned above, or can be taken from units such
as English, Geography, History, Indonesian, Philosophy, or units from the Faculty of
Commerce.
Introduction to Law (weighted at 25%) may also be taken as a level 100 unit, but students
who include this in their program of study are not permitted to take a Law major as part
of this particular degree course in subsequent years.
At level 200, students select two major subjects which they study over the remaining two
years of the award. Each consists of eight 12.5% units, some of which may be compulsory
for each major. Currently students have a choice among six majors: Human Resource
Management, Political Science, Psychology, Public Policy, Sociology and Social Ecology.
Note: Currently, students are not able to complete majors in both Political Science and
Public Policy. Units to be included in the degree are listed in the attached schedule.
The following conditions apply to enrolment in the Bachelor of Social Science course:
•
Students must pass in units totalling 100% weight at each level of the three year
course (a total of 300%).
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Bachelor of Social Science
•
Students must select units to meet the requirements for two majors from the
following fields of study: Human Resource Management, Psychology, Political
Science or Public Policy, Sociology and Social Ecology. At least one major must be
from a School in the Faculty of Arts.
A major sequence is defined as sequential studies in one discipline as follows:
25% at level 100 and 50% at level 200, and 50% at level 300.
•
The maximum percentage at level 100 in any given discipline which may be counted
towards the degree is 25%.
•
Full-time students may not normally enrol in units totalling more than 100% and
part-time students in units totalling more than 74%.
•
Units may be counted towards the degree only if they have been taken in accordance
with prerequisites determined by the Faculty. Students may not count towards the
degree any unit whose content substantially repeats the content of a unit already
counted.
Sample course 1
Level 100
Asian Studies
Human Resource Management
Social Ecology
Political Science
Level 200
Human Resource Management
Political Science
Level 300
Human Resource Management
Political Science
25%
25%
25%
25%
50%
50%
50%
50%
A student wishing to cover the option of transferring to a Bachelor of Social Work after the
second year could take a course like the one which follows:
Sample course 2
Level 100
Public Policy
Human Resource Management
Sociology
Psychology
Level 200
Human Resource Management
Psychology
Sociology
If unsuccessful in obtaining entry into the Bachelor
of Social Work, the student would continue with a
third year enrolment as shown below:
Level 300
Human Resource Management
Sociology
25%
25%
25%
25%
50%
25%
25%
50%
50%
In such a case a student would be granted permission to graduate with a 25% shortfall in
either major.
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Bachelor of Social Science
Relevant units for the course are shown in the Schedule which follows. Students should
also consult the discipline entries in the Handbook for details of prescribed units,
prerequisites and other requirements relevant to the major in the disciplines chosen.
Articulation
A student who has completed or partly completed another degree from this University or
another approved institution can apply for credit for their previous study towards the
BSocSc degree. Units from courses offered by other faculties of the University may be
included provided they do not exceed the permissible weighting.
Enrolment restrictions – quotas
All prospective BSocSc students, including those currently enrolled in other courses in the
University, should be aware that admission will be subject to quotas and formal selection
procedures.
Students interested in studying the BSocSc degree must complete an Application for
Admission form available from Student Administration (phone: Launceston (03) 6324
3106; Hobart (03) 6226 2812). Tasmanian Year 12 students will automatically have
Admission forms for the following year sent to their home address during August.
Schedule A
Unit code
unit title
weight
campus offered
Year 1 – Group 1 (Level 100)
At least three of the following pairs of units:
Human Resource Management
BMA101
Introduction to Management
12.5%
BMA121/221
Management of Human Resources[a]
12.5%
H~1/2 L~1/2
B~1
H~3/2 L~2
Political Science
HSG101
Introduction to Government A
12.5%
HSG102
Introduction to Government B
12.5%
KHA101
Psychology 1A
12.5%
KHA102
Psychology 1B
12.5%
H~1 L~1
D~3/1w
H~2 L~2
D~2w
Psychology
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University of Tasmania Course and Unit Handbook –Course details for 2004
H~3/1 L~1
B~1v D~1w
H~2 L~2 B~2v
D~2w
July 11, 2016, 18:51 PM, page –4
Bachelor of Social Science
Public Policy
HSG101
Introduction to Government A
12.5%
HSG102
Introduction to Government B
12.5%
H~1 L~1
D~3/1w
H~2 L~2
D~2w
Social Ecology
HGA101
Sociology A
12.5%
HGA102
Sociology B
12.5%
OR 25% from the following if already enrolling in the above units:
KGA121
Population and Urbanisation
HAB102
Contemporary Indigenous Australia
HAB103
Historical Indigenous Australia
HMA101
Asian Studies 1A
HMA102
Asian Studies 1B
HSG101
Introduction to Government A[a]
12.5%
12.5%
12.5%
12.5%
12.5%
12.5%
HSG102
Introduction to Government B[a]
12.5%
HGA101
Sociology A
12.5%
HGA102
Sociology B
12.5%
H~3/1 L~1
B~1 D~1
H~2 L~2 B~2
D~2
L~1 B~1
L~2 H~2 D~2
L~1 H~1 D~1
H~1 L~1v
H~2 L~2v
H~1 L~1
D~3/1w
H~2 L~2
D~2w
Sociology
or the unit LAW101
LAW101
Introduction to Law
25%
H~3/1 L~1
B~1 D~1
H~2 L~2 B~2
D~2
H~1&2 L~1&2
B~1&2
Elective units
Further elective units to make 100%. No more than 25% of units at level 100 may be taken from Schools outside
the Faculties of Arts and Commerce.
[a]
If not taken as part of a Political Science or Public Policy major.
Unit code
unit title
weight
campus offered
Years 2 and 3 – Groups 2 and 3 (Levels 200 and 300)
Two of the following majors. At least one major must be from a School in the Faculty of Arts.
1. Human Resource Management
Prerequisites of 25% in BMA101 Introduction to Management and BMA121 Management of Human Resources.
To complete a major in this subject, students must complete 100% in units at levels 200 /300 from the following
schedule:
H~3/1 L~1
BMA201
Organisational Behaviour
12.5%
H~1 L~1
BMA241
Workplace Relations
12.5%
H~2 L~2
BMA205
Business Research Methods
12.5%
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Bachelor of Social Science
12.5%
12.5%
12.5%
H~1 L~1
H~1 L~1
H~3/2 L~2
Plus either BMA251 or BFA281 or BMA2/325
BMA151/251
Principles of Marketing[c]
12.5%
BFA181/281
Financial Management[c]
12.5%
BMA225/325
Human Resource Management in Tourism and
Hospitality
12.5%
H~3/2 L~2
O~tba
H~3/2 L~2
B~2
H~2 L~2 O~2
12.5%
12.5%
H~2 L~2
H~2 L~2
BMA224/324
BMA381
BMA302
Human Resource Development
International Human Resource Management
Strategic Management
Plus either BMA330 or BMA2/391
BMA330
Strategic Issues in Human Resource Management
BMA291/391
Managerial Social Responsibility
2. Political Science
Prerequisite of 25% of level 100 Political Science units. To complete a major in this subject, students must
complete 50% in units at level 200 and 50% in units at level 300 from the Bachelor of Arts schedule on page
B-xx, including the following unit:
L~1 H~1
HGA203/303
Social and Political Research
12.5%
3. Psychology
Prerequisite of 25% of level 100 Psychology or equivalent. To complete a major in this subject, students must
complete 50% in units at level 200 and 50% of units at level 300 from the Bachelor of Arts schedule on page
B-xx, including the following units:
H~1 L~1
KHA201
Research Methods 2
12.5%
H~2 L~2
KHA202/302
Lifespan Developmental Psychology
12.5%
L~1
KHA351
Research Methods and Behavioural Neuroscience
12.5%
Plus 62.5% of electives chosen from the following:
KHA207/307
Social Psychology
KHA215/315
Organisational Psychology
KHA254/354
Clinical & Health Psychology
KHA256/356
Applied Topics in Psychology
KHA308
Advanced Research Methods
KHA352
Assessment & Individual Differences
KHA353
Cognitive Psychology
12.5%
12.5%
12.5%
12.5%
12.5%
12.5%
12.5%
L~1
[na]
[na]
L~2
H~2 L~2
L~2
L~1
4. Public Policy
Prerequisite of 25% of level 100 Public Policy units or equivalent. To complete a major in this subject,
students must complete 50% in units at level 200 and 50% in units at level 300 from the Bachelor of Arts
schedule on page B-xx, including the following unit:
L~1 H~1
HGA203/303
12.5%
Social and Political Research[b]
5. Social Ecology
Prerequisite of 25% of Social Ecology units at level 100. To complete a major in this subject, students must
complete 50% in units at level 200 and 50% in units at level 300 from the Bachelor of Arts schedule on page
B-xx, including the following units:
HGE203/303
Social Ecology
12.5%
H~2 L~2v
HGE204/304
Population and Society
12.5%
H~1 L~1v
L~1 H~1
HGA203/303
12.5%
Social and Political Research[b]
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Bachelor of Social Science
6. Sociology
Prerequisite of 25% of HGA101 Sociology A and HGA102 Sociology B or equivalent. To complete a major in
this subject, students must complete 50% in units at level 200 and 50% of units at level 300 from the Bachelor of
Arts schedule on page B-xx, including the following units:
H~1
HGA206/306
Crime and Criminal Justice
12.5%
H~2 L~2
HGA230/330
Qualitative Research Methods
12.5%
L~1 H~1
HGA203/303
12.5%
Social and Political Research[b]
[a]
use level 100 enrolment code (eg BMA121)
[b]
if not taken as part of another major
[c]
use level 200 enrolment code (eg BFA281)
Note: The following information is NOT included in the printed edition of the Course and
Unit Handbook
Additional Information
The following information answers some frequently asked questions.
Note, however, details should be confirmed with the appropriate authority
Responsible faculty or school | Faculty of Arts | Faculty of Commerce
Mode of delivery| Full time | Part time
Course duration | 3 years minimum (6 semesters) | 9 years maximum (18 semesters)
Majors and Specialisations | Launceston majors: human resource management, sociology,
psychology, public policy, social ecology
Costs (course fees only – annual) | HECS: YES
Students enrolled in this course | Total students enrolled last year: 30
Approximate student-staff contact hours | 12 hrs weekly
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