Bachelor of Social Science (Honours)

Entry requirements

International entry requirements

Our classes are taught and assessed in English. View the English language requirements.

PROGRAMME LEVEL ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Successful completion of a relevant undergraduate degree (or equivalent) including a major in their chosen Honours area of study with a distinction grade average (70 percent) or above in 24 points of studies in relevant discipline units at level three.

Contact the relevant faculty for any additional or special requirements.

Students qualified to enter an honours program must normally do so within five years of the date on which they completed their undergraduate studies.

Students from another faculty or institution should contact the Faculty of Social and Health Sciences for more information.

Applications

30 November each year is the closing date for applications for Honours. Applicants will only receive feedback after the closing date.

More information can be found by visiting How to apply

Study areas for Bachelor of Social Science (Honours)

CHILD AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Poor early life experience of children and adolescents - leading to harmful outcomes like underachievement, behaviour problems and crime - is a major focus in the study of child and youth development.

This major empowers you in assessing the needs of at-risk children and youth, teaches you how to design and implement programmes - for use in settings like early child care, education, the community, parent education, school, support and juvenile justice - and integrate tools and positive behaviour into the everyday life of children and youth, as well as what to do when an intervention is needed on someone's behalf.

COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA STUDIES

Communications focuses on the role of media in society and how this influences the way we receive communications and the way we communicate with each other. You will explore communication in interpersonal, organisational, corporate and intercultural contexts, gaining an understanding of the structures of communications industries and how to critically analyse the media. An opportunity to apply skills via a workplace internship is also available.

CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE

When you consider it away from the glamour of books, movies, television programmes and sensational media coverage, crime is revealed to be both a fascinating and incredibly complex subject.

If you have an interest in deviance, conflict, crime, victimisation, society and the need for creating and maintaining safety then a major research piece in criminology and criminal justice is for you.

You may choose to focus your research on the forms of crime that can have a significant negative impact on society, the economy and the environment, or you might propose new ways to deal with crime, conflict and victimisation.

GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

In this major you will develop an understanding of natural environments, societies, communities, economies, human-environment relations and environmental management.

You will cover both human geography and physical geography and have the opportunity to participate in field studies and trips allowing you to further develop and apply skills gained.

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

As the world globalises and nations and economies become more integrated, understanding our world and the ideas and beliefs of our neighbours is vital. International studies criss-crosses history, politics, international relations, sociology and economics. Offering a uniquely African perspective to global issues, you will start by looking at the history of the 20th century and then move to the issues currently facing our world today.

JOURNALISM STUDIES

Through a combination of academic and practice-based work, students gain a solid foundation in all production technologies - print, video, radio and online - in metropolitan, regional and international contexts. You will be equipped with the skills required for the practices of research and reporting for news journalism and journalism production and develop an understanding of the technologically driven media society. The program opens employment opportunities in the print and electronic media in the private sector and government.

PHILOSOPHY AND ETHICS

What sorts of things exist in the world and how are they related? How are the mind and matter related? Philosophy raises questions such as these about the basic assumptions of every form of human inquiry - and attempts to find the answers. You will explore the notions of logic, critical reasoning, and both personal and professional ethics.

PSYCHOLOGY

Psychology draws on a range of phenomena including remembering and forgetting, thinking, learning, problem solving, how we communicate, our emotions, and our social interactions. It allows us to examine how we respond to the world around us, providing valuable insights in how we can interact with the world more effectively and safely.

The Psychology major is research-led and based on the scientist-practitioner model of education whereby you will learn about psychology within a scientific perspective.

SOCIOLOGY

Sociology explores people and the relationships that they have in different contexts such as families, schools and workplaces. Sociologists look to things like social class, gender, ethnicity, power and culture to understand and explain the differences in how people live, think and feel.