Bachelor of Social
Science
Bachelor of Social Science
Campus: Cairns; Townsville
Mode: on campus; full time or part time
Duration: 3 years full time
Prerequisites: English
Mid-year entry: Yes
QTAC codes: Cairns 321261; Townsville 311261
The Bachelor of Social Science is designed for those working in human
services in the broadest sense. Social science provides practitioners with
a set of skills and state of mind appropriate to the ever-changing society
that shapes, and we help to shape.
Social scientists are able to review and produce research, make
applications to organisations and government on behalf of a range
of stakeholders.
Majors available within JCU’s Bachelor of Social Science are:
• Asia-Pacific Governance and Development
• Environment and Heritage
• Social and Criminal Justice
• Tropical Health and Society.
Students can choose to do a secondary major from the Bachelor of Arts,
which may include Anthropology, Archaeology, Asian Century, French,
German, History, Human Services, Indigenous Australian Studies, Italian,
Japanese, Political Science, or Sociology.
Course overview
The Bachelor of Social Science is a flexible degree that offers students
the opportunity to study subjects related to society and social analysis.
Students are able to choose from four majors and to specialise in those
subjects while also studying cognate disciplines.
Social issues are rarely the monopoly of one singe perspective and the
social sciences provide a range of ways of examining social issues whether
in the advanced west or the industrialising countries in the tropics. A
feature of social scientists is their ability to be able to assess existing
perspectives and legislation on current social issues and to provide
professional research skills for a range of approaches to the study of
human societies and organisations.
38 | Enquiries 1800 246 446 | jcu.edu.au
Course highlights
The ability to be able to conduct independent research using a range
of appropriate methods is a key highlight of the development of social
science students. More and more organisations are engaging in social
research as they find that important and often unforeseen consequences
flow from their actions
Professional recognition
All disciplines within the Social Sciences have peak bodies in Australia
which act as gatekeepers of the knowledge and skills of their members.
These peak bodies are often aligned to other social science organisations
which attempt to influence federal government legislation and practice.
Career opportunities
Social Science students have research skills, critical thinking and creative
skills which provide the backdrop for employment in the emerging creative
economy. Social Science disciplines are broader than some ‘professions’
and this provides for greater flexibility in employment and career
opportunities. Many within University leadership within Australia stress
that job opportunities of the future have ‘not been invented yet’. This
places the flexible Social Science graduate in an advantageous position for
employment growth of the future.
Further study and research
An Honours program may be available in the secondary major, to
students demonstrating high academic performance. Ho