Bachelor of Social Science (Honours)

at University of Wollongong - Wollongong Campus Australia

Physics is a fundamental science and the foundation of engineering and other applied sciences. Physics is also utilised in an enormous variety of other disciplines ranging from climate studies to financial systems. Physicists have a very solid knowledge of the physical universe and apply this knowledge to initiate new and innovative ideas to further human development. They also solve complex problems and develop models to better understand and predict the behaviour of intricate systems.

Physicists contribute solutions in a broad range of areas, from everyday concerns in public health and safety to cutting edge advances such as the discovery of the Higgs boson.

Physics teaches you highly transferable skills that enable analysis and optimisation across many industries. You'll learn problem-solving, critical thinking and analytical skills that are in demand across all government and private sectors. Studying physics is a passport to work anywhere in the world.

This degree
You can choose from two study options:

• Basic Physics program designed with a minimum of compulsory subjects combined with elective subjects, or a second major in another discipline
• Full Physics program if you plan to undertake Honours and want to pursue a career as a professional physicist.

What you will study
You will learn the basis for making, interpreting and extending observations relating to the behaviour and structure of matter. When you choose the Bachelor of Science, majoring in Physics, you will study mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, vibrations, waves, optics, and modern, quantum and statistical mechanics. This will be complemented by a number of advanced mathematics subjects.

The Bachelor of Arts will equip you for today’s rapidly changing world. You will develop skills and capacities necessary to understand how the world has come to be the way it is today. The disciplines housed in the Bachelor of Arts degree share a common interest in addressing the fundamental questions of human social life. What do we need to know to create a better future, and what are the best ways of finding out? You will see and appreciate the world afresh, developing the analytical and communicative abilities to enrich life and your community. Share in the rich and global dialogue on contemporary human cultures.

What you will study
You construct your Bachelor of Arts degree by selecting majors and minors. Many of the majors and minors reflect areas of study that will be familiar (such as English, History, Politics) and some that may be less familiar (such as International Relations, Sociology and Environmental Humanities). Completing a major (or two) as part of your Bachelor of Arts degree will give you a set of skills that relate to the discipline you are studying (gaining expertise in History, for example) and also versatile skills in critical thinking, analysis, cultural intelligence, and conceptual frameworks. Because you can do more than one major, it is a good idea to choose widely in your first year, before settling on a major or majors in your second year.

Students must select one major and a second major or a minor, from the Bachelor of Arts offerings.

Majors:

• Archaeology and Ancient History
• Community, Culture and Environment*
• Creative Writing
• English Literatures
• Environmental Humanities
• French
• History
• Indigenous Studies
• International Relations
• Japanese
• Legal Studies
• Mandarin for Non-Chinese Background Students
• Mandarin for Character Background Students
• Philosophy
• Photography
• Politics
• Sociology
• Spanish
• Writing & English Literatures

As long as you complete at least one major and one minor from the Bachelor of Arts, you can also take a major and/or minor from outside of the Bachelor of Arts degree. Popular majors from outside the Bachelor of Arts include: Criminology, Digital and Social Media, Economics, Global Screen Media, Global Sustainable Development, Human Geography, Journalism, Marketing, Communication and Advertising, Visual Communication Design, Global Sustainable Development, International Business, Economics, Human Resource Management, Management and Public Relations.

The Bachelor of Arts in Western Civilisation combined with the Bachelor of International Studies is an exciting and unique double degree combination. It will take you on a unique philosophical adventure through which you will engage with a carefully curated selection of some of the greatest intellectual and artistic masterpieces ever produced. It will also allow you to examine the relationships of politics, society, culture and the global impact of climate change, revolutions and economic fluctuations.

What you will study

You will philosophically reflect on questions about art, literature, science and religion while also investigating such topics as the nature of selfhood, truth, reason and wisdom. You will discover how great ideas and art can shape us - our understanding of ourselves and the world - and how ideas can make a difference for good or ill. By studying the double degree your studies will be enhanced as you learn about the forces shaping the modern world and the theories that reinforce our understanding of the most important global issues of today.

You will develop informed and reasoned views about significant contemporary concerns, such as the value of democracy, benefiting from your acquired knowledge of the history of ideas. You will become acquainted with diverging perspectives from within various Western traditions of thought and art as well as under-represented voices and perspectives from outside of those traditions.

A core component of the International Studies degree is a language minor. You may choose from Chinese (Mandarin), French, Spanish and Japanese.

The Master of Engineering (Civil) provides graduate Engineers with discipline-specific knowledge and technical skills in advanced civil engineering. This degree covers many areas including sustainable infrastructure, environmental protection, the conservation of resources, as well as the traditional disciplines of structural, geotechnical and transportation engineering. This course is also suitable for practising civil engineers with relevant work experience in engineering infrastructure constructions.

This degree

The Master of Engineering delivers expert skills and applied competencies required for the professional engineer. It is designed to train and enhance professional practice, advance technical and specialist skills, and provide an opportunity to put theory into practice with applied projects and research. The degree also delivers communication, strategic and project management skills essential to the practising engineer.

What you will study

You will complete core subjects in Professional Communications and Engineering Workplace Practice, Innovation and Design, Structural Design Based on Australian Standards, Advanced Computer Applications, Sustainable Roads and Railway Engineering, Construction Management and Engineering Research Methods. For the Civil Engineering major you will study subjects in Advanced Foundation Engineering, Advanced Soil Mechanics, Engineering Hydrology and Tunnelling and Underground Construction. You will also complete an advanced project.

The Master of Management provides an opportunity for you to enhance your career opportunities by further developing theoretical and practical skills and knowledge in key management areas.

Graduates of the Master of Management will have examined organisational structures, led and implemented organisational change, managed projects and leveraged organisational competitive advantages in the changing global marketplace.

Double degrees aim to broaden a student's knowledge and skill base and improve career options in competitive, increasingly interactive fields. The programs are designed to enhance educational, academic and professional qualifications while minimising overall course costs and study time for the student.

This degree

The Bachelor of Mathematics - Bachelor of Science (Physics) provides a deeper understanding of the complementary areas of Mathematics and Physics. Graduates are particularly suited to careers involving mathematical modelling of physical systems.

The Master of Applied Finance (Financial Services) is for students interested in acquiring an advanced understanding of financial institutions, bank management, and lending. If you are currently working in the Finance industry or a recent graduate, you will benefit from the specialized knowledge learned in this course.

You will study the theory and practice of financial management and gain an understanding of the global financial system. Additionally, competing approaches to corporate governance and business ethics will be developed, and you will learn how to provide protection against portfolio, financial and corporate risks.

You will examine the legal framework establishing, controlling and regulating financial institutions and examine bank management theory, a bank's lending process and the securities associated with it.

The degree is targeted at students who have a bachelor degree in Business, Engineering, Maths or IT, if you do not have an academic background in these areas you should consider studying the Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance.

Students interested in a two-year Master of Applied Finance option should consider the Master of Applied Finance (Investing and Financial Services).

If you are doing, or have done particularly well in your Bachelor of International Studies degree, you should consider an Honours year. This normally involves one additional year of study following the successful completion of a three-year undergraduate degree. Your Bachelor of International Studies degree would have introduced you to a wide range of topics and problems, and an Honours project enables you to explore one in much greater depth. Honours research topics are various and negotiable—if you are really interested in a topic and want to find answers, you'll be encouraged and supported by our expert staff.

From a potential employer's perspective, whatever your topic, being able to demonstrate the ability to achieve a complex goal, meet deadlines, investigate independently, use resources effectively and write coherently, are all highly desirable qualities.

The Honours year has two functions at UOW: as an in-depth project at the end of undergraduate study, and as a bridge between undergraduate study and advanced research. Studying Honours is about:

• Learning research skills, navigation skills and information systems (archives, the Library, databases, electronic research networks);
• The opportunity to practise articulating complex ideas orally and in writing. It provides the experience of working closely with a supervisor on a project and in preparing a major project to meet a deadline;
• Experiences in devising, researching and writing up an individual topic of study in an extended argument/thesis of 15,000 words.

What you will study
The Bachelor of International Studies (Honours) consists of 50% coursework and 50% research work.  The research component of this degree takes the form of a research thesis under the supervision of an academic employed in the Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities.

The Bachelor of Computer Science (Honours) course is a follow-on degree from the Bachelor of Computer Science. It will provide you with an opportunity to develop, to a sophisticated level, established theoretical and practical skills gained during your undergraduate course.

This degree
A weekly seminar in Autumn and Spring Sessions provides training in advanced research skills specific to disciplines within computer science, as well as providing you with the opportunity to exercise these skills in a peer-reviewed environment.

The program of study provides:

• Scholarly grounding in scientific research
• High level of research competency
• Strong foundation in scientific work
• Advanced research skills in computer science
• Preparation for future higher level research degrees

If you are considering an Honours degree, you are encouraged to talk to the Program Coordinator well in advance to seek approval for enrolment, discuss your program, and negotiate a thesis topic and supervisors.

What you will study
You are given the opportunity to undertake research on a topic of your interest. In addition, you will also complete four elective subjects ranging from data mining, software engineering, visualisation, computer security and other subjects.

Engineering is vital to solving the world’s big challenges. Engineers are needed to support communities by designing and building liveable sustainable cities, they create transport and housing systems, they design and build telecommunications network, the internet and computers.

Engineers design systems to ensure ample clean water for the world’s population, to find non-polluting energy sources, to create ways to assist healthy living and ageing, and to advance medical and health technologies. Due to rapid developments in computer technology and its application to engineering, there is a significant demand for engineers with a much broader knowledge of computer interfacing and programming.

This degree

Double degrees aim to broaden a student's knowledge and skill base and improve career options in competitive, increasingly interactive fields. The programs are designed to enhance a student's educational, academic and professional qualifications whilst minimising the costs of their studies. Students must seek advice and approval from both Faculties before enrolment.

What you will study

As an engineering student at UOW, you can gain credit for relevant work experience, either in Australia or overseas, by participating in our Professional Options Program. You will undertake practical hands-on experience with industry for 12 weeks prior to the conclusion of your academic studies.