ABOUT THIS COURSE
The B Social Science provides you with the opportunity to undertake a systematic program of study in social theory, social research and social science foundations. In addition you can select a major or double major to suit your individual aspirations and career from those listed below; you may also select a sequence of subjects to enhance your understanding of social science in different areas; for example, in applied counselling or aboriginal studies. This flexible degree allows students to choose as many as eight free electives from anywhere at UWS subject to Course Coordinator approval.

ABORIGINAL STUDIES (Blacktown, Penrith)
This major would prove a useful adjunct to any of the majors listed above but would be particularly appropriate for those choosing the Humanitarian Studies major.
This major provides studies in Aboriginal culture, Aboriginal history and current indigenous issues.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (Penrith, Parramatta) 
This program conducted in association with NSW TAFE, leads to the award of a Diploma in Community Services in addition to the B Social Science. The major is also expected to lead to professional membership of the Australian Institute of Welfare and Community Workers. Students complete a set program through the Western Sydney Institute of TAFE that includes 400 hours of workplace experience. Theoretical and other related subjects are studied at UWS.

CRIMINOLOGY (Bankstown, Hawkesbury)
This major offers you the opportunity to study the incidence of differing types of crime, deviance and victimisation and their economic, social and policy contexts. It is especially focussed on understanding the formulation of crime policy, the operation of criminal justice and juvenile justice systems, and the role of government bodies and international agencies responsible for preventing, detecting and correcting crime.
Specific subjects introduce students to a wide range of criminological expertise in: forensic science, cyber crime, interpersonal violence, crime and society, criminal justice and policy, the sociology of law, punishment, sentencing and penal policy, environmental criminology, crime prevention and policing in Australia society.
Graduates have found employment in the following occupations and industries: probation and parole, policy advise, community development, local government, federal police, NSW police, and other investigative agencies.

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP AND POLITICAL RELATIONS (Hawkesbury)
Global Citizenship and Political Relations aims to develop knowledge and understanding of the interrelationship of citizenship, political ideas and political action in shaping issues of social life such as governance, active citizenship, peace and sustainability. It embraces social theory within an interdisciplinary and applied framework of important civic and global issues.
The award provides, inter alia, valuable preparation for graduates seeking a career in social and community professions, government and non-government organizations and in areas such as policy planning and public administration, foresight and strategic development, adult and social futures education, community and global development.

HUMANITARIAN STUDIES (Parramatta, Penrith)
This major focuses on inequality, equity and human rights, discrimination and prejudice and on constructive ways to solve such problems. You will study issues of social justice, political, environmental and economic conditions upon human well-being and welfare.

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS (Employment Relations) (Parramatta, Penrith)
This major covers the interests of those wishing to move into personnel functions with a strong industrial relations focus. You will study the Australian employment relations, recruitment and selection, employee training, and development, human resource and industrial relations strategy, and enterprise industrial relations.

PSYCHOLOGY (Bankstown, Hawkesbury, Penrith)
Psychology is a broad area of science which covers such diverse topics as social psychology, personality theory, abnormal psychology, personality theory, abnormal psychology, cognition, lifespan development, the psychology of music, human learning, counselling psychology, neuroscience, behavioural genetics, perceptual processes, the psychology of religion, motivation and emotion and many other research areas. Psychology students will develop the theoretical frameworks necessary to decide for themselves what are adequate and inadequate theories of human behaviour, and the procedural skills to evaluate research which supports these claims.

PSYCHOLOGY IN SOCIETY (Parramatta, Penrith)
This major examines the person in society. It concentrates on the way in which people think, feel and behave in their individual, group, social and organisational contexts.
You examine how people and their actions are informed by these contexts, and investigate how people resist and transform them. Graduates work in a variety of occupations and industries including community development and welfare work, counselling, communications, policy advice and development, social research, administration and local government.

SOCIAL ECOLOGY (Hawkesbury)
Based on the principle that everything we do as individuals affects the health and wellbeing of other people and natural and built environments, Social Ecology explores our roles as responsible members of both ecological and human systems. It brings together theory and practice, arts and sciences, and imagination and experience.
A Social Ecology perspective in the social sciences emphasises social action for equity and sustainability. It cultivates skills in collaboration, communication, focused action, ethics and effective leadership for working with change within communities and organizations. Students learn to apply ecological frameworks to social values, conceptual analysis of power, gender and diversity, and to social research and design.

SOCIOLOGY (Bankstown, Hawkesbury, Parramatta, Penrith)
Thinking about society and culture is something almost everyone does. The sociology major provides you with the conceptual and analytical tools which will enable you to respond in an informed and confident manner to contemporary and future social events. It assists you to push beyond common-sense understandings of the social world you live in to make your knowledge more informed, more reasoned and more critical. This major examines social organisation and social change on a larger scale and aims to develop an understanding of social order and social structure, both historically and in the contemporary world.
This major qualifies graduates for a variety of careers in business, government, policy development and administration, teaching, research and clinical practice.
Occupations and industries pursued by graduates include: administration, business development, counselling, health policy, human resources, probation and parole, sales and marketing, social research, and community work

NOTE: Special government policies apply.