Why Study/Key Benefits

The Bachelor of Social Science is designed to provide a broad understanding of social science in a culturally diverse global environment. Students examine sociocultural and socioeconomic environments through areas such as human behaviour, social issues, ethical dilemmas and international relations.

Key benefits identified by Swinburne include:

• 100% online delivery through Swinburne Online.
• Flexible study that allows students to adjust their study commitment.
• Development of critical-thinking, research and strategising skills.
• Opportunity to combine a major with a co-major, advanced minor, minor and/or electives.
• Exposure to areas including behavioural studies and criminology.
• Opportunity to undertake work-integrated learning through a professional placement, subject to the applicable study structure and eligibility.

Programme Structure and Subjects/Topics

The degree contains four core units, eight units in the selected major, and 12 additional units selected through the available co-major, advanced minor, minor and/or elective structure.

Core subjects include:

• Learning and Communicating Online (COM10003)
• Sociological Foundations (SOC10004)

The full four-core-unit requirement is completed through the approved course structure and selected discipline area.

Behavioural Studies subjects listed by Swinburne include:

• Brain and Behaviour
• Fundamentals of Psychology
• Psychology of Infancy and Early Childhood
• Deviance, Difference & Conformity
• Psychology of Wellbeing
• Applied Social Psychology

Criminology subjects include:

• Fundamentals of Criminology
• Policing: Systems and Practice
• Global Crime
• Corrections: Systems and Practice
• Youth Justice and Crime
• Introduction to Forensic Psychology
• Cyber Crime and Security
• Deviance, Difference & Conformity

Disciplines/Specialisations

The major options displayed in the course structure are:

• Behavioural Studies
• Criminology
• Security and Counter Terrorism
• Security and International Relations

Programme Highlights

The course page highlights:

• 100% online study through Swinburne Online.
• Flexible study arrangements.
• Critical thinking development.
• Research skills.
• Strategising skills.
• Study of social, behavioural and criminological issues.
• Potential professional placement/work-integrated learning opportunities.
• Broad preparation for careers involving community services, policy, crime prevention and related fields.

Career Outcomes

Swinburne identifies potential career opportunities including:

• Case manager
• Community development officer
• Intelligence analyst
• Policy adviser

The course overview also identifies broader areas such as:

• Child protection
• Crime prevention
• National security
• Government
• Foreign affairs

International Student Visa Requirements

This course requires particular care because it is fully online.

Swinburne states that online-only courses are not available to international students in Australia who hold a student visa. International students studying this programme online must therefore be outside Australia, or otherwise not studying under an Australian student visa.

Consequently, an international student should not assume that this Bachelor of Social Science can be used as the basis for an Australian Student visa (Subclass 500).

For an Australian Student visa generally, the Department of Home Affairs requires, among other things:

• enrolment in a full-time course registered on CRICOS;
• a valid Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE);
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), unless an exemption applies;
• satisfaction of the applicable visa eligibility requirements;
• satisfaction of the Genuine Student requirement.