Faculty of Arts
  • Students are to follow the requirements of the Handbook for the year they commenced the course.

    However, the subject links below do not contain the subject information for the current year. You can view current subject information through the new Course Handbook.

Information Studies

In contrast to courses providing training in Information Technology, Information Studies concentrates on examining information issues from social perspectives. In addition to learning about computer languages and communication systems, this major enables students not only to use, but also to critically analyse, reflect on, and contribute to transforming information systems in their social context. The subjects in the major include a range of social science and humanities disciplines in Arts and beyond that specifically address information issues.

The core subjects look specifically at information issues. They do not assume prior study in the discipline. The subjects in the strands draw from established courses in four faculties.

Major Study

A major in Information Studies is an interdisciplinary program of core and optional subjects totalling 66 credit points (dependant on the course strands chosen by the student). It includes at least 24 credit points at 300-level. Subjects are drawn from the Faculties of Arts, Commerce, Informatics, and Law. Students must complete all core subjects and the required subjects from two strands. Students may not take both Strand 2 and Strand 4.

(Note: If the required subjects in particular strands are not available, please see the Convenor of the major for advice on appropriate alternatives).

Minor Study

A minor in Information Studies consists of 28 or 30 credit points from the schedule of the major, including two subjects from the core and one subject from each of the three levels. Students may not cross-count any subjects from the minor in any other minor or major study.

Honours

See Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

Study Program

Subjects

Title

Session

Credit Points

Core Subjects

STS100

Social Aspects of Science and Technology

Autumn

6

ISIT102

Information Systems

Autumn

6

STS128

Computers in Society

Spring

6

Electives: Two of the following strands must be completed, but students cannot count both strand 2 and strand 4

Strand 1: Three of the following subjects, including at least two at 300-level

MACS335

Electronic Cultures

Autumn

8

POL224

Politics and the Media

Spring

8

STS288

Science and the Media

N/O 2010

8

STS230

Technology in World History: From Prehistory to the Present

N/O 2010

8

STS309

Future Tense: Governing Technoscience

Spring

8

Strand 2: All of the following

ISIT301

Professional Practice and Ethics

Autumn

6

ISIT105

Communications and Network

Autumn

6

ISIT201

Information and Communication Security

Spring

6

ISIT203

Social Informatics and the Workplace

Spring

6

Strand 3

LAW101

Law, Business and Society

Autumn

6

and two of the following:

LAW302

Law of Business Organisations

Autumn

6

LAW317

e-Commerce Law

N/O 2010

6

LAW331

Intellectual Property Law

Autumn

6

LAW348

Media Law

N/O 2010

6

Strand 4: All of the following

ISIT100

Systems Analysis

Spring

6

ISIT112

Database

Spring

6

ISIT311

Database Management Systems

Autumn

6

ISIT212

Corporate Network Planning and Design

Spring

6