- 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.
Social Policy
The course information on this page is for new students commencing their degree in 2016 only.
Students should follow the rules and requirements for the year that they commenced their course. The online course information for years prior to 2016 are available from the Archives link in the menu.
Students should also review current subject availabilities via the Subject Descriptions link in the menu.
Social policy refers to government action that addresses social problems and ensures that human needs are met. Utilising a multidisciplinary social sciences perspective, the major explores how social policy is developed, influenced, implemented, and evaluated, in Australian and global contexts. Students study major areas of social policy, including health, economic security, education, child and family well-being, and environmental protection.
Social policy students learn to propose policy approaches to social problems and to analyse policies for their potential impacts on social and economic welfare, recognising tensions related to resource allocation, power and inequality, political ideologies, and government intervention.
Subjects Required for Major Study
A major in Social Policy requires the successful completion of at least 48 credit points of subjects in accordance with the table and recommended progression below.
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Credit Points | Session(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | |||
| Spring | |||
| ECON102 | Economics and Society | 6 | Autumn, Spring |
| Year 2 | |||
| HAS 202 | Introduction to Social Policy | 6 | Spring |
| HAS 234 | Research Methods in the Social Sciences | 6 | Spring |
| GEOG224 | Rural and Regional Geography: Social Change and Policy | 6 | Spring |
| Year 3 | |||
| Autumn | |||
| GEOG336 | Qualitative Research Design for Social Scientists | 6 | Autumn First Offered in 2017 |
| HAS 346 | Social Advocacy | 6 | Spring First Offered in 2017 |
| Any year | |||
| Plus at least 12 credit points at 300-level from the Social Policy Electives list. | |||
Social Policy Electives
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Credit Points | Session(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100-level electives | |||
| GEOG123 | Indigenous Geographies | 6 | Spring |
| LAW 101 | Law, Business and Society | 6 | Autumn |
| 200-level electives | |||
| ECON205 | Macroeconomic Theory and Policy | 6 | Autumn, Spring |
| HAS 201 | Work Health and Safety | 6 | Autumn, Spring |
| 300-level electives | |||
| ECON318 | Economics of Health and Human Resources | 6 | Spring |
| HAS 350 | Social Determinants of Indigenous Health | 6 | Spring First Offered in 2017 |
| HAS 347 | Social Sciences Project | 6 | Spring First Offered in 2017 |
| HIST351 | Debates in Australian Cultural History | 6 | Autumn First Offered in 2018 |
| INTS311 | Human Security, Global Capitalism and the Environment | 6 | Autumn First Offered in 2018 |
| SOC 356 | Cultures in Dispossession | 6 | Autumn First Offered in 2018 |
Credit Arrangements
Credit and articulation arrangements are available from the Course Finder. Refer to UOW's credit arrangements for information on how to apply for credit.
Other Information
Further information is available at:
UOW Course Finder
Email: ssc@uow.edu.au