2017 Undergraduate Courses
  • 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.

Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Dean's Scholar) | 2017

Testamur Title of Degree:

Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Dean's Scholar)

Abbreviation:

BSc(Hons)(Dean'sSchol)

UOW Course Code:

1876

CRICOS Code:

084773D

Total Credit Points:

192

Duration:

4 years full-time or part-time equivalent

Home Faculty:

Faculty of Social Sciences

Intake Session(s):

Autumn

Delivery Mode:

On-campus

Delivery Campus / UAC Code:

Wollongong / 757700

Additional Information:

Course Finder

Overview

The Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Dean’s Scholar) program allows students to combine an exciting Human Geography program with Physical Geography and other science subjects. The Human Geography major offers a great deal of flexibility and choice, while the Land and Heritage Management major is more prescribed.

As a Science student, you will learn skills valuable to employers, including logical and critical thinking, creative problem-solving, practical research skills, organisational abilities, numeracy, statistical literacy, computer skills and strong communication. You will undertake practical and fieldwork, taking advantage of the superb local environment including urban and heritage landscapes, coastal landscapes, rain forested escarpment and freshwater ecosystems.

The Dean’s Scholar Program, designed specifically for high achieving students, offers direct entry into Honours, unlike the normal Bachelor of Science which delays selection for Honours until the completion of the third year.

Students who are eligible for this degree fulfil all the same requirements as Bachelor of Science candidates, but are also eligible for additional benefits and challenges.

All are invited to participate in various enrichment activities throughout the program and, after the first year, to develop a close association with an appropriate member of one of the faculty's research teams.

Dean’s Scholar students have the opportunity to undertake individual research subjects. Students are normally required to achieve at least a Distinction average in subjects completed in a calendar year.

In the final year, all students undertake a substantial piece of supervised research in their major discipline, together with other required seminar and/or course work. Graduates may then be eligible for enrolment into a research doctorate in their chosen field or into other postgraduate degrees. Those who do not qualify for direct entry to the Dean’s Scholar degree may gain admission via the Bachelor of Science, subject to satisfactory performance in first year and approval of the Head of Students or Associate Dean (Education).

Entry Requirements

Academic requirements and English requirements are available from the Course Finder.

Course Learning Outcomes

Students graduating from the Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Dean's Scholar) will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of scientific and social science concepts and theories to understand the world, its people and places.
  2. Demonstrate knowledge of key geographical approaches and conceptual frameworks, including the importance of space and place as dimensions of human activity across geographical scales from the body to the global.
  3. Apply insights from science and social science to identify, in collaboration with others, solve diverse, unpredictable and often complex social problems, with a depth of application of geographical thinking.
  4. Collect, review, manage and interpret qualitative and quantitative data relating to human activity, with a depth of knowledge regarding spatial data.
  5. Present a clear, coherent and independent exposition of knowledge, ideas and research findings.
  6. Appreciate the importance of ethical behaviour in scholarship and professional practice when applying critical thinking and judgment.
  7. Recognise the importance of diversity in understanding and responding to social challenges when applying critical thinking and judgment.
  8. Construct an evidence based approach to identifying and developing your leadership potential as a geographer in a changing world.
  9. Conceptualise, plan, undertake and report on an independent geographical research project. 

Course Structure

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Dean's Scholar) are required to complete at least 192 credit points including:

  1. All subjects listed in the progression table for the selected major; and
  2. No more than 60 credit points at 100 level.

To maintain a place in the Dean's Scholar degree, students are normally required to maintain a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of at least 80% in each year of enrolment.  Students not meeting the minimum progression requirements will be required to transfer to the Bachelor of Science (1874).

 Majors

There are two majors available for the Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Dean's Scholar):

  • Human Geography; and
  • Land and Heritage Management

Human Geography

Human Geography is the study of people and place. Human Geographers examine social and environmental problems in a holistic way, and apply spatial thinking to help resolve social conflicts and environmental crises. This makes Human Geography an immediately socially-relevant discipline. Human Geographers make an essential contribution to environmental management, urban planning, and the management of social and economic change. 

Subject Code Subject Name Credit Points Session(s)
Year 1
Autumn Session
EESC103 Earth's Dynamic Surface 6 Autumn
GEOG121 Human Geography: Life in a Globalising World 6 Autumn
Plus 12 credit points at 100-level from the list of recommended electives or the General Schedule*
Spring Session
GEOG122 Human Geography: Living in a Material World 6 Spring
GEOG123 Indigenous Geographies: Questioning Country 6 Spring
PSYC123 Research Methods and Statistics 6 Spring
Plus 6 credit points at 100-level from the list of recommended electives or the General Schedule*
Year 2
Autumn Session
GEOG221 Population Geography: People, Place, Inequality 6 Autumn
Plus 18 credit points at 200-level from the list of recommended electives or the General Schedule*
Spring Session
GEOG224 The Future of Food: Resilience, Communities and Policy 6 Spring
GEOG222 Society and Environment: Resources, Challenges, Futures 6 Spring
GEOG231 Maps and Apps for Social Scientists 6 Spring
GEOG241 Urban Geographies: Just and Sustainable Cities? 6 Spring
Year 3
Autumn Session
GEOG335 Directed Studies in Geography and Sustainable Communities** 6 First Offered 2019
GEOG336 Qualitative Research Design for Social Scientists 6 Autumn
GEOG338 Planning Urban Futures 6 Autumn
Plus 6 credit points at 300-level from the list of recommended electives or from the Science or General Schedule*
** GEOG335 can be completed in either Autumn or Spring session
Spring Session
GEOG337 Environmental and Heritage Management 6 Spring
GEOG353 Qualitative GIS 6 Spring
Plus 12 credit points at 300-level from the list of recommended electives or from the Science or General Schedule*
Year 4
Annual Session
GEOG401 Human Geography Honours Full-Time 48 Annual
Students enrolled part-time will complete the following TWO subjects:
GEOG404 Human Geography Honours Part 1 (Part-time) 24 Annual
GEOG405 Human Geography Honours Part 2 (Part-time) 24 Annual

 *General Schedule subjects recommended for this major include subjects with the prefix HIST, ECON and SOC.

Recommended Electives for the Human Geography Major

Subject Code Subject Name Credit Points Session(s)
INDS150 Introduction to Indigenous Australia 6 Autumn
EESC101 Planet Earth 6 Autumn
EESC105 Introductory Geospatial Analysis 6 Autumn, Spring
EESC102 Earth's Interconnected Spheres 6 Spring
SCIE103 Climate Change 6 Spring
EESC207 Advanced Geospatial Analysis 6 Autumn, Spring
GEOG251 Disaster Geographies: Risk, Policy, Management 6 Autumn First Offered 2018
PHIL256 Environmental Philosophy: Animals, Nature and Ethics 6 Spring
GEOG339 Geographies of Change: International Fieldwork Intensive 6 Summer
EESC328  Dung, Death and Decay: Modern Scientific Methods in Archaeology 6 Autumn First Offered 2018

Land and Heritage Management

This specialist program combines Physical and Human Geography with other relevant subjects to provide the skills and knowledge required for employment or research on both cultural and natural heritage issues. 

Subject Code Subject Name Credit Points Session(s)
Year 1
Autumn
GEOG121 Human Geography: Life in a Globalising World 6 Autumn
EESC103 Earth's Dynamic Surface 6 Autumn
INDS150 Introduction to Indigenous Australia 6 Autumn
EESC105 Introductory Geospatial Analysis 6 Autumn, Spring
Spring
EESC102 Earth's Interconnected Spheres 6 Spring
GEOG122 Human Geography: Living in a Material World 6 Spring
GEOG123 Indigenous Geographies: Questioning Country 6 Spring
Plus 6 credit points at 100-level from the list of recommended electives or the General Schedule*
Year 2
Autumn
Select TWO of the following three subjects:
GEOG221 Population Geography: People, Place, Inequality 6 Autumn
EESC203 Biogeography and Environmental Change 6 Autumn
GEOG251 Disaster Geographies: Risk, Policy, Management 6 Autumn First Offered 2018
Plus 12 credit points at 200-level from the list of recommended electives or the General Schedule*
Spring
GEOG222 Society and Environment: Resources, Challenges, Futures 6 Spring
GEOG231 Maps and Apps for Social Scientists 6 Spring
GEOG224 The Future of Food: Resilience, Communities and Policy 6 Spring
Plus ONE of the following two subjects:
EESC202 Shaping Earth's Surface 6 Spring
PSYC123 Research Methods and Statistics 6 Spring
Year 3
Autumn
EESC207 Advanced Geospatial Analysis 6 Autumn, Spring
GEOG336 Qualitative Research Design for Social Scientists 6Autumn
GEOG338 Planning Urban Futures 6 Autumn
Plus 6 credit points at 300-level from the list of recommended electives or from the Science or General Schedule*
Spring
GEOG337 Environmental and Heritage Management 6Spring
GEOG353 Qualitative GIS 6 Spring
Plus 12 credit points at 300-level from the list of recommended electives or from the Science or General Schedule*
Year 4
Annual Session
GEOG401 Human Geography Honours Full-Time 48 Annual
Students enrolled part-time will complete the following TWO subjects:
GEOG404 Human Geography Honours Part 1 (Part-time) 24 Annual
GEOG405 Human Geography Honours Part 2 (Part-time) 24 Annual

 * General Schedule subjects recommended for this major include subjects with the prefix HIST, INDS, STS and LAW.

Recommended Electives for the Land and Heritage Management Major 

Subject Code Subject Name Credit Points Session(s)
BIOL104 Evolution, Biodiversity and Environment 6 Autumn
BIOL105 Functional Biology of Animals and Plants 6 Autumn
EESC101 Planet Earth 6 Autumn
BIOL103 Molecules, Cells and Organisms 6 Spring
SCIE103 Climate Change 6 Spring
GEOG339 Geographies of Change: International Fieldwork Intensive 6Summer
EESC323 Fluvial Geomorphology and Sedimentology 6 Autumn First Offered 2018
STS 302 Climate Change Policy, Possible Futures 6 Autumn First Offered 2018
EESC322 Coastal Environments: Process and Management 6 Spring First Offered 2018
INDS302 Indigenous Thinkers: Global Perspectives 6 Spring First Offered 2018
LAW 381 Law for Environmental Managers 6Spring First Offered 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

Last reviewed: 3 May, 2017