2020 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) | 2020

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 Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities

Intake Session(s):

Autumn

Delivery Mode:

On-campus

Delivery Campus / UAC Code:

Wollongong / 757700

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 Environment 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 and Credit Arrangements

Information on academic and English language requirements, as well as eligibility for credit for prior learning, is available from the Course Finder.

Course Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes are statements of learning achievement that are expressed in terms of what the learner is expected to know, understand and be able to do upon completion of a course. Students graduating from this course will be able to:

CLO Description
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, from and including Year 2.  Students not meeting the minimum progression requirements will be required to transfer to the Bachelor of Science (1874).

The Honours grade will be calculated in accordance with Method 1 defined in the Coursework Rules.

 Majors

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

  • Human Geography; and
  • Environment 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
GEOG121 Life in a Globalising World 6 Autumn
Plus 18 credit points at 100-level from the list of recommended electives or the General Schedule*
Spring Session
EESC103 Earth's Dynamic Surface 6 Spring
GEOG122 Living in a Material World 6 Spring
GEOG123 Indigenous Geographies: Questioning Country 6 Spring
PSYC123 Research Methods and Statistics 6 Spring
Year 2
Autumn Session
GEOG221 Population Geography: People, Place, Inequality 6 Autumn
GEOG241 Urban Geographies: Just and Sustainable Cities? 6 Autumn
Plus 12 credit points at 200-level from the list of recommended electives or the General Schedule*
Spring Session
GEOG222 Society and Environment: Resources, Challenges, Futures 6 Spring
GEOG224 The Future of Food: Resilience, Communities and Policy 6 Spring
GEOG231 Maps and Apps for Social Scientists 6 Spring
Plus 6 credit points at 200-level from the list of recommended electives or the General Schedule*
Year 3
Autumn Session
GEOG335 Directed Studies in Geography and Sustainable Communities A** 6 Autumn
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*
Spring Session
GEOG337 Policy for 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 Students) 24 Annual
GEOG405 Human Geography Honours Part 2 (Part-time Students) 24 Annual

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

** GEOG335 may be substituted with GEOG351 in Spring session.

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
EESC207 Advanced Geospatial Analysis 6 Autumn, Spring
GEOG251 Disaster Geographies: Risk, Policy, Management 6 Autumn
GEGO292 Social Science Research Internship 6 Autumn, Spring
PHIL256 Environmental Philosophy: Animals, Nature and Ethics 6 Spring
GEOG339 Geographies of Change: International Fieldwork Intensive 6 Autumn, Spring
GEOG352 Social Science Research Internship 6 Autumn, Spring
GEOG354 Environmental Crime and Justice 6 Autumn
EESC328 Dung, Death and Decay: Modern scientific methods in archaeology 6 Autumn

For information regarding timetables, tutorials, and classes please the visit the Timetables and Classes page.

Environment 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 Session
GEOG121 Life in a Globalising World 6 Autumn
INDS150 Introduction to Indigenous Australia 6 Autumn
EESC105 Introductory Geospatial Analysis 6 Autumn, Spring
Plus 6 credit points at 100-level from the list of recommended electives or the General Schedule*
Spring Session
EESC102 Earth's Interconnected Spheres 6 Spring
EESC103 Earth's Dynamic Surface 6 Spring
GEOG122 Living in a Material World 6 Spring
GEOG123 Indigenous Geographies: Questioning Country 6 Spring
Year 2
Autumn Session
Select TWO of the following three subjects:
EESC203 Biogeography and Environmental Change 6 Autumn
GEOG221 Population Geography: People, Place, Inequality 6 Autumn
GEOG251 Disaster Geographies: Risk, Policy, Management 6 Autumn
Plus 12 credit points at 200-level from the list of recommended electives or the General Schedule*
Spring Session
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 Session
EESC207 Advanced Geospatial Analysis 6 Autumn, Spring
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*
Spring Session
GEOG337 Policy for 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 Students) 24 Annual
GEOG405 Human Geography Honours Part 2 (Part-time Students) 24 Annual

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

Recommended Electives for the Environment 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
ARCH202 World Archaeology 6 Autumn
GEOG241 Urban Geographies: Just and Sustainable Cities? 6 Autumn
GEOG292 Social Science Research Internship 6 Autumn, Spring
ARCH302 Digging Down Under: Archaeology of Australasia 6 Autumn
EESC322 Coastal Environments: Process and Management 6 Spring
EESC323 Fluvial Geomorphology and Sedimentology 6 Autumn
GEOG339 Geographies of Change: International Fieldwork Intensive 6 Autumn, Spring
GEOG352 Social Science Research Internship 6 Autumn, Spring
GEOG354 Environmental Crime and Justice 6 Autumn
INDS302 Indigenous Thinkers: Global Perspectives 6 Spring
LAW 381 Law for Environmental Managers 6 Spring
STS 302 Climate Change Policy, Possible Futures 6 Autumn

For information regarding timetables, tutorials, and classes please the visit the Timetables and Classes page.

Other Information

For further information email: askuow@uow.edu.au

Last reviewed: 22 July, 2020