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Bachelor of Social Science

Overview

The degree for social change makers. Gain the skills to address the major social challenges of our time, drawing on a strong ethical compass.

In the Bachelor of Social Science, you’ll gain the skills for diverse careers that address pressing social issues – such as poverty and inequality, racial injustice, health and illness, and the social impacts of climate change – at local, national and international levels.

You’ll learn to think critically and beyond borders, drawing from sociology and policy studies through to geography, critical Indigenous studies, political science, international relations and anthropology.

You’ll gain a strong grounding in social justice, social research, and establish new links with community and industry, as well as create a strong foundation in the practice-based skills, values and knowledge needed to address key social problems. Practical and transferrable workforce skills include public policy evaluation, social impact assessment, public advocacy, community organising, community planning and social research.

The Bachelor of Social Science will teach you not only the many layers of the social world, but the sought-after skills you need to change it.

Location
St Lucia
Duration
3 Years (or part time equivalent)
Start Semester
Semester 1 (19 Feb, 2024), Semester 2 (22 Jul, 2024)
QTAC Code
747001
Program Code
2506
AQF
Level 7
Location
St Lucia
Fees
A$41120
Duration
3 Years
Start Semester
Semester 1 (19 Feb, 2024), Semester 2 (22 Jul, 2024)
Semester dates for 2025 are yet to be confirmed
QTAC Code
747001
Program Code
2506
CRICOS Code
025998J
AQF
Level 7

Program highlights

Program highlights

  • Develop the skills, values and knowledge that are sought after by employers who want to create change in the world.
  • Learn policymaking and advocacy, public communication, cross-cultural awareness, report writing, project management and social research.
  • Gain hands-on experience in the real world by undertaking a supervised, yearlong research project.

6 in Australia for social sciences and humanities

CWTS Leiden Ranking 2023

1 in Queensland for social sciences and management

QS World University Rankings 2023

Watch Bachelor of Social Science at UQ on YouTube.

Majors

Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:

  • Development
  • Environment and Society
  • Health and Social Policy

How you'll learn

Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.

  • Lectures
  • Tutorials
  • Overseas study
  • Research experience
  • Fieldwork
  • Workshops

What you'll study

At UQ, degrees are called 'programs' and subjects are called 'courses'. Here's a sample of the courses you could study in this program:

  • Society, Challenges and Solutions: Introduction to the Social Sciences
  • Political Problems and Public Policy
  • Research, Planning and Design
  • Introduction to social research

Dual programs

Double your skills and your opportunities with a dual degree. You can study the Bachelor of Social Science as a part of these dual programs:

Career possibilities

Our programs prepare you for your first job and beyond. Depending on which major you choose, here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:

  • Aid project officer
  • Community development officer
  • Community planning and policy adviser
  • Environmental policy director
  • Social and government researcher
  • Ethics adviser
  • Academic researcher
  • Community health planner
  • Environment and sustainability consultant
  • Social justice advocate

Entry requirements

Prerequisites

Queensland Year 12 (or equivalent) General English subject (Units 3 & 4, C)

Prerequisites

Queensland Year 12 (or equivalent) General English subject (Units 3 & 4, C)

Entry score threshold

ATAR / RankIB
7526.5

These are the lowest adjusted scores we made an offer to in Semester 1, 2023. Entry scores are based on the most recent Semester 1 intake and are updated in April each year. Meeting the entry score threshold doesn't guarantee admission.

Guarantee your place at UQ: If you meet our guaranteed minimum ATAR you could secure an offer for your preferred program.

English language requirements

IELTS overall 6.5; reading 6; writing 6; speaking 6; listening 6. For other English Language Proficiency Tests and Scores approved for UQ

TOEFL iBT (including Paper Edition) - Overall 87, listening 19, reading 19, writing 21 and speaking 19.

PTE Academic - Overall Score of 64 and 60 in all sub bands.

BE - A minimum overall grade of 4 plus a minimum grade of C in all macro skills.

CES - Overall 176 and 169 in all sub bands.

OET is not accepted.

 

There are other ways to meet the English language requirements. For some programs, additional conditions apply.

Learn how to meet the English language requirements

Student visas

International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Bachelor of Social Science are eligible to apply for an Australian student visa (subclass 500).

There are a number of requirements you must satisfy before a visa is granted, including the genuine temporary entrant (GTE) requirement.

Learn more about student visas

Entry score range

This table shows the range of entry scores for recent secondary students offered a place in the B Social Science for Semester 1, 2023

Without adjustmentsWith adjustments
Highest<5<5
Median<5<5
Lowest<5<5

Who you'll study with

Here's a snapshot of our student intake for this program in Semester 1, 2023:

Applicant backgroundNumber of studentsPercentage of all students

(A) Higher education study

533.3%

(B) Vocational Education and Training (VET) study

00%

(C) Work and life experience

00%
(D) Recent secondary education
  • Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR
533.3%
  • Admitted where ATAR and additional criteria were considered
00%
  • Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was not a factor
00%

International students

533.3%

Total

15100%

"<5" — The number of students is less than 5.
N/A — Students not accepted in this category.
N/P — Not published. The number is hidden to protect the privacy of students in other cells.

Need help meeting the entry requirements?

We can help you meet the minimum entry score, subject prerequisites or English language requirements for your preferred program.

If you haven't studied the prerequisites or need to improve your entry score, we can help.

Learn about pathway options

Majors

Majors

Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:

This major provides a social science perspective on international and community development problems.

Understand international, community and sustainable development issues from a social science perspective. This major focuses on strategies to alleviate poverty, racial and gendered inequality and to develop just societies, communities and environments. Students learn to problematise the notion of development, who benefits and the consequences – for peoples and the planet.

Graduate career destinations in government, private consultancy and non-government organisations (NGOs) are common. Roles typically analyse the social impacts of development, evaluate international aid and community development projects, contribute to the rebuilding of communities in post-conflict or crisis situations, as well as involving refugee support.

View

Explore the intersections between human society and the environment.

Understand how environmental crises such as climate change, waste and biodiversity loss are tied to social, political, economic and cultural processes. In this major, you will learn to connect your advanced understanding of environmental issues with social science skills to co-design socially and environmentally just and sustainable futures.

Graduate career destinations range from working with environmental community organisations, to government, consultancy and the private sector. Example opportunities include climate smart design within local government, environmental impact assessment with multinational corporations, local through to international environmental policymaking, and ensuring national and international climate and human rights responsibilities are upheld.

View

Gain an understanding of the social and ethical factors influencing health and illness.

Understand how policy and social factors shape health outcomes. Combining a strong foundation in policy with social justice principles, students learn to analyse local and global health systems, the layered social, cultural and environmental determinants of health, and craft policies to achieve socially just health outcomes.

Graduate career destinations in government and non-government organisations (NGOs) are common. Roles include policy and research officers in international health organisations, Indigenous community health organisations, local area health networks as well as state and federal government.

View

Majors

Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:

This major provides a social science perspective on international and community development problems.

Understand international, community and sustainable development issues from a social science perspective. This major focuses on strategies to alleviate poverty, racial and gendered inequality and to develop just societies, communities and environments. Students learn to problematise the notion of development, who benefits and the consequences – for peoples and the planet.

Graduate career destinations in government, private consultancy and non-government organisations (NGOs) are common. Roles typically analyse the social impacts of development, evaluate international aid and community development projects, contribute to the rebuilding of communities in post-conflict or crisis situations, as well as involving refugee support.

View

Explore the intersections between human society and the environment.

Understand how environmental crises such as climate change, waste and biodiversity loss are tied to social, political, economic and cultural processes. In this major, you will learn to connect your advanced understanding of environmental issues with social science skills to co-design socially and environmentally just and sustainable futures.

Graduate career destinations range from working with environmental community organisations, to government, consultancy and the private sector. Example opportunities include climate smart design within local government, environmental impact assessment with multinational corporations, local through to international environmental policymaking, and ensuring national and international climate and human rights responsibilities are upheld.

View

Gain an understanding of the social and ethical factors influencing health and illness.

Understand how policy and social factors shape health outcomes. Combining a strong foundation in policy with social justice principles, students learn to analyse local and global health systems, the layered social, cultural and environmental determinants of health, and craft policies to achieve socially just health outcomes.

Graduate career destinations in government and non-government organisations (NGOs) are common. Roles include policy and research officers in international health organisations, Indigenous community health organisations, local area health networks as well as state and federal government.

View

Fees and Scholarships

Indicative annual fee

Approximate yearly cost of tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your selected courses and study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.

$14,653

2024

$14,653

2024

Learn more about undergraduate fees

Approximate yearly cost of tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.

AUD $41,120

2024

AUD $41,120

2024

Learn more about undergraduate fees

Government assistance

Financial aid

As an international student, you might be eligible for financial aid – either from your home country, or from the Australian Government.

Learn more about financial aid

HECS-HELP

Domestic places in the Bachelor of Social Science are Commonwealth Supported. This means the cost of your education is shared between you and the Australian Government.

Instead of tuition fees, Commonwealth Supported students pay what are called student contribution amounts.

HECS-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students with the cost of their student contribution amounts.

Learn more about HECS-HELP

Centrelink support

Scholarships

You may be eligible for more than 100 scholarships, including:

How to apply

Applying online

If your senior schooling is from outside Australia, you can submit your application to UQ. Or, if you prefer, you can use an approved UQ agent in your country.

The program code for the Bachelor of Social Science is 2506.

Find out more about applying for undergraduate study

If your senior schooling is from Australia

Submit your application to the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre if you're an international student who is currently studying:

  • Australian Year 12 (in Australia or another country), or
  • the International Baccalaureate in Australia.

The QTAC code for the Bachelor of Social Science is 747001.

Find out more about applying for undergraduate study

Important dates

If you’re studying Year 12 in Australiago to the QTAC website to check the closing date for this program. 

If you’re applying to UQ, the closing date for this program is: 

  • To commence study in semester 2 - May 31 of the year of commencement.
  • To commence study in semester 1 - November 30 of the previous year.

To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar

Important dates

Admissions schemes

Applying to university can be both exciting and daunting, which is why we’ve tried to make the process as simple as we can.

We have several schemes in place to improve your chances of getting a place at UQ.

Learn more about admission schemes

Pathway options

A rank or score doesn’t determine your potential.

If you're not offered a place in your first-choice program – or if you don't meet the entry requirements – you still have a number of options.

Learn more about pathway options

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants

For support with applying – or if you have any questions about university life – get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.

Contact the ATSIS Unit

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