Sociology

Bachelor of Arts (Degree with Honours)Specialisation (formal)Year: 2020

You’re viewing the 2020 Handbook:
Or view archived Handbooks
You’re currently viewing the 2020 version of this component

Overview

The Bachelor of Arts (Degree with Honours) in Sociology is an advanced course of study requiring a higher standard of performance than a pass degree. It involves one additional year of study at fourth-year level and is designed to augment students’ ability to apply innovative solutions to complex problems in sociology. Students must have satisfied the requirements of the BA (or equivalent) within the last five years.

Through undertaking both coursework and a minor thesis, the Sociology Honours program enhances students’ ability to acquire advanced research and analytical skills and develop original ideas.

An Honours degree provides a strong foundation for higher degree study at the Masters or PhD level, and can improve employment options and facilitate professional advancement.

The prerequisites for entry to sociology honours are completion of all the requirements for the BA, completion of a major in sociology, and an average of at least H2A (75%) in second and third-year subjects within the major, or equivalent.

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this Honours specialisation, students will be able to:

  • display an advanced understanding of key debates and problems within their selected area of sociology; and
  • demonstrate a advanced knowledge of selected sociological theories and methods in their social, historical and world context; and
  • demonstrate an advanced ability to critically assess select major traditions within sociology; and
  • demonstrate an advanced and independent ability to apply sociological theories, concepts, methods and evidence to sociological questions within complex and changing social contexts; and
  • demonstrate an advanced ability to develop arguments by using evidence, evaluating competing explanations, and drawing conclusions; and
  • communicate sociological principles and knowledge effectively in longer form written communication (a thesis).

Last updated: 18 December 2020

Structure

100 credit points

Students undertaking pure honours in Sociology must complete:

  • A 15,000 word thesis: SOCI40006 Sociology Thesis Part 1, and SOCI40007 Sociology Thesis Part 2 (50 points);
  • Two Compulsory subjects (25 points);
  • Two Sociology Honours elective subjects or CRIM90006 Criminology and Sociology Internship (25 points)

Students undertaking combined honours in Sociology and another program must complete:

  • SOCI40006 Sociology Thesis Part 1, and SOCI40007 Sociology Thesis Part 2 (50 points);
  • POLS40013 Social Science Research Seminar (12.5 points);
  • Coursework from the combining discipline (37.5 points)

or

  • Thesis in the combining discipline (50 points);
  • Coursework from the combining discipline (12.5 points);
  • CRIM40002 Qualitative Research Methods (12.5 points);
  • Two Sociology Honours elective subjects or CRIM90006 Criminology and Sociology Internship (25 points)

Total 100 points

Subject Options

Compulsory Subjects:

Total: 75 points

Note: the thesis requires two consecutive semesters of enrolment.

Code Name Study period Credit Points
POLS40013 Social Science Research Seminar
February (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
CRIM40002 Qualitative Research Methods
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
SOCI40006 Sociology Thesis Part 1
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 25
SOCI40007 Sociology Thesis Part 2
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 25

Elective Subjects:

Code Name Study period Credit Points
MULT50002 Indigenous Peoples in Global Context
July (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
SOCI90011 Foundations of Social Policy
March (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
SOCI90004 Contemporary Social Problems
April (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
SOTH40001 Relationships in Modernity
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
SOCI40003 Understanding The Life Course
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
SOCI90005 Social Research Design and Evaluation
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
SOTH40002 Imagined Societies Not available in 2020 12.5
CRIM90030 Criminology & Sociology Internship Pt 1
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
CRIM90031 Criminology & Sociology Internship Pt 2
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5

Links

http://ssps.unimelb.edu.au/students/honours

Last updated: 18 December 2020