Bachelor of Social Sciences

How do people respond to a disease outbreak? How are societies navigating the impacts of climate change? How can employees thrive in our age of distributed workplaces? How do communities rebuild after war? How can governments address growing concerns around mental illness, domestic violence, cost of living and housing? Questions like these are at the heart of social science, which is the study of society and the relationships among individuals.

The Bachelor of Social Sciences is for those who have a strong connection to purpose and who wish to create meaningful change in the world. You’ll build your skills across all areas of the social sciences via a set of core units. You’ll then deepen and broaden your knowledge through your interdisciplinary major, which will focus on a grand challenge in an area such as health, climate, sustainability, global development or work. In your final year, you’ll collaborate with peers from across the degree’s four majors to research, analyse and present solutions to a driving concern pitched by an industry advisory group. With a unique skill set that bridges the disciplines of the arts and sciences, you’ll graduate with the capabilities to manage complex stakeholders, bring diverse technical experts together and progress multifaceted policy debates.

Areas of study

Australian politics, Indigenous policy, poverty and global justice, public and social policy, social research, social science, sociology, urban economies. 

Career opportunities

Academic, Advocate or lobbyist, Change agent or manager, Criminal justice and corrections consultant, Development assessor, Evaluator, Human resources professional, Journalist, Local council officer, Market analyst, Market or social researcher, Non-government worker, Policy analyst, Private sector consultant, Resource manager, Urban or regional planner, Welfare officer, Youth worker.

Practical experience

Opportunities for an internship with one of our research partners, which will provide on-the-job training and the opportunity to work on a research project before you graduate, are available. 

Fees and charges

Visit the Macquarie University website for current fee information.