Our Statement of Purpose

The School of Behavioural and Social Sciences and Humanities offers a diverse range of pre-degree, undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

The School is committed to the University’s mission and aspires to:

Provide high quality and relevant awards, with a special emphasis on preparing students to engage with, contribute as well rounded citizens to the community. For example, new courses have recently been developed to meet identified student and industry needs, and are particularly relevant for our region i.e.:

Bachelor of Arts (International Studies)

Bachelor of Arts (International Studies) and Bachelor of Business

Master of Psychology

Provide support to aspiring university students, and provide programs which encourage their development and participation. The School conducts a bridging program called FAST which is specifically designed to prepare people for tertiary study. It also is home to the English and Academic Preparation program (EAP) for international students.

Motivate students to apply knowledge and develop skills and confidence through a range of activities within courses, and more broadly within the university. Flexibility and choice are provided for students in a range of discipline and interdisciplinary areas. Self-reliant and applied learning is encouraged through activities and assessment tasks.

Improve the experiences of students at the University by emphasising good teaching practices. Reflective practice is encouraged in the culture of the school through use of student and staff feedback, a regular cycle of course and unit reviews and the provision of staff development funds. To ensure good learning opportunities, in first year students are assigned to small tutorial groups and the transition mentoring program. In latter years, tutorial groups are still kept to 20-25 students. Web enhanced learning is a focus of many units.

Develop and extend knowledge through research. Staff within the School are active members of the Centre for Health Research and Practice. Many staff are nationally and internationally recognized researchers. Consequently this draws a high demand for the postgraduate programs.

Enhance community and regional wellbeing through staff engagement with community activities. These activities relate directly to their professional capacity and expertise and these activities contribute to community wellbeing and development.

Establish and extend community linkages. Links with industry and the broader community assist both with establishing strong and applied teaching and learning opportunities for our students, and in conducting research that has an impact on our communities.

Work collaboratively through our special links with TAFE.
The School has forged solid pathways for students who have completed specific courses at TAFE level to enter B&SS&H courses with credit. Students can enjoy the best of both academic and learning & vocational training from the University’s Mt Helen and SMB campuses through a Double Award course, Bachelor of Arts/Diploma of Arts (Professional Writing and Editing) or take advantage of the opportunities to complete diploma studies alongside their degree program.