Bachelor of International Studies/Bachelor of Social Science

This four-year double degree at Western Sydney University pairs International Studies with Social Science. You graduate with two qualifications: a Bachelor of International Studies and a Bachelor of Social Science. The International Studies side covers global politics, international relations, languages and cultures, and the forces that shape relations between countries. The Social Science side is where sociology sits, you study how societies work, how inequality is produced and maintained, how communities change, and how policy affects people's lives. Together they suit anyone who wants to understand social problems and the global systems behind them.

How the degree is structured

Australian bachelor degrees are built from units of study, each worth a set number of credit points. You accumulate credit points across the degree, and the double degree runs four years full time rather than the three years of a single bachelor. Most students study across two main teaching sessions a year, semesters at Western Sydney, with an optional summer session. You will complete core units in both disciplines, a major or majors, and electives. Because it is a double degree, you take fewer free electives than in a single degree; the space is filled by the second qualification. International Studies typically includes language study and an overseas component. Confirm the exact unit list and any overseas study requirements on the official course page.

What you actually study

Expect units on social theory, research methods, globalisation, international political economy, development, migration, and Australian society and policy. Sociology units teach you to read data, design research, and write about social change with evidence. International Studies units push you to work across cultures and languages, and to analyse events from more than one national viewpoint. Many students take a placement or internship unit in a community organisation, NGO, government agency or research centre, and the degree includes a capstone unit in the final year where you bring the two disciplines together on a substantial project. Work-integrated learning is common in this field because employers in policy and community services expect some practical experience. Western Sydney's location in one of the most culturally diverse regions in Australia gives the course a strong local focus on migration, settlement and urban inequality.

Who it suits and what you need

This degree suits school leavers and mature-age students who want to work on social issues, poverty, housing, race relations, refugee settlement, international development, and who are willing to study both Australian society and the wider world. It also suits people already working in community services or local government who want a formal qualification. International applicants need to meet English requirements: IELTS Academic 6.0 to 6.5 overall is the usual undergraduate standard, higher for teaching, nursing, medicine, law and social work. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the university's own English programmes are accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself, so check both. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 086124K. International students on a Student visa can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while studying, and graduates may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Check the official Western Sydney University page and the CRICOS entry for current details.

• Policy officer or policy analyst in federal, state or local government
• Community development worker or community services coordinator
• Case worker or support worker in settlement, housing or family services
• Research assistant in social research, evaluation or consulting firms
• Program officer in international development or humanitarian NGOs
• Project officer in multicultural and migrant support organisations
• Industrial relations or human resources officer
• Journalist or communications officer covering social affairs
• Further study: honours year, master's in social work, public policy, international relations or sociology

Australian industries that hire these graduates include government and public administration, community and social services, international aid and development, education, health administration, unions and professional associations, market and social research, and media. Some roles, such as social work, require a specific accredited qualification, so check registration requirements before choosing a pathway.