What to expect

Students will have access to The Cairns Institute – an important centre for national and international scholars. It brings together the expertise and intellectual resources of more than 20 academic disciplines, creating a uniquely robust and relevant research, consulting, training and teaching hub for Northern Australia, South and South-East Asia and the Pacific.

Career Opportunities

The flexibility of this course means, after consultation with the course coordinator, you can select a course of study from one of the discipline areas, or you can choose to study an approved combination of these or other disciplines. These areas of study include:

• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• History
• Political Science
• Sociology.

Course learning outcomes

On successful completion of the Graduate Diploma of Social Science, graduates will be able to:

Demonstrate coherent and advanced knowledge of social theory, practice and professional ethics in at least one discipline in the social sciences

Demonstrate knowledge of research principles and methods in at least one discipline in the social sciences

Analyse critically and evaluate social systems, institutions, structures and/or practices

Review, analyse, consolidate and synthesise perspectives, arguments and sources of qualitative and/or quantitative data pertinent to complex social, political, historical, economic, environmental and/or cultural issues, particularly those related to quality of life in the tropics worldwide

Present a clear and coherent exposition of research to a variety of audiences through advanced proficiency in written and spoken English language and, where appropriate, numeracy skills

Design, plan and execute a social science research project with some independence

Apply social theory to research, demonstrating advanced understanding of the relationship between theory and practice in some areas in at least one discipline in the social sciences

Respectfully and responsibly apply knowledge of diversity and difference among people, especially vulnerable and Indigenous peoples, in research and scholarship.