Bachelor of Applied Social Science
There are deep needs within our society and a desire within many of us to help others. The Bachelor of Applied Social Science course trains and equips you to help others in a professional and ethical way. Social Science is a very practical field and our course is based on giving people the skills and practical experience required to work effectively in a range of applied social science contexts.
You are the change agent that people in need seek.
Do you have a deep desire to help people? Do you think of the needs in society, your community, the world, and wish you could do something about it? Do you want to make a difference in the lives of those around you but not know where to start?
Join the Bachelor of Applied Social Science and get equipped for a career that will change people's lives for the better. Graduate and work in any number of areas, assisting people to be the best they can be, in all circumstances of life. Specialise in your area of interest whether it be Youth Work, Counselling,Chaplaincy, Case Management, Pastoral Care or Social Welfare.
Dr Rebecca Loundar
Program Director, Bachelor of Applied Social Science
Download:
Course Information
CRICOS Course Code: 093683J
Complete an online Higher Education Application for Admission Form
On filling the application, please be prepared to upload the following digital documentation (PDF, jpeg):
1) An Identity Photo - passport style photograph for use on a student ID 2) Proof of Identity - A Certified copy of your birth certificate OR Australian Passport OR Australian Citizenship Certificate 3) Credentials for entrance into the Degree - Certified copy of your relevant Certificate, Diploma, Academic transcripts OR CV * (If you wish to apply for Recognition of Cross Credit RCC, transcript evidence subjects completed)NB: International Applicants - consult https://www.ac.edu.au/international-students/ for information and application details
The Bachelor of Social Science is a degree comprised of 24 subjects (240 credit points). Every program for this award shall include:
Full-Time: 3 Years (4 subjects per semester, 40 credit points)
Part-Time: Up to 10 Years (1 - 2 subjects per semester)
Domestic Student Fees 2018: AU$2100 per core subject* (*some subjects AU$2800)
International Student Fees 2018: AU$2350 per core subject* (*some subjects vary)
The Bachelor of Applied Social Science qualifies for FEE Help Loan Funding. Consult http://study assist.gov.au/ for eligibility details.
Parramatta Campus
Global Online Campus
Hobart Campus
Face-to-Face (weekly 3 hour lectures)
Intensive (4-5 days of lectures delivered within a one week period)
Extensive (4-5 days lectures delivered across a term period)
Online Delivery (weekly video/audio lectures provided to be viewed at own convenience)
Austudy, Abstudy and Youth Allowance are available for this course. To check your eligibility and to find out more information, please visit the Study Assist website.
First Year
1st Semester
RES101 Introduction to Academic Writing and Research
THE101 Christian Worldview
SSC101 Psychology of Emotion
SSC201 Human Lifespan Development
2nd Semester
SSC104 Skills for Counselling
SSC102 Case Management
SSC206 Mental Health
SSC207 Group and Community Work
Second Year
3rd Semester
SSC203 Introduction to Psychology
SSC202 Counselling Frameworks
Focus area
Focus area
4th Semester
SSC204 Grief and Loss
SSC205 Social Identity in Australia
Focus area
Focus area
Third Year
5th Semester
SSC304 Legal and Ethical Considerations
SSC302 Working with Trauma
Focus area
Focus area
6th Semester
SSC303 Accountability in Practice
Focus area
Elective
Elective
Unit selection that forms the Focus area subjects:
SSE201 Applied Counselling Theories A
SSE202 Applied Counselling Theories B
SSE203 Working with Families
SSE204 Cultural Anthropology
SSE205 Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care
SSE208 Concepts of Youth Work
SSE209 Methods of Youth Work
SSE210 Youth Issues
SSE211 Working In Schools
SSE302 Working with Addictions
SSE304 Australian Aboriginal Studies
SSE305 Culturally Diverse Practise
SSE311 Introducing Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
SSE313 Introducing Narrative Therapy
SSE314 Introducing Solution Focused Therapy
SSE315 Introducing Creative Therapies
SSC301 Working with Relationships
SSC306 Working with Offenders
Entry Requirements
IELTS
International Students will be required to show proficiency in English. Specific English requirements for this course are a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 overall, reading 6.5; writing 6.5; speaking 6.5; listening 6.5 (or equivalent).
Academic Entry Requirements
Applicants must meet one of the following academic entry requirements:
Completion of Completion of Year 12 with a minimum TER/TCE score of 60-65, or the completion of the interstate or overseas equivalent qualification and result.
Completion of an Australian Certificate IV or higher qualification awarded by an authorised institution or registered training organisation.
Completion of an Australian Level 7 Bachelor degree or above postgraduate qualification (or equivalent overseas qualification).
Applicants with no formal qualifications who are aged 21+ may be eligible for entry on the basis of mature age (provisional entry). These applicants may be required to sit a STAT test and will need to successfully complete their first 4 subjects to be permitted to continue without the Provisional Entry restrictions.
Fees
Complete Fee Schedules and FEE-HELP information (where appropriate) for all Alphacrucis courses can be found in our Documents section, under the Fees and FEE-HELP Information link.
Ps Grant Buchanan (faculty profile)
Grant came to Australia to take a position in an ACC church in Melbourne’s SE suburbs primarily as Creative Ministries and Small Groups Pastor. Since 2010, he has been covering a number of part time roles apart from his teaching including chaplaincy and counselling. He has begun his doctoral research at University of Divinity in Melbourne looking at a pneumatological reading of Galatians and how this impacts on identity.
As a chaplain and counsellor, Grant continues to engage in pastoral care and counselling helping encourage and equip people for life and ministry is active as an itinerant speaker, and though not on staff, is a part of the leadership team of a missional church in Pakenham.
When not drinking coffee, Grant spends time reading, at the gym and time with his wife Trudy, his two boys, Joel and Zac and friends. Both he and Trudy love exploring the various eating precincts of Melbourne. He loves NZ Rugby, AFL and action movies. As a musician for many years his taste varies from Blues through Rock to some forms of Jazz. He loves flying and previously worked as a flying instructor. Travel for love and ministry is high on the agenda, so he and Trudy are looking forward to holidaying and ministering more abroad within Australia and beyond.
Christopher Cat (faculty profile)
Kylie Dragan (faculty profile)
Katherine Hurrell (faculty profile)
Johnny Kumar (faculty profile)
Mrs Alison Lau (faculty profile)
Dr Rebecca Loundar (faculty profile)
Rev Dr Nigel Pegram (faculty profile)
Dr Jacqueline Service (faculty profile)
Deborah Stengert (faculty profile)
Vici Tunney (faculty profile)
Vici has had a background in Education both in NSW and Qld, serving as Deputy Principal in several schools in both states. Together with her husband she pioneered a Christian school in Gladstone, planted a campus of Springfield Christian Family in Brisbane and pastored the campus fulltime for 10 years.
Outside College life, Vici is actively involved in preaching, pastoral work, teaching and missions. Vici is one of five Church Elders with oversight of the 4 campuses of Springfield Christian Family and an ordained minister with Australian Christian Churches. Her interests include reading for a purpose, mentoring the next generation and lively theological & philosophical discussions. Her personal values include being a committed follower of Jesus, an encourager of others and a life-long learner,
Vici has ministered in churches and to missionaries in Ukraine, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam. She travels regularly with her husband who is involved in monitoring development projects in South-east Asia. Vici is married to Craig and have twin boys and a daughter, all married with 6 grandchildren.
Ps Jeremy Weetman (faculty profile)
Jeremy has served in pastoral ministry for over twenty-six years following his graduation from Commonwealth Bible College in 1991. He has been involved in most aspects of church life including senior leadership and also been involved at a state and regional level with the ACC. Jeremy has been teaching Bible and ministry subjects since 2011.
Jeremy began his MA (Min) with Harvest Bible College in 2011, and on completion progressed to doctoral studies with a particular interest in sacred space and contemporary spirituality. His interests involve cycling, cooking, reading, and is a self-confessed cricket tragic.
Jeremy is married to Vicki, who is completing a PhD with Griffith University in cultural theory (meaning exciting study dates…), and is dad to four adult children who are amongst his favourite humans to spend time with.
Dr Yong-Sun Yang (faculty profile)
Yong-Sun Yang has an academic training in Mathematics, Economics, Philosophy, and Theology. He was born in South Korea and came to Australia in 1993 after 2 years of study in Japan. He lives in Sydney with his wife, Mi-Hea, three daughters, So-Ra, So-Ri, and Ha-Neul, and one son, Jeong-Hun.
Andrew Youd (faculty profile)
Andrew Youd is married to Nicola, they have a two and a half year old son, named Jesse, and they live in Newcastle NSW with their two dogs and four Chickens. Andrew graduated with a BTh from Southern Cross College in 2009, and completed his MaCS with Alphacrucis in 2014. Andrew is an active member of C3 Victory, in Newcastle. Andrew has worked in the Faculty of Theology for seven and a half years as Associate Lecturer of Theology, teaching systematic theology and Christian ethics. Andrew also works with the Faculty of Education as Coordinator of Higher Education in Schools. As part of this role, Andrew is joint regional director of the St Philip's Christian College Teaching School education Hub. Andrew has a passion for applied theology, whether it be theology for the Church, or Ethics for the individual, and now more recently, Christian Education.
Units offered as part of this Award:
- BIB102 - Introduction to Israel's Scriptures (Old Testament)
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Description: TBA Unit detail page >>
- BIB103 - Introduction to the New Testament
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Description: This course seeks to introduce the content of the books of the NT with a view to providing a basis for further reading and study. The primary focus will be on the message of each book within its particular historical-cultural setting, with some attention being given to its contribution to the theology of the NT as a whole. Selected critical issues will be dealt with on occasion. Unit detail page >>
- EXP205 - Culturally Diverse Communication
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- EXP304 - Supervised Placement
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- EXP305 - Working with Older People
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- LEA211 - Transformational Leadership
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- RES101 - Introduction to Academic Writing and Research
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Description: New to higher education studies & it all seems too hard? Worried about writing essay papers? Or where to begin researching? Or you feel confident in writing, but want to learn the skills of evaluating the masses of information we are bombarded with? This unit is for you! It will give you the tools of how to succeed in your undergraduate academic studies. It will examine how you learn, plus challenge you to think deeper, wider and more creatively. It will also encourage you in how to critically evaluate and reflect on information. Plus develop your skills in how to put it all together in an essay paper or oral presentation. Unit detail page >>
- SSC101 - Psychology Of Emotion
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Outcomes:
- Describe the function of emotions and normal emotional development;
- Be aware of emotions in self and others and ways emotions can be processed more skillfully;
- Identify problems that can arise in emotional development and expression in relationship;
- Work with others in the area of emotional fitness.
- SSC102 - Case Management
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Outcomes:
- Describe the case management process and its function within the human services;
- Examine the various roles counsellors may take in human service delivery;
- Demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical underpinnings and conceptual approaches to case management;
- Identify appropriate service approaches to various client situations and demonstrate a reflective practice stance.
- SSC104 - Skills for Counselling
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Outcomes:
- Integrate the principles for effective communication, active listening, observation and conflict management into your relational style;
- Practice skills for ffective expression and appropriate assertiveness from a range of styles;
- Generate skills useful for managing counselling conversations including those that may not proceed as anticipated;
- Apply cultural sensitivity to counselling practice and develop a methodology for continued professional development and effective self monitoring.
- SSC105 - Reflective Counselling
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Outcomes:
- Participate in 6 sessions of personal counselling with a graduate counsellor;
- Identify an area of change and engage with the counselling process;
- Describe the counselling process in terms of personal development and basic counselling theory;
- Critique and record your self-awareness of the counselling process for yourself and your role as a counsellor.
- SSC201 - Human Lifespan Development
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Outcomes:
- Describe the main developmental tasks and milestones associated with each stage in human development over the lifespan, and outline the issues and needs that commonly arise in each stage;
- Recognise different developmental theories and use these as a vehicle to reflect on your own developmental journey;
- Appraise critical perspectives on developmental psychology and recognise cultural differences in development across the lifespan;
- Discuss useful strategies to assist people in accomplishing developmental tasks associated with each stage in the lifespan and with transitions between stages.
- SSC202 - Counselling Frameworks
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Outcomes:
- Integrate and use micro-skills with both cognitive and affective counselling techniques;
- Intentionally apply counselling micro-skills within the counselling model to assist clients in addressing specific issues;
- Assist clients to identify the dimensions of specific problems and identify client resources and assets to activate positive change;
- Develop self –reflective and personal skills in the context of counselling practice.
- SSC203 - Introduction To Psychology
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Outcomes:
- Develop your critical thinking skills in the discipline of psychology;
- Compare and contrast the main theories and streams of contemporary psychology;
- Critique where relevant the integration of psychological concepts and your worldview.
- SSC204 - Grief And Loss
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Outcomes:
- Explain the way our understanding of the dynamics of attachment grief and loss have changed over time; the different situations in which they may occur and the impact of culture on grief and its resolution;
- Identify your own emotions in relation to death and dying and your capacity to express them to develop a personal theology of life and death and a self care plan;
- Distinguish between uncomplicated and complicated grief processes and the behaviours individuals may use to resolve grief;
- Empathise with and appropriately support those who grieve within a framework of self-care.
- SSC205 - Social Identity in Australia
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Outcomes:
- Define and articulate an understanding of sociological theory and develop a foundational theology and spirituality for understanding social change;
- Recognise and distinguish features, structures, and institutions within Australian society;
- Explain and assess how society and social structures and institutions influence and shape people’s identity and use this knowledge to re-examine and articulate your own identity;
- Identify and examine social differences and inequalities within Australia and areas where you can participate in social change for a more egalitarian society.
- SSC206 - Mental Health
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Outcomes:
- Develop a basic understanding of the nature, effects and management of many common disabilities and mental health issues within a cultural context;
- Define the types of interventions that may help persons with these problems and recognise the impact of mental health or disability on those close to the client and provide support/referral for them as appropriate;
- Display respect, empathy, compassion towards people with disability or mental illness & develop strategies to help others to do the same; recognising the importance of conveying hope and confidence;
- Begin to understand patterns of thinking, feeling and action indicative of emerging mental health issues, and of the context in which they may arise.
- SSC207 - Group and Community Work
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Curriculum objective: Unit detail page >>
- SSC301 - Working with Relationships
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- SSC302 - Working with Trauma
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- SSC303 - Accountability in Practice
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- SSC304 - Legal and Ethical Considerations
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- SSC306 - Working with Offenders
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- SSC401 - Professional Considerations
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- SSC402 - Case Management
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- SSE201 - Applied Counselling Theories A
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- SSE202 - Applied Counselling Theories B
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- SSE203 - Working With Families
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- SSE204 - Cultural Anthropology
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- SSE205 - Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care
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- SSE208 - Concepts Of Youth Work
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- SSE209 - Methods Of Youth Work
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- SSE210 - Youth Issues
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- SSE211 - Working In Schools
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- SSE302 - Working with Addictions
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- SSE304 - Australian Aboriginal Studies
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- SSE305 - Culturally Diverse Practice
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- SSE311 - Introducing Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
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- SSE313 - Introducing Narrative Therapy
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- SSE314 - Introducing Solution Focused Therapy
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- SSE315 - Introducing Creative Therapies
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- SSE317 - Working with Children and Adolescents
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Outcomes:
- Demonstrate an advanced understanding of attachment theory; generational, sociological and cultural differences impacting childhood and adolescents; the aetiology, diagnosis and management of a range of disorders, including the child and family’s right to be involved in decision making;
- Develop a professional, ethical and holistic approach to working with children and adolescents; and demonstrate an advanced ability to report or refer appropriately and deal with issues of transference;
- Critically analyse the effectiveness of different therapeutic approaches currently used in working with children and adolescents;
- Demonstrate detailed knowledge of the stresses experienced by family and communities of children and youth experiencing problems and how to provide support, counsel and/or referral to support groups for them when appropriate.
- THE101 - Christian Worldview
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Description: Do you have questions about God that you have been unable to answer? Do you sometimes wonder whether Christian beliefs about things like the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus make any sense? This unit provides you with the opportunity to explore those beliefs that are foundational to Christianity. It argues that what we believe about God (our theology) has a practical impact upon our life and ethics and, therefore, provides an overview of Christian faith, and reflects on the ways in which this faith informs our everyday life and calling. The topics addressed range from the doctrine of God, creation and sin, to discussion on the person and work of Christ, and the nature of the coming kingdom of God. Unit detail page >>
- XXX292 - Special Elective
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Description: This subject will reflect an exploration of this specialist area of study, and build upon previous knowledge gained by the student in their studies. Unit detail page >>
