Create positive and lasting social change in the world by studying social science at UQ.
There are many benefits of studying humanities and social sciences at UQ. With a focus on hands-on industry experience and career preparation, you’ll graduate ready to pursue a range of jobs that tackle the big problems of our time.
So, why study social science at UQ? Here are 5 compelling reasons.
1. Versatile study areas
Choose from 3 majors in the Bachelor of Social Science that cover everything from sociology and policy studies through to geography, Indigenous studies, political science, international relations and anthropology.
You’ll learn how to address prominent social issues in each of our majors, and you can tailor your elective courses to suit the topics you’re most interested in.
Development
Focus on strategies to alleviate poverty and racial and gendered inequality. Help develop just societies, communities and environments.
Environment and Society
Connect your advanced understanding of environmental issues with social science skills to co-design socially and environmentally just and sustainable futures.
Health and Social Policy
Combine a strong foundation in policy with social justice principles. Learn to analyse local and global health systems to craft policies that achieve socially just health outcomes.
The various majors available provide such a broad range of units, such as political science, medical anthropology, and Indigenous health. I truly believe that this aspect of the program structure equips students to work in multidisciplinary spaces.
2. Industry experience
Take part in a year-long, supervised research project in your final year of the Bachelor of Social Science and delve deeper into the topics you’re passionate about. During the project, you’ll have the opportunity to gain industry experience and put everything you’ve studied into action.
For UQ graduate Kanika Shukla, this was the highlight of her degree and the reason she chose to study at UQ.
I gained a lot of hands-on industry experience, which I was able to use to promote myself and my skills as well as draw on learnings such as program management, data analysis, critical thinking and writing skills.
Kanika graduated with a major in development and now works as a program officer at the Australian Government Department of Education.
3. International learning opportunities
Embrace the exciting field opportunities that come your way while studying UQ’s Bachelor of Social Science.
In 2023, 12 students embarked on a 2-week transformative learning experience to the remote Solomon Islands to learn about an Indigenous-led ecosystem protection and restoration program. The trip counted towards their studies rather than being a purely extracurricular activity.
The students, who all shared a passion for environmental conservation, were able to fully immerse themselves in everyday life on the islands. They not only learnt about conservation efforts driven by locals, but they also explored the rich culture and history of the Solomon Islands.
At UQ, you’re encouraged to broaden your worldview and learn from other cultures and societal systems to help inform your studies.
Make a difference in the world
Discover what studying social science at UQ is all about.
4. #1 university in Queensland for social science
If you want an objective reason to choose UQ, all you need to do is look us up in popular university rankings lists. UQ is ranked:
- #1 in Queensland for social sciences and management (QS World University Rankings 2024)
- #2 in Australia for sociology (Shanghai 2023 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects)
- #17 in the world for social sciences and humanities (CWTS Leiden Ranking 2024).
A really strong part of this degree is that it can open so many different pathways and so many different sectors.
5. Graduate success
With a degree in social science from UQ, you’ll go on to enjoy a varied and fascinating career. Our graduates work in case management, community development, research, policy and international aid. They influence key decision-makers to help shape a more positive and equitable future for everyone.
Social science graduate Scott Roetman has forged a challenging and rewarding career with Queensland Health. He is the manager of policy response in Queensland Public Health and Scientific Services.
After starting out as a graduate policy officer with the Queensland Government, Scott worked his way up into a senior project officer role and is now a manager contributing to strategic policy development and implementation for public health and scientific services across the state.
When it comes to the breadth of professional experiences collected since graduation, he believes UQ’s Bachelor of Social Science set him on the right course to secure such opportunities.
Explore UQ’s Bachelor of Social Science to discover more reasons it should be your first QTAC preference.
