Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)—Humanities and Social Sciences

The Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)—Humanities and Social Sciences or PhB (HaSS) is an innovative, research-focused undergraduate degree designed for intellectually curious students who want to explore their interests beyond the classroom. It’s the only program of its kind where disciplinary knowledge is enriched by a deep regional understanding of Asia and the Pacific.

As a member of our interdisciplinary research community you will have the opportunity to explore your interests through a diverse range of disciplines including: history, anthropology, international relations, gender, culture, strategic studies, sociology, political science, language and linguistics, literature, law and regulation, archaeology, and economics. You will receive one-on-one mentoring from a range of world-leading researchers at the forefront of their fields and develop your capacity for independent research and critical thinking in an academically rigorous learning environment.

You will join a dynamic cohort of students in the PhB, interacting through special research seminars, and connecting with international peers through internship and exchange opportunities. The flexible nature of the PhB (HaSS) allows you and your academic mentors to design the program to suit your interests and includes advanced PhB-only courses tailored to provide you with the high-level academic skills you need to lead in your research and analysis career.

During your final years of study you will be encouraged to undertake fieldwork abroad as you embark on a year-long independent research project under the guidance of an academic supervisor. With the ANU PhB (HaSS) you can gain exceptional preparation in your chosen Humanities and Social Sciences disciplines and special opportunities to pursue regionally-focused or globally-oriented study at the highest level.

Program Requirements

The Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)—Humanities and Social Sciences requires the completion of 192 units, of which:

A maximum of 60 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses;

A minimum of 12 units of courses tagged as Transdisciplinary Problem-Solving.

144 units of which:

Minimum 6 units of 1000-level Social Science Disciplinary Approaches courses from the following list:

ASIA1035 Introduction to Asian Politics

ASIA1999 The Origins of Political Order in Asia

CRIM1001 Criminological Imaginations: Understanding Criminality

CRIM1002 Criminological Perspectives: Understanding Crime

DEMO1001 Global Population Challenges

ECON1101 Microeconomics 1

ECON1102 Macroeconomics 1

ENVS1001 Environment and Society: Geography of Sustainability

ENVS1008 Sustainable Development

HIST1214 Empires in Global History: 1200 to the Present

INTR1021 Understanding Peace and Conflict

INTR1022 Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution

POLS1002 Introduction to Politics

PSYC1003 Psychology 1: Understanding Mind, Brain and Behaviour

PSYC1004 Psychology 2: Understanding People in Context

SOCR1001 Foundations of Social Research

SOCY1002 Self and Society

SOCY1004 Analysing the Social World: An Introduction to Social Psychology

STST1001 Introduction to International Security Studies

STST1003 Coping with Crisis: the Practice of International Security

Minimum 6 units of 1000-level Humanities Disciplinary Approaches courses from the following list:

Employment Opportunities

The PhB is an ideal path to take if you are already aiming for a career in research, but it is equally good if you decide to enter the workforce directly, as you will not only have gained the academic and generic skills normally obtained within a degree but will have gained highly marketable skills in independent research, oral and written communication and also in teamwork.