Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Social Work - Digital Cultures

The University of Sydney

This five-year degree offers a comprehensive and flexible combined degree program that qualifies you as an accredited social worker, while also allowing you to enhance your qualification with majors and minors that complement the Bachelor of Social Work. While this combined degree requires a major or minor in Sociology, or a minor in Social Policy, you can choose another major or minor in various interest areas such as diversity studies, gender studies, Aboriginal Studies, or philosophy. You'll undertake integrated studies in social sciences, social policy and social work theory and practice, with a strong emphasis on Australian and comparative social welfare studies. In the last two years of the degree all students undertake the professional social work program, which includes two fieldwork placements supervised by highly skilled and experienced practitioners in a variety of settings. We develop field education learning expectations across the program and aim to develop values, skills and knowledge for levels from beginner to a practitioner capable of meeting the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) Practice Standards.The Digital Cultures major critically investigates the internet, new media, and digital technologies and the roles they play in contemporary society, culture, business, politics, the arts and everyday life. You will explore the interface between emerging new media technologies and cultural practices involving information, communication, knowledge, identities and power and build a rich understanding of how new technologies are generated, circulated and consumed. Topics covered in the Digital Cultures major include the web social media online identities mobile media social networks computer games virtual communities theories of technology and culture digital research and media arts. This major places intelligent, interactive, mobile and networked technologies in context, taking a critical approach that draws on sociology, history, philosophy, media studies, cultural studies and new media studies to understand the dramatic changes emerging as digital media proliferate. Our teaching combines face-to-face coursework with online exercises and practical work in computer labs. As a graduate you will be a skilled communicator and critical analyst of new technologies and the latest developments in digital media across Australian and global contexts. The knowledge and skills you acquire in this major will position you to play key roles as a social commentator, innovator and leader.

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