Recommended Study Sequence

This unit introduces students to the foundational skills and knowledge required for professional practice in a range of social science related careers. It introduces students to a range of organisational structures, professional value frameworks, and skills in interpersonal and written communication within these contexts. It enable students to identify issues of power, interests, participation, representation, values, ethics, trust and collaboration; ways of working with others to achieve shared objectives; mechanisms for goal setting, issues identification, information and resource sharing that operate in everyday life.

Understanding Society is a core unit offered by the School of Social Sciences which will introduce students in the first year of their studies to key concepts and theories used in examination off and for understanding social action, social policy, social institutions, social structure and social change. Students enrolled in the unit will be introduced to factual information concerning contemporary societies and the methods of interpreting such information. At the conclusion of their studies in this unit students will have been presented with opportunities to develop skills in critical reading and sociological analysis.

In this unit students study tourism as a cultural and social phenomenon and places tourism in its socio-cultural and geographic context. Various relationships are explored: the leisure society; the sociology of mobility; modernity, post-modernity and rapid change; desire, difference and the ‘other’; commodity culture and tourism; visual culture and tourism; tourism and developing countries; tourism and the media; tourism and geo-politics (the effects of war, terrorism, natural disasters and climate change).

This unit introduces students to the foundational knowledge and skills required for tourism study at UWS and professional practice in a range of tourism related careers. This unit provides students with opportunities to familiarise themselves with the core concepts and basic theory of tourism management studies. It aims to equip students with an understanding of sustainable tourism, the tourism system, and mega trends of tourism. It covers the global complexity of the tourism industry; of the social, environmental, and political realities; and the role of governments – federal, state and local together with private enterprise in the development of tourism experience, industry practice, and destinations.

This unit focuses on the local experiences of cultural and socio-economic difference. This includes applied social science approaches to inequality, diversity, community, sense of place, and environmental sustainability in the urban setting. There is an emphasis upon spatial literacy for social scientists (fieldwork, mapping, data analysis and place description).

This unit introduces the main theoretical perspectives for understanding the ‘individual in society’, including biological, cognitive, behavioural and personality explanations of individual behaviour. Students are guided and encouraged to explore relevance to everyday life and contemporary issues. Once established, these theories are extended to understanding individuals in society using a bio-psycho-social framework. Theoretical stances related to ‘levels of explanation’, ‘individualism vs collectivism’, and ‘personality vs situation’ are explored as are topics such as social cognition; social influence, and social relations, for example, social identity, prejudice, aggression, pro-social behaviours, attitude formation and change and relationships.

This unit examines the scope and features of nature-based recreation and leisure, both in rural and urban settings. It focuses on the sustainability of recreational and leisure activities from the perspectives of natural resource managers, visitors/tourists, host community, tourism industry and relevant government authorities. Students will assess the management of a nature-based tourism destination in terms of the sustainability of visitors’ recreation and leisure activities within. The role of leisure and recreation in natural and man-made tourist destinations in enhancing the socio-economic wellbeing of the host community, in ensuring the maintenance of environmental integrity, and in grappling with current issues at the local, national, and international levels will be explored.

This unit introduces students to the nature of western ethics and moral discourse, to ethical methodology and to the possibilities and limits of ethical discourse and practice. It covers the history of the formalisation of ethics as well as its current philosophical and sociological dimensions. It also deals with various case studies of ethical issues and moral debates students may encounter in their everyday day and professional lives. Students will be invited to reflect on moral discourse(s) and on the use of ethics for social justice and fairness.

This unit examines the relationship between heritage (both cultural and natural) resources and tourism. It firstly provides an introduction to contemporary issues in heritage and tourism management. Secondly, it investigates the phenomenon of heritage and tourism – its nature, the market, visitors, the issues in planning and management – in the context of sustainable tourism praxis in Australia (and globally) as well as in the context of local communities.

Events are one of the fastest growing segments of tourism in the world. Countries and cities compete vigorously for mega events such as the Olympics, World Cup and World Fairs while societies are always holding some kind of an event whether it be a fair, festival, market, parade, anniversary or sports event. Events serve to attract visitation and to create an image of and awareness for a destination. This unit emphasises the special importance of events in the tourism industry. The unit will provide students with the knowledge and skills required for planning, managing and staging a variety of events.

Social Research Methods is an interdisciplinary research unit which explores research methods appropriate to the understanding of broad, complex, interconnected social issues and processes. The understanding of research in the social sphere is based on the premise that research seeks to both understand and improve the material social conditions of peoples. Students are introduced to key methods, paradigms and techniques in social research. Skills in using multiple research methods in both generating and testing theory are developed and students are encouraged to assess critically both published research and research in progress. Research in the social world requires a socially responsible and ethical application of methods, as such, political and ethical issues in social research are central.

It is intended that this unit will give students a common understanding in the theory, practice, policy and planning framework of recreation development activities and facilities towards sustainable tourism. This will impart an empirical research project of the case study (Sydney Olympic Park) to practice various planning techniques for opportunity spectrum, conflict assessment and potential impact analysis. Students will learn how to present their ideas through integrated use of the quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques, both as teamwork and individual project.

This unit will develop more advanced research understanding and skills in students who have successfully completed Social Research Methods. Students are required to design and complete a developed research project that combines qualitative and quantitative techniques of information gathering and analysis and reporting. Contemporary developments in methods, research relationships with funding bodies, sponsors and community groups, and the social impacts of University-based research will be examined.

The unit explores the principles and practice of tourism impact management in the context of sustainable development. The causes and effects of visitor impacts on the social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainable tourism are examined. The unit evaluates a range of strategies addressing the sustainability of tourism at the local, national and international levels. The link between tourism impact and globalization, especially in developing countries, is examined. Students will critically analyse relevant issues and propose appropriate management solutions. The concepts and tools used in the assessment and monitoring of tourism impacts are applied to strategic management and informed decision-making.

This unit will provide students with the opportunity to engage with contemporary debates in the social sciences. Students will examine key concepts and structures in the social sciences such as place, work, community, family, power, diversity and globalisation within the context of current political and social events. This will encourage the student to critically analyse and understand current debates and contentious issues relevant to the social sciences. Students will use both theoretical and applied knowledge to develop an informed position on matters of continuing importance to the community and the polity.

With reference to examples from around the world, this unit of study aims to introduce students to the complexity of indigenous tourism policy and planning. The Unit is underpinned by an understanding that successful indigenous tourism is informed by and supportive of the needs, cultures and priorities of indigenous peoples. To this end, students are introduced to examples of indigenous tourism as it operates in a range of national and regional contexts and, through this case material, the Unit explores the shifting relationship between indigenous cultural tourism development and social, environmental, economic and cultural sustainability.