Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Social Science School
This course provides students with a framework to position themselves as active agents with the capacity to address societal problems. The course aims to give students a 'futures literacy' that will allow them to apply humanities, social science and political science knowledge to the kinds of pressing issues that many public and private organisations are currently trying to address. Students will learn how to use this knowledge to understand social and political problems and they will develop real-world skills through assessments that replicate everyday challenges from a variety of professional settings (writing funding applications, presenting policy briefs and designing participatory policy mechanisms). Students will also have the opportunity to connect with a variety of professionals - government officials, social entrepreneurs and not-for-profit leaders - who rely on social science knowledge when doing their job. Ultimately, the focus on practical knowledge, skill-building and industry interaction will equip students with the tools and the confidence to achieve social change.
This is an innovative course that incorporates dynamic learning experiences: in addition to traditional course activities such as lectures, students will also participate in field visits to not-for-profit organisations that are actively and critically engaged in efforts to alleviate poverty andﾠrespond to structural inequalities that challenge families. Additionally, students will undertake assessment that has a strong practical orientation. Overall, this course will prepare students for a range of potential pathways that await them upon graduation.
Course requirements
Recommended prerequisites
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
2 units of Level 1 courses and 4 units of Level 2 courses
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
HUMN3600
Course contact
Course coordinator
Dr Ella Kuskoff
School enquiries
Student Enquiries School of Social Science
Level 3, Michie Building (09), St Lucia campus, The University of Queensland.
Monday-Friday, 9:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-4:00pm.
Course staff
Lecturer
Professor Cameron Parsell
Dr Ella Kuskoff
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
This course provides students with a framework to position themselves as active agents with the capacity to address societal problems. The course aims to give students a 'futures literacy' that will allow them to apply humanities, social science and political science knowledge to the kinds of pressing issues that many public and private organisations are currently trying to address. Students will learn how to use this knowledge to understand social and political problems and they will develop real-world skills through assessments that replicate everyday challenges from a variety of professional settings (writing funding applications, presenting policy briefs and designing participatory policy mechanisms).ﾠ
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Identify and unpack complex social problems
LO2.
Understand that many forms of disadvantage have social causes and consequences
LO3.
Critically evaluate current responses to social problems and propose more viable solutions
LO4.
Skillfully draw on empirical evidence in the development of an argument
LO5.
Develop your agency to address complex social problems in a critical and reflexive way
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Funding Pitch (2000 words) | 50% |
18/09/2024 5:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Policy brief (1500 words) | 50% |
23/10/2024 5:00 pm |
Assessment details
Funding Pitch (2000 words)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
18/09/2024 5:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
Using one of the three course videos (available in the Assessment 1 folder on Blackboard), students will identify a social problem currently facing individuals or families in Australia. They will then write a pitch seeking funding to deliver a program, activity, or event which responds to this problem. Students can request up to $500,000 (hypothetical dollars) on behalf of the (hypothetical) organisation that they work for to deliver their initiative over a 12-month period.
Funding pitches must include the following information:
- Name of and information about the organisation applying for the funding
- A problem statement, including what the problem is and why it is important to address it
- A discussion of evidence around existing responses to the problem and why they are or are not effective
- Your vision to address the problem, including an explanation of the program, activity, or event you are proposing and a justification for why your solution is necessary
For more information, please see the Assessment 1 Instructions and Marking Criteria (available in the Assessment 1 folder on Blackboard), and attend the Week 4 workshop.
As mentioned above, Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
AI use: This assessment task evaluates students’ abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your assignment electronically by the due time, on the due date.
Your assignment must be submitted via Turnitin on blackboard. To submit your assignment electronically log in to http://learn.uq.edu.au/ with your UQ username and password, then click on Course Code>>Assessment>>Assignments, and use the appropriate assignment submission link for each piece of assessment. No e-mailed submissions of assessments will be accepted. Turnitin links will be configured to permit early submission of assessment items. By uploading your assignment via Turnitin, you are certifying that the work you submit is your own work except where correctly attributed to another source. Do not submit your assignment if it contains any work that is not your own. Please note that on the preview page, your assignment will be shown without formatting. Your assignment will retain formatting and your coordinator/tutor will be able to see formatted assignments. Once you have submitted your assignment you are able to go back and view your submission with the correct formatting. You are required to retain proof of submission of your assessment. Your Digital Receipt is available for download from your Assignment Dashboard. If you cannot see your submission and download your digital receipt, your assessment has not been successfully submitted; please submit again. If you are unable to submit your assignment by the due date, you will need to apply for an extension as set out below.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
An extension request without penalty will only be considered under exceptional circumstances as outlined on my.UQ. You must submit the extension request as soon as it becomes evident that an extension is needed, but no later than the assessment item submission due date.
A request for an extension to an assessment due date must be accompanied by supporting documentation corroborating the reason for the request. The student submitting the request is fully responsible for all supporting documentation that is provided with the request and should ensure all documents are authentic.
Extensions on the basis of an approved Student Access Plan (SAP) or an Extension Verification Letter (EVL) can be approved for a maximum period of 7 calendar days. Extensions exceeding this duration or subsequent extensions for a piece of assessment will require additional supporting documentation (e.g., a medical certificate or other supporting evidence listed on my.UQ).
When you submit an extension request in the student portal, it is received, read, and actioned by the Social Science Student Administration Team. It does not go to the course coordinator.
Late applications (requests received after the assessment item submission due date) must include evidence of the reasons for the late request, detailing why you were unable to apply for an extension by the due date.
In considering applications for extensions, students may be asked to supply the work they have completed to date on the assessment piece. This is to establish what efforts have already been made to complete the assessment, and whether the proposed work plan is feasible.
Late submissions of extension requests in your final semester of study could delay your graduation by up to one semester.
Work can NOT be accepted if it is more than one week (7 calendar days) late without prior approval.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assignments submitted after the final due date will accrue a late penalty of 10% per calendar day (including weekends and public holidays) of the marks available for the assessment item.
Policy brief (1500 words)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
23/10/2024 5:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L03, L04, L05
Task description
Drawing on the learnings from their (hypothetical) implementation of the program, activity, or event proposed in Assessment 1, students will write a policy brief to inform policymakers and/or their funding body of the outcome of the program. This brief must be written in a way that is concise, informative, and persuasive.
Policy briefs must contain the following information:
- A concise overview of the program, activity, or event and what it set out to achieve
- A clear articulation of whether the program, activity or event was able to solve the identified problem
- A clear discussion of the successes and the challenges
- Recommendations for future iterations of the program, activity, or event
For more information, please see the Assessment 2 Instructions and Marking Criteria (available in the Assessment 2 folder on Blackboard), and attend the Week 10 workshop.
As mentioned above, Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
AI Use: This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your assignment electronically by the due time, on the due date.
Your assignment must be submitted via Turnitin on blackboard. To submit your assignment electronically log in to http://learn.uq.edu.au/ with your UQ username and password, then click on Course Code>>Assessment>>Assignments, and use the appropriate assignment submission link for each piece of assessment. No e-mailed submissions of assessments will be accepted. Turnitin links will be configured to permit early submission of assessment items. By uploading your assignment via Turnitin, you are certifying that the work you submit is your own work except where correctly attributed to another source. Do not submit your assignment if it contains any work that is not your own. Please note that on the preview page, your assignment will be shown without formatting. Your assignment will retain formatting and your coordinator/tutor will be able to see formatted assignments. Once you have submitted your assignment you are able to go back and view your submission with the correct formatting. You are required to retain proof of submission of your assessment. Your Digital Receipt is available for download from your Assignment Dashboard. If you cannot see your submission and download your digital receipt, your assessment has not been successfully submitted; please submit again. If you are unable to submit your assignment by the due date, you will need to apply for an extension as set out below.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
An extension request without penalty will only be considered under exceptional circumstances as outlined on my.UQ. You must submit the extension request as soon as it becomes evident that an extension is needed, but no later than the assessment item submission due date.
A request for an extension to an assessment due date must be accompanied by supporting documentation corroborating the reason for the request. The student submitting the request is fully responsible for all supporting documentation that is provided with the request and should ensure all documents are authentic.
Extensions on the basis of an approved Student Access Plan (SAP) or an Extension Verification Letter (EVL) can be approved for a maximum period of 7 calendar days. Extensions exceeding this duration or subsequent extensions for a piece of assessment will require additional supporting documentation (e.g., a medical certificate or other supporting evidence listed on my.UQ).
When you submit an extension request in the student portal, it is received, read, and actioned by the Social Science Student Administration Team. It does not go to the course coordinator.
Late applications (requests received after the assessment item submission due date) must include evidence of the reasons for the late request, detailing why you were unable to apply for an extension by the due date.
In considering applications for extensions, students may be asked to supply the work they have completed to date on the assessment piece. This is to establish what efforts have already been made to complete the assessment, and whether the proposed work plan is feasible.
Late submissions of extension requests in your final semester of study could delay your graduation by up to one semester.
Work can NOT be accepted if it is more than one week (7 calendar days) late without prior approval.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assignments submitted after the final due date will accrue a late penalty of 10% per calendar day (including weekends and public holidays) of the marks available for the assessment item.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 1 - 29 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Supplementary Assessment: Supplementary assessment is an additional opportunity to demonstrate that the learning requirements for an eligible course have been satisfied and that the graduate attributes for the course have been attained. Supplementary assessment may only be granted where Supplementary Assessment – procedures allow. A passing grade of 4 (or P) is the highest grade that can be awarded in a course where supplementary assessment has been granted. For further information on supplementary assessment please see my.UQ.
Additional assessment information
Academic Integrity: All students must complete the Academic Integrity Modules https://www.uq.edu.au/integrity/
UQ Assignment Writing Guide: Steps for writing assignments - my.UQ - University of Queensland
Release of Marks: The marks and feedback for assessments will be released to students in a timely manner, prior to the due date of the next assessment piece for the course. This is with the exception of the final piece of assessment. The marks and feedback for the final assessment item will only be made available to the student on the Finalisation of Grades date at the end of semester.
Assessment Re-mark: For information on requesting an assessment re-mark, please view the following page on my.UQ: https://my.uq.edu.au/querying-result
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Please see the course guide (available via Blackboard) for a week-by-week breakdown of readings, which will be made available through the course reading list. It is also expected that students will exercise their autonomy and read from a range of relevant materials as they critically engage with the key themes (and assessment items) for this course.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Workshop |
Introduction and the social construction of problems Introduction to the vision of SOSC3600. How does the way we think about policy problems influence the policies we design to address them? The bridge between students' employment aspirations and SOSC3600. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Workshop |
Poverty in Australia and what we do about it This workshop will focus on the three broad areas of (1) poverty, (2) the welfare state, and (3) charities and NGOs responding to poverty. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L05 |
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Fieldwork |
The Park Hotel This week we go off campus and examine some recent efforts in Brisbane to meet the needs of people who are excluded from society. Learning outcomes: L03, L05 |
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
Workshop |
How to write a funding pitch This week is a workshop dedicated to the science and art of writing a funding pitch. This is a critical discussion for the first assessment. Learning outcomes: L03, L04, L05 |
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Workshop |
Domestic and family violence Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) is a pervasive and deeply entrenched social issue in Australia. By this week, we will have heard countless references to DFV during our class discussions due to its inextricable interconnectedness to problems such as homelessness, child protection, and family dynamics. Indeed, DFV is now recognised as wicked social problem. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Workshop |
Families and child protection This week marks the beginning of our investigation into how disadvantage is experienced by families, and some of the ways that society responds. This week's workshop examines one of the key indicators of family disadvantage: the child protection system. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Fieldwork |
Brisbane Common Ground This week we go off campus and take a first-hand look at some of the ways that Brisbane responds to poverty, including how it tries to end poverty by providing permanent supportive housing. Learning outcomes: L03, L05 |
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
General contact hours |
Assignment drop in session There is no content this week. Use this time to work on your assignments at home, or drop into the classroom if you would like to discuss your assignment with a course coordinator. Assignments are due next week. Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
Workshop |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families Family and kin relationships are central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples social and cultural life. As the course has shown to this point, Indigenous families are disadvantaged in many domains of Australian society. On the other hand, understanding and highlighting the strengths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is critical to realise not only positive family life, but true reconciliation in Australia. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Mid Sem break (23 Sep - 29 Sep) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid-semester break |
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Workshop |
How to write a policy brief Writing a policy brief is critical to convey knowledge to ensure that the knowledge is used. The workshop takes the class through the entire process of writing a policy brief, which is critical for Assessment 2. Learning outcomes: L03, L04, L05 |
Week 11 (07 Oct - 13 Oct) |
Workshop |
Keeping Families Together This week, we hear about the Keeping Families Together Program - a program that supports families who are experiencing homelessness and risk of engagement with the child protection system. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
General contact hours |
Assignment drop in session There is no content this week. Use this time to work on your assignments at home, or drop into the classroom if you would like to discuss your assignment with a course coordinator. Assignments are due next week. Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
Week 13 (21 Oct - 27 Oct) |
Workshop |
Bringing it together It's been a big semester. Fast paced and many ideas and examples introduced, observed, and discussed. In this final session, we will critically reflect upon SOSC3600. We will ask what we have learnt, what has surprised and challenged us, and what is useful for us to take beyond. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Additional learning activity information
Many of our workshops involve guest speakers from industry and government. Sometimes we need to change the order of the workshops to fit in with the guest speakers' availability. For the most up-to-date information, please refer to the SOSC3600 Learning Guide, available on Blackboard, and pay attention to Blackboard announcements. Information regarding the fieldwork is contained with the SOSC3600 Learning Guide, and will be clearly communicated in advance via Blackboard announcements.
Field Work: While attending the fieldwork is not compulsory, we strongly encourage students to attend if they can, as it is an incredible opportunity to experience practical examples of society responding to poverty and to start getting ideas for assignments. The fieldwork will occur within scheduled class hours. Although there is no additional cost associated with the fieldwork, students will need to make their own way to the fieldwork meeting spots (Roma Street Parklands in Week 3, and South Brisbane in Week 7). More details on the exact meeting spots, times, and other details are available in the course Learning Guide, and will be shared via Blackboard announcements in advance of the fieldwork.
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.