The Programme

The Bachelor of Social Science is offered by Australian Catholic University (ACU). The programme, as offered in Australia, is a three-year day-time programme comprising 24 units. However, the programme offered in Hong Kong targets higher diploma or associate degree holders in sociology, counselling, psychology and related social science disciplines (or equivalent) to enable them to obtain the degree by completing 8 units via part-time mode within a minimum period of 16 months.

 

The University

Australian Catholic University (ACU) is a public university founded in 1991, funded by the Australian Government, and is open to students and staff from all religious and cultural backgrounds. The University's ethos is derived from Christian values and the Catholic intellectual tradition, and the University is guided in its endeavours by a fundamental concern for justice and equity, and the dignity of all human beings. The University has six campuses in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory, and offers off-campus study in selected courses throughout Australia and overseas. Further information is available at the University's website (http://www.acu.edu.au).

Hong Kong Support

The Bachelor of Social Science is offered in co-operation with the Centre for Advanced and Professional Studies (CAPS), Caritas Institute of Higher Education, Hong Kong. While the Australian Catholic University is responsible for the programme's design, academic delivery, student assessment and academic accreditation, the Department of Social Sciences (DSS) and the Centre for Advanced and Professional Studies (CAPS) are responsible for providing tutorials, local administration, pastoral and other learning support for the Programme.

Programme Objectives

Programme Structure

The programme consists of 8 units as follows:

• SOCS234 Sociological Theory and Practice
• SOCS207 Qualitative Sociological Research Methods
• SOCS237 Quantitative Sociological Research Methods
• COUN106 Introduction to Counselling and Micro-Skills
• COUN221 Humanistic Theories and Interventions
• COUN213 Mediation and Dispute Resolution
• YSED104 Wellbeing and Young People
• YSED200 Researching Young People

Unit Descriptions

This unit introduces students to the history and theory of counselling in the context of other helping professions. It distinguishes between psychotherapy and counselling and provides students with insight into the broad areas and contexts where counselling is the preferred helping modality. Characteristics of the counsellor are explored, with a corresponding development of insight into the self.

This unit focuses on conflict and its resolution, mediation and negotiation. The unit combines theory and the practising of skills. Students will explore the role of ambivalence as it governs human emotional relations. Students will examine the theory of conflict, the role culturally-based animosities often play, and the principles and practice of conflict management and enhanced communication skills. Emphasis will be given to the importance of the use of opposite views to clarify the conception of defensiveness in conflict, recognising that the use of defences create major barriers to the resolution of conflict. The nature of assertiveness in negotiation and mediation and the transformatory role of empowerment will also be addressed. The unit offers students the opportunity to discuss the development of their own mediating style, and ethical and legal issues in the mediation field. Successful completion of this unit may contribute to the requirements of being a mediator.

This unit introduces students to major humanistic and existential theories of counselling, key principles and techniques, and underlying philosophical viewpoints. The unit will provide an overview of humanistic, gestalt, transpersonal, phenomenological and existential theories and will emphasise the theories’ philosophical, phenomenological and methodological implications for counselling practice. The theories covered in this unit will focus on the therapeutic alliance, personal growth, recognition of individual creativity and its potential and critical self-reflection and self-awareness. In addition to examining theory-specific techniques, the unit will demonstrate how the core micro-skills apply to each of the therapies and build upon the micro-skills training introduced in COUN106. Ten hours of training in the application of micro-skills in therapeutic practice will be the focus of the tutorial program. The suitability of each approach specific to counselling intervention will be explored. Furthermore, the notion of referral and referral options will be examined.

This unit introduces students to qualitative research methods. The unit will focus on research questions, research design and research methods for qualitative data collection, analysis and interpretation. Questions of reliability and validity will be explicitly discussed. The critical importance of ethics in the social research process will also be addressed. The unit commences with a focus on key aspects of the social research process in general and the qualitative research process in particular. The aim is to ensure that students have a secure foundational understanding of sociological approaches to research. Building on this important background material, the focus of the unit then turns to developing students’ awareness and appreciation of the wide range of research methods available to the qualitative researcher.

This unit aims to introduce students to a comprehensive range of theories and methodologies in the social sciences, and to enhance students’ understanding of the relationships between theory, methodologies and methods in the social research process. This unit focuses on the major theoretical traditions in sociology, which can be grouped or classified in several different ways: classical/contemporary, macro/micro-sociological; action/systems; interpretive/ structural; power/ meaning. These perspectives will be considered in relation to their historical and social contexts. They will also be considered in relation to their use in grounding different research approaches. Different theoretical approaches lend themselves to different methodologies and methods. In contemporary sociological practice, a variety of theoretical perspectives and methodologies may be combined.

This unit introduces students to research questions, research design and research methods for quantitative data collection and analysis. The unit will also introduce students to hypotheses and hypothesis testing, elementary descriptive and inferential statistics, their nature and aims, populations and samples, sampling error, measures of level and spread, comparison of means, correlation, simple regression, and contingency tables.

This subject introduces and criticises the concept of adolescent development and examines various frameworks for understanding the phenomenon of young people’s development, which would be beneficial to those who work with young people in a range of community settings. The diversity of adolescent experience is explored, and the impact of various socio-environmental contexts of adolescence on young people’s health and wellbeing is identified. The students will examine the physical, cognitive, social and moral development of young people in the contexts of family, peers, school, work and the media.

This unit outlines the importance of youth research and how it shapes our knowledge about young people. It traces the ways a variety of academic disciplines have set about researching young people and considers the ways such research and theoretical knowledge shape various styles of youth work practice and programs. Attention is given to the various research methods with particular highlight on to ethics in research, and the value of action research methods in work with young people. The unit will look at all stages of the research process and will teach students how to use research in their professional youth work practice. It will identify key research issues for the youth work sector and consider some of the dilemmas that researchers face.

Mode of Study

The programme is delivered via the following modes:

1. Lectures:
Teaching staff from ACU will conduct intensive face-to-face lectures for six units of the programme (12 hours per unit). Teaching staff from CIHE will provide lectures for two units of the programme.

2. Tutorials:
Tutorials are conducted at the Tseung Kwan O Campus of CIHE by Hong Kong teaching staff to assist students in their studies, assignments, and preparation for examinations (24 hours per unit).

3. Self-active Learning Sessions:
Self-active learning sessions are supported by the comprehensive and quality study packages provided by the University. The study package consists of the unit materials, the unit outline, and a list of relevant readings. Students will have to incorporate in their study plan 16 hours of self-active learning for each unit.

Schedule

The normal period of time for the successful completion of the programme is 16 months of part-time study.

* Australian Catholic University reserves the right to adjust the sequence of the units offered.

Admission Requirements

• Holders of Associate of Social Science in Social Work from Caritas Institute of Higher Education (formerly known as Caritas Francis Hsu College)
• Holders of Associate Degree/ Higher Diploma in social science related disciplines from recognised institutions or equivalent
• Applicants with qualifications other than the above will be considered by ACU on a case-by-case basis.
• English language proficiency should reach a minimum level of

• IELTS – with an overall score of 6.0, including writing and speaking tests and 5.5 for listening and reading test
• TOEFL – a score of 550 and TWE 4.5; or a computer-based score of 213 with an essay rating of 4.5
• An exemption to the above English language proficiency will be for those applicants who have completed English language courses within their Associate Degree or Higher Diploma programmes

Assessment Policy and Graduation Requirments

Assessment for each unit shall be based on the performance in prescribed coursework assignments and in the final examination. Students taking the programme in Hong Kong are assessed by the same method and on the same basis as other ACU students studying in Australia. Assignments are normally marked by local tutors and examinations are marked by ACU staff.

Learning Support

Students enrolled in the programme will be provided with the following learning support:

• A comprehensive study package developed by the University will be provided for each module. The study package consists of module specifications, lecture handouts, tutorial materials, assessment tasks and a list of recommended readings.
• Access to the electronic library resources of the University.
• Access to the web-based learning environment, Blackboard, as well as student learning support services, of the University.
• A collection of the recommended textbooks and references for the programme is available at the Institute library for use of students. This is regularly updated to include the most recent relevant publications.
• Access to library, language centre and computer facilities of Caritas Institute of Higher Education.

Tuition Fees and Mode of Payment

The tuition fee is set at HK$7,800 per unit, which covers instruction, study materials, tutorials, information transmission services and access to institute facilities. The total tuition fees are HK$62,400 for 8 units. The same amount of unit fee is charged to students throughout the duration of their studies provided that they complete the programme in 16 months. The tuition fees are usually reviewed on an annual basis.
Tuition fees are paid in advance, payable in four instalments of HK$15,600 four weeks before the commencement of each trimester. Payment of tuition fees is made by cheque or money order made payable to "Caritas - Hong Kong", which should be forwarded to the Programme Officer at CAPS, Caritas Institute of Higher Education.

Financial Assistance

Non-Means Tested Loan Scheme: Under the Non-means Tested Loan Scheme for students of registered courses and exempted courses under the Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance (CAP. 493), Bachelor of Social Science students may apply for the non-means-tested loan from the Government through the Student Financial Assistance Agency. For details of the scheme, please visit the website (http://www.info.gov.hk/sfaa/). Application forms and information booklets can be obtained from the District Offices.

Application Procedure

1. Application for admission can be made only on the University application form.
   
   
2. Application form can be obtained by phone, fax or mail from Caritas Institute of Higher Education – CAPS, Room 308, 18 Chui Ling Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories, Hong Kong.
   
   
3. The duly completed application form and Informed Consent/ Privacy Declaration form must be submitted in person, to be accompanied by:
   (a) originals and copies of supporting certificates, diplomas and relevant transcripts, as evidence of academic and professional qualifications obtained, for certification purpose,
   (b) copy of HKID card or passport,
   (c) a non-refundable application fee of HK$200.00 (payable by cash or cheque made payable to “Caritas – Hong Kong”) and
   (d) a recent passport-sized photograph.

Closing Dates for Application

All applications must be submitted to CAPS of Caritas Institute of Higher Education on or before the closing dates, which are 31 August, 30 December and 31 April respectively for intakes in October, February and June.

Commencement Date

The commencement date for the Bachelor of Social Science programme is set in early October, early February and early June.

Contact Information

AUSTRALIA
	Course Director Bachelor of Social Science (Hong Kong Programme) Office of the Executive Dean
	Faculty of Arts and Sciences Australian Catholic University Melbourne Campus Locked Bag 4115 Fitzroy MDC VIC 3065 AUSTRALIA
	HKDirectorFAS@acu.edu.au
HONG KONG
	Programme Officer Bachelor of Social Science
	Centre for Advanced & Professinal Studies (CAPS) Caritas Institute of Higher Education & Caritas Bianchi College of Careers Room 308, 18 Chui Ling Road, Tseung Kwan O, NT, Hong Kong
	3653 6700
	3653 6795
	caps@CIHE.edu.hk

Local Registration

The Bachelor of Social Science has been registered with the Education Bureau in accordance with the Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance (CAP. 493). The Course Registration Number is 212064.