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Unit of study_

SCPL2601: Australian Social Policy

2025 unit information

In this unit of study Australian social policy is explored: the legal and administrative framework; relationships between family and the state; employment, unemployment, unpaid work and welfare; the public/private mix; aged care policies, the culture of welfare state provision, indigenous policies, migration, multiculturalism and the formulation and delivery of social welfare services in Australia.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Arts and Social Sciences

Study level Undergraduate
Academic unit Sociology and Criminology
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
? 
12 credit points at 1000 level in Sociology or 12 credit points at 1000 level in Social Policy or 12 credit points at 1000 level in Socio-legal Studies
Corequisites:
? 
None
Prohibitions:
? 
SCPL3001
Assumed knowledge:
? 
None

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. familiarise yourself with the key institutions and actors involved in developing social policies concerned with income support, unemployment and care in Australia
  • LO2. understand the history, development and restructuring of the Australian welfare state
  • LO3. fluently engage with current debates about the transformation of the Australian welfare state drawing on both substantive policy knowledge and sociological theory
  • LO4. understand and explain the different approaches to justice, needs and rights that underpin different policies in the contemporary and historical contexts
  • LO5. conduct analysis of substantive policy and effectively communicate this.

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2024
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2025
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2020
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2021
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2021
Normal day Remote
Semester 1 2022
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2022
Normal day Remote
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Remote

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Modes of attendance (MoA)

This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.