This unit provides you with an understanding of Australian society in an increasingly diverse and globalising world and how it has developed over time. It will examine how Australian history has helped to define Australian national identities. You will explore issues of power and social change and consider a range of social issues using sociological concepts. This will give you an understanding of the politico economic distribution of resources that shape social inequalities around culture, ethnicity, "race", gender and sexuality. You will develop an understanding of Australian Indigenous issues, processes of settlement and colonisation and multiculturalism and the implications of the globalisation of society. In this way the unit will be the basis for a professional career in human service and other workplaces.

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Unit evaluation

Assessment feedback to be more specific, constructive and encouraging for first year students.

Markers will be directed to provide: more constructive informative to direct students on how to improve on their academic performance against the marking criteria, individualised and supportive feedback when marking student assignments, and assignments will have comments and corrections included within them.

Feedback from Unit evaluation

Assessment task information to provide greater detail on what the assessment requires and have more explicit links to the unit content.

The task description in the unit profile will outline the steps on how to undertake the assignment and direct students to the aligned weekly content. Useful exemplar papers will be made available to students to demonstrate the academic standard required by students.

Feedback from Unit evaluation

Additional introductory videos to help students become familiar with sociology and the unit content, along with supportive tutorials and online discussion forums for students that undertake the unit from a range of backgrounds and ages.

Bridging videos to help explain sociological concepts and theories to students not familiar with sociology will be provided to students, particularly in the first few weeks of the unit. Students will be supported in their learning through responsive and encouraging discussions with the unit coordinator in online tutorials and discussion forums.

Feedback from Unit Evaluation

The lecturer/unit coordinator's (Dr Shane Hopkinson) enthusiasm for sociology.

Staff will continue to deliver the unit with enthusiasm and be responsive to students' individual learning needs.

Feedback from Unit Evaluation

Academic writing and referencing support by the Academic Learning Centre services provided in the unit.

Future use of the Academic Learning Centre services will be sought to provide students with expert guidance on academic writing, referencing and assignments.