Social and community

Drive a positive impact on what’s next in politics and policy, languages, community services, social work, urban design and the environment.

Social and community

Drive a positive impact on what’s next in politics and policy, languages, community services, social work, urban design and the environment.

What would you like to study?

Five RMIT students walking down Swanston Street, Melbourne

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Why study social and community at RMIT?

Ranked #1 globally for reducing inequality*

Learn from experts with strong links to industry

Gain practical experience with 140 days of work placements

Discover social and community

Make an impact

Engage with the challenges of a rapidly changing world, and prepare for a career in local and international organisations, businesses and government agencies.

Be the voice of the marginalised or a part of finding solutions that address global problems. Lead debate on social issues, or be the crucial link between people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

You’ll learn from passionate and engaged academics and teachers who actively work towards a fairer world for all.

RMIT’s social science undergraduate and postgraduate cater for those at all career levels, from pre-service all the way up to career professionals.

Course in Introduction to National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

Want to join the disability workforce or extend your current role? This introductory short course is for new entrants into the disability sector and a pathway to further qualifications.

About the NDIS course

Career outcomes

A rewarding career

Social science spans multiple fields, and gives you the opportunity to work with youths, provide psychological services, act as a translator, and so much more. A career in social science can be immensely rewarding.

Care for what's next

Skilled health and social care professionals are needed to meet the growing demand for jobs in Australia, which is projected to grow a further 15% by 2024.

Meet Ned

A placement at Sacred Heart Mission in Ned’s Master of Social Work gave him a head start into an exciting new career.

International internships and professional networks help students shape the world

Pieter went on to work in an NGO in Cambodia while Alice went on to workthe Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources in China.

International studies

Two international studies graduates, Alice and Pieter, share how RMIT's international internships and strong professional networks prepared them to shape the world and succeed in their careers.

Transcript

Find out how RMIT’s international internships and strong professional networks prepare you for a career in international studies.

Upbeat music plays throughout

Duration: 2:35 mins

[Opening title]
RMIT Presents

Pieter Bossink (RMIT International Studies graduate): I guess International Studies to me, means a course of study where one better understands how global events are triggered and how they impact the community.

Alice Slevison (RMIT International Studies Graduate): You become a global citizen with a strong understanding of different cultures and languages so that you can work anywhere in the world. It's all about carving out your own niche during your time at RMIT, and pursuing your interests.

Pieter: What attracted me most to the degree was the international internship component. It gave me the opportunity to get international experience in a field that I was deeply passionate about.

Alice: I had the opportunity to study a semester abroad at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and complete an internship at the Australian Chamber of Commerce. I learnt about Chinese foreign policy and politics with students from across the globe, immersed myself in the culture, and learnt Mandarin which opened so many doors for me later on. The internship fast-tracked my career and provided me with professional networks that I still have to this day.

Pieter: Since graduating I've lived and worked in Nepal, Thailand, and Bangladesh, and I'm now in Cambodia working as an Operations Manager for Cardno International Development. I run a program that's designed to increase productivity and incomes for farmers and spread knowledge about new agricultural techniques.

Alice: I'm working as a policy officer in the China and non-tariff measures team at the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, in Canberra. I negotiate market access for Australian agricultural goods to enter the Chinese market and assist the Minister by compiling ministerial briefs and providing advice on the Chinese market. I didn't succeed by just applying for jobs and getting them, they were always a result of having a strong professional network.

Pieter: I still remember one of our lecturers saying, “we're giving you the skills to do jobs that don't even exist yet”, and he was right. I've got mates from uni who are now senior Australian diplomats working in embassies throughout Asia and Europe, others work on Indigenous issues in Australia, there's a human rights lawyer and one guy owns a couple of bars in Phnom Penh.

Alice: Often in this industry you're looking so far into the future that you may not see the impact you're making each day, but I've realised change doesn't always happen on a global scale. It's happening right in front of you.

[Closing Credits] Shape the world with an international studies degree
Find out more: www.rmit.edu.au
[Visual] Australian Government, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources logo
Cardno logo
RMIT logo

[Screen title] CRICOS provider number: 00122A, RTO Code: 3046

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Industry connections

Gain the real-world edge through practical experience

At RMIT, we prioritise industry-based and practical learning that allows you to graduate job-ready for a rewarding career.

Many of our social science courses offer internships or placements, so you'll be able to apply your new knowledge with almost immediate effect. Students have secured placements with organisations including the United Nations, the Australian Chamber of Commerce, NGO, and various government departments including the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), CSIRO, and Parks Victoria.

Close industry links and Program Advisory Committee member organisations for social science include the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), Salvation Army Crisis Services, Oxfam Australia, Centrelink, and more.

Facilities and locations

Study online and on campus in the heart of Melbourne

The learning experience at RMIT is blended with a mix of face-to-face and online activities so you can learn flexibly through digital content, enjoy opportunities to interact with others and access the amazing specialist equipment and spaces RMIT offers.

At our bustling and vibrant City campus, you’ll have a wide range of facilities at your fingertips. From award-winning buildings to collaborative students' hubs, you’ll feel inspired in RMIT’s state-of-the-art spaces.

I always wanted to be able to come home from what I was doing and feel good about what I’d done that day. It was incredible to see how valued the skills we learned in the course were. They’re so good, a lot of my classmates were getting job offers straight off the back of getting a Certificate III.

– Elizabeth Jones, Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing)

Experience social and community at RMIT

Meet Talisha – Master of Public Policy

After working as a volunteer, Talisha Ohanessian wanted to help address the structural problems and systems that can disadvantage people in need. That’s where her Master of Public Policy comes in.

“The Master of Public Policy seemed to build upon a real social policy or sociology foundation. This was really important to me, because I think understanding the systemic causes underlying an issue is imperative to effective policy, rather than a quick fix.”

Master of Public Policy

Meet Daniel – Youth Work and Youth Studies

An inspiring industry placement during Daniel's Bachelor of Youth Work and Youth Studies led to his full-time employment.

"The highlight was the opportunity to complete a student placement. Through it, I was able to put my learning into practice.

I wanted to immerse myself in a university that would not only teach me how to be a good youth worker, but also how to adapt to changes within the field."

Bachelor of Youth Work and Youth Studies

Shape what’s next in community service

RMIT’s Graduate Certificate in Domestic and Family Violence will prepare you to pursue a rewarding career that makes a positive impact on community lives, and it can be undertaken in as little as six months.

Communication

Build highly transferable skills to get ahead of what’s next in advertising, public relations, journalism, creative writing and communication design.

Education

Make a positive impact on what’s next. Learn from experienced specialists in teacher education, career education, and training and assessment.

Health

Find your place in the healthcare industry and choose from roles in mental health, nursing, medical science, complementary medicine and more.

Other ways to study

Study online

RMIT Online courses are global in focus and practical in application – and the best part is, you don't need to put your life on hold while you study with us.

Microcredentials

Build essential soft skills and boost your employability with digital micro-credentials, including problem solving, communication, leadership and more.

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^{*Source: 2020 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)}

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.

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Acknowledgement of Country

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Social and community