Why Bachelor of Arts?
Did you know our global population grows by 70 million people each year? That's like adding a new Adelaide every week!
Population and Migration Studies helps you understand why people move around – and how that shapes cities and countries. You'll look at real-world issues, like why some neighbourhoods have better schools or how new foods pop up. It's all about seeing the big picture – and interpreting the tiny details. You'll build valuable data analysis and problem-solving skills to help governments, businesses and communities adapt to change. This degree is for anyone aspiring to influence the future of our cities, nations and the planet at large.
Overview
Our Bachelor of Arts is flexible and future-focused, nurturing creative thinking – and career preparation.
The Population and Migration Studies major is interdisciplinary, exploring global and Australian population dynamics and migration. You’ll tackle big questions in the field. Why do people choose to live in the city? How does migration change the culture of a country? What are the social impacts of overpopulation? Through data analysis, policy examination and case studies, you’ll learn to lead effective policy change and make informed planning decisions. Learn to think critically so you can understand and interpret population and migration shifts with nuance, grasping the many complexities, realities and implications. You’ll study not just numbers, but real stories – building applied quantitative and qualitative research skills. Get hands-on with practical case studies and field trips, learning to collect, analyse and present real data. These practical, in-demand skills will prepare you for careers in government, demography, immigration, social services, education, healthcare, NGOs and urban and regional development.
Key features
Explore the ethical and moral dimensions of population pressures and migration. - Study links to climate change, urbanisation, biodiversity loss and natural resource depletion.
- Develop valuable, transferable skills, like analytical thinking, data interpretation and policy analysis.
- Build professional networks, engaging with experts and active researchers in the field.
- Map out your future career and access relevant professional development.
- Analyse real-world problems in an industry internship.
What you'll learn
Our Bachelor of Arts degrees are flexibly designed, with a broad selection of courses to match your interests and career goals. Build adaptability, creative thinking, cultural awareness and communication skills, learning to debate contemporary issues with confidence – and craft persuasive writing. Our courses are curated to boost your career potential, opening doors to relevant professional opportunities and networks. Benefit from industry mentoring and practical internships, consistently clarifying your career direction through research and reflection.
In the Population and Migration Studies major, you’ll take future-focused courses, including:
- Population trends and challenges
- Migration and (im)mobility
- Migration and development
- Demographic data and techniques
- Urban and rural futures
- Global population and health
- Population in practice: applied research
- Migration: Identity, belonging and difference.
Our social sciences staff undertake globally leading research in Population and Migration Studies, feeding their expertise directly into your learning. You’ll unpack the theory and empirical knowledge behind why people move and how populations change. This will help you understand and tackle some of the world's most pressing, challenging and controversial issues. These include population ageing; the crisis of low fertility; declining populations in industrialised countries and rural economies; skilled migration; family migration; refugees and asylum seekers; and population policy changes.
Our Bachelor of Arts also allows you to explore other interests by taking another major in a different area.
Majors
The Bachelor of Arts is also available with majors in the following:
- Aboriginal Studies
- Archaeology and Classical Studies
- Art History and Visual Culture
- Anthropology
- Chinese Studies
- Cultural Studies
- Creative Writing
- English Literature
- Environmental Management
- French Studies
- Gender and Sexuality Studies
- Geography
- German Studies
- History
- International Development
- International Security
- Italian Studies
- Japanese Studies
- Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
- Philosophy
- Politics
- Screen Studies
- Sociology
- Spanish Studies.
What courses you'll study
Complete 144 units comprising:
- 18 units for Core courses, and
- 96 units for 2 Majors from Majors, and
- 18 units for all Work integrated learning, and
- 12 units for all Electives
Complete 18 units comprising:
- 18 units from Common core
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Course name
An Ethically Rich Life
|
Course code
COREX001
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Fact or Fiction: Data for Everyone
|
Course code
COREX002
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Igniting Change: Ideas to Action
|
Course code
COREX003
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Proppa Ways, Future Practice
|
Course code
COREX004
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Responsible AI: Bridging Ethics, Education and Industry
|
Course code
COREX005
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Ways of Being, Ways of Seeing
|
Course code
COREX006
|
Units
6
|
Complete 48 units for ALL of the following:
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Course name
Population in Practice: Applied Research
|
Course code
POLI3003
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Migration: Identity, Belonging and Difference
|
Course code
POLI3004
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Population Trends and Challenges
|
Course code
SOCI1002
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Migration and (Im)mobility
|
Course code
SOCI1003
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Migration and Development
|
Course code
SOCI2303
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Demographic Data and Techniques
|
Course code
SOCI2002
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Global Population and Health
|
Course code
SOCI3301
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Qualitative Research Methods in Social Sciences
|
Course code
SOCI3006
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Responding to Climate Change
|
Course code
ENVI2001
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Geography Matters
|
Course code
SOCI3302
|
Units
6
|
Complete 18 units for ALL of the following:
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Course name
Professional Pathways and Destinations 1
|
Course code
SOCI1007
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Professional Pathways and Destinations 2
|
Course code
SOCI2019
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Internship: Society and Culture
|
Course code
SOCI3903
|
Units
6
|
Complete 12 units for ALL of the following:
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Course name
Elective 1
|
Course code
AUXX1011
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Elective 2
|
Course code
AUXX1012
|
Units
6
|
Complete one Major from the following:
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Course name
Aboriginal Studies
|
Course code
ABORBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Anthropology
|
Course code
ANTHBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Archaeology and Classical Studies
|
Course code
ARCYBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Art History and Visual Culture
|
Course code
ARTHBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Creative Writing
|
Course code
CREWBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
English Literature
|
Course code
ENGLBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Environmental Management
|
Course code
ENVMBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
French Studies
|
Course code
FRENBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Geography
|
Course code
GEOGBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
German Studies
|
Course code
GERMBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Chinese Studies
|
Course code
CHINBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Cultural Studies
|
Course code
CULTBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Gender and Sexuality Studies
|
Course code
GENDBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
History
|
Course code
HISTBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
International Development
|
Course code
INTDBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
International Security
|
Course code
INTSBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Italian Studies
|
Course code
ITALBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Japanese Studies
|
Course code
JAPNBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
|
Course code
LINGBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Philosophy
|
Course code
PHILBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Politics
|
Course code
POLIBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Screen Studies
|
Course code
SCRNBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Sociology
|
Course code
SOCIBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Spanish Studies
|
Course code
SPANBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Social Research and Policy Analysis
|
Course code
SOCRBARTS
|
Units
48
|
|
|
Course name
Kaurna Languages
|
Course code
KAURBARTS
|
Units
48
|
Career outcomes
Studying at Adelaide University will prepare you for diverse and impactful careers in the field. You could be a city council advisor, proposing essential ‘third spaces’ in urban landscapes. You might analyse demographic data for international bodies like the United Nations or World Health Organization. Perhaps you’ll help refugees and displaced communities reclaim their futures.
You could also be a:
- Demographer
- Immigration policy analyst
- Social services coordinator
- Aged care coordinator
- Urban planner
- Housing policy analyst
- Social impact assessor
- Census data analyst
- Social entrepreneur
- Migration futurist
- Healthcare policy analyst
- Immigration consultant
- Community development officer.
In Australia, you could secure prestigious positions at the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Centre for Population, Department of Home Affairs, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Regional Development Australia, Red Cross, the Australian Migrant Resource Centre and more.
Industry trends
Increasingly, climate change will impact migration patterns. Along with ‘climate refugees’, there are many people currently being displaced through war and conflict. This means more research into the impacts on social integration, education and workplaces.
Many countries are experiencing aging populations, which is affecting labour markets, social security systems and healthcare services around the world. Urbanisation is pushing populations towards cities, driving studies in urban planning and sustainable development.
Finally, the impact of big data, AI and GIS technologies is profound. These tools enable precise tracking of migration patterns, prediction of population movements and analysis of more complex data sets. Your expertise can play a key role in vital humanitarian efforts, policy and research, with exciting opportunities for innovation and impact.
Ready to apply?
Please note that a non-refundable application fee of AUD$150 applies for every application submitted to Adelaide University.
Your study experience and support
Adelaide University sets you up for success in your studies – and your social life. You’ll have access to work placement and internship opportunities, overseas study tours and exchanges, networking events with guest speakers and more. Our campuses are equipped with purpose-built facilities including lecture theatres, libraries, workshops, laboratories, and spaces that simulate real work environments. These are all supported by the latest technologies and a 24/7 online learning platform with personalised study information and resources.
You’ll have everything you need to live well and thrive during your studies, with health services on campus, gymnasiums, technology zones and modern student lounges. Get involved in campus sport or join our student clubs that will connect you to your passions – and the people who share them.
Adelaide also has a variety of accommodation options to suit your individual requirements and budget, with options ranging from dedicated student accommodation to private rentals. One of the world’s most liveable cities, Adelaide has lots of leafy parks, gardens and social hubs – and some of the highest living standards globally. No matter where you are in Adelaide, you’re only a short distance from beaches, vineyards, museums, art galleries, restaurants, bars and parklands. Visit the accommodation web page to find out more.
Student services
We’re here to support you on your student journey. Adelaide University offers a range of support services and facilities, including:
- Career advice and mentoring services
- Personal counselling
- LGBTQIA+ support
- Academic support
- Fees and finance help
- Security services
- Accommodation services
- Common rooms
- Prayer rooms.
You’ll also have unlimited access to our dedicated student support hub. Visit in-person or online, or contact our friendly team by phone. We can assist you with anything study-related including enrolment, identification cards, timetables, fees and more.
Your campus
You'll be studying at one of our renowned campuses, accessing cutting-edge facilities and contemporary study spaces.
Study hours
Your courses will require a combination of different learning formats, including lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars and practicals. Aside from your classes, you’ll also need to allocate additional time for independent study. This may include assignments, readings, projects and contributing to online discussion forums. As a rough guide, full-time studies may require 12-26 hours of class time and 14-18 hours of independent study per week.
Assessment
During your studies at Adelaide University, you’ll complete a mixture of practical, professional and research-based learning. Your assessment types will vary depending on the degree you’re studying, but may include:
- Case studies
- Essays and assignments
- Examinations
- Group projects
- Internships and placements
- Practicals
- Presentations
- Reports and project documentations
- Research projects
- Workplace and classroom contributions.
