Related Course/s:

A unit of study in the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Arts (Sociology), Bachelor of Social Science, Bachelor of Social Science (Sociology), Bachelor of Community Health, Bachelor of Social Science (Community Health) and Sociology co-major and minor.

Aims & Objectives:

Learning Objectives:

After completing this unit students are expected to have developed their understanding of:

§         Families as socially and culturally variable institutions

§         Main trends in family change and continuity in Australia and overseas

§         How social forces shape personal life in relation to families and sexuality;

Students are expected to develop their skills in:

§         Applying sociological concepts to their own experience of families

§         Cooperating with and intellectually engage with peers in discussion

§         Undertaking library and other research

§         Communicating their findings orally and in written form

Teaching Methods:

Lectures (2 hours), tutorials (1 hour) and independent study

Assessment:

§         Class-based work including quizzes, worksheets and peer-evaluations (10%)

§         Oral presentation and tutorial paper (30%)

§         Essay (35%)

§         Take-home Exam (25%)

Generic Skills Outcomes:

The graduate attributes which relate to this unit help to produce graduates who are:

§         Capable in their chosen professional, vocational or study areas

§         Entrepreneurial in contributing to innovation and development within their business, workplace or community

§         Effective and ethical in work and community situations

§         Adaptable and able to manage change

§         Aware of local and international environments in which they will be contributing (eg socio-cultural, economic, natural)

Content:

§         Historical perspectives on families and relationships

§         Theoretical perspectives on families and relationships

§         Young people, relationships and sexuality

§         Love, commitment and marriage

§         Families and domestic/paid labour

§         Fertility, technology and family change

§         Parenting, children and childhood

§         Divorce, separation and ‘reconstituted’ families

§         Violence

§         Ageing, care and relationships

Reading Materials:

Poole, M. (ed.) Family: Changing families, changing times, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, 2005.