Bachelor of Communication in Social and Political Sciences Bachelor of International Studies (Honours)

Admissions information

Use the buttons to expand or collapse the section.

• Course description

  This course is designed for students pursuing excellence in communication and international studies, seeking a pathway to honours through academic and research excellence. Choose this course to immerse yourself in a year of study abroad, engaging with the local language and culture, and to undertake an honours research project guided by a UTS academic.

  What sets this course apart is the combination of theoretical knowledge with practical research skills, addressing social and political issues. You will gain insights into societal functions from historical and philosophical perspectives, and develop aptitude in both qualitative and quantitative research.

  Through this course, you will acquire the ability to critically analyse social matters, create impactful communication strategies, and contribute to debates with informed research, equipping you for roles in think tanks, policy research, government, social services, and advocacy. Learning involves an integrated approach of theoretical study and applied research in a real-world context.

  The Bachelor of Communication (Social and Political Sciences) will provide students with a theoretical framework rooted in historical and philosophical perspectives on how societies function, bolstering this with applied learning in qualitative and quantitative research methods. Students learn how to tackle key social issues and make a real difference through research and communication, contributing to new and ongoing debates. They graduate with a multifaceted skillset to bring to diverse organisations striving for social change.

• Important dates

  Find out more about application dates relating to this course

• Year 12 adjustment factor scheme

  If you perform highly in your Year 12 subjects, your selection rank may be boosted by the Year 12 subject scheme.

  The scheme, which is automatically applied, awards selection rank adjustments to your application based on your marks in subjects that are relevant to the courses you have applied to.

• ATAR and selection ranks

  Your Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is a score between 0.00 and 99.95. It shows you how you rank compared to all the students in your year group in New South Wales. A selection rank combines your ATAR with any other adjustment points that make up your overall university entrance score. Your selection rank may differ from university to university, depending on the adjustment points granted to you at each institution.

• Scholarships and prizes

  Discover our scholarships for undergraduate, postgraduate and research students. Our scholarships celebrate diversity and academic excellence. Use the scholarship search tool to find the right scholarship for you.

  Scholarships for domestic students

  Scholarships for international students

• Transdisciplinary Electives at UTS

  Employers tell us the skills our graduates acquire from undertaking a Transdisciplinary Elective sets them apart from the crowd. That’s why we have embedded this program into every undergraduate degree.

  All you need to do is choose the Elective that inspires you the most.

  Transdisciplinary Electives integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines, allowing you to approach complex problems from a range of perspectives.

  By combining methods and insights from various disciplines, transdisciplinary learning often leads to breakthrough ideas and creative innovations that may not be possible within the confines of a single discipline.

  If you find yourself rapt by the world of innovation – you can pair your core degree with a Diploma in Innovation, graduating with two qualifications in the same timeframe. 

  In both instances, you’ll work on a real-world challenge presented by an industry partner organisation – partners who often create career pathways for our graduates.

  * Excludes students concurrently enrolled in the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation.

• Course duration

  This course is offered on a five-year, full time basis. Students spend two sessions of study at a university or other higher education institution in the country of their major.

• Admission requirements

  Applicants must have completed an Australian Year 12 qualification, Australian Qualifications Framework Diploma, or equivalent Australian or overseas qualification at the required level.

  Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.

  English language requirements

  IELTS Academic: overall 6.5, writing 6.0 TOEFL iBT: overall 79, writing 21 UTS College AE5: Pass Pearson PTE: overall 58, writing 50 Cambridge C1A/C2P: overall 176, writing 169

• Domestic course fees

  2026 Indicative tuition fees for government-supported domestic students

  All offers for domestic undergraduate students are for Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP).This means the Australian Government contributes to your education costs, and you pay the remaining tuition fees, known as the student contribution. If eligible, you can defer payment through HECS-HELP, or you can choose to pay your fees upfront each session.  

  2026 Tuition Fees

  Indicative first-year tuition fee:  $17,399.00

  Indicative total tuition fee:  $91,455.00  

  Additional Costs 

  Your tuition fees do not include: 

  • The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF), which supports student services and activities. If eligible, you can defer this fee using SA-HELP.
  • Textbooks, materials, and other course-related costs.
  • Any applicable payment processing fees (e.g., credit card surcharges).

  Important Information 

  • Fees are shown in Australian Dollars (AUD).
  • The indicative tuition fees above are based on full-time study (1 year = 48 credit points).
  • Your actual fees depend on the year you enrol, your study load and the subjects you choose. Some subjects fall into different student contribution bands.
  • You can calculate your student contribution based on the amounts listed in the student contribution table. 

• Inherent requirements

  Inherent requirements are academic and non-academic requirements that are essential for successfully completing a course at UTS. You can find the inherent requirements for your course via the inherent requirements directory.

• Assumed knowledge

  There are no prior language requirements for the international studies program. During their first year of study students complete a language survey to ensure they commence their language and culture study at the appropriate level.

• Important notes

  This is an exit-only course. There is no direct admission to it. Current UTS students may be able to submit an Internal Course Transfer (Graduating) application to exit with this course. See the Course transfer page for further details.

  Students who commenced the Bachelor of Communication (Social and Political Sciences) Bachelor of International Studies (Honours) in 2025 should refer to the course description in the UTS Handbook 2025.

  Students who commenced before 2025 should refer to the course description in the year they commenced: see Handbook Archives (Pre-2025).