Dean's Message

Welcome to the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). At the Faculty we specialise in communication, education and international studies. We have a strong practice orientation with a focus on technology, creativity and internationalism, supported and enhanced by academic expertise in linguistics, cultural studies and the social sciences.

We have over 4000 students and 200 academic and professional support staff. Many of our academic staff have national and international reputations in creative and professional fields such as writing, filmmaking, new media, journalism, advertising, public relations, information and media, cultural studies, teacher education, adult education and international studies. Our Faculty rated highly in the areas of humanities, arts and education (top band 1) in the Australian Governments 2008 Teaching and Learning Performance Fund.

The Faculty offer a range of courses in three main academic areas. The Education academic area is known for initial and continuing professional education in primary and secondary teaching, adult and vocational education, TESOL, music therapy, e-Learning, Human Resource development and Organisational Learning.

The Communication academic area includes undergraduate and postgraduate study in creative writing, media arts and production, journalism, advertising, public relations, information management, and social inquiry.

The International Studies academic area offers the International Studies degree, the Masters in China studies and the new Bachelor of Global Studies degree. All of our undergraduate courses can be combined with a BA in International Studies, which enables you to undertake some of your studies overseas in one of our partner universities in a wide variety of countries. In addition, we have exchange arrangements with a number of countries in Europe and the US.

Many of the staff teaching our degrees are also highly reputed researchers, and we have about 350 students undertaking research degrees. We house a number of research centres, including two of the University's Key Research Centres - Transforming Cultures, the Australian Centre for Public History, the Centre for Learning and Change, the Australian Centre for Public Communication, the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism, Centre for Media Arts and Innovation and the UTS Centre for New Writing. Our staff also play a key role in three cross-Faculty Centres, the Centre for Health Communication, the Centre for Cosmopolitan Civil Societies and the Centre for Contemporary Design Practices. We place high value on our academic, creative and professional courses, on creativity, problem solving and research skills, and on social advocacy, community service and contribution to public debates.

Employers in our areas value resumes that show initiative and practical application. The Faculty provides many opportunities for initiative, not just in the context of the course programs, but also, for example, through UTS Shopfront, a community research and advocacy centre; the UTS Writers' Anthology, a commercially published annual compilation of students' writing; the Golden Eye Awards, a biennial film, sound and new media screening event; and 2SER-FM, a radio station located in the University's Tower Building. All our education undergraduate courses have strong professional experience programs, including the opportunity to do overseas prac trips in China and Thailand.

Our faculty is located on both UTS campuses. Our courses in Communication, Adult Education, International Studies and our short courses are delivered from the city campus on Broadway. Our courses on Primary and Secondary Education and Music Therapy are delivered from the Kuring-gai campus, located near Chatswood and the beautiful Lane Cove National Park.

I hope your time with us will be rewarding and enjoyable, and I am confident it will prepare you well for your future.

Professor Theo van Leeuwen
Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences