Sociology in Australia: A Scoping Study

Researchers: A/Prof John Germov, Dr Helen Marshall (Project Leader - RMIT) & Ms Eileen Clark (La Trobe)

Grant: Carrick Discipline-Based Initiatives Scheme, $100 000

Aims

The project scoped the key issues facing the discipline of Sociology in the Australian university sector. There has been little disciplinary research or professional activity in the area of quality assurance in Sociology at Australian universities, and limited information is available about the range or extent of teaching practices, graduate attributes and destinations, and employer satisfaction with Sociology teaching. Anecdotal evidence suggests that Sociology is one of the largest disciplines in the social sciences, but little is systematically known about the extent and nature of Sociology teaching in Australian universities. This scoping project provides an evidence-based foundation for future investigations and interventions to improve educational quality in the discipline, consistent with the federal Government higher education reform agenda. The project is endorsed by The Australian Sociological Association (TASA), who continue to play a key role in the dissemination of the findings.

The specific aims of the scoping project were to:

  1. Map the teaching of Sociology in Australian universities, providing a description of its nature and extent 
  2. Explore common educational practices and issues faced in teaching Sociology at university level in both national and international contexts 
  3. Identify the strengths and weaknesses in the teaching of Sociology in Australia as seen by stakeholders
  4. Generate a future research agenda for professional education development in Sociology that will improve the teaching of Sociology in Australia.

Outcomes

Marshall, H., Robinson, P., Germov, J. & Clark, E. (2009), Teaching Sociology in Australia: A Scoping Study, A report to the Australian Learning and Teaching Council, ALTC, Canberra. Click here for a copy of the report

Marshall, H., Clarke, E. & Germov, J. (2007) 'Scoping Australian Sociology', TASA/SAANZ Joint Conference, New Zealand, December 4-7.