Humanities & social science courses
Honour your love of learning. Discover the perfect humanities course for you.
Choose a speciality to explore your study options
Start understanding our world – so you can help change it
Studying the humanities gives you a rich appreciation of the world and how it works, across social, historical, economic, and political realms.
Whether you’re interested in languages, history, politics or literature, a humanities course will help you become a keen critical thinker and set you up for a range of rewarding career pathways.
Not sure where to start?
Take our course matching quiz.
Popular humanities & social science degrees
UndergraduateUNE-MDL-DIP
Explore the world through language and culture
- Study method
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
Available majors
- Chinese Language Major,
- French Language Major,
- German Language Major,
- Indonesian Language Major,
- Italian Language Major,
- Japanese Language Major
UndergraduateGRF-ART-DEG
Innovators, communicators and creators start here!
- Study method
- 100% online
- Duration
- 3 years full time or part time equivalent
- Entry requirements
- No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
Available majors
- Art History,
- Creative Writing,
- Criminal Justice,
- History,
- Journalism,
- Literature,
- Public Relations,
- Screen and Media Studies,
- Sociology
Graduate Certificate of Ancient History
PostgraduateMAQ-HIS-GCE
Use your imagination to form meaningful and original perspectives
- Study method
- 100% online
- Duration
- 6 months full time or part time equivalent
Master of Arts (Women's and Gender Studies)
PostgraduateFLI-WGS-MAS
Fight for a more equal and just society
- Study method
- 100% online
- Duration
- 2 years full time or part time equivalent
Popular humanities & social science subjects
Indigenous Community Development
UndergraduateMUR-COD301
- Study method
- 100% online
PostgraduateCUR-GPH510
- Study method
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
- Start dates
- Starts 1 Sep 2025
Enrolments open until 4 Sep
Dangerous Pleasures: An Introduction to Literary Studies
UndergraduateGRF-LTR110
- Study method
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
- Start dates
- Starts 3 Nov 2025
UndergraduateLTU-BUS1SBY
- Study method
- 100% online
Need help choosing the right course?
Need help choosing the right course?
Speak to a student advisor about:
Enrolling and planning your studies
Finding a study option that suits your needs
Understanding your funding options
Find out more about studying through us:
Looking for other ways to start the conversation? Contact us
How Open Universities Australia (OUA) works
We partner with leading universities to make higher education easier for everyone to access. We're here to:
Offer you guidance on your course choices
Unlock more flexible study options for you with your university
Ease your mental load by supporting you with your student admin
Why study humanities & social science online through us?
Get in no matter what
Access quality university courses without needing an ATAR
Study from anywhere
Enjoy your pick of courses from across the country, no matter where you’re based
Start when it suits you
Study more flexibly with single subjects, short courses and degrees available to start throughout the year
Humanities & social science careers
Studying the humanities gives you a breadth of knowledge that comes in handy for many different career paths.
Where do humanities graduates work?
You may want to advance social change by working in policy, apply your love of languages to a career as a translator, interpreter or communications professional, or dedicate yourself to a life of learning and teaching as an academic in your chosen field. These are just some of the possibilities open to graduates.
Can you actually get a job with an arts degree?
Some people may try to deter you from studying the arts because it doesn’t lead to a clear career pathway. However, this can actually be a strength of an arts course – it allows you to learn about a range of fascinating areas, before deciding what you want to specialise in based on your own genuine interests.
You might also be interested in these study areas:
Meet Harry, who is living his dream
Read Harry's storyOpen Universities Australia's student advisors have been extremely useful. They've really had my back in this whole scenario. From helping me enrol, helping me find the course, helping put the course into perspective and what order I should study it...
I feel very confident about what I'm doing and very excited about what the future holds."
Frequently asked questions about humanities & social science
What types of humanities & social science courses are available through Open Universities Australia?
Humanities and social sciences is a broad field, so it makes sense to determine which area specifically interests you before you explore the courses available through Open Universities Australia.
If you're interested in | Consider studying |
|---|---|
People | Sociology Languages Indigenous studies None of these right for you? Consider other people-focused study areas like education and teaching or business and management. |
The environment | Sustainability Geography |
Communities | Politics Religion History Philosophy |
How can you help me get into a course without entry requirements?
We have a unique arrangement with our university partners. It means we can help people who don’t have the right ATAR or academic history get into their chosen study area, no matter what.
Through this enrolment option, you get started with 2-4 single subjects that don’t have entry requirements. When using our search page, these are called ‘open enrolment subjects’. Once you have successfully completed these subjects, you can use them to gain entry into a number of undergraduate courses.
Read more about how to get into uni without an ATAR, or ask us for more information about how this works.
How flexible can my studies be?
When you study through us, you have the freedom to:
start at multiple points during the year, instead of observing the traditional uni calendar
control your study load by deciding how many subjects to take at once
study subjects across multiple universities and multiple study areas
And those are only some of the flexible options available. To learn more, visit our study planning page or contact a student advisor.
Will I have opportunities to go on internships or gain practical experience?
Yes. Some humanities and social sciences courses require you to complete an internship, which you can do in your local area. Your university lecturers and tutors may have industry contacts and be able to help place you with an appropriate organisation.
How much does it cost to study humanities & social science through Open Universities Australia?
It costs exactly the same as studying on campus with your chosen university. As a not-for-profit, we do not charge you to use our services.
Your course fee will be dictated by a few things, including the level of study, the number of subjects, and the university itself. You’ll find an indicative cost on each course page.
All courses available through Open Universities Australia, including single subjects, can be covered by a government HELP loan, provided you’re eligible.
To understand more, visit our fees page.
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