Students

SSCI3004 – Becoming a Change Maker

2025 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Jessica McLean
jessica.mclean@mq.edu.au
Ben Spies-Butcher
ben.spies-butcher@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
130cp at 1000 level or above including (30cp from SSCI3001, POIR3060, SSCI2010, SSCI2001, SSCI2020, SSCI2002, SOC224, SSC200 and SSCI200).
Corequisites Corequisites
SSCI3010 or SSCI3002
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

How can social scientists drive the change they want to see in the world? Students will experience how a particular phenomenon can be addressed from more than one approach and appreciate how working across boundaries and differences can generate better solutions. This unit encourages students to harness and showcase their skills as social change makers working in team projects. With input from academic, community and industry leaders, and learning communities developed across the degree, students will research, analyse, and present solutions to a driving concern emerging from their 'grand challenge' majors. Student groups will identify, plan, implement and evaluate a project to address the identified problem, and disseminate their findings. On completion, students will be able to demonstrate and apply their knowledge and skills as social scientifically oriented thinkers and change agents.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Apply leadership and organisational skills to successfully complete a project in a real life setting.
  • ULO2: Collaborate effectively with peers and subject matter experts to design, deliver and implement a project that addresses an identified problem.
  • ULO3: Demonstrate knowledge, skill and capacity to harness interdisciplinary perspectives in addressing and proposing solutions to complex social issues.
  • ULO4: Research, analyse, and present solutions to a significant issue or challenge drawing insights from their major
  • ULO5: Communicate approaches and findings in effective and engaging formats.
  • ULO6: Reflect on the development of their knowledge, skills and experience in operating as a social scientist.

General Assessment Information

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of '0' (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. This late penalty will apply to non-time sensitive assessment (incl. essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc). Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special Consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Group Presentation 20% No Week 12 during class time (Friday 30 May)
Portfolio 40% No 06/06/2025
Stakeholder briefing and pitch 40% No Pitch: in class week 6; Stakeholder briefing: 10 April 23.55

Group Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Media presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Week 12 during class time (Friday 30 May)
Weighting: 20%

 

Media presentation for a wider audience. 10 minutes.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply leadership and organisational skills to successfully complete a project in a real life setting.
  • Collaborate effectively with peers and subject matter experts to design, deliver and implement a project that addresses an identified problem.
  • Demonstrate knowledge, skill and capacity to harness interdisciplinary perspectives in addressing and proposing solutions to complex social issues.
  • Research, analyse, and present solutions to a significant issue or challenge drawing insights from their major

Portfolio

Assessment Type 1: Portfolio
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: 06/06/2025
Weighting: 40%

 

Professional writing, reflective writing, poster. 

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply leadership and organisational skills to successfully complete a project in a real life setting.
  • Collaborate effectively with peers and subject matter experts to design, deliver and implement a project that addresses an identified problem.
  • Demonstrate knowledge, skill and capacity to harness interdisciplinary perspectives in addressing and proposing solutions to complex social issues.
  • Research, analyse, and present solutions to a significant issue or challenge drawing insights from their major
  • Communicate approaches and findings in effective and engaging formats.
  • Reflect on the development of their knowledge, skills and experience in operating as a social scientist.

Stakeholder briefing and pitch

Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Pitch: in class week 6; Stakeholder briefing: 10 April 23.55
Weighting: 40%

 

Individual stakeholder briefing (1500 words) and group pitch to stakeholder (5 mins).

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply leadership and organisational skills to successfully complete a project in a real life setting.
  • Collaborate effectively with peers and subject matter experts to design, deliver and implement a project that addresses an identified problem.
  • Demonstrate knowledge, skill and capacity to harness interdisciplinary perspectives in addressing and proposing solutions to complex social issues.
  • Research, analyse, and present solutions to a significant issue or challenge drawing insights from their major

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Welcome to SSCI3004 Becoming a change maker! This unit is a capstone for your Social Sciences degree and aims to equip you with specific tools to support you in facilitating change. 

Classes will be held every week for three hours on Fridays at 11am in 1CC 218 Active Learning Space. We will co-design some aspects of the activities throughout the semester and hope to centre your knowledge and experience of social change throughout the unit. 

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2025.04 of the Handbook