Humanities & Social Sciences

Welcome

Congratulations on your entry into the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences! We hope you will find the next few years with us both challenging and rewarding. Moreover, we hope that you will make the very most of all that university study has to offer.

The La Trobe Advantage: put yourself ahead of other students.

Your years at University are sure to be full of excitement and personal growth, but there will also be times when the going is not so easy. Because of this, we are eager to hear from you and support you when necessary. For first contacts, please see our list of student support services below. And don’t forget, you are always welcome to approach your tutors with any questions you might have.

Once again, we welcome you into the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and we wish you every success in your first year.

Bret Stephenson

First Year Coordinator, Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences

Support

Academic Advisors

To ensure that all first-year students within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences have the guidance and support they need, the faculty assigns each commencing student two advising partners: an Academic Advisor and a Connect Mentor.

Your Academic Advisor is an academic member of staff (lecturer, professor, etc.) who is here to welcome you into the faculty and meet with you at regular intervals throughout your first year. Academic advisors will help you to clarify your educational goals and find your way through the new academic environment. Your academic advisor will be automatically assigned to you and they will be in contact via email shortly before the start of O-Week.

Connect Mentors

All commencing La Trobe first year students are also assigned to a Connect Mentor group that will meet for the first time during O-Week. Your Connect Mentor will be a 2nd or 3rd year student who can help you to find your feet during your first semester. Your peer mentor does not give academic advice, but they will be able to help you with a host of other common student issues and concerns.

The First Year Coordinator

The First Year Coordinator is responsible for the overall management of the first year student experience within the faculty. The Coordinator is also responsible for ensuring that all students are supported while progressing through their first year of study. The First Year Coordinator can also be a useful contact if you are experiencing difficulties or problems that might be impacting on your academic work and can help coordinate support across your subjects. In many cases the First Year Coordinator will be able to refer you to additional University services that might be able to provide more specialised support.

Dr Bret Stephenson

First Year Coordinator
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Office: HU3 309
Phone: 9479 2993
Email: b.stephenson@latrobe.edu.au

The Academic Language and Learning Unit (ALL)

ALL staff in our Faculty work closely with students on all campuses to ensure that students - including those from non-English-speaking backgrounds - develop high-level academic research, writing, reading skills required for successful learning in their courses. For information on how to access these staff please visit the Academic Language and Learning Unit website.

FAQs

Where can I view my subject timetable/s?

You can view your subject/s timetable here. Click on the “2012 timetable search” link and choose the Melbourne campus. You can now type in each subject code you wish to see the timetable for, click enter and your subject days and times will appear.

How do I enrol into my tutorials?

To sign up for your tutorials, you will need to log onto the Learning Management System (LMS). The LMS opens one week prior to the commencement of the semester for students to log in and select their preferred tutorial time. It is advisable that students plan their timetable before logging on to avoid clashes. You will need your La Trobe username and password (the same that is used for StudentOnLine and the Library) to login to the LMS.

What is LMS?

LMS is an internet based learning management system to allow you to obtain learning materials and activities related to your studies from any location with internet access. This online system is used to access your lecture notes and to sign up for tutorials.

How do I find out information about a subject I am interested in studying?

Subject information can be found here. Type in the subject code and you can view information about the content of the subject, any prerequisite subjects, semester offering, assessment details etc.

How much study is expected of me outside of class?

Although it can be tempting to only study during your contact hours, this is not enough time to gain the knowledge you require to succeed in your studies. It is generally recommended that students spend approximately 10 hours of study for each 15 credit point subject; this includes your lectures and tutorials. That means if you have three hours of classes a week, you would be expected to do seven hours of study in your own time. If you are doing four subjects, you can now see how this is considered full time as you would need to spend 40 hours studying each week. 

How do I change the Subjects I am enrolled into?

You are able to add or drop subjects in the first two weeks of semester either via StudentOnLine or by completing a Variation of Enrolment form (VoE) and submitting it to the Humanities and Social Sciences Student Administration Office, located in the HU3, level 3. You will need to book an appointment online before submitting your form in person.

If you are adding a subject via an enrolment variation form from week 1 of the semester you will be required to obtain a signature from the subject coordinator prior to attending the Faculty Student Administration Office. Please note that if you wish to drop a subject you MUST either do so through StudentOnline or via an enrolment variation form (no signature required for dropping a subject) by the relevant semester census date (please refer to the University Calendar for relevant semester census dates) otherwise you will incur a financial and/or academic penalty. You cannot withdraw from a subject once the academic period in which it is being taught has ended.

Can I study part time?

Yes, most undergraduate courses in the faculty are available part time. However, some subjects will have pre-requisite requirements and may affect your study plan. It is best to contact the Faculty Student Administration Office for advice on part-time study.

Can I study via Distance Education?

Yes, some subjects are available online. You can search for online subjects here, and choose either distance education or on-line as the subject class

I have specific questions about my course

The Faculty Student Administration Office can assist with any questions you have about your course. They can be contacted:

The Faculty Student Administration Office is open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.00pm.

I am experiencing personal difficulties that are affecting my studies, what should I do?

If you are experiencing academic progress issues, enrolment issues, or require advice on university policy and procedures relating to special consideration etc, you can contact the Faculty Student Administration Office who can assist you to seek the support you require. Individual private consultation is available. The Faculty Office is located in HU3 Building level 3 (you will need to book an appointment).

How can I apply for Leave of Absence (LOA)?

A leave of absence is an approved break in your study, usually for a maximum of two semesters. An application for a Leave of Absence (also known as Intermission of Studies), can be made prior to the census date of the relevant semester of leave. Leave of absence is normally available for a total of four semesters; however you can only taken up to 12 months in an academic year. If you wish to take additional leave, you will be required to complete and submit another leave of absence application form.

I need to speak to someone in the Faculty student administration office. How can I do this?

You will need to make an appointment via the HUSS Student Admin Booking system. This online booking system assists with reducing queues and waiting times during University’s peak periods. The Faculty office is located on level 3 of the Humanities 3 building, Bundoora campus. Access to the faculty student administration office is only via the Eastern Stairwell (Nearest to the Agora/Post Office).

Contacts

Melbourne

General Enquires

HUSS Faculty Student Admin Office
Location: Humanities 3, Level 3
Phone: 03 9478 2023
Email: lhuss@latrobe.edu.au

Name Program Location Phone Email
Bronwyn Bardsley Anthropology and Sociology SS, Level 4, Room 411 03 9479 1690 b.bardsley@latrobe.edu.au
Asian Studies SS, Level 4, Room 411 03 9479 1315 asianstudies@latrobe.edu.au
Lee Shore Anthropology and Sociology SS, Level 4, Room 411 03 9479 2690 l.shore@latrobe.edu.au
  Legal Studies, Politics SS, Level 3, Room 309 03 9479 6765 legalstudies@latrobe.edu.au or politics@latrobe.edu.au
Anita Allen History DMBE, Room 118 03 9479 1304 a.allen@latrobe.edu.au
Abigail Liggieri European Studies and Languages HU3, Level 2, Room 221 03 9479 2430 u.gunawardena@latrobe.edu.au
Bhavya Chandrakant European Languages HU3, Level 2, Room 221 03 9479 2428 b.chandrakant@latrobe.edu.au
  Archaeology

 

 03 9479 2428 archaeology@latrobe.edu.au
Christine Burns English HU2, Level 5, Room 530 03 9479 2390 c.burns@latrobe.edu.au
Loretta Calverley Theatre and Drama HU2, Level 5, Room 526 03 9479 2342 l.calverley@latrobe.edu.au
Margaret Taylor Media: Screen + Sound HU3, Level 2, Room 221 03 9479 2616 m.taylor@latrobe.edu.au
Amanda Clayton Philosophy and Linguistics HU2, Level 3, Room 315 03 9479 1673 a.clayton@latrobe.edu.au

Bendigo

Name Program Location Phone Email
Margaret Tarr Arts Art Building, Upper Level 2, Room 201 03 5444 7227 m.tarr@latrobe.edu.au
Debra Amarant Arts Art Building, Upper Level 2, Room 201 03 5444 7225 d.amarant@latrobe.edu.au
Jennifer Uren Visual Arts & Design Visual Arts Building, Level 2, Room 223 03 5444 7969 j.uren@latrobe.edu.au

Albury-Wodonga

Name Program Location Phone Email
Jennifer Carter Arts Michael Osborne Building 4, Room 4228 02 6024 9827 jenny.carter@latorbe.edu.au
Wendy Manzie Arts Michael Osborne Building 4, Room 4227 02 6024 9853

w.manzie@latrobe.edu.au

Mildura

Name Program Location Phone Email
Narelle Tomlinson Arts, Visual Arts & Graphic Design 29DE, Level 1 03 5051 4075 n.tomlinson@latrobe.edu.au

Shepparton

Name Program Location Phone Email
Rikki Mazzella Arts SHS Level 1 03 5820 8637 r.mazzella@latrobe.edu.au