Bachelor of Science in Behavioural Science and Human Systems
Most technology, policy and development programmes fail not because the technical solution was wrong but because human behaviour was assumed rather than studied. Behavioural science has become a standard function in governments, banks, heal...
Employment thesis
What this programme is designed to produce
Forward publishes the destination of every programme before you enrol. If the thesis stops holding, the programme is reviewed and, where necessary, retired. Next review: 2031.
Roles
- Behavioural scientist
- user researcher
- monitoring, evaluation and learning specialist
- programme design analyst
- customer insight researcher
- public health behaviour specialist
- human factors researcher
- survey and field research manager.
Employer types
- Behavioural insight units in government
- development organisations and evaluation firms
- banks, insurers and telecommunications operators
- technology and product companies
- public health programmes
- market research firms
- and research institutes.
Target outcomes we hold ourselves to
- A growing and internationally portable specialisation, with strong demand from evaluation, development and product research employers.
Compulsory · The Forward Core
How the Core works →Every Forward programme, including this one, carries the same five cross-cutting requirements. They are graded, not optional.
- AI Fluency
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Ethics and African Context
- Human-Advantage Skills
- Enterprise
Includes 12 months paid work-integrated learning
Am I eligible?
Check yourself against the published requirements
7 questions written specifically for Bachelor of Science in Behavioural Science and Human Systems. Every answer is checked against a requirement Forward has published, and the result tells you which page that requirement comes from. Indicative only, the admissions office decides on your full file.
What is the highest qualification you hold or are completing?
Curriculum structure
The same degree, in both pathways
Every Forward programme is published in both pathways: Path One, the term plan of two six-month terms, and Path Two, the block sequence of twelve four-week blocks. Same competencies, same assessments, same award. Toggle to see this programme in each.
Path One term plan shown
Path One · The Term Model
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 101 | AI Fluency I: How Intelligent Systems Work Both | 4 | 2-2-0 |
| GLA 110 | Introduction to Behavioural and Cognitive Science Both | 4 | 2-2-2 |
| GLA 111 | Research Methods and Study Design Both | 5 | 3-2-2 |
| GLA 112 | Statistics for Behavioural Research Both | 5 | 3-2-2 |
| GLA 113 | Data Handling and Programming for Researchers Performance | 4 | 1-2-4 |
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 102 | Quantitative Reasoning and Evidence Both | 4 | 2-2-0 |
| GLA 130 | Judgement, Decision Making and Both | 5 | 3-2-2 |
| GLA 131 | Social Psychology and Group Behaviour Both | 4 | 2-2-2 |
| GLA 132 | Qualitative and User Research Practicum Performance | 5 | 1-0-8 |
| GLA 133 | Survey Design, Sampling and Measurement Performance | 4 | 1-2-4 |
| COP 190 | Workplace Immersion (4 weeks, recess term) Performance | 0 | 0-0-0 |
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 201 | Ethics, Society and the African Context Both | 4 | 2-2-0 |
| GLA 210 | Experimental Design, Causal Inference and Field Trials Both | 5 | 3-2-2 |
| GLA 211 | Behavioural Intervention Design Studio Performance | 5 | 1-0-8 |
| GLA 212 | Human Factors and Interaction with Intelligent Systems Performance | 5 | 2-2-4 |
| GLA 213 | Research Ethics, Consent and Safeguarding Objective | 3 | 2-2-0 |
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 202 | Human Advantage: Argument, Writing and Teams Both | 4 | 2-2-0 |
| COP 290 | Co-operative Education Placement I (6 months) Performance | 10 | 0-0-0 |
| GLA 230 | Field Research Practicum Performance | 5 | 0-0-0 |
| GLA 231 | Advanced Analysis and Computational Behavioural Methods Performance | 3 | 1-0-4 |
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 301 | AI Fluency II: Building, Evaluating and Auditing Both | 4 | 2-2-0 |
| COP 390 | Co-operative Education Placement II (6 months) Performance | 10 | 0-0-0 |
| GLA 310 | Behaviour Change in Health, Finance and Development Both | 5 | 3-2-2 |
| GLA 311 | The Ethics of Influence, Persuasion and Nudging Objective | 3 | 2-2-0 |
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 302 | Enterprise, Employability and Financial Literacy Both | 4 | 2-2-0 |
| FDC 401 | AI Fluency III: Domain Deployment, Governance and Assurance Both | 3 | 1-2-0 |
| FDC 402 | Capability Portfolio and Day One Preparation Both | 3 | 1-2-0 |
| GLA 330 | Behavioural Capstone: Field Trial or Research Commission (client verified) Performance | 8 | 0-2-14 |
| GLA 331 | Communicating Evidence to Decision Makers Performance | 4 | 1-0-6 |
Total credit units: 132
Curriculum source
Forward University Curriculum Compendium
Assessment
Coursework + project + integrated exam
Work-integrated learning
12 months paid co-operative education
Your week at Forward
A typical week on Bachelor of Science in Behavioural Science and Human Systems
Path One, the Term Model: your own pace across a six-month term, one live session a week, short flexible lessons, and assessment on demand.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Curriculum explorer
Drill into the degree, step by step
Choose a study path, then a year, then a term or block, then a course. Credit totals add up as you go, and every course shows what comes before it and what it unlocks.
Step 1, choose a year
Step 2, choose a term
TERM 1 (SIX MONTHS) | FORMERLY YEAR 1, SEMESTER 1
Year 1 · this step is worth 22 CU
Cumulative
22
Programme total
132
22 CU of 132 CU completed by the end of this step (17%)
Step 3, choose a course
Pick a course to see the detail
Credits, assessment, prerequisites and what each course unlocks later.
The twelve Forward capabilities
What this programme develops in you
Every Forward degree develops the same twelve cross-cutting capabilities. The profile below is the level this programme is designed to develop and verify by graduation, on the four-level scale in Part B2 of the Curriculum Compendium. Every claim above Level 2 is verified by someone other than the teaching lecturer.
- C1Intelligent Systems FluencyLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C2Quantitative and Evidential Reasoning CriticalLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C3Ethical and Contextual Judgement CriticalLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C4Communication and PersuasionLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C5Disciplinary MasteryLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C6Technical Production and CraftLevel 3 of 4, Independent
- C7Problem Framing and Systems Thinking CriticalLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C8Collaboration and Multidisciplinary TeamingLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C9Enterprise, Value and Commercial LiteracyLevel 3 of 4, Independent
- C10Professional Conduct and Workplace PerformanceLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C11Learning to Learn and Adaptive CapacityLevel 3 of 4, Independent
- C12Stewardship and Public Contribution CriticalLevel 4 of 4, Leading
Critical capabilities for this programme: Quantitative and Evidential Reasoning · Ethical and Contextual Judgement · Problem Framing and Systems Thinking · Stewardship and Public Contribution. A graduate cannot pass out of this programme below the stated level on any capability marked critical.
Programme Learning Outcomes
What you will be able to do
Each outcome is assessed, and each is tagged with the Forward capabilities it is verified against.
- PLO 1Apply behavioural, cognitive and social science theory to real decision problems.
- PLO 2Design and execute experiments and field trials with valid identification of effects.
- PLO 3Conduct rigorous qualitative and user research and integrate it with quantitative evidence.
- PLO 4Design behavioural interventions and evaluate them honestly, including null results.
- PLO 5Apply research ethics, consent and safeguarding to research with human participants.
- PLO 6Use data and computational methods in behavioural analysis.
- PLO 7Advise organisations on behavioural evidence without overstating what it supports.
Why this programme exists
Most technology, policy and development programmes fail not because the technical solution was wrong but because human behaviour was assumed rather than studied. Behavioural science has become a standard function in governments, banks, heal...
Admission requirements
UACE with two principal passes in any subjects, plus UCE with five passes including Mathematics and English. Alternative pathways: Foundation Year, diploma entry with advanced standing, mature age entry and recognition of prior learning, all governed by Part A5 and Part G. Online applicants additionally complete the compulsory Digital Readiness orientation under Part D6.
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