Interdisciplinary Foundation Subjects

The Bachelor of Arts degree is designed to give you discipline-specific knowledge and develop new ways of thinking by exposing you to a diverse range of perspectives. To complement the principles of the Melbourne Model, we have developed a range of eight first year interdisciplinary foundation subjects that draw on a variety of different areas of study within arts. They provide you with the essential foundational knowledge, skills and resources to further your studies in Arts and introduce you to our diverse range of study areas.

Our interdisciplinary foundation subjects will expose you to core ideas across our vast range of disciplines in your first year, assisting you in making an informed decision regarding your specialisation or study major at second and third year level. Through studying Arts interdisciplinary foundation subjects you will be part of a common first year Arts learning community and benefit from our interactive online learning environment, forums and discussion groups to assist in your transition to university study.

At first year level, you will be required to select two interdisciplinary foundation subjects from the list of eight. At least one IDF subject must be completed in your first semester of enrolment. Each subject is worth 12.5 credit points. Your remaining six first year subjects will include two breadth subjects from outside the Faculty of Arts, and four subjects from Arts disciplines which, in later years, will inform your choice of major and minor specialisations. Visit the sample course plans to see how the Interdisciplinary Foundation Subjects fit into the Bachelor of Arts.

If you are commencing first year of any of the other new generation undergraduate degrees of Biomedicine, Commerce, Environments, Music or Science, you can study Arts interdisciplinary foundation subjects as part of your first year breadth component. Speak with your course advisors at your Student Centre during your enrolment period.

• understand a range of disciplines and methodologies appropriate to the texts, artefacts, theoretical structures and social practices with which they are concerned;
• have developed a capacity for critical thought and analysis through the construction and articulation of lucid, logical arguments;
• have developed oral and written skills through essay writing and tutorial participation;
• have acquired the tools for independent and targeted research, using library and other information services;
• have the ability to organise and manage their time through the planning of class assessments and the meeting of set due dates.

Interdisciplinary Foundation (IDF) Subjects