Bachelor of Arts

Please note: There will not be further admission into this program. For information about course requirements and entry into the new generation Bachelor of Arts see the future students page.

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) offers unique flexibility with the opportunity to focus on one or two majors chosen from a broad range of Arts study options in the humanities, social sciences and languages.

Students can:

• Undertake specialised fieldwork, research options and integrated internship programs which provide opportunities for professional work experience and community engagement.

• Broaden your horizons and undertake international study exchange at any one of 120 universities worldwide, receiving credit towards your Melbourne Arts degree.

• Study a new language with most areas available from beginners to advanced level.

• Benefit from studying with high achieving local and international students with Melbourne Arts having the highest entry requirements for arts disciplines in Australia.

• Learn from internationally recognised scholars and industry professionals.

• Create pathways into further postgraduate study in professional Arts Masters courses, Melbourne Model Graduate Professional Degrees, and with the completion of an Honours year, entry into research higher degrees in Arts.

• Enjoy a rewarding professional career, with Melbourne Arts graduates enjoying employment rates well above the national Arts average.

The Bachelor of Arts has as its objectives that graduates:

• can demonstrate a sound knowledge and understanding of selected fields of studies in the humanities, languages and social and behavioural sciences;
• can access and appreciate national and international debates in their areas of study;
• can demonstrate an independent approach to knowledge that uses rigorous methods of inquiry and appropriate theories and methodologies that are applied with intellectual honesty and a respect for ethical values;
• can apply critical and analytical skills and methods to the identification and resolution of problems within a changing social context;
• can act as informed and critically discriminating participants within the community of scholars, as citizens and in the work force;
• can communicate effectively and, in the case of those students undertaking a language major, are able to read, write and speak another language with fluency and appreciate its cultural context;
• qualify for employment in a wide range of occupations;
• have a continuing committment to learning;
• are proficient in the use of appropriate modern technologies, such as the computer and other IT systems, for the acquisition, processing and interpretation of data.

The BA degree requires the completion of:

• no more than 300 points of study comprising a minimum of 75 points (usually six subjects) and a maximum of 125 points (usually ten subjects) at each year level.

Students should complete 100 points at each of year level, excluding those in a combined degrees. Students in a combined degree complete fewer Arts points. For specific information about each combined degree, see below.

As well as the completion of 300 points of BA study, three further basic rules apply;

• breadth of study requirements
• subject year level entry requirements
• arts-approved subject requirements

Breadth of study requirements:

When choosing your subjects, you should be aware that in order to encourage you to study widely, there are limitations to the number of points you can complete in any single area of study over each year level. They are:

Level one

A maximum of 50 points (usually four subjects) in any one area of study

Levels two and three

A maximum of 175 points (usually 14 subjects) in any one area of study

These maximums are proportionally reduced for BA combined degrees where students are required to complete fewer subjects towards the Arts component of the combined degree. See below for information about combined degrees.

Subject year level entry requirements:

Level one subjects: Most level one subjects do not have prerequisites apart from admission to a degree or diploma course. However, some language streams require the completion of VCE or IB language study and/or completion of a placement test. This must be done before you enrol. Level one subjects are not available to students enrolled in fourth-year honours, postgraduate certificates, postgraduate diplomas, or masters programs. Level one subjects cannot be credited to level two or three of the BA or BA combined degrees.

Level two subjects Students should complete the level one requirements of their degree before enrolling in a level two subject. Students must complete at least 50 points of level one (four subjects) in order to enrol in a level two or two subject. Level two subjects are not available to students enrolled in fourth-year honours, postgraduate certificates, postgraduate diplomas, or masters programs. Level two subjects cannot be credited to level one or three of the BA or BA combined degrees.

Level three subjects Students should complete the level two requirements of their degree before enrolling in a level three subject. Students must complete at least 25 points of level two (usually two subjects) in order to enrol in a level three subject. Level three subjects are not available to students enrolled in fourth-year honours, postgraduate certificates, postgraduate diplomas, or masters programs. Level three subjects cannot be credited to level one or two of the BA or BA combined degrees.

Level four subjects are not available to students enrolled in undergraduate degrees, concurrent certificates, concurrent diplomas, graduate certificates, graduate diplomas or one-year masters programs. Level five subjects are not available to students enrolled in undergraduate degrees, concurrent certificates, concurrent diplomas, graduate certificates, or graduate diplomas.

Subject level rules apply to students in combined Arts degrees.

Arts-approved subject requirements

The BA degree requires that you complete a minimum number of points in arts-approved subjects. Students in combined Arts degrees can only complete subjects in arts-approved areas toward their Bachelor of Arts.

All of the subjects offered by Schools within the Faculty of Arts are arts-approved. However, some areas of study which may be taken in the BA are taught by other faculties within the University or other institutions. Only some of these subjects are arts-approved. Areas of study that are not arts-approved are noted below.

Students who are currently enrolled in a degree or diploma who wish to complete subjects for which they will not receive credit towards the degree or diploma should enrol in such subjects through the Community Access Program.

Of the 300 points required for the BA degree, at least 150 points must be in arts-approved subjects. They must be distributed as follows:

Level one

At least 50 points of arts-approved subjects

Levels two and three

At least 100 points of arts-approved subjects

Points and breadth of study rules for combined Bachelor of Arts students

The Arts component of arts/engineering, arts/geomatic engineering, and arts/law

Students must complete 200 points towards the arts component of these degrees, comprising:

• no more than 50 points of level one arts (usually four subjects)

• 75 points of level two arts (usually six subjects)

• 75 points of level three arts (usually six subjects)

No more than 150 points may taken in any one area of study: a maximum of 25 points at level one and 125 points at levels two and three.

The Arts component of arts/commerce, arts/music, arts/science, and arts/theology

Students must complete 225 points towards the arts component of these degrees, comprising:

• no more than 50 points of level one arts (usually four subjects)

• 75 points of level two arts (usually six subjects)

• 100 points of level three arts (usually eight subjects)

No more than 162.5 points may taken in any one area of study: a maximum of 25 points at level one and 137.5 points at levels two and three.

The Arts component of arts/teaching and arts/social work

Students must complete 250 points towards the arts component of this degree, comprising:

• no more than 100 points of level one arts (usually eight subjects)

• 75 points of level two arts (usually six subjects)

• 75 points of level three arts (usually six subjects)

No more than 187.5 points may taken in any one area of study: a maximum of 50 points at level one and 137.5 points at levels two and three.

For information on policies that govern this degree, see Academic Policies and Procedures listed in the Melbourne Policy Library.

Students wishing to view the handbooks from the year they commenced can do so at the following website: https://psc.unimelb.edu.au/

Majors

See the handbook of the year you commenced your BA for the requirements of the major - https://psc.unimelb.edu.au/

Other Areas

Students in the heritage BA can choose subejcts listed in the following non-Arts study areas:

• Biology and Botany
• Business Law
• Chemistry
• Earth Sciences
• Management

There will not be further admission into this program. For information about course requirements and entry into the new generation Bachelor of Arts (B-Arts) see the future students page.

The Bachelor of Arts requires a standard level of ability across all disciplines. It will be assumed students are able to access and attend classes on a regular basis, are capable of learning in a University environment and will be able to take responsibility for their own learning. Any ability beyond this threshold will be robustly supported through the curriculum. There are no pre-requisites for first year subjects, and any intensive use of IT or technologies will be adequately supported. Certain subjects have more specific requirements and demands, such as fieldwork or travelling, which are clearly outlined in the subject description.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. The Faculty Disability Contact Officer works with students, the University Disability Liaison Unit and teaching staff to assist students with their special requirements, with a particular focus on accommodations for in-class and examination assessment tasks. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website.

Honours

Depending on your major area of study, you have the option of applying for an Honours year after your third year of study, which will include a research project. For more information on entry to Honours, see the Honours Studies Program.

Coursework Masters

If you wish to continue your professional studies at postgraduate level, the studies you undertake in your major can provide a direct pathway to Coursework Masters Degrees in areas such as editing, media and communications, public policy and management, international studies, arts management, development studies and many more. Entry is based on academic merit and in most cases requires a Bachelors degree or equivalent in the relevant study area.

You will also be well-prepared to undertake a Melbourne Model Graduate Professional Degree in areas such as law, teaching and commerce.

For more information on entry into a coursework masters degree, please refer to the The Graduate School of Humanities & Social Sciences:

Research Higher Degrees

If you wish to undertake advanced research and explore particular study areas in more depth, there will be opportunities to proceed to a range of Research Higher Degrees at masters and doctoral level. For more information about research higher degree study in Arts, see the Faculty of Arts Graduate Research Programs.

See course objectives

Arts students are encouraged to pursue their academic interests and professional aspirations by taking a variety of subjects in a range of different areas of study. All arts subjects provide students with transferable generic skills that prepare them for further study and the workplace.

As a result of attendance at scheduled classes, participation in planned activities and discussion groups, and timely completion of essays and assignments, arts graduates should acquire transferable generic skills in the following areas:

• research

  through competent use of the library, electronic databases, and other information sources, and the definition of areas of inquiry and methods of research;

• critical thinking and analysis

  through recommended reading, essay writing and tutorial discussion, and by determining the strength of an argument;

• thinking in theoretical terms

  through lectures, tutorial discussion, essay writing and engagement in the methodologies of the humanities and social sciences;

• thinking creatively

  through essay writing, creative writing, tutorial discussions and presentations, conceptualising theoretical problems, forming judgements and arguments from conflicting evidence and by critical analysis;

• understanding of social, ethical and cultural context

  through the contextualisation of judgements, developing a critical self-awareness, being open to new ideas and possibilities and by constructing an argument;

• communicating knowledge intelligibly and economically

  through essay writing and tutorial and seminar discussion;

• written communication

  through essay preparation and assignment writing;

• public speaking

  through tutorial and seminar discussion and class presentations;

• attention to detail

  through essay preparation and writing, and examination revision;

• time management and planning

  through managing and organising workloads for recommended reading, essay and assignment completion and examination revision;

• teamwork

  through joint projects and group discussions.