Overview

The Bachelor of Arts is a three-year program at pass level. A separate four-year program at Honours level (Program Code 4511) is also available for eligible applicants. A Bachelor of Arts program enriches your understanding of how human beings make, recognise, and debate about life's meaning and the values that … For more content click the Read More button below. Students can combine courses from Business, Indo-Pacific Studies, Geography, History, and International and Political Studies, building expertise in one or more of these disciplines. The objective of a Bachelor of Arts program is to stimulate students intellectually and to immerse them in the discipline of learning. The program will develop graduate attributes, such as strong written and oral communications skills, the capacity to research, criticise and reflect, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively. Honours students who are RAN midshipmen or RAAF officer cadets continue with their programs at UNSW, Canberra and complete their degrees at the end of the fourth year. Army officer cadets transfer to the Royal Military College, Duntroon at the end of their third year. After completing a year of military training, they are commissioned as lieutenants, and those who are continuing with Honours programs return to the Academy to complete their Honours degree.

Learning Outcomes

1.
Articulate and explain fundamental disciplinary concepts and methodologies
  • Scholars
2.
Apply critical understanding and analysis to written, oral and audio-visual texts in the humanities and social sciences
  • Scholars
3.
Demonstrate high skill levels in written and oral presentation, analysis and argument.
  • Scholars
4.
Critically and creatively employ disciplinary knowledge to engage with complex problems relevant to real world contexts
  • Scholars
  • Global citizens
5.
Engage effectively in scholarly debate so as to demonstrate initiative and self-direction, and to enable others to embrace innovation and change
  • Scholars
  • Professionals
6.
Communicate and debate complex ideas, lucidly and ethically, capably using a variety of different media
  • Professionals
  • Scholars
  • Global citizens

Graduate Capabilities

For more information on Graduate Capabilities please click on this link

Program Structure

Students must complete 144 UOC when taken as a standalone program.

Disciplinary Component:

Students must complete (96 UOC) for the disciplinary component including two specialisations.

Either:

1. A Major specialisation (48 UOC)
2. A Minor specialisation (36 UOC)
3. Upper-level Arts Electives (12 UOC) 

OR

1. A Major specialisation (48 UOC)
2. A second Major specialisation (48 UOC)

Students must also complete:

1. Prescribed Elective Courses - 12 UOC
2. Free Elective Courses - 24 UOC
3. General Education Courses - 12 UOC

Disciplinary Component96 Units of Credit:
Prescribed Electives12 Units of Credit:
Free Electives24 Units of Credit:
General Education12 Units of Credit:

Enrolment Disclaimer

Please note that this Handbook is a comprehensive catalogue of our offerings and includes courses that can be taken to satisfy program requirements irrespective as to their availability for a particular year. Availability of courses is best checked using filters on this site or on the class timetable site.

You are responsible for ensuring that you enrol in courses according to your program requirements and by following the advice of your Program Authority. myUNSW enrolment checks that you have met enrolment requirements such as pre-requisites for individual courses but not that you are enrolling in courses that will count towards your program requirements.

Admission Requirements

Special Admission Requirements

Other

For more information about admission requirements for various UNSW programs, visit the following website(s):
Domestic Students
International Student

Program Requirements

Progression Requirements

For more information on university policy on progression requirements please visit Academic Progression

Associated Programs

Honours Pathway

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) - BA (Hons)4511 - Arts (Honours)

Recognition of Achievement

University Medal
Award of Pass with Distinction

Program Fees

At UNSW fees are generally charged at course level and therefore dependent upon individual enrolment and other factors such as student's residency status. For generic information on fees and additional expenses of UNSW programs, click on one of the following:

Domestic Students
Commonwealth Supported Students (if applicable)
International Students

Pre-2019 Handbook Editions

Access past handbook editions (2018 and prior)
Pre-2019 Handbook Editions