Overview

This program is for students commencing from 2017. Students commencing prior to 2017 should refer to the handbook for the year they commenced their program. The Bachelor of International Studies (UNSW BInSt) is an innovative and practical program in which you will develop a comprehensive understanding of the contemporary world, … For more content click the Read More button below. The program examines the interactions of nations, economies, institutions, peoples, cultures, technologies and ideas against a background of increasing international integration and changing modernity. The program challenges you to: examine the dynamics of global and regional change; explore key issues and challenges in global change, evaluate the importance of globalisation, and debate key questions centred on nationalism, sovereignty, social change, development, and transnational interaction. You specialize in an area of study, complete language study and a one-year Overseas Study Program (OSP) at one of the more than 200 approved partner universities around the world. The UNSW BInSt can be completed full-time in Single Mode (normally 4 years), in Dual Mode (the equivalent of 3 years full-time) or part-time. The basic requirements of the program are simple. The BInSt has a depth component and a breadth component. If you study in either the Single or Dual Mode, you will complete the depth component. If you study in the Single Mode, you will also complete the breadth component. The Depth component is: The completion of an International Studies Core (24 UOC) (4 courses)The completion of Regional Electives (12 UOC ) (2 courses)The completion of Specialist Electives (12 UOC) (2 courses)The completion of a Language Study Core (24 UOC) (4 courses)The completion of a minor stream (24 UOC) (4 courses) selected from the list of UNSW BInSt approved minor streamsThe completion of an overseas exchange (48 UOC) (2 semesters) The Breadth component (if you are completing the program in Single Mode) is: The completion of Arts & Social Sciences Prescribed Electives (12 UOC) (2 courses)The completion of Free Electives (24 UOC) (4 courses)General Education (12 UOC) (2 courses) The aims of UNSW BInSt are: To satisfy a growing demand, in Australia and abroad, for graduates who are highly skilled, well informed and professionally equipped to meet the challenges of work in a rapidly changing global environment.To give you a thorough preparation for further study and employment in areas vital to Australia's increasing participation in the international arena.To examine and develop a better understanding of the interactions of nations, economies, institutions, peoples, cultures, technologies and ideas against a background of increasing international integration and changing modernity.To promote competence in a major language or languages relevant and useful for the global economy in which we live (viz. French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Greek and Indonesian).To provide you with the invaluable experience of other cultures, languages and peoples - experience greatly valued by employers internationally, through the completion of a one-year Overseas Study Program.

Learning Outcomes

1.
Demonstrate high-level skills in problem solving, research techniques, analysis and critical understanding of key global issues.
2.
Consistently demonstrate high-level skills in both oral expression and written communication, including the ability to negotiate and promote understanding in a global multilingual environment.
3.
Demonstrate an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving and work autonomously and in ways motivated by intellectual curiosity and openness to new ideas and arguments.
4.
Critically reflect upon ethical principles and codes of conduct and contribute to socially responsible ways to local and international communities.
5.
Display an informed appreciation and respect for cultural and social diversity, including a keen understanding of the complexity of international political and economic interaction and the ability to engage creatively with the dynamics of global change.
6.
Display intellectual adaptability and conceptual sophistication, informed by broad international knowledge and language skills.
7.
Locate, evaluate and use information and information technologies appropriately and effectively.
8.
Be intellectually flexible, independent and open to new ideas.

Graduate Capabilities

For more information on Graduate Capabilities please click on this link

Program Structure
192 Units of Credit:

Students must complete 192 UOC as a standalone program.

  1. International Studies core (24 UOC)
  2. Regional Electives (12 UOC)
  3. Specialist Electives (12 UOC)
  4. Language Study core (24 UOC)
  5. A Minor (24 UOC)
  6. Overseas Study Program (48 UOC)
  7. Arts and Social Sciences Prescribed Electives (12 UOC)
  8. Free Electives (24 UOC)
  9. General Education (12 UOC)

Specialisation Requirement

You must complete a 24 UOC minor.

NOTE 1: If you study in single mode you may use your free electives to convert an International Business minor to a major.

NOTE 2: If you are undertaking the Asian Studies minor you must complete a sequence of 24 UOC in an Asian language. If you are undertaking the European Studies minor you must complete a sequence of 24 UOC in a European language.

NOTE 3: If you study in single mode and undertake a minor in International Business you will complete 12 UOC in Regional and 6 UOC Specialist rather than 24 UOC.

NOTE 4: Courses that form part of your minor may not be double counted towards the Regional and Specialist components of the program.

NOTE 5: If you complete a minor in a language you must complete that study in a Language other than that which you choose for the Language Study Core requirement.

IBUSA1
48 UOC
International Business

Level 1 Core Courses

You must complete 12 UOC of the following courses:

INST1005
6 UOC
Key Debates in International Studies
INST1006
6 UOC
The World in Transition

Level 2 Core Courses

You must complete 6 UOC of the following courses:

INST2003
6 UOC
Research Methods in International Studies

Level 3 Core Courses

You must complete 6 UOC of the following courses:

INST3900
6 UOC
International Studies Advanced Seminar

Overseas Study Program

You must take 48 UOC of the following courses:

- EXCH8035 Individual Study Program (18 UOC)
- EXCH8034 Individual Study Program (12 UOC)

If you commence the Overseas Study Program in T1 you will enrol in EXCH8035 Individual Study Program (18 UOC) in T1 and T2 and EXCH8034 Individual Study Program (12 UOC) in T3.

You must undertake OSP during Year 3.

EXCH8034
12 UOC
International Studies Exchange Program
EXCH8035
18 UOC
International Studies Exchange Program

Language Study Core Courses

In order to gain essential skills to equip you to work in a global environment, and to be eligible to study in a second language on your Overseas Study Program (OSP), you must complete 24 UOC from the same language and attain a minimum of Intermediate B level of proficiency … For more content click the Read More button below.

Language Study Core Courses - Chinese

If you select Chinese for your Language Study Core, you must take 24 UOC of the following courses.

ARTS1450
6 UOC
Introductory Chinese A for Non-Background Students
ARTS1451
6 UOC
Introductory Chinese B for Non-Background Students
ARTS2211
6 UOC
East Asia
ARTS2213
6 UOC
Asian Popular Culture
ARTS2450
6 UOC
Intermediate Chinese for Non-Background Speakers A
ARTS2451
6 UOC
Intermediate Chinese for Non-Background Speakers B
ARTS2452
6 UOC
Chinese English Translation
ARTS2453
6 UOC
Chinese Cinema
ARTS2455
6 UOC
Gender in China
ARTS2457
6 UOC
China Imagined and Perceived
ARTS2458
6 UOC
Along the Silk Road: Conquerors, Traders and Explorers
ARTS3450
6 UOC
Advanced Chinese A
ARTS3451
6 UOC
Advanced Chinese B
ARTS3452
6 UOC
Professional Chinese A
ARTS3453
6 UOC
Professional Chinese B
ARTS3454
6 UOC
Chinese English Interpreting
ARTS3455
6 UOC
Contemporary Chinese Literature
ARTS3456
6 UOC
Classical Chinese Literature
ARTS3458
6 UOC
Chinese Capstone: Re-Visioning China and Chinese Studies

Language Study Core Courses - French

If you select French for your Language Study Core, you must take 24 UOC of the following courses.

ARTS1480
6 UOC
Introductory French A
ARTS1481
6 UOC
Introductory French B
ARTS2480
6 UOC
Intermediate French A
ARTS2481
6 UOC
Intermediate French B
ARTS2484
6 UOC
The Lives of the Impressionists and Other Artists
ARTS2485
6 UOC
Exploring French Linguistics
ARTS2487
6 UOC
French Popular Culture
ARTS3480
6 UOC
Advanced French A
ARTS3481
6 UOC
Advanced French B
ARTS3482
6 UOC
Professional French A
ARTS3483
6 UOC
Professional French B
ARTS3486
6 UOC
Approaches to Spoken French

Language Study Core Courses - German

If you select German for your Language Study Core, you must take 24 UOC of the following courses.

ARTS1510
6 UOC
Introductory German A
ARTS1511
6 UOC
Introductory German B
ARTS2510
6 UOC
Intermediate German A
ARTS2511
6 UOC
Intermediate German B
ARTS3510
6 UOC
Advanced German A
ARTS3511
6 UOC
Advanced German B
ARTS3780
6 UOC
Contemporary Germany: History, Politics, Society
ARTS2785
6 UOC
Europe's Age of Catastrophe, 1914-1945
ARTS3786
6 UOC
Confronting the Past in Contemporary Europe

Language Study Core Courses - Greek

If you select Greek for your Language Study Core, you must take 24 UOC of the following courses.

The following courses are taught at UNSW. Intermediate and Senior Italian language courses are studied cross-institutionally at the University of Sydney.

ARTS1540
6 UOC
Introductory Greek A
ARTS1541
6 UOC
Introductory Greek B
ARTS2283
6 UOC
Classical Greece
ARTS2542
6 UOC
Gods, Heroines and Heroes in Greek Myth

For more information, refer to the Greek Studies minor in the Bachelor of Arts.

Language Study Core Courses - Indonesian

If you select Indonesian for your Language Study Core, you must take 24 UOC of the following courses.

The following courses are taught at UNSW. Introductory and Intermediate Indonesian language courses are studied cross-institutionally at the University of Sydney.

ARTS2212
6 UOC
Southeast Asia
ARTS2815
6 UOC
Politics and Security in the Indo-Pacific

For more information, refer to the Indonesian Studies minor in the Bachelor of Arts.

Language Study Core Courses - Italian

If you select Italian for your Language Study Core, you must take 24 UOC of the following courses.

The following courses are taught at UNSW. Intermediate and Senior Italian language courses are studied cross-institutionally at the University of Sydney.

ARTS1620
6 UOC
Introductory Italian A
ARTS1621
6 UOC
Introductory Italian B

For more information, refer to the Italian Studies minor in the Bachelor of Arts.

Language Study Core Courses - Japanese

If you select Japanese for your Language Study Core, you must take 24 UOC of the following courses.

ARTS1630
6 UOC
Introductory Japanese A
ARTS1631
6 UOC
Introductory Japanese B
ARTS2630
6 UOC
Intermediate Japanese A
ARTS2631
6 UOC
Intermediate Japanese B
ARTS2633
6 UOC
A Cultural Survey of Japan: From Gods to Gadgets
ARTS3630
6 UOC
Advanced Japanese A
ARTS3631
6 UOC
Advanced Japanese B
ARTS3632
6 UOC
Professional Japanese A
ARTS3633
6 UOC
Professional Japanese B
ARTS3636
6 UOC
Contextualising Japanese: Capstone
ARTS3639
6 UOC
Japan in Popular Culture
ARTS3640
6 UOC
Japan and Korea: Cultures in Conflict
ARTS3641
6 UOC
Commercial Japanese

Language Study Core Courses - Korean

If you select Korean for your Language Study Core, you must take 24 UOC of the following courses.

ARTS1660
6 UOC
Introductory Korean A
ARTS1661
6 UOC
Introductory Korean B
ARTS2211
6 UOC
East Asia
ARTS2213
6 UOC
Asian Popular Culture
ARTS2660
6 UOC
Intermediate Korean A
ARTS2661
6 UOC
Intermediate Korean B
ARTS3640
6 UOC
Japan and Korea: Cultures in Conflict
ARTS3660
6 UOC
Advanced Korean A
ARTS3661
6 UOC
Advanced Korean B
ARTS3664
6 UOC
Korean Translation
ARTS3665
6 UOC
Korean Interpreting

Language Study Core Courses - Spanish

If you select Spanish for your Language Study Core, you must take 24 UOC of the following courses.

ARTS1570
6 UOC
Introductory Spanish A
ARTS1571
6 UOC
Introductory Spanish B
ARTS2570
6 UOC
Intermediate Spanish A
ARTS2571
6 UOC
Intermediate Spanish B
ARTS3570
6 UOC
Advanced Spanish A
ARTS3571
6 UOC
Advanced Spanish B
ARTS3574
6 UOC
Topics in Latin American Cinema
ARTS3575
6 UOC
Spanish Popular Culture

Regional Electives - Asia

You must complete 12 UOC of Regional Electives consisting of one course that focuses on contemporary developments and one that focuses on historical trajectories in the region. If you wish to focus on Asia you may take 12 UOC of the following courses:

ARTS1210
6 UOC
Concepts of Asia
ARTS1211
6 UOC
Australia's Asian Context
ARTS2210
6 UOC
Modern India: Violence and Nonviolence in Colonial South Asia, 1750-1947
ARTS2211
6 UOC
East Asia
ARTS2212
6 UOC
Southeast Asia
ARTS2213
6 UOC
Asian Popular Culture
ARTS2457
6 UOC
China Imagined and Perceived
ARTS2663
6 UOC
Korea and Japan: Chinese Cultural Transmission
ARTS2815
6 UOC
Politics and Security in the Indo-Pacific
ARTS3212
6 UOC
Contemporary India Through Bollywood: Politics, Society and Culture
ARTS3216
6 UOC
Chinese Media and Communication
ARTS3217
6 UOC
History of Modern China: Contested Visions
ARTS3220
6 UOC
Asian Cities: Studies in History, Culture and Trade
ARTS3640
6 UOC
Japan and Korea: Cultures in Conflict

Regional Electives - Europe

You must complete 12 UOC of Regional Electives consisting of one course that focuses on contemporary developments and one that focuses on historical trajectories in the region. If you wish to focus on Europe you may take 12 UOC of the following courses:

ARTS1780
6 UOC
Concepts of Europe
ARTS1782
6 UOC
Contemporary Europe in Crisis: Power and Culture
ARTS2781
6 UOC
Postwar Europe: Politics, Societies, Cultures
ARTS2785
6 UOC
Europe's Age of Catastrophe, 1914-1945
ARTS3780
6 UOC
Contemporary Germany: History, Politics, Society
ARTS3789
6 UOC
Ethnic and Religious Minorities in Modern Europe

Regional Electives - The Americas

You must complete 12 UOC of Regional Electives consisting of one course that focuses on contemporary developments and one that focuses on historical trajectories in the region. If you wish to focus on The Americas you may take 12 UOC of the following courses:

ARTS2150
6 UOC
The Making of Trump's America
ARTS2750
6 UOC
Modern Latin America: Dependency and Development
ARTS3816
6 UOC
US, China and International Law

Specialist Electives

You must complete 12 UOC of the following courses:

ARTS2240
6 UOC
Environment, Sustainability and Development
ARTS2242
6 UOC
The Politics of Climate Change
ARTS2243
6 UOC
Waste and Society
ARTS2244
6 UOC
Rethinking Wildlife: Philosophy, Biodiversity, Extinction
ARTS2247
6 UOC
Indigenous People and the Environment
ARTS2248
6 UOC
Disasters and Society
ARTS2751
6 UOC
International Development
ARTS2752
6 UOC
Local Politics of Development
ARTS2813
6 UOC
International Security
ARTS2816
6 UOC
Who Gets What? The Global Politics of Inequality
ARTS2870
6 UOC
Citizens, Action and Dissent
ARTS2873
6 UOC
Doing Fieldwork: Ethnography in Place
ARTS3241
6 UOC
Environmental Justice
ARTS3242
6 UOC
Environmental History
ARTS3245
6 UOC
Public Relations and the Environment
ARTS3750
6 UOC
Development, Community and Environment
ARTS3755
6 UOC
Development in Practice: Project Design
ARTS3756
6 UOC
Current Debates in Development Studies
ARTS3783
6 UOC
Great, Emerging and Declining Powers in the Contemporary World
ARTS3812
6 UOC
Manias, Panics and Crashes: Global Political Economy in an Era of Crisis
ARTS3817
6 UOC
The Middle East and International Law
ARTS3819
6 UOC
Emerging Challenges in International Security
ARTS3872
6 UOC
Media Publics
ARTS3885
6 UOC
Trauma and Violence
ARTS3886
6 UOC
Living Social Justice: Experience and Practice
MGMT2101
6 UOC
International Business and Multinational Operations
MGMT2102
6 UOC
Managing Across Cultures
MGMT2105
6 UOC
East Asian Business Enterprise
MGMT3003
6 UOC
Global Entrepreneurship
MGMT3721
6 UOC
Negotiation Skills

Arts and Social Sciences Prescribed Electives

You must complete 12 UOC of any courses offered by UNSW Arts and Social Sciences. Indigenous Studies courses (ATSIxxxx) cannot be studied as Arts and Social Sciences Prescribed Electives.

any course offered by Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Free Electives

You must complete 24 UOC of the following courses.

any course

General Education

You must complete 12 UOC of the following courses.

This requirement is met if you complete an external major or minor.

Indigenous Studies courses (ATSIxxxx) can be studied as General Education only if you are not completing a major or minor in Indigenous Studies.

Maturity Requirements

You must have completed 24 UOC of Level 1 courses before taking any Level 2 courses.You must have completed 48 UOC (including 6 UOC at Level 1 and 6 UOC at Level 2 in their minor) before taking any Level 3 courses.

Specialisation Declaration

You must specify your minor (or major) at the time of enrolment into the program.

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.

Sample Programs

To access sample program(s), please visit:
UNSW Arts & Social Sciences

Related Programs

Related Double Degree Programs

Bachelor of International Studies - BlnSt
Bachelor of Media - BMedia3475 - International Studies / Media (Comm & Journalism)
Bachelor of International Studies - BlnSt
Bachelor of Media - BMedia3476 - International Studies / Media (PR and Advertising)
Bachelor of International Studies - BlnSt
Bachelor of Media - BMedia3477 - International Studies / Media (Screen and Sound Production)
Bachelor of International Studies - BlnSt
Bachelor of Media - BMedia3577 - International Studies / Media (Public Relations and Advertising)
Bachelor of International Studies - BlnSt
Bachelor of Media - BMedia3582 - International Studies / Media (Communication and Journalism)
Bachelor of International Studies - BlnSt
Bachelor of Laws - LLB4788 - International Studies / Law

Program Requirements

Progression Requirements

Professional Outcomes

Career Opportunities

Recognition of Achievement

University Medal
Award of Pass with Distinction

Additional Information

Language Minor

Completion of 24 UOC in Language Study courses will automatically confer a minor at the time of graduation.

Further Information

Contact the UNSW Arts and Social Sciences Student Services for advice.

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