The Bachelor of Arts is the most diverse, most flexible, and most popular degree at The Australian National University. Each of its more than forty majors, in fields throughout the arts, humanities and social sciences, is taught by truly outstanding scholars to ensure that each student receives the very best education, is engaged with cutting-edge research, and learns to think like a researcher. These majors can be coupled with more than seventy minors and specialisations to broaden or deepen your study. Regardless of your choices, your Arts degree will provide you with core skills in critical analysis and in written and oral communication, while developing your adaptability and ability to help shape change and prepare you for a multifaceted career or further study.

The Bachelor of Arts can be combined with all other ANU undergraduate degrees except the PhB as a Flexible Double Degree.

Do you want to hone your artistic abilities into a fruitful and creative career? Look no further.

The ANU Bachelor of Visual Arts features majors in animation and video, ceramics, furniture, glass, gold and silversmithing, painting, photomedia, print media and drawing, sculpture and textiles. You will also have the opportunity to study in complementary areas such as life drawing, bookmaking, etching, papermaking and screen printing.

Our program is designed to develop and refine your high-level technical and creative skills, while building your knowledge of working with materials and technologies of your chosen studio discipline. You will learn to work independently and collaboratively to plan and participate in exhibitions of your works.

You can also take advantage of our close proximity to immerse yourself in the array of national cultural institutions that Canberra has to offer, with some classes held in these leading institutions.

Employment Opportunities

Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts may find work in publishing, policy, education, international development, politics, media, information technology, communications, journalism, aid, advertising, art conservation, government and many other fields.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts may find work in publishing, policy, education, international development, politics, media, information technology, communications, journalism, aid, advertising, art conservation, government and many other fields.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will be able to:

1. critically apply theoretical frameworks and research techniques to understanding national and international issues and problems;
2. identify, including through interrogation of databases, relevant sources of information from across a variety of media (print and digital, written and audio-visual) and judge the importance and reliability of those sources;
3. evaluate ideas and develop creative solutions to problems, including through independent pursuit of knowledge and making connections between different disciplinary approaches and methods;
4. communicate and debate both orally and in writing, and work with others, using a variety of media; and
5. understand the ethical implications of ideas, communications, and actions.

Completion of this program enables students to:

• Apply technical skills and specialist knowledge to realise works, artefacts and forms of creative expression.
• Demonstrate skills and knowledge of the practices, languages, forms, materials, technologies and techniques in the visual arts.
• Recognise and reflect on social, cultural and ethical issues, and apply historical and theoretical perspectives to practice in the visual arts.
• Develop and evaluate ideas, concepts and processes by thinking creatively, critically and reflectively.
• Interpret, communicate and present ideas, problems and arguments in modes suited to a range of audiences
• Work independently and collaboratively in response to project demands.

Admission Requirements

Admission to all programs is on a competitive basis. Admission to undergraduate degrees is based on meeting the ATAR requirement or an equivalent rank derived from the following qualifications:

• An Australian year 12 qualification or international equivalent; OR
• A completed Associate Diploma, Associate Degree, AQF Diploma, Diploma, AQF Advanced Diploma, Graduate Certificate or international equivalent; OR
• At least one standard full-time year (1.0 FTE) in a single program of degree level study at an Australian higher education institution or international equivalent; OR
• An approved tertiary preparation course unless subsequent study is undertaken.

Click HERE for further information about domestic admission.

The table below is a guide to the entry level required for domestic applicants. Exact entry level will be set at time of offer.

Domestic applicant entry requirements

From 2010, the UAI/ENTER/TER will be referred to as ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) for admission. See http://www.uac.edu.au/undergraduate/atar/ for further information.

Queensland Band equivalents are a guide only - selection is made on a UAI equivalent that is not available to students.

International applicant entry requirements

International applicants may view further information on admissions requirements at Entry Requirements for International Undergraduate Applicants

The University reserves the right to alter or discontinue its programs as required.

Prerequisites

Entry into the Bachelor of Visual Arts is based on ACT or NSW HSC equivalent and interview and portfolio. Once an application has been lodged through the Universities Admission Centre (UAC), applicants are required to fill out a Request for Interview Form on the ANU website at
soa.anu.edu.au/how-apply/undergraduate-applications.

International applicants lodge an application directly with ANU and include their portfolio with their application.

Adjustment Factors

The National Access Scheme 2014

ANU offers bonus points for nationally strategic senior secondary subjects, and in recognition of difficult circumstances that students face in their studies. 

Bonus points are applied to all applicants with an ATAR at or above 70. Points are awarded in accordance with the approved schedule, and no more than 10 points (maximum 5 academic points and maximum 5 equity points) will be awarded.

Bonus points do not apply to programs with an ATAR cutoff of 98 or higher.

Bonus Points are only awarded to domestic applicants applying for admission through UAC who have not previously attempted tertiary study.

How to apply

Academic Bonus Points: senior secondary students do not need to apply for ANU academic bonus points. They are automatically added in accordance with the schedule.

Educational Access Scheme: senior secondary students do not need to apply if their school is part of the Priority School Funding Program or Country Areas Program. All other applicants should refer to www.uac.edu.au/undergraduate/eas for more information.

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Program Requirements

The Bachelor of Arts flexible double degree component requires completion of 96 units, of which:

A maximum of 36 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 96 units must consist of:

48 units from the completion of one Arts major

Ancient Greek Major

Ancient History Major

Anthropology Major

Arabic Major

Archaeology Major

Art History Major

Art Theory Major

Asian Art History Major

Asian Studies Major

Australian Indigenous Studies Major

Biological Anthropology Major

Chinese Language Major

Contemporary Europe Major

Criminology Major

Development Studies Major

Economic Studies Major

English Major

Environmental Studies Major

European History Major

French Language and Culture Major

Gender, Sexuality and Culture Major

Geography Major

German Language and Culture Major

Hindi Language Major

History Major

Human Rights Major

Indonesian Language Major

International Communication Major

International Relations Major

Italian Language and Culture Major

Japanese Language Major

Korean Language Major

Latin Major

Latin American Studies Major

Linguistics Major

Mathematics Major

Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies Major

Music Major

Pacific Studies Major

Persian Major

Philosophy Major

Political Science Major

Psychology Major

Sanskrit Language Major

Sociology Major

Spanish Major

Thai Language Major

Urdu Language Major

Vietnamese Language Major

Either:

24 units from the completion of one Arts minor or specialisation:

Advanced French Studies Minor

Advanced German Studies Minor

Advanced Hispanic Culture Minor

Advanced Hispanic Linguistics Minor

Advanced Hispanic Studies Specialisation

Advanced Italian Studies Minor

Advanced Spanish Studies Minor

American Studies Minor

Ancient Greek Minor

Ancient History Minor

Anthropology Minor

ANU Leadership and Research Minor

Applied Linguistics Minor

Arabic Minor

Archaeology Minor

Art History Minor

Art Theory Minor

Asian Art History Minor

Asian Studies Minor

Australian Indigenous Studies Minor

Australian Politics Minor

Biological Anthropology Minor

Chinese Language Minor

Classical Chinese Minor

Climate Science and Policy Minor

Comparative Politics Minor

Contemporary Europe Minor

Crime and Deviance Minor

Cultural Studies Minor

Demography Minor

Development Studies Minor

Digital Humanities Minor

Economic Studies Minor

English Minor

Environmental Policy Minor

Environmental Studies Minor

European History Minor

Film Minor

Forensic Anthropology Minor

French Language and Culture Minor

Gender and Sexuality Minor

Geography Minor

German Language and Culture Minor

Health, Medicine and the Body Minor

Heritage and Museum Studies Minor

Hindi Language Minor

History Minor

Human Ecology Minor

Human Rights Minor

Indonesian Language Minor

Integrative Methods in Environment and Society Minor

International Communication Minor

International Relations Minor

Italian Language and Culture Minor

Japanese Language Minor

Korean Language Minor

Latin Minor

Latin American Studies Minor

Linguistics Minor

Mathematics Minor

Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies Minor

Music Minor

Pacific Studies Minor

Persian Minor

Philosophy Minor

Philosophy and Science Minor

Political Science Minor

Political Theory Minor

Russian Minor

Sanskrit Language Minor

Social Psychology Minor

Social Research Methods Minor

Sociology Minor

Spanish Minor

Sustainable Development Minor

Thai Language Minor

Urdu Language Minor

Vietnamese Language Minor

Visual Arts Practice Minor

24 units from completion of courses listed in any Arts major, minor, or specialisation

Or:

24 units from completion of ANIP3007 Australian National Internships Program D

24 units from completion of courses listed in any Arts major, minor, or specialisation.

Or:

48 units from completion of a second Arts major

The Bachelor of Visual Arts flexible double degree component requires completion of 96 units, of which:

A maximum of 48 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 96 units must include:

18 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:

ARTV1020 Figure & Life

ARTV1021 Image and Object

ARTV1022 Vision and Perception

6 units from completion of a course from the following list:

ARTV1032 Foundation Computer Studies

COMP1720 Art and Interaction in New Media

48 units from the completion of one of the following workshop majors:

Animation and Video

Ceramics

Furniture

Glass

Gold and Silversmithing

Painting

Photomedia

Printmedia and Drawing

Sculpture

Textiles

24 units from completion of the Art Theory minor

Majors

Bachelor of Arts Majors

Bachelor of Visual Arts Majors

Minors

Bachelor of Arts Minors

Bachelor of Visual Arts Minors

Specialisations

Bachelor of Arts Specialisations

Study Options

Honours

For information about honours, please see the College of Arts and Social Sciences Honours website.

For information about honours in visual arts, please see the School of Art website.