The Bachelor of Arts is the most diverse, most flexible, and most popular degree at The Australian National University. Each of its some fifty 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.

Digital + Material
Innovation + Engagement

Combine cutting-edge digital practices with internationally-renowned art and craft studio disciplines in the Bachelor of Design.

Design students will benefit from deep immersion in digital, manual and theoretical studies and a wide overview of creative practices. From coding, to making, to manufacture, students apply hands-on design to digital and physical materials. Students delve into web design, data visualisation, and interaction design, and experiment in studios to develop expertise in the latest digital form and fabrication processes.

This degree prepares students with transferable knowledge and skills required to make their mark on a rapidly changing world.
 

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 of a Bachelor of Arts, graduates 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.

Upon successful completion, students will have the skills and knowledge to:

1.    Demonstrate skills and knowledge of the practices, languages, forms, materials and technologies in their relevant discipline.
2.    Research, develop and evaluate design concepts and processes by thinking creatively, critically and reflectively.
3.    Apply skills and knowledge to the creation, visualisation and production of design projects.
4.    Work independently and collaboratively on design projects and respond to project demands.
5.    Interpret, communicate and present ideas, problems and arguments in modes suited to a range of audiences.
6.    Recognise and reflect on social, cultural technological, environmental and ethical issues of creative practice and design considering local and international perspectives.
 

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.

More information about ATAR requirements for individual programs can be found HERE.

The National Register of higher education providers is an authoritative source of information that will help you confirm your institution of choice is registered to deliver higher education in Australia.

The Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) website is HERE. Based on surveys done by thousands of students across Australia you can find out about universities that interest you, doing side-by-side comparisons.

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

Queensland Band equivalents are a guide only - selection is made on an ATAR 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

Students who successfully complete the below program will be admitted to the Bachelor of Arts:
ELIBS Diploma of Liberal Studies (offered by the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences)
 

Entry into the Bachelor of Design is based on ACT or NSW HSC equivalent and interview and portfolio. Australian and New Zealand applicants apply through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) and international applicants lodge an application directly with ANU. Once an application has been lodged, applicants are required to register for an interview and upload a portfolio on the ANU School of Art & Design website at: soa.anu.edu.au/how-apply/undergraduate-applications.

Adjustment Factors

ANU offers rank adjustments for a number of adjustment factors, including for high achievement in nationally strategic senior secondary subjects and for recognition of difficult circumstances that students face in their studies. Rank adjustments are applied to Bachelor degree applicants with an ATAR at or above 70. Points are awarded in accordance with the approved schedules, and no more than 15 points (maximum 5 subject/performance-based adjustments, maximum 10 equity-based adjustments and maximum 5 Elite Athlete adjustments) will be awarded. Subject and performance-based adjustments do not apply to programs with a minimum selection rank of 98 or higher. Visit the ANU Adjustment Factors website for further 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 from any of the following lists:

Disciplines and Fields
Ancient History
Anthropology
Archaeology
Art History and Theory
Australian Indigenous Studies
Biological Anthropology
Criminology
Development Studies
Digital Humanities
Economic Studies
English
Environmental Studies
Gender, Sexuality and Culture
Geography
Global Security
History
Human Evolutionary Biology
Human Rights
International Communication
International Relations
Linguistics
Mathematics
Music
Music Technology
Peace and Conflict Studies
Philosophy
Political Science
Psychology
Screen Studies
Sociology
Technology, Networks and Society
War Studies

Languages
Ancient Greek
Arabic
Chinese Language
French Language and Culture
German Language and Culture
Hindi Language
Indonesian Language
Italian Language and Culture
Japanese Language
Japanese Linguistics
Korean Language
Latin
Persian
Sanskrit Language
Spanish
Thai Language
Vietnamese Language

Geographically Defined Area Studies
Asian Studies
Asian History
Asia and Pacific Culture, Media and Gender
Chinese Studies
Contemporary Europe
India Studies
Indonesian Studies
Japanese Studies
Korean Studies
Latin American Studies
Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies
Northeast Asian Studies
Pacific Studies
Southeast Asian Studies

Either:

24 units from the completion of one Arts minor, which must have a different name to the Major on any of the following lists:

Disciplines and Fields
Advanced Studies
Ancient History
Anthropology
ANU Leadership and Research
Applied Linguistics
Archaeology
Art History and Theory
Australian Indigenous Studies
Biological Anthropology
Climate Science and Policy
Criminology
Demography
Design
Development Studies
Digital Humanities
Economic Studies
English
Environmental Policy
Environmental Studies
Forensic Anthropology
Forensic Linguistics
Gender and Sexuality
Geography
Global Security
Health, Medicine and the Body
Heritage and Museum Studies
History
Human Ecology
Human Evolutionary Biology
Human Rights
International Communication
International Relations
Linguistics
Mathematics
Music
Music Technology
Peace and Conflict Studies
Philosophy and Science
Philosophy
Political Science
Popular Music
Screen Studies
Social Psychology
Social Research Methods
Sociology
Sustainable Development
Technology, Networks and Society
Visual Arts Practice
War Studies

Languages
Advanced Ancient Greek
Advanced Arabic
Advanced Chinese Language
Advanced English Language
Advanced French Studies
Advanced German Studies
Advanced Hispanic Culture
Advanced Hispanic Linguistics
Advanced Italian Studies
Advanced Japanese Language
Advanced Korean Language
Advanced Latin
Advanced Persian
Advanced Sanskrit Language
Advanced Spanish Studies
Ancient Greek
Arabic
Burmese Language 
Chinese Language 
French Language and Culture
German Language and Culture
Hindi Language
Indonesian Language
Italian Language and Culture
Japanese Language
Japanese Linguistics
Korean Language
Latin
Literary Chinese
Mongolian Language
Persian
Russian
Sanskrit Language
Spanish
Tetum Language
Thai Language
Tok Pisin Language
Vietnamese Language

Geographically Defined Area Studies
American Studies
Asian and Pacific Anthropology
Asian and Pacific Linguistics 
Asian Art History
Asian History
Asian Studies
Asia and Pacific Archaeology
Asia and Pacific Culture, Media and Gender
Asia-Pacific International Relations
Asia and Pacific Literature and Film
Asia-Pacific Politics
Australian Politics
Chinese Studies
Contemporary Europe
India Studies
Indonesian Studies
Japanese Studies
Korean Studies
Latin American Studies
Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies
Northeast Asian Studies
Pacific Studies
Southeast Asian Studies

24 units from completion of courses listed in any Arts major, minor and the following list:

ESEN1101 Essential University English

Or:

24 units from completion of ANIP3007 Australian National Internships Program D
 

24 units from completion of courses listed in any Arts major, minor and the following list:

ESEN1101 Essential University English.

Or:

48 units from completion of a second Arts major
 

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

A maximum of 42 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 96 units must include:

12 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:

DESN1002 Visual Communication: Design and Production
DESN1003 Contemporary Design in Context

12 units from completion of DESN3010 Design Practice: Engagement, Internship and Entrepreneurship, which must be completed twice with a different topic each time

A minimum of 12 units from completion of foundation courses from the following list:

ARTV1020 Figure & Life
ARTV1021 Image and Object
ARTV1033 Hold Everything: Studio Foundation
DESA1021 Precise Drawing and Model Making

12 units from completion of theory courses from the following list:

ANTH2005 Traditional Australian Indigenous Cultures, Societies and Environment
ARTH1006 Art and Design Histories: Form and Space
ARTH1007 Art and Design Histories: Making and Meaning
ARTH2043 Modernism and Postmodernism in Art and Design: 1850-2000
ARTH2162 Cyberculture
ARTH2164 Theories of the Object
ARTH2165 Theories of the Image
ARTH2167 Issues in Contemporary Craft and Design
ARTH2172 Costume, Fashion and Visual Culture
ENVS1001 Environment and Society: Geography of Sustainability
ENVS1008 Sustainable Development
GEND1001 Sex, Gender and Identity: An Introduction to Gender Studies
GEND1002 Reading Popular Culture: An Introduction to Cultural Studies
GEND2023 Gender, Sex and Sexuality: An Introduction to Feminist Theory
HUMN1001 Digital Culture: Being Human in the Information Age
HUMN2001 Digital Humanities: Theories and Projects
INDG1001 Indigenous Peoples, Populations and Communities
PHIL1004    Fundamental Ideas in Philosophy: An Introduction
PHIL1005    Logic and Critical Thinking
PHIL1007    What is Humanity?
PHIL1008    Introduction to Ethics
PSYC1003 Psychology 1: Understanding Mind, Brain and Behaviour
PSYC1004 Psychology 2: Understanding People in Context
SOCY1002 Self and Society
SOCY1004 Analysing the Social World: An Introduction to Social Psychology

A minimum of 12 units from completion of design courses from the following list:

DESN1001 Making Online: Context & Presence
DESN2002 Foundations of Creative Code
DESN2003 Creative Data Visualisation: Representing Data in Visual and Material Form
DESN2004 Dynamic Design and Generative Systems
DESN2006 Front-End Web: Crafting Online Experience
DESN2001 Digital Form and Fabrication
DESN2005 Form and Fabrication in Context
DESN2007 Design Fiction: Speculative and Critical Design
DESN2008 Design Thinking: Human-Centred Design Methodologies
DESN2009 Typography in Context: digital typographic design
DESN2012 The Ethics of Making: Design for Reuse and Repair

A minimum of 18 units from completion of studio courses from the following list:

ARTV1101 Ceramics: Materials & Technology
ARTV1102 Ceramics: Throwing & Surface Decoration
ARTV1103 Animation and Video: The Digital Workspace
ARTV1104 Animation and Video: Digital Equipment and Studios
ARTV1201 Furniture: Shape/Structure
ARTV1202 Furniture: Elevate/Surface
ARTV1301 Glass Introduction
ARTV1302 Glass: Processes and Methods
ARTV1403 Jewellery & Object: Introduction to Precise Miniature Construction
ARTV1404 Jewellery & Object: Maker, Wearer, Viewer, User
ARTV1501 Painting: Introducing Painting
ARTV1502 Painting: Composition and Space
ARTV1601 Photomedia: Foundations of photography, printing and camera skills
ARTV1602 Photomedia: Colour Photography and Digital Skills
ARTV1803 Sculpture: Introduction to Conceptual Practices and Construction Methods (Metal)
ARTV1804 Sculpture: Introduction to Temporal Practices and Construction Methods (Wood)
ARTV1901 Textiles: Dye and Surface Manipulation
ARTV1902 Textiles: Print and Surface Design
ARTV2038 Workshop Atelier
ARTV2039 Craft and Design Practice-led Research
ARTV2057 Hands On: Material Language
ARTV2060 Contexts of Making: Globalisation and Change
ARTV2061 Contexts of Making: Materiality and Value
ARTV2117 Ceramics: Glaze & Colour Development
ARTV2119 Ceramics: Experimental Methods and Meanings
ARTV2120 Ceramics: Designing for the Table and Home
ARTV2124 Ceramics: Surface, Form and Connectivity
ARTV2125 Ceramics: Moulding, Casting & Digital Technologies
ARTV2206 Furniture: Bend/Curve
ARTV2207 Furniture: Support/Body
ARTV2208 Furniture: Contain/Display
ARTV2209 Furniture: Collect/Treasure
ARTV2313 Glass: Kiln Casting
ARTV2314 Glass: Blowing and Finishing Techniques in context
ARTV2315 Glass: Kiln Forming
ARTV2316 Glass: Advanced Hot and Cold Glass Working Process
ARTV2401 Jewellery & Object: Making with machines
ARTV2402 Jewellery & Object: Utility as Context
ARTV2410 Jewellery & Object: Experimenting with process
ARTV2421 Jewellery & Object: Hollow Construction
ARTV2506 Painting: Approaches to Abstraction
ARTV2507 Painting: Painting in the Photo Digital Age
ARTV2508 Painting: Taking Your Own Direction
ARTV2509 Painting: Approaches to Composition and Colour
ARTV2511 Painting: Concepts, Materials, Processes
ARTV2605 Photomedia: Advanced Principles in Exposure and Printing
ARTV2606 Photomedia: Digital Photography and Studio Lighting
ARTV2607 Photomedia: Large Format Photography
ARTV2608 Photomedia: Experimental Processes
ARTV2609 Animation and Video: Visual Storytelling
ARTV2610 Animation and Video: Character development
ARTV2613 Animation and Video: Landscape and Environment
ARTV2614 Animation and Video: Non-linear Forms
ARTV2615 Animation: Creative Possibilities
ARTV2617 Video: Creative Possibilities
ARTV2706 Printmedia and Drawing: Experimental Drawing
ARTV2707 Printmedia and Drawing: Advanced Etching/Relief
ARTV2708 Printmedia and Drawing: Project Drawing
ARTV2715 Printmedia and Drawing: Typography
ARTV2717 Printmedia and Drawing: Book Design
ARTV2723 Printmedia and Drawing: Screen Printing
ARTV2727 Printmedia and Drawing: Lithography
ARTV2808 Sculpture: Space and Shape Investigations with Soft Sculpture, Pattern Making and Armature
ARTV2801 Socially Engaged Art Practice: Authorship, Dialogue and Community
ARTV2802 Politics of Memory: Video Installation, Sculpture, Documentary and Monuments
ARTV2810 Politics of Bodies: Sculpture, Figure Modelling, Performance and Choreography
ARTV2820 Politics of Spaces: Installation, Sculpture and Spatial Practice
ARTV2821 Posthuman Sculpture Practice with Active Materials: Bronze Casting, 3D Modelling and Bio Art
ARTV2906 Textiles: Approaches to Drawing for Craft and Design
ARTV2907 Textiles: Embroidery and Hand Stitch
ARTV2908 Textiles: Constructed Textiles
ARTV2909 Textiles: Maker to Market
ARTV2911 Textiles: Experimental Practices
ARTV2921 Environment Studio: field based research and studio practice in visual arts

Unless otherwise stated, a course used to satisfy the requirements of one list may not be double counted towards satisfying the requirements of another list.

For Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Design
12 units from completion of courses from the following list required for the Bachelor of Design contribute towards the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) component of this double degree:

DESN2005 Form and Fabrication in Context
DESN2008 Design Thinking: Human-Centred Design Methodologies

Majors

Bachelor of Arts Majors

Minors

Bachelor of Arts Minors

Bachelor of Design Minors

Study Options

Honours

For information about honours, please see Bachelor of Arts (Honours)