Select from a diverse range of majors across the creative arts, humanities, and social sciences, taught by world-class scholars, to create a degree that is expressly yours with the ANU Bachelor of Arts.
You will have the flexibility to engage in hands-on projects, take your studies abroad, or undertake an internship. You will gain valuable analytical and research skills transferable to the global workplace while developing expertise in critical analysis, written and oral communication, and the ability to drive global and local change.
Discover how the ANU Bachelor of Arts can equip you with enduring and highly sought-after skills to shape both the world's future and your own by visiting our College website.
Meet some of our recent graduates and learn about their stories on our graduation page.
As Australia’s engagement with the Pacific increases, so does the need for graduates with Pacific expertise. The Bachelor of Pacific Studies offers the opportunity to develop a deep understanding of the diversity, history and contemporary issues of Oceania, preparing you to take a leading role in Pacific policy and development.
Learning about the Pacific is a voyage of discovery, and at the ANU you have the opportunity to learn from the world’s leading experts on the Pacific. As a Pacific Studies student you will be joining a community of scholars dedicated to addressing the Pacific’s most pressing challenges, including climate change.
Pacific Studies at the ANU will provide you with an interdisciplinary grounding to engage with diverse Pacific voices, approaches and perspectives. Our courses incorporate Indigenous perspectives, experiential and innovative ways of learning, and creative problem-solving. In the degree program you will also have the opportunity to engage in internship and immersion programs in Oceania, boosting your language skills and knowledge of the region.
Career Options
ANU ranks among the world's very finest universities. Our nearly 100,000 alumni include political, business, government, and academic leaders around the world.
We have graduated remarkable people from every part of our continent, our region and all walks of life.
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
- critically apply theoretical frameworks and research techniques to understanding national and international issues and problems;
- identify relevant sources of information, and judge the importance, reliability and ethical implications of those sources;
- evaluate ideas and develop creative solutions to problems, including through independent pursuit of knowledge and making connections between different disciplinary approaches and methods; and
- communicate and debate orally and in writing, and work with others, using a variety of media.
- Critically apply theoretical frameworks and research techniques to understand the global significance of Oceania as a region of diverse societies, cultures and languages;
- Demonstrate an understanding of diverse disciplinary approaches and methods drawn from the humanities, social sciences and environmental studies, and use these to synthesise knowledge about Oceania and its place in the world;
- Demonstrate a nuanced understanding of the diversity of Indigenous, popular culture, policy and scholarly perspectives on and within Oceania;
- Evaluate knowledge and ideas and debate issues using academic and other approaches addressing a variety of scholarly, policy and public audiences;
- Exercise critical thinking and judgement in identifying and solving problems individually as well as collaboratively;
- Develop, refine, and apply the skills to utilise transdisciplinary approaches, recognise transdisciplinary opportunities and collaborate to solve complex transdisciplinary problems.
Further Information
Completing the Transdisciplinary Problem-Solving Course Requirement
Students completing the Bachelor of Arts are required to complete a minimum of 12 units of Transdisciplinary Problem-Solving (TD) courses as part of their program. Please see the recommended courses in the Other Information section in each major for guidance on which courses are recommended for your discipline. If you would prefer to complete TD courses from outside your discipline, please consult Programs and Courses and select the Transdisciplinary filter.
Additional areas of study - Completing a minor in the BARTS
In addition to your compulsory major, we recommend that you complete at least one additional minor during the course of your studies. The following minors are available in the Bachelor of Arts and must be undertaken in a different discipline to your major. The CASS Student Office can provide tailored advice on how to best plan your studies:
Advanced Ancient Greek
Advanced Arabic
Advanced Chinese Language
Advanced French Studies
Advanced German Studies
Advanced Italian Studies
Advanced Japanese Language
Advanced Korean Language
Advanced Latin
Advanced Persian
Advanced Sanskrit Language
Advanced Spanish Studies
Ancient Greek
Anthropology
Anthropology of Asia
Applied Linguistics
Arabic
Archaeology
Art History and Curatorial Studies
Asian and Pacific Archaeology
Asian and Pacific Culture, Media and Gender
Asian and Pacific Linguistics
Asian and Pacific Literature and Film
Asian History
Asian Studies
Asia-Pacific Politics
Asia-Pacific Security Studies
Australian Indigenous Studies
Biological Anthropology
Burmese Language
Chinese Language
Chinese Studies
Classical Studies
Criminology
Demography
Design
Development Studies
Economic Studies
English
Environmental Policy
Environmental Studies
Forensic Linguistics
French Studies
Gender and Sexuality
German Studies
Health, Medicine and the Body
Heritage and Museum Studies
Hindi Language
History
Historical International Security
Human Ecology
Indian and South Asian Studies
Indonesian Language
Indonesian Studies
International Communication
International Relations
Italian Studies
Japanese Language
Japanese Linguistics
Japanese Studies
Korean Language
Korean Studies
Latin
Linguistics
Literary Chinese
Mathematics
Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies
Middle Eastern Politics and Security
Mongolian Language
Music Studies
Northeast Asian Studies
Pacific Studies
Peace and Conflict Studies
Persian
Philosophy
Philosophy and Science
Political Science
Russian Studies
Russian and Central Asian Studies
Sanskrit Language
Science Communication
Social Research Methods
Sociology
Southeast Asian Studies
Spanish Studies
Sustainable Development
Tetum Language
Thai Language
Tibetan Language
Tok Pisin Language
Vietnamese Language
Visual Arts Practice
APAC accreditation and pathway to Honours in Psychology
This program is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) when students complete the accredited sequence of psychology courses. At ANU this includes minimum required learning achieved by successful completion of PSYC1003, PSYC1004, PSYC2001, PSYC2002, PSYC2007, PSYC2008, PSYC2009, PSYC3018, PSYC3025, PSYC3026 and an additional 2 x 3000 level PSYC courses. Students in an ANU Bachelor of Arts who wish to be eligible for Honours in psychology must complete the specific set of courses that satisfy the APAC accreditation requirements.
Completing the Transdisciplinary Problem-Solving Course Requirement
Students completing the Bachelor of Arts are required to complete a minimum of 12 units of Transdisciplinary Problem-Solving (TD) courses as part of their program. Please see the recommended courses in the Other Information section in each major for guidance on which courses are recommended for your discipline. If you would prefer to complete TD courses from outside your discipline, please consult Programs and Courses and select the Transdisciplinary filter.
Additional areas of study - Completing a minor in the BARTS
In addition to your compulsory major, we recommend that you complete at least one additional minor during the course of your studies. The following minors are available in the Bachelor of Arts and must be undertaken in a different discipline to your major. The CASS Student Office can provide tailored advice on how to best plan your studies:
Advanced Ancient Greek
Advanced Arabic
Advanced Chinese Language
Advanced French Studies
Advanced German Studies
Advanced Italian Studies
Advanced Japanese Language
Advanced Korean Language
Advanced Latin
Advanced Persian
Advanced Sanskrit Language
Advanced Spanish Studies
Ancient Greek
Anthropology
Anthropology of Asia
Applied Linguistics
Arabic
Archaeology
Art History and Curatorial Studies
Asian and Pacific Archaeology
Asian and Pacific Culture, Media and Gender
Asian and Pacific Linguistics
Asian and Pacific Literature and Film
Asian History
Asian Studies
Asia-Pacific Politics
Asia-Pacific Security Studies
Australian Indigenous Studies
Biological Anthropology
Burmese Language
Chinese Language
Chinese Studies
Classical Studies
Criminology
Demography
Design
Development Studies
Economic Studies
English
Environmental Policy
Environmental Studies
Forensic Linguistics
French Studies
Gender and Sexuality
German Studies
Health, Medicine and the Body
Heritage and Museum Studies
Hindi Language
History
Historical International Security
Human Ecology
Indian and South Asian Studies
Indonesian Language
Indonesian Studies
International Communication
International Relations
Italian Studies
Japanese Language
Japanese Linguistics
Japanese Studies
Korean Language
Korean Studies
Latin
Linguistics
Literary Chinese
Mathematics
Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies
Middle Eastern Politics and Security
Mongolian Language
Music Studies
Northeast Asian Studies
Pacific Studies
Peace and Conflict Studies
Persian
Philosophy
Philosophy and Science
Political Science
Russian Studies
Russian and Central Asian Studies
Sanskrit Language
Science Communication
Social Research Methods
Sociology
Southeast Asian Studies
Spanish Studies
Sustainable Development
Tetum Language
Thai Language
Tibetan Language
Tok Pisin Language
Vietnamese Language
Visual Arts Practice
APAC accreditation and pathway to Honours in Psychology
This program is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) when students complete the accredited sequence of psychology courses. At ANU this includes minimum required learning achieved by successful completion of PSYC1003, PSYC1004, PSYC2001, PSYC2002, PSYC2007, PSYC2008, PSYC2009, PSYC3018, PSYC3025, PSYC3026 and an additional 2 x 3000 level PSYC courses. Students in an ANU Bachelor of Arts who wish to be eligible for Honours in psychology must complete the specific set of courses that satisfy the APAC accreditation requirements.
Admission Requirements
- ATAR:
- 80
- International Baccalaureate:
- 30
Prerequisites
Adjustment Factors
Adjustment factors are combined with an applicant's secondary education results to determine their Selection Rank. ANU offers adjustment factors based on equity, diversity, and/or performance principles, such as for recognition of difficult circumstances that students face in their studies.
To be eligible for adjustment factors, you must have:
- achieved a Selection Rank of 70 or more before adjustment factors are applied
- if you have undertaken higher education, completed less than one year full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) of a higher education program
- applied for an eligible ANU bachelor degree program
Please visit the ANU Adjustment Factors website for further information.
Indicative fees
Bachelor of Arts - Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
Bachelor of Pacific Studies - Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
For more information see: http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/costs-fees
- Annual indicative fee for international students
- $49,820.00
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
A minimum of 12 units must come from the completion of Transdisciplinary Problem-Solving courses
A minimum of 18 units must come from the completion of 3000-level courses
The 96 units must consist of:
48 units from the completion of one of the following majors:
Disciplines and Fields
Anthropology
Archaeology
Art History and Curatorial Studies
Asian and Pacific Culture, Media and Gender
Australian Indigenous Studies
Biological Anthropology
Classical Studies
Criminology
Demography
Design
Development Studies
Economic Studies
English
Environmental Studies
Gender, Sexuality and Culture
History
International Relations
Linguistics
Music Studies
Peace and Conflict Studies
Philosophy
Political Science
Psychology
Public Policy
Sociology
Language and Geographic Area Studies
Ancient Greek
Arabic
Asian History
Asian Studies
Chinese Language
Chinese Studies
French Studies
German Studies
Hindi Language
Italian Studies
Indonesian Language
Japanese Language
Japanese Linguistics
Japanese Studies
Korean Language
Korean Studies
Latin
Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies
Northeast Asian Studies
Pacific Studies
Persian
Sanskrit Language
Southeast Asian Studies
Spanish Studies
Thai Language
Vietnamese Language
A minimum of 24 units from completion of courses not previously taken from the following subject areas, which may contribute towards the completion of a minor:
ANTH - Anthropology
ARAB - Arabic
ARCH - Archaeology
ARTH - Art History & Curatorial Studies
ARTV - Visual Arts
ASIA - Asian Studies
BIAN - Biological Anthropology
BIOL - Biology
BURM - Burmese
CHIN - Chinese
CLAS - Classics
COMP - Computer Studies
CRIM - Criminology
DEMO - Demography
DESN - Design
ECON - Economics
ENGL - English
ENVS - Environmental Studies
FREN - French Studies
GEND - Gender and Sexuality
GERM - German Studies
GREK - Ancient Greek
HIND - Hindi
HIST - History
HUMN - Humanities
INDG - Indigenous Studies
INDN - Indonesian
INTR - International Relations
ITAL - Italian Studies
JPNS - Japanese
KORE - Korean
LANG - Language Studies
LATN - Latin
LING - Linguistics
MATH - Mathematics
MNGL - Mongolian Language
MUSI - Music
PASI - Pacific Studies
PERS - Persian
PHIL - Philosophy
POLS - Political Science
POPH - Population Health
PORT - Portuguese
PSYC - Psychology
RUSS - Russian Studies
SOCR - Social Research
SOCY - Sociology
SPAN - Spanish
STST - Strategic Studies
TETM - Tetum
THAI - Thai
TIBN - Tibetan
TOKP - Tok Pisin
TURK - Turkish
VIET - Vietnamese
Students completing a Flexible Double Degree must nominate different majors in each degree.
The Bachelor of Pacific Studies flexible double degree component requires completion of 96 units, of which:
A maximum of 36 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses
A minimum of 18 units must come from completion of 3000-level courses
The 96 units must include:
The 144 units must include:
36 units from the following compulsory courses:
PASI1011 Pacific Encounters: An introduction to Pacific Studies
PASI1012 Pacific Worlds: critical inquiry in Oceania
PASI2001 Pacific Studies in a Globalising World
PASI3001 Politics and Development in the Contemporary Pacific
PASI3002 Gender and Sexuality in the Pacific
PASI3013 Environment and Development in the Pacific
A minimum of 36 units from the following thematic lists:
Anthropology and archaeology
ANTH3059 Doing Ethnography: Practicum in Applied Anthropology
ARCH2005 Archaeology of the Pacific Islanders
ASIA2130 The archaeology of rock art in Asia, Pacific, and Australia
History
HIST2231 Exploration: From Captain Cook to the Astronauts
PASI2002 Australia in Oceania in the 19th and 20th centuries
WARS2004 War in the Islands: The Second World War in the Pacific
Politics, conflict and security
ASIA2093 Natural Resource Conflicts in Asia and the Pacific
POLS2055 Pacific Politics
STST2003 Australia and Security in the Pacific
Environment, geography and migration
ASIA2018 Maps and Mapping in Asia and the Pacific
ASIA2301 Human Migration and Expansion in the Rise of the Asia-Pacific
ASIA2747 Airlines in Asia and the Pacific: Histories, Technologies, Cultures and Geographies
Gender, culture and linguistics
ASIA2001 Language in Asia and the Pacific
ASIA2308 Linguistic Histories in Asia and the Pacific
ASIA2311 Gender and Cultural Studies in Asia and the Pacific
PASI3012 Readings in Indigenous Studies
Field schools, study tours and self-directed research
ENVS2005 Islands Sustainable Development: Fiji Field School
PASI2030 Study Tour: Regional Policymaking for Pacific Development
PASI3005 Pacific Islands Field School
Languages
Courses from the following language codes: CHIN, FREN, GERM, INDN, JPNS, TETM, TOKP, SPAN.
A minimum of 12 units of courses tagged as Transdisciplinary Problem-Solving
36 units from the following compulsory courses:
PASI1011 Pacific Encounters: An introduction to Pacific Studies
PASI1012 Pacific Worlds: critical inquiry in Oceania
PASI2001 Pacific Studies in a Globalising World
PASI3001 Politics and Development in the Contemporary Pacific
PASI3002 Gender and Sexuality in the Pacific
PASI3013 Environment and Development in the Pacific
A minimum of 36 units from the following thematic lists:
Anthropology and archaeology
ANTH3059 Doing Ethnography: Practicum in Applied Anthropology
ARCH2005 Archaeology of the Pacific Islanders
ASIA2130 The archaeology of rock art in Asia, Pacific, and Australia
History
HIST2231 Exploration: From Captain Cook to the Astronauts
PASI2002 Australia in Oceania in the 19th and 20th centuries
WARS2004 War in the Islands: The Second World War in the Pacific
Politics, conflict and security
ASIA2093 Natural Resource Conflicts in Asia and the Pacific
POLS2055 Pacific Politics
STST2003 Australia and Security in the Pacific
Environment, geography and migration
ASIA2018 Maps and Mapping in Asia and the Pacific
ASIA2301 Human Migration and Expansion in the Rise of the Asia-Pacific
ASIA2747 Airlines in Asia and the Pacific: Histories, Technologies, Cultures and Geographies
Gender, culture and linguistics
ASIA2001 Language in Asia and the Pacific
ASIA2308 Linguistic Histories in Asia and the Pacific
ASIA2311 Gender and Cultural Studies in Asia and the Pacific
PASI3012 Readings in Indigenous Studies
Field schools, study tours and self-directed research
ENVS2005 Islands Sustainable Development: Fiji Field School
PASI2030 Study Tour: Regional Policymaking for Pacific Development
PASI3005 Pacific Islands Field School
Languages
Courses from the following language codes: CHIN, FREN, GERM, INDN, JPNS, TETM, TOKP, SPAN.
A minimum of 12 units of courses tagged as Transdisciplinary Problem-Solving
Majors
Bachelor of Arts Majors
- Environmental Studies
- French Studies
- Gender, Sexuality and Culture
- German Studies
- Hindi Language
- History
- Indonesian Language
- International Relations
- Italian Studies
- Japanese Language
- Japanese Linguistics
- Japanese Studies
- Korean Language
- Korean Studies
- Latin
- Linguistics
- Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies
Minors
Bachelor of Arts Minors
- Advanced Ancient Greek
- Advanced Arabic
- Advanced Chinese Language
- Advanced French Studies
- Advanced German Studies
- Advanced Italian Studies
- Advanced Japanese Language
- Advanced Korean Language
- Advanced Latin
- Advanced Persian
- Advanced Sanskrit Language
- Advanced Spanish Studies
- Ancient Greek
- Anthropology
- Anthropology of Asia
- Applied Linguistics
- Arabic
- Archaeology
- Art History and Curatorial Studies
- Asian and Pacific Archaeology
- Asian and Pacific Culture, Media and Gender
- Asian and Pacific Linguistics
- Asian and Pacific Literature and Film
- Asian History
- Asian Studies
- Asia-Pacific Politics
- Australian Indigenous Studies
- Biological Anthropology
- Burmese Language
- Chinese Language
- Chinese Studies
- Classical Studies
- Climate Science and Policy
- Criminology
- Demography
- Design
- Development Studies
- Economic Studies
- Environmental Policy
- Environmental Studies
- Forensic Linguistics
- French Studies
- Gender and Sexuality
- Geography
- German Studies
- Heritage and Museum Studies
- Hindi Language
- History
- Human Ecology
- Indian and South Asian Studies
- Indonesian Language
- Indonesian Studies
- International Communication
- International Relations
- Italian Studies
- Japanese Language
- Japanese Linguistics
- Japanese Studies
- Korean Language
- Korean Studies
- Latin
- Linguistics
- Literary Chinese
- Mathematics
- Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies
- Middle Eastern Politics and Security
- Mongolian Language
- Music Studies
- Northeast Asian Studies
- Pacific Studies
- Peace and Conflict Studies
- Persian
- Philosophy
- Philosophy and Science
- Political Science
- Popular Music
- Russian and Central Asian Studies
- Russian Studies
- Sanskrit Language
- Social Psychology
- Social Research Methods
- Sociology
- Southeast Asian Studies
- Spanish Studies
- Sustainable Development
- Tetum Language
- Thai Language
- Tibetan Language Minor
- Tok Pisin Language
- Vietnamese Language
- Visual Arts Practice
Study Options
| Year 1 | Arts Major 1000 level Course 6 units | Arts Minor 1000 level Course 6 units | PASI1011 Pacific Encounters: An introduction to Pacific Studies 6 units | Major 1000 level course 6 units |
| Arts Major 1000 level Course 6 units | Arts Minor 1000 level Course 6 units | Pacific Studies Major ASIA1025 or ASIA1030 6 units | Major 1000 level course 6 units | |
| Year 2 | Arts Major 2000/3000 level Course 6 units | Arts Minor 2000/3000 level Course 6 units | PASI2001 Pacific Studies in a Globalising World 6 units | Major 2000 or 3000 level course 6 units |
| Arts Major 2000/3000 level Course 6 units | Arts Minor 2000/3000 level Course 6 units | PASI2002 Australia in Oceania in the 19th and 20th centuries 6 units | Major 2000 or 3000 level course 6 units | |
| Year 3 | Arts Major 2000/3000 level Course 6 units | Arts Elective 6 units | Pacific Studies Major 2000 or 3000 level course 6 units | Major 2000 or 3000 level course 6 units |
| Arts Major 2000/3000 level Course 6 units | Arts Elective 6 units | Pacific Studies Major 2000 or 3000 level course 6 units | Major 2000 or 3000 level course 6 units | |
| Year 4 | Arts Major 2000/3000 level Course 6 units | Arts Elective 6 units | Pacific Studies Major 2000 or 3000 level course 6 units | Major 2000 or 3000 level course 6 units |
| Arts Major 2000/3000 level Course 6 units | Arts Elective 6 units | Pacific Studies Major 2000 or 3000 level course 6 units | Major 2000 or 3000 level course 6 units |
Back to the Bachelor of Arts page
Enrolling for the first time can be overwhelming. Below, you will find information that will assist. Please note that advice on this page is indicative, and you are encouraged to contact the CASS Student office at students.cass@anu.edu.au or visit the CASS student office website if you require tailored information.
Important items to note:
- We recommend you start a CASS Program Plan. This is a way to track how the courses you take fit within the overall structure of your degree and will help you plan for your later year courses.
- The Bachelor of Arts can be taken as a single degree or combined with another degree in a Flexible Double Degree (FDD). When the Bachelor of Arts is combined with another undergraduate degree through a Flexible Double Degree, 48 units of ANU electives units are replaced with the core requirements of the other degree and the total program duration is expanded to 192 units (4 years Full-Time) or 240 units (5 years Full-Time) depending on the duration of the other program.
Semester 2 commencers
Please note that if you are commencing your studies in Semester 2 there may be restrictions on the courses available for enrolment. If you have concerns, please contact students.cass@anu.edu.au
Single degree
The Bachelor of Arts requires 144 units (24 courses), including:
- A maximum of 60 units from 1000-level courses (i.e. 10 x 6 unit courses)
- A minimum of 18 units from 3000-level courses (i.e. 3 x 6 unit courses)
- One major listed in the study orders
- A minimum of 12 units of courses tagged as Transdisciplinary Problem-Solving (i.e. 2 x 6 unit courses)
With careful enrolment choices, you can complete an optional second major or a minor. The College of Arts and Social Sciences offers a range of optional minors as listed in the “overview’ tab of the Bachelor of Arts study orders.
Double degree
The total number of overall units in a Flexible Double Degree (FDD) depends on the FDD combination e.g. Flexible Double Degree - Arts, Social Sciences, Business, Science (4050): 192 units Flexible Double Degree - Law (Honours) (4350), Flexible Double Degree PhB Advanced Arts Social Sciences Business & Science (4569), or Flexible Double Degree - Engineering and Advanced Computing (Honours) (4750): 240 units Of which a minimum of 12 units (i.e. 2 x 6 unit courses) must be tagged as transdisciplinary problem-solving. These courses may be taken in either component of the FDD. The Bachelor of Arts component of an FDD requires 96 units, including:
- A maximum of 36 units from 1000-level courses (i.e. 6 x 6 unit courses)
- A minimum of 18 units from 3000-level courses (i.e. 3 x 6 unit courses)
- One major listed in the Bachelor of Arts
With careful enrolment choices, you can complete an optional second major or a minor. See the 'overview’ tab of the Bachelor of Arts study orders.
Enrolment Status
The Bachelor of Arts typically takes three years to complete on a full-time basis. Students will usually take 24-units (four x six-unit courses) each semester and there are two semesters each year. One course is typically worth six-units.
In total, students need to complete 144 units of study towards the Bachelor of Arts This will be 24 courses if all courses are worth six-units but may be fewer if one or more courses of 12-units or more are taken.
If you combine the Bachelor of Arts with another degree in a Flexible Double Degree, you will need to complete a total of 192 units (32 six-unit courses) or 240 units (40 six-unit courses) depending on the combination. This will typically take four years for a 192-unit degree or five years for a 240-unit degree on a full-time basis.
Domestic students may choose to enrol in fewer than 24-units in any semester or half-year study period. Students studying 18 or more units in a half year (January – June or July – December) are considered full-time. Students studying less than this are considered part-time.
If you take fewer than 24-units in any half year period, then your degree is likely to take longer than three years to complete.
International students on a student visa are required to enrol in a full-time study load of 24-units in each half year study period (Summer, Semester 1, Autumn or Winter, Semester 2, Spring) unless they have been approved for Reduced Study Load or program leave.
Maximum time for completion
- The maximum period for completion of the single Bachelor of Arts degree is 10 years from the date of first enrolment in the program. This 10 years includes any periods of leave.
- The maximum period for completion of a flexible double degree is 10 years for a 192-unit degree or 11 years for a 240-unit degree from the date of first enrolment in the program. The maximum period includes periods of leave.
A transfer of credit (status) from previous studies will reduce the total amount of time remaining to complete the balance of your degree. When you are assessed for credit, you will be notified of the new maximum end date for your degree in your credit offer.
Important things to keep in mind when choosing your 1000-level courses
In your first year, you will enrol in 1000-level courses – these courses have ‘1’ as the first number in their course code. Eg ENGL1100, POLS1002.
You can take a maximum of 10 x 1000-level courses within the single degree, or 6 x 1000-level courses if taking a Bachelor of Arts within a double degree. Most of these courses will be taken in your first year. Many 2000 and 3000 level courses build upon the specific knowledge achieved through 1000-level courses.
There is room in your first year to pick and choose courses depending on your interests but, you must also ensure that you select the 1000-level courses that are prerequisites for 2000 and 3000 level courses. When selecting your courses, please pay close attention to the semester in which it is offered. This is particularly important if you have a preferred major in mind. The 1000- level course that are prerequisites for each major can be found in the Programs and Courses entry for each major or each individual course.
Details of the semester/s in which courses are offered can be found in the individual course entries on the Programs and Course website on the Class tab.
Majors and Minors
See available majors and minors for this program
What is a major?
A major is a sequence of 48-units (i.e. 8 x 6 unit courses). The major has been structured to develop relevant skills and knowledge in the discipline and to prepare you for further study or entry to the workforce. The majors that contribute towards the core requirements of the Bachelor of Arts are listed in the “Program Requirements” on the “Study” tab.
What is a minor?
Minors are sequences of 24 units (i.e. 4 x 6 unit courses). Minors can bring structured breadth to your degree. You do not need to take a second major or a minor towards your degree. But you may have enough electives to do this if you wish. This is optional not compulsory. Majors and minors if taken together must have different names.
Advanced minors in a selection of language studies is offered in the Bachelor of Arts. Advanced minors are sequences of 24 units (i.e. 4 x 6 unit courses) which offer structured depth to your degree and are aimed at students who have prior knowledge or experience in the discipline area.
Electives
Electives are courses that provide freedom for you to select subjects that align to your personal interests and career aspirations in a more individualised way than is possible through general major or degree requirements. An ANU elective is a course that you can select without restriction, beyond the global requirements of your program (e.g. limits on 1000-level courses, etc).
In the Bachelor of Arts you can select 24 units from courses offered within the Bachelor of Arts majors, or from other Colleges at the University. You can try a range of courses or take a major or minor in a non-arts subject, such computing, science or marketing. The choice is yours.
In your first year, we recommend taking some electives from a range of discipline areas in the Bachelor of Arts to help you get a feel for which major could be the best fit for you. This will give you some flexibility to change plans if you find your preferred subject area isn’t what you expected it to be.
We also recommend holding some ANU electives in reserve to keep other opportunities open, such as international exchange, internships, and meeting the transdisciplinary requirements of your degree.
You may have noticed that the Bachelor of Arts does not have any specified “compulsory” courses. There are lists of majors, but no specific course that absolutely must be taken. A major in the Bachelor of Arts might have compulsory courses, but the program itself does not.
Study Options
Study Options - FDD
For study plans, please visit cass.anu.edu.au/current-students/degrees-and-program-plansStudy Options
| Year 1 48 units | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
Disciplines
Transdisciplinary Problem-Solving Courses (TD)
Transdisciplinary courses at the ANU are courses that encourage students to collaborate across different disciplines and perspectives to solve complex problems. These courses help students develop skills to synthesise knowledge from different fields.
In this degree, you will have to complete 12 units of courses flagged as Transdisciplinary Problem-Solving (TD). TD courses can be identified using the Programs and Courses search engine.
You can satisfy this requirement through a course/s listed in the program or through the ANU electives it all depends on how you structure your degree and your other enrolment choices.
Academic Advice
Course credit
If you have undertaken previous study that is relevant to your current academic program, you can request to receive course credit. For more information and how to apply, see the CASS credit application webpage, or contact the CASS Student Office.
For further information on prerequisites and Arts and Social Science disciplines you can:
Email us at students.cass@anu.edu.au, or
Come and talk to someone - you can attend a drop in session with an academic advisor here
Back to the Bachelor of Pacific Studies page
The Bachelor of Pacific Studies is offered through the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs. Upon completion of this degree, you will have developed specific knowledge of Pacific Studies and a range of transferable skills that will prepare you for work or further study.
Single degree
- This degree requires the completion of 144 units
- A maximum of 60 units of 1000 level courses is allowed
- 48 units must come from completion of the Pacific Studies major
- 24 units from completion of a minor approved by the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
- 72 units from completion of elective courses offered by ANU
Double degree
- This degree requires the completion of 96 units
- A maximum of 36 units of 1000 level courses is allowed
- 48 units must come from completion of the Pacific Studies major
- 24 units from completion of a minor approved by the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
- 24 units from completion of elective courses offered by ANU
About this degree
Single degree
In a Bachelor of Pacific Studies single degree program you will study a total of 144 units. Typically you will take 4 courses per semester (total of 24 units) as a full time student giving you a total of 24 (6-unit) courses across your whole degree. Once you have fulfilled the requirements of the Pacific Studies major, you can try a range of courses or take a major or minor in a subject of your choice.
Double degree
You will need to complete a minimum of 96 units towards the Bachelor of Pacific Studies degree but will also get to choose 4 courses (24 units) from other ANU Colleges.
Enrolment Status
It is possible to enrol in fewer courses per semester but it will take you longer to finish your program and get your degree. If you are an international student you must always be enrolled full-time in 24 units each semester.
Remember you will need to enrol in courses for both First Semester and Second Semester. You will be able to change your enrolment in courses up until the end of week 2 of each semester without penalty.
Important things to keep in mind when choosing your 1000-level courses
If you are intending to enrol into our language courses and have previous experience with the language you want to study, even if you think it might not be relevant or was too long ago, you need to sit a placement test for the College to ensure you are enrolled into the most appropriate level of language study.
Relevant past experience include:
- Previous study of the language
- Being exposed to the language in childhood
- Travel or living in a country where the language is spoken
- The language being spoken in your home (even if you don’t speak it)
Languages available for the placement test:
- Indonesian
- Chinese
- Japanese
- Korean
Majors and Minors
See available majors and minors for this program
Students in this degree must complete a Pacific Studies Major, and a minor from the following list:
- Anthropology
- Archaeology
- Development Studies
- Environmental Studies
- Environmental Policy
- Heritage and Museum Studies
- History
- Human Ecology
- Australian Indigenous Studies
- International Relations
- Political Science
- Social Research Methods
- Sociology
- Chinese
- French Language and Culture
- German Language and Culture
- Hindi
- Indonesian
- Japanese
- Spanish
- Biodiversity Conservation and Management
- Climate Science and Policy
- Environmental Policy
- Forest Science and Policy
- Geography
- Human Ecology
- Integrative Methods in Environment and Society
- Soil and Land Management
- Sustainable Development
- Water Science and Policy
- Philosophy
- Visual Arts Practice
- Anthropology
- Archaeology
- Development Studies
- Environmental Studies
- Gender, Sexuality and Culture
- Geography
- History
- International Relations
- Political Science
- Sociology
- Chinese
- French Language and Culture
- German Language and Culture
- Hindi
- Indonesian
- Japanese
- Spanish
- Environmental and Landscape Sciences
- Natural Resource Management
- Sustainability Science
- Philosophy
Electives
You can use your electives to enrol in any courses that you like, provided you meet prerequisite requirements. Students who choose to do a second major will need to take the additional 24 units for their major from their electives.
To find 1000-level
courses, use the catalogue finder. Remember you can choose up to 8
courses from another ANU College at the University if you are
undertaking the single Bachelor of Pacific Studies program.
Study Options
Bachelor of Pacific Studies Double Degree Study Plan
Study Options
| Year 1 48 units | PASI1011 Pacific Encounters: An introduction to Pacific Studies 6 units | Language Course 6 units | Course from other Degree 6 units | Course from other Degree 6 units |
| PASI1012 Pacific Worlds: critical inquiry in Oceania 6 units | Language Course 6 units | Course from other Degree 6 units | Course from other Degree 6 units |