Australian residents
International students
Intakes: 

2023: February, May, July

Duration: 
3 years
Location: 
Footscray Park
Fees: 

2023: A$13,700*
* fee per semester

Application due dates:
We are currently accepting applications for this course.
Apply

Overview

Follow your passions and drive your career forward, gaining essential workplace skills and knowledge in your Bachelor of Arts (BA) at Victoria University.

An arts degree is the ideal preparation for today's fast-changing world. You'll develop specific skills for your chosen career, along with research, writing and communication expertise, which are essential in a broad range of work environments.

Turn your passion into your career by selecting units of personal interest. Bachelor of Arts students complete one or two majors, which will be listed on your qualification. VU specialises in these areas, with expert lecturers and current course content:

This course offers maximum flexibility if you are undecided about career choice. It lets you combine units from different areas to create a base of knowledge that you can to draw on when applying for work in various fields.

Our Bachelor of Arts is distinctive for its focus on academic disciplines that are engaged with the workplace and community. You'll benefit from our strong network of community and industry partners, and practical and workplace learning.

We have a dedicated discipline minor Aboriginal Yulendj (Knowledge) and Community that will give you knowledge needed for working with Aboriginal communities.

Opportunities for applied learning include:

  • digital media labs
  • psychology labs
  • studio spaces (music, TV and radio).

We offer on-the-job learning for students through a wide range of industry partners that have included Malthouse Theatre, Penguin Books, Beat Media, ABC, Channel 10, SBS, St Vincent de Paul, local councils and the Parliament of Victoria.

In your third year of the Bachelor of Arts, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in real-world projects with our industry and community partners. You can make valuable industry connections before you even graduate.

You’ll develop skills in organisation, teamwork and project management.

Past examples include:

  • Big West Festival
  • Doutta Gala Aged Care Services mural
  • Melbourne Fringe Festival
  • Parliamentary internship
  • Footscray Centenary
  • Offset creative arts journal.

At VU you can spend part of your degree studying overseas all while gaining credits towards your course.

Immerse yourself in a new culture and learn from a new perspective, while building experiences that will help you to stand out in the competitive job market.

VU has industry-standard facilities and state-of-the-art creative learning spaces.

  • Kindred Studios – a professional music industry facility that includes rehearsal, performance and recording spaces and equipment.
  • Our media production precinct at Footscray Park Campus includes:
    • TV studio and radio studio (including HD cameras, green screen)
    • post production labs
    • hair, makeup and costume facilities and a green room
    • professional audio recording equipment and editing software.

An Arts degree is ideal preparation for today's changing world. It develops the highly sought-after skills of communication, problem-solving, teamwork and analytical thinking.

You'll learn to research and write well – skills that are essential in large areas of employment for producing reports, speeches, newsletters, digital communications, websites, print publications, and video and radio scripts.

Being successful in a modern society requires a broader understanding of humanity and people. Studying the arts, humanities, or social sciences will help you meet that need.

Our arts degree is not about rote learning and sitting tests. It's about developing skills that are applicable in the work place.

One of the ways you will demonstrate these skills is in your capstone project.

This is an exciting opportunity to create a professional piece of work in your an area of specialisation.

Examples include:

  • an exhibition of your art or photography
  • an in-depth report based on community, workplace or historical research
  • a performance of a play you have written
  • showing your short film
  • creating and presenting a website
  • producing and presenting creative writing.

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Related

Careers in arts and humanities

Our BA provides a strong foundation for a range of exciting careers in the humanities, creative arts and social sciences. Your skills in communication, research, critical analysis and teamwork will be highly sought after, and are transferable to almost any workplace. You may choose to do further study, as many professional careers are best served by graduates with a generalist first degree.

You'll be prepared for a wide range of roles in government or the public service, community and non-government organisations, business, education and media.

VU Bachelor of Arts graduates often go on to work in the following areas:

  • journalism, writing or strategic communications
  • teaching (a popular choice following completion of a Masters of Teaching)
  • creative arts administration
  • public service and policy work
  • community sector
  • creative arts
  • software development
  • corporate management.

See salary information for an Arts graduate in Australia (via PayScale).

Career options with this qualification are varied. For example, these are the average annual salaries (via Labour Market Insights) in Australia for:

Writing her own future

Writing her own future

Gaining professional skills and confidence through her work placements enabled Raquel Stevens to make great inroads into her career in the arts.

assets/arrow-long Created with Sketch.

Course structure

To attain the Bachelor of Arts students will be required to complete 288 credit points consisting of:

  • 96 credit points of Core studies
  • 96 credit points of Major 1 

And select either:

  • 96 credit points of Major 2 
  • 2 x 48 credit points Minor studies  

Note: Students intending to select 'Psychology' as their Major undertake APP1012 Psychology 1A, APP1013 Psychology 1B, in their first year of study instead of ABA1004 Text and Representation and ACU1002 Creativity, Communication and the Digital Age.

First Year Core units

First Year Core units for students undertaking Psychology Major:

Majors

Minors

We are the first Australian university to use a 'block' model of learning, where you study one unit at a time rather than juggling several at once.

Introduced in 2018, the VU Block Model has improved our student results and achievements, and has won awards for innovation and excellence. Initially for first-year students, it now applies to all students studying at our Melbourne campuses.

You'll study in short bursts, called blocks, of three 2-3 hour face-to-face teaching sessions per week.

Each block focuses on one unit (subject) and is only four weeks long, with up to four days between. Our two semesters have four blocks each, and there are optional blocks over winter and summer where you can catch up on a missed unit.

Some courses have labs and pracs too, and these are generally scheduled on the same days as teaching sessions. There are also workshops where you'll develop your study skills and prepare for your future career.

Find out more about the VU Block Model.

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Critically review theory, research and practice in the humanities, social sciences and creative arts;  
  2. Critically reflect on the patterns of social, cultural, historical and political experience of society;  
  3. Plan, execute and communicate research and critical inquiry into the lives of communities of diverse places, experiences, discourses and time;  
  4. Exhibit a high degree of proficiency in active reading of complex texts, including collection and analysis of resource materials including the composition of oral and written material;  
  5. Demonstrate independence, self- reflection and creativity to meet goals and challenges in professional and academic pursuits  
  6. Employ advanced interpersonal and collaborative skills, consistent with professional and ethical practice, when working with people of diverse cultural backgrounds.  

What's a unit?

A unit or 'subject' is the actual class you'll attend in the process of completing a course.

Most courses have a mixture of compulsory 'core' units that you need to take and optional elective units that you can choose to take based on your area of interest, expertise or experience.

Credits

Each unit is worth a set amount of study credits based on the amount of time you study. Generally, 1 credit is equal to 1 hour of study per week.

Admissions

Victoria University is committed to providing a transparent admissions process. Find out more about how to apply for our courses, and our commitment to admissions transparency.

Applicants for this course will need to have met the academic requirements and prerequisites for this course outlined below.

Meeting the minimum admission criteria does not guarantee entry into this course. Past academic performance may be considered.

Entry requirements

Completion of an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate (VCE or equivalent) including Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 25 in English (EAL) or 20 in any other English (or equivalent).
OR:
Completion of an Australian Advanced Diploma or Diploma (or equivalent).
PLUS:
IELTS (or equivalent): Overall score or 6.0 (with no band less than 6.0 in Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking).
OR:
Completion of a Foundation course or equivalent.

Find out if you meet the entry requirements, including English language and academic requirements.

Pathways & credits

There are many ways you can start your education journey at VU. Pathways offer an easy transition between courses at different levels, so that you can start with a certificate and progress right through to postgraduate study.

If you have completed any of the following course(s), you will be guaranteed a place in this course. In some cases you may receive credit for your previous study, reducing the time it takes to complete your course.

Diploma of Community Development CHC52115

You will be credited for up to 96 credit points of study.

Diploma of Community Services CHC52015

You will be credited for up to 96 credit points of study.

Diploma of Education Studies

You will be credited for up to 96 credit points of study.

Foundations at VU JYAC

You will be guaranteed entry only.

International Foundations at VU (Extended) JQAH

You will be guaranteed entry only.

International Foundations at VU JQAG

You will be guaranteed entry only.

Find out more about pathways and credits.

If you have completed any of the following course(s), you will be guaranteed a place in this course. In some cases you may receive credit for your previous study, reducing the time it takes to complete your course.

Diploma of Sport

SEDA Group, Australia

You will be guaranteed entry only.

Find out more about pathways and credits.

Use our credit calculator to find out how much credit you could get towards your course, based on your previous study.

If you have completed study with another university or institution and believe you are eligible to receive credit for skills and past study, you can apply for advanced standing.

Applications for advanced standing can be made after a discussion with your course chair or academic adviser.

Credit Calculator

Find out how much credit you could get towards your course, based on your previous study.

CALCULATE YOUR CREDIT

How to apply

We are currently accepting international applications, and we welcome you to apply for this course.

Click 'apply' to begin, and we will guide you through the application process.

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If you have questions, please get in touch:

Information and fees listed above are for non-resident students. Fees are accurate at the time of viewing and will be subject to annual increases. Some courses require students to purchase equipment or clothing that they will need in the course. These equipment or clothing costs are not included in the course fees listed above – check your Letter of Offer for an estimate on non-tuition-fee-related expenses.

VU takes care to ensure the accuracy of this course information, but reserves the right to change or withdraw courses offered at any time. Please check that course information is current with the Student Contact Centre.