Bachelor of Arts

Overview

A Bachelor of Arts degree is one of the traditional and most popular university degrees, though it has changed in shape and content throughout the years and from country to country. The BA today is made up of subjects with origins in the humanities; history, literature, languages and philosophy. During the nineteenth century the disciplines we now know as the social sciences developed; economics, sociology, politics, psychology, anthropology and geography. While universities package courses in a variety of ways, these and related disciplines are generally included in an Arts degree, even if they are not located in an Arts Faculty.

The Australian pattern of study for a BA has been focused on a sequence of subjects that form a major in a wider pattern of subjects, providing the student with a broader knowledge of humanities and social sciences. The major can take many forms, with the unity and coherence of the degree constructed in one of two ways. The study of a discipline can form the basis of the sequence of studies, giving students a developing set of skills in 'doing' the discipline while they acquire a set of conceptual frameworks and a body of knowledge interpreted using those frameworks. For example, within the study of 'history', students learn how to research and write history, as well as how to read what historians have thought about the past. An area of interdisciplinary studies can also form the focus of a degree. Australian Studies, Asia-Pacific Studies and Gender Studies are examples of study areas offered at the University of Wollongong. Students learn skills from several disciplines while working on a particular theme or area, for example, the history and literature of a region, or sociological, political and contextual approaches to film.

Advanced Standing

Information about Approved Credit Transfer Arrangements is available at http://www.uow.edu.au/handbook/generalcourserules/UOW028672.html

Entry Requirements / Assumed Knowledge

NSW HSC entry through UAC

Students apply through UAC and satisfy the UAI requirement for the year of application.

Assumed knowledge: any two units of English.

Other Secondary Qualifications

Students with secondary qualifications outside NSW will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Tertiary Qualifications

Applications will be considered from students with the following tertiary qualifications:

A completed two-year Diploma or Advanced Diploma from TAFE or another accredited institution;

Not less that one-sixth of a Bachelor degree from an approved university;

Other tertiary courses approved by the University of Wollongong.

Overseas Qualifications

Students with tertiary qualifications obtained overseas will be considered, provided that they satisfy University's minimum admission requirements.

Alternative Entry (Domestic applicants)

STAT test

UAP

Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander alternative entry program

Course Requirements

To qualify for award of the degree of Bachelor of Arts a student must complete a total of at least 144 credit points of subjects by satisfactory completion of subjects listed in the Course Structures of the Bachelor of Arts offered by member units of the Faculty of Arts (course code 702, 702A, 702BB, 702BE, 702SH or 702MV and other subjects as approved by the Faculty.

The 144 credit points shall include:

a) for course code 702, 702A, 702BB, 702BE, 702SH or 702MV, the subjects prescribed for one of the majors listed in the Course Structures for that degree and offered by member units of the Faculty of Arts;

b) not more than 60 credit points in 100-level subjects (single degree);

c) For course code 702, 702A, 702BB, 702BE, 702SH or 702MV, students may undertake two major studies (known as a double major) within the requirements of the degree as prescribed by the Faculty.

For course code 702, 702A, 702BB, 702BE, 702SH or 702MV, minor studies are also available in all areas covered by the majors, including secondary majors as specified by the relevant Faculty provided they meet the requirements. A minor consists of a minimum of 28 credit points of which no more than 12 credit points at 100 level.

Students may not cross count subjects from a nominated minor into any other minor or major.

A candidate for course code 702, 702A, 702BB, 702BE, 702SH or 702MV who has registered for two major studies, for which there are common subjects at any level may count one subject twice towards the requirements of the major studies, but may only count the credit points once towards the credit points required by the course.

Arts double degree programs:

a) For course codes 703, 720, 747, 771, the major study required for the Arts component of the double degree will be selected from one of the majors offered by member units of the Faculty of Arts and approved for inclusion in the Course Structures of the Bachelor of Arts (course code 702);

b) include a minimum of 90 credit points taken from subjects offered by the member units of the Faculty of Arts; and

c) not more than 90 credit points at 100 level.

d) For course codes 704, 704E, 704F and 794, the double degree shall follow the prescriptions set by the relevant faculty.

Exception: Students majoring in Psychology or Population Health in Arts double degree programs will complete the subjects prescribed for those majors in the Course Structures of the Bachelor of Arts offered by the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences (course code 708).

Major Study Areas from the Faculty of Arts

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts within the Faculty of Arts must take one of these majors:

− Aboriginal Studies

− Asia-Pacific Studies

− Australian Studies

− Community, Culture and Environment*

− English Language and Linguistics

− English Literatures

− European Studies

− French

− Gender Studies

− History

− Information Studies

− Italian

− Japanese

− Media and Cultural Studies

− Philosophy

− Politics

− Resource and Environmental Studies

− Science, Technology and Society

− Sociology

− War and Society

*available at the Shoalhaven Campus and the Bega, Batemans Bay and Moss Vale access centres only. For details see the Bachelor of Arts (Community and Environment).

Minor Studies

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts within the Faculty of Arts may choose from the following minors:

− Aboriginal Studies

− Asia-Pacific Studies

− Australian Studies

− English Language and Linguistics

− English Literatures

− Environmental Studies*

− European Studies

− French

− Gender Studies

− History

− Industrial Relations

− Information Studies

− Italian

− Japanese

− Media and Cultural Studies

− Philosophy

− Politics

− Resource and Environmental Studies

− Science, Technology and Society

− Sociology

− Spanish

− War and Society

*available at the Shoalhaven Campus and the Bega, Batemans Bay and Moss Vale access centres only.

Internship and International Subjects

(See subject descriptions for more information on these subjects)

If students take a major taught by member units of the Faculty of Arts, they may take as a Secondary major any other major offered by the University provided they meet its requirements.

The more traditional second majors taken are:

− Economics

− Education

− Geography

− Legal Studies

− Management

− Marketing

− Psychology

Assessment

Assessment in this course varies between subjects and programs, but typically can include a combination of essays, tutorial/seminar presentations, WebCT exercises and, in some subjects, in-class tests and/or exams. Some subjects may have an additional practical component. The assessment requirements of each subject are set out in the individual subject outlines, which students receive in the first week of session.

Honours

See separate entry for the Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

The Faculty of Arts Honours Handbook can be accessed as a PDF document from the Faculty of Arts home page at: http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/

Last reviewed: 3 September, 2007