Bachelor of Arts

* The Bachelor of Arts offered at Bega, Batemans Bay, Southern Highlands & Shoalhaven Campuses is listed in a different page - Bachelor of Arts (Satellite Campuses).

Overview

A Bachelor of Arts degree is one of the more traditional and 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 and the disciplines developed during the nineteenth century that we now know as the social sciences; cultural studies, sociology and politics. 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 always located in the Faculty.

Entry Requirements

Academic requirements and English requirements are available from the Course Finder.

Course Learning Outcomes

Students graduating from the Bachelor of Arts will be able to:

1. Evaluate complex issues and ideas about society and culture;
2. Apply disciplinary knowledge and skills in a variety of real-world professional contexts;
3. Communicate concepts effectively to a range of audiences.

Course Structure

To qualify for award of the degree of Bachelor of Arts course code 702, a student must complete a total of at least 144 credit points as outlined in the table below:

Introduction to Arts and the Humanities

Introduction to Arts and the Humanities (subject code LHA101) is a compulsory 6 credit point subject that must be undertaken by each student during their first year, and ideally during their first session. Students will be introduced to key concepts including critical thinking, digital literacy, academic integrity, effective communication and degree and career planning.

This subject is designed to orient and support students during their first session of university and to provide students with the academic skills necessary to succeed in their first year. The subject will also assist students to understand the structure of their degree, to plan their study pathway and to plan for post-university careers.

Majors and Minors

Choosing a Major (Wollongong)

The Bachelor of Arts (702), is one of the more open degrees offered by the University. Rather than relying on a prescribed program of study, it offers students a range of choices. The degree offers majors in the disciplinary areas familiar from study at school, like English Literatures, History and Languages. Other disciplinary areas that might not be as familiar, include Cultural Studies, Philosophy, Sociology, Politics and Science and Technology Studies. The study of a discipline gives students a developing set of skills 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.

The Bachelor of Arts also offers interdisciplinary studies. These are built around either a place (for example Australian Studies or European Studies) or a theme (for example Indigenous Studies). These areas reach across disciplines to illustrate different ways an issue can be explored. Australian Studies relies on History and Indigenous Studies. Interdisciplinary study areas ask the students to step outside the comfort zone offered by disciplinary majors and offer challenging alternatives to traditional areas of study.

Most majors offered in the Bachelor of Arts require either 52 or 54 credit points although some require more (for example, those taking a Language as a beginner). Some majors are quite open in their requirements allowing students to navigate their way through the program by meeting credit point requirements at each level (for example, English Literatures). Others have core subject requirements to complete the major (for example Sociology). All majors require at least a pass in 24 credit points (or three subjects) at 300 level from the subjects offered for the major. The requirements for each major are set out later in this Handbook.

Choosing a Major (Bega, Batemans Bay, Southern Highlands & Shoalhaven)

For information on Bachelor of Arts majors offered at Bega, Batemans Bay, Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven campuses please see the separate entry on - Bachelor of Arts (Satellite Campuses).

Majors

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

• Chinese (Mandarin) for Character Background Students
• Chinese (Mandarin) for Non-Chinese Background Students
• Creative Writing
• Cultural Studies
• English Literatures
• French
• History
• Indigenous Studies
• Italian
• Japanese
• Philosophy
• Photography
• Politics
• Science and Technology Studies
• Sociology
• Spanish
• Writing and English Literatures

 Minors

Students may not cross-count any subjects from the minor in any other minor or major study.

Minor studies are recorded on a student’s academic transcript. Students are reminded that to have a minor study recorded they need to declare their minor study by submitting an Application to Declare or Change Intended Major/Minor.

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts (702) at Wollongong may choose from the following minors:

• Asia Pacific Studies
• Australian Studies
• Chinese (Mandarin) for Character Background Students
• Chinese (Mandarin) for Non-Chinese Background Students
• Creative Writing
• Cultural Studies
• English Language & Linguistics
• English Literatures
• European Studies
• French
• History
• Indigenous Studies
• Indonesian*
• Italian
• Japanese
• Philosophy
• Philosophy of Psychology
• Photography
• Politics
• Science and Technology Studies
• Sociology
• Spanish

* Available by cross institutional study only

Internship and International Subjects

The Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts internship program provides students with an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in their degree in a workplace setting. The internship subject ARTS301 * is offered to all Arts students providing they meet the pre-requisites. Another popular internship facilitated by the Faculty is the Politics Internship. The Politics internship subject POL 301 presents interested students with the opportunity to be an intern at Washington, New York or Canberra. Read more about the Faculty Internship Program on our website.

* Subject is currently under review and not on offer in 2015. Students are encouraged to enrol in CRLP200/201 whilst ARTS301 is under review.

One of the Faculty's aims is to encourage students to study in an overseas university. Students can study abroad for a full session taking three to four subjects, or can study abroad for a shorter period of time by taking a study tour. The Faculty's study tour subjects currently focus on War History and incorporate visits to Gallipoli and the Western Front. Both subjects are listed below:

Honours

See separate entry for the Bachelor of Arts (Honours).

The Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts Honours Handbook can be accessed as a PDF document from the Faculty Honours Students page.

Dean's Scholars Degree or Double Degree

In January of each year, the Faculty invites applications from high achieving students to apply to transfer into the Bachelor of Arts Dean's Scholars Degree or Double Degree.

Selection Criteria

To be eligible to apply for a place in the Bachelor of Arts Dean's Scholars Degree or Double Degree, applicants would normally meet the following criteria:

• Currently enrolled in the BA 702 or any other degree;
• Full-time student;
• Have successfully completed two full sessions of study or 8 subjects;
• Have a WAM (weighted average mark) of at least 80.

For more information including the full list of Dean's Scholars Degrees and to how to apply online visit the LHA Dean Scholars website.

Credit Arrangements

Credit and articulation arrangements are available from the Course Finder. Refer to UOW's credit arrangements for information on how to apply for credit.

Other Information

Further information is available at:
UOW Course Finder
Email: lha-enquiries@uow.edu.au