Courses

You are here

Bachelor of Arts

On this page

Choose your specialisation from a range of subject areas and open up a world of career options.

The Bachelor of Arts gives you the flexibility to choose from a broad range of specialisations (formerly known as majors) and tailor the program to match your interests.

You can study overseas for a semester at one of our many international partner institutes. You will participate in a major project with industry or community organisations in your third year.

Choose from:

Course Essentials

How to apply

We are currently accepting applications for this course. Applications close on 25 January 2013

Methods of applying:

  • You can apply direct to VU

Please note that part-time study may not be available at all campuses.

Already a VU student?

You can transfer into this course through our internal transfer process.

For more info contact the
College of Arts

Gender Studies Lecturer Catherine Balmer discusses the unit.  
Read Transcript   

Back to top

Careers

  • publisher
  • consultant for public service and government communications
  • writer
  • event coordinator
  • theatre director
  • film maker
  • project manager in arts management

Learn more about your career options on the Australian government's Career Information and Resources website.

VU student talk about her experience

Literal success

Teagan Standing succeeds in her chosen career after completing her arts degree at Victoria University.

"I chose to complete a Bachelor of Arts at Victoria...

Read more
Back to top

Study pathways

There are recognised study pathways for this course. You may be able to complete your course faster by getting credit for previous study.

Diploma to undergraduate degree

You will get credit in the Bachelor of Arts (ABBA) if you have studied this undergraduate Diploma course at VU:

Diploma of Education Studies

  • You will get a year of credit.

There are recognised study pathways for this course. You may be able to complete your course faster by getting credit for previous study.

VU TAFE to undergraduate

You can get credit in the Bachelor of Arts (ABBA) if you have studied one of these TAFE courses at VU:

Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing

  • You may get up to a year of credit.

Diploma of Liberal Arts

  • You may get up to a year of credit.

Transferring to VU

You can get credit in the Bachelor of Arts (ABBA) for study you have done at other universities. We have formal credit transfer arrangements for this course with the following universities

Yew Chung Community College of International Studies, Kowloon, Hong Kong

  • If you studied the Two-Year Associate in Arts Programme you may get up to a year of credit.

Yew Chung Community College, Shanghai

  • If you studied the Two-Year Associate in Arts Programme you may get up to a year of credit.

Temasek Polytechnic

  • If you studied the Diploma in Gerontological Management Studies you may get up to a year of credit.

To find out more about the pathways available for this course, please contact the .

Recognition of prior learning (RPL)

Get credit for your work, study and life experience through our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process.

Find out more about Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

Graduate faster

If you've done previous study related to this course, you may be awarded credit. This means you can graduate in less time.

Completing this course also gives you a head-start on other at VU courses at a higher level of study.

We also award credit for relevant work and life experience. This is called Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

Back to top

Course Objectives

Graduates of this course will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate critical awareness and understanding of theory and research in chosen areas of study;
  2. Gain insights into their own lives and the patterns of social, cultural and political experience of society in general;
  3. Generate, organise and undertake research into the life of their community;
  4. Apply academic skills in reading, note-taking and collection and organisation of resource materials including the presentation of oral and written material;
  5. Employ skill and confidence in group discussion and activity;
  6. Apply interpersonal skills consistent with professional practice.
Back to top

Units and electives

To be awarded the degree of Bachelor of Arts students must have successfully completed a total of 288 credit points. Students are also encouraged to undertake a semester overseas taking advantage of the University’s Study Abroad program, where students undertake an approved study plan, which still enables them to satisfy the requirements of the degree. Students must satisfy the following requirements:

  • 24 semester-length units;
  • A minimum of 25% of assessment in Learning in the Workplace and Community (LiWC);
  • No more than ten first-year units;
  • No more than eight units from outside the course. ie. at least 16 units must be Bachelor of Arts units.

Units from other courses in and outside the Faculty can also be chosen with permission from the Coordinator. Students may also undertake units at other Universities with the permission of the Coordinator. Students may also undertake ACX3002 Special Project in a specialisation of their choice, with the approval of the specialisation Coordinator. Students should undertake ACX3002 only once in their degree.

COURSE STRUCTURE FOR STUDENTS WHO DO NOT STUDY PSYCHOLOGY AS A SPECIALISATION

Year 1, Semester 1

Specialisation 1, Unit 1

Specialisation 2, Unit 1

Plus ONE Elective (12 credit points)

Year 1, Semester 2

Specialisation 1, Unit 2

Specialisation 2, Unit 2

Plus TWO Electives (2 x 12 credit points)

The following unit is recommended as a first-year elective:

Year 2, Semester 1

Specialisation 1, Unit 3

Specialisation 2, Unit 3

Plus ONE Elective (12 credit points)

Year 2, Semester 2

Specialisation 1, Unit 4

Specialisation 2, Unit 4

Plus TWO Electives (2 x 12 credit points)

Year 3, Semester 1

Specialisation 1, Unit 5

Specialisation 2, Unit 5

Plus ONE Elective (12 credit points)

Year 3, Semester 2

Specialisation 1, Unit 6

Specialisation 2, Unit 6

Plus ONE Elective (12 credit points)

COURSE STRUCTURE FOR STUDENTS WHO STUDY PSYCHOLOGY AS A SPECIALISATION

Year 1, Semester 1

Specialisation 1, Unit 1

Plus ONE Elective

Year 1, Semester 2

Specialisation 1, Unit 2

Plus TWO Electives

The following units are recommended as first-year electives:

(APP1016 is particularly relevant for students studying Psychology)

Year 2, Semester 1

Specialisation 1, Unit 3

Plus ONE Elective

Year 2, Semester 2

Specialisation 1, Unit 4

Plus ONE Psychology Elective

Plus ONE Elective

Year 3, Semester 1

Specialisation 1, Unit 5

Plus ONE Elective*

* It is recommended that students take the following unit as a third-year, first-semester elective:

Year 3, Semester 2

Specialisation 1, Unit 6

Plus ONE Psychology Elective

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.

Back to top

Admission Information

  • TAFE: VET applicants will be considered and pathways are available from a range of VET courses.
  • Year 12: VCE with minimum study score of 20 in English units 3 and 4 (any) or equivalent.
  • International: Completion of a secondary school qualification equivalent to Australia's year 12 or VCE qualification. IELTS minimum 6.0 (no band less than 6).
  • Mature: Applicants with relevant work, education and/or community experience may be considered on the basis of equivalence.

Special admission requirements

Applicants may also apply on an Alternative Category Entry basis

Back to top

How to apply for this course

We are currently accepting applications for this course.

You can apply direct to VU. Applications close on 25 January 2013.

When you're ready to apply:

  1. Read the Advice to applicants (contains details about how to apply for your course, extra requirements, what happens when you submit your application and other important information).
  2. Complete the Higher education direct entry application form.
  3. As part of the application you may need to complete extra requirements such as:
    • submit supplementary forms
    • attend an interview, audition, information session or workshop
    • submit a folio
    • sit a test

Details about extra requirements are available from the College of Arts.

You need to complete all extra requirements by the given dates, otherwise your application may not be considered.

Transferring between VU courses

Want to transfer into this course from another VU course? Complete the Victoria University internal course application form and check whether you need to complete any extra requirements, listed above.

You can also contact us directly:

  • Faculty of Arts, Education and Human Development Student Centre
    Phone:+61 3 9919 4409
    Email:  aehdcourses@vu.edu.au
  • Ring us on +61 3 9919 6100
  • Find answers and ask questions at GOTOVU

Get in touch

Contact us to discuss your course options:

Ring us on +61 3 9919 6100

Find answers and ask questions at GOTOVU

At Victoria University, we make every reasonable effort to make sure the information displayed online about our courses is accurate and complete. We continually look to provide innovative courses. Those courses are shaped by a number of things including your feedback and changes in Government funding arrangements. As a result there may be changes to the courses we deliver and fees charged. We will update the website regularly to reflect any changes.

Information about course fees, articulation and credit transfer, recognition of prior learning, admission and enrolment procedures, examinations, and services available to students can be accessed on the University’s website or by contacting the University directly on +61 3 9919 6100.

Back to top