Bachelor of Arts
Expand your horizons.
For domestic students only.
Take the lead and broaden your career prospects by studying for a Bachelor of Arts at UNSW Canberra. This undergraduate degree will enrich your understanding of the world and challenge you to think outside the box. If you're a creative problem solver then this multifaceted Arts degree could be for you.
Degree type
Undergraduate(ATAR Indicative 75.00)
Duration
3 years full-time
Commencing terms
Semester 1
Program code
4400
Delivery mode
On campus
Learn to lead
A UNSW Canberra the Bachelor of Arts degree gives you strong communicationand researchskills-essential attributes of effective leaders in the Australian Defence Force. Thisdegree enriches your understanding of how human beings make and debate life’s meaning and values. Students develop their capacity for critical analysis and argument as well as an awareness of the valueof language as a political, intellectual, creative and communicative tool. The diverse range of courses and electives form pathways for majors in:
Business
English & Media Studies
Geography
History
Indonesian Studies
- Indo-Pacific Studies
- International & Political Studies (IPS).
World-class teaching &facilities
The UNSW Canberra School of Humanities & Social Sciences is recognised for academic excellence in both research and teaching. We offer an outstanding higher education experience for our unique and diverse student population, with the best university teacher-to-student ratio in Australia. Our researchers and teaching staff are experts in their fields and are dedicated to developing future global leaders in defence and industry.
UNSW Canberra is home to several unique state-of-the-art facilities. When you study with us, you’ll have exclusive access to the UNSW Canberra Academy Library Special Collections. Items of national significance include more than300 manuscript collections, 13,000 rare items and papers of the former Prime Minister John Howard.
What our students say
“Studying at UNSW Canberra as a Trainee Officer has provided me with an amazing opportunity to study with world-class lecturers. The small class sizes have helped me to gain a more thorough understanding of course content.”
Jade Burton, Bachelor of Arts Student
Arts & humanities in an ADF Career
Arts degrees are flexible,allowing you to choose from a variety of study areas and keep your options open. The skills you develop in critical thinking, leadership, and management are transferable and will equip you for an exciting and fulfilling career in the Australian Defence Force within theNavy, Armyor Air Force.
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The study of business broadly covers economics, accounting, management, and human resources, setting you up with fundamental skills to propel you into a successful career. By studying business, you’ll explore various key management skills and develop practical knowledge of strategy, leadership, effective decision-making, and other fundamental managerial concepts.
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English and Media Studies sets you up with sophisticated knowledge of the world’s literary heritage and contemporary culture, spanning across classical heroic epics to contemporary social media. Throughout this major, you’ll ask yourself questions such as ‘how does language persuade and move us?’ and ‘how does culture respond to or imagine war?’.
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Geography is the study of both the physical and human environments that we live in, encompassing the interactions we experience day-to-day with nature and other people. Through the use of techniques like Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing, geography enables us to analyse our environment and society, bridging the gap between social and natural sciences.
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History seeks to understand individual and group behaviour and explain the forces that have shaped human civilisation through social change, wars, revolutions, and popular movements. Historical analysis examines the relationships between past events and the present, providing you with fundamental skills in how to assimilate and weight evidence, analyse problems, and balance different points of view.
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Indonesia is one of Australia’s most important neighbouring countries. Indonesian studies will help you develop the ability to read, write, speak, and understand the standard Indonesian language, while also exposing you to a broad overview of Indonesian society and culture. No prior Indonesian knowledge is required.
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Indo-Pacific Studies is an interdisciplinary field that will assist you in understanding the political, economic, cultural and security dynamics of the Indo-Pacific region. Pursuing a major in Indo-Pacific Studies will allow you to develop a more informed perspective on the region, and equip you as part of a generation of future leaders to pursue both collaboration with regional partners and stability and peace in the Indo-Pacific.
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International & Political Studies (IPS) involves the study of power and norms in a dynamic and rapidly changing global environment. IPS aims to cover the major factors, ideas and key issues of domestic, regional, and global politics, international relations, and ethical thought, all of which have a profound impact on Australia’s national security and place in the world.
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Chief of the Defence Force Program
The Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) programs offer the opportunity for studentsentering UNSW Canberra with a high Entrance Rank, and who maintain a high level ofperformance in their studies, to undertake research in a range of disciplines that willdevelop their critical thinking and independent research skills beyond that available inthe standard bachelor degree programs.
The range of CDF programs is characterised by theinclusion of specialist courses in critical analysis and/orresearch methods appropriate to the area of study.All programs also include discipline-specific researchprojects. The research projects will be supervisedby academic staff from the relevant discipline. Withthe approval of the Head of School, multi- or cross-disciplinaryprojects may be undertaken. Students inthe research courses may work independently or aspart of a team, depending on the nature of the projectundertaken, though all students will submit an individualassessment. The final assessment will be based on a writtenpaper or report and oral presentations.
Throughout the program, students will be engaged incohort activities so as to develop and maintain their interestand continuing involvement in the program via invitedlectures, seminars, general reading and social events.
