Bachelor of Fine Arts/Arts
Explore your passion for arts and culture.
Domestic
International
Shape your degree around your interests with the flexibility of the Bachelor of Fine Arts/Arts double degree. Explore arts subjects you’re passionate about while developing your creative skills and independent artistic practice.
Faculty
Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture
Delivery Mode
Face-to-face (includes blended)
Award
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Arts
Commencing Terms
Term 1, Term 2, Term 3
Duration (Full Time)
4 Year(s)
- Overview
- Entry requirements
- What will I study?
- Future careers
- How to apply
- Fees & Scholarships
Overview
The Bachelor of Fine Arts/Bachelor of Arts is a four-year double degree that will provide you with transferable skills and in-depth knowledge in your chosen areas of study. You’ll have the opportunity to customise a unique skillset of practical and theoretical knowledge that will complement your studies in each degree.
The Bachelor of Fine Arts is designed for those who wish to thrive in and lead the future of global contemporary art and culture. You’ll focus on one distinct major, choosing either Studio Practice or Art Theory.
Alongside this degree, you’ll benefit from the flexible Bachelor of Arts where you can choose a major or minor across a range of disciplines within the humanities and social sciences, including languages, arts, history, philosophy and business. In whichever area you choose to study, you’ll develop transferable skills and the tools to think critically, communicate effectively and conduct independent research.
Key features
Define your practice
You’ll get to choose a Fine Arts major in either Studio Practice or Art Theory and an Arts major and minor from over 26 subject areas. This will enable you to pursue what sparks your passion while developing deeper knowledge in specific fields. Your artistic practice will be informed by an expansive choice of theory and disciplinary subjects that interest you.
A creative community
Learn alongside artists, designers, media practitioners and curators in a community engaged with contemporary events and debate. A dynamic campus will influence your practice and network with a social and collaborative culture. Situated in Sydney’s creative heart, the UNSW Art & Design campus at Paddington is at the centre of local galleries, industry and studios.
A professional and global career
Be confident to launch a career as a professional creative or use your skills in other industries as a creative professional. Our students graduate with tangible professional skills that make them stand out in industry. You’ll learn how to network, promote your practice, write applications and grants, and gain local and global perspectives through field trips, internships, overseas electives, exchange and our international visiting curators' program.
Study abroad
At UNSW, we use advanced and forward-thinking teaching methods to challenge traditional ways of thinking and find solutions to today's global issues. We encourage a universally-minded education with opportunities to broaden your horizons through over 200 partner universities in over 38 countries.
Why study this degree at UNSW?
- Adobe Creative Cloud subscription included from the day you start your degree for the duration of your studies
- Be supported by our diverse, open and inclusive Arts, Design & Architecture community.
- Learn through research-informed teaching
- Prioritise career success – UNSW won the Australian Financial Review’s Most Employable Students Award in 2020.
- Join our School of Art & Design creative community with a dedicated campus and cutting-edge facilities
- Apply your creative skills in our campus galleries, student publications and events
- Benefit from strong industry links and partnerships
- Access world class alumni connections
- Join a global top 50 university (QS World University Rankings, 2021)
- Join a community that’s part of the prestigious Group of Eight (Go8) universities
Program Code
4823
CRICOS Code
044146G
Campus
Kensington
UAC Code
421001
Total Units of Credit (UOC)
192
Indicative Enrolments
29
Want to see more from UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture?
Entry requirements
2021 Lowest Selection Rank
80
2021 A levels
13
2021 IB Diploma
29
2021 Lowest ATAR
66.55*
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- The 2021 Lowest Selection Rank (LSR) is the adjusted rank (ATAR plus adjustment factors) you would have needed to gain entry to this degree in 2021.
- The 2021 A levels score is based on four Advanced Level (A2) subject. Entry scores are calculated from the best three or four A2 subjects (excluding repeated subjects) using the following values: A*=6, A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1. At most one Applied A Level subject may be included in the best four subjects used to calculate the aggregate.
- The 2021 IB Diploma is an indication of the IB you would have needed to gain entry to this degree in 2021. It is to be used as a guide only.
- The 2021 Lowest ATAR is the lowest ATAR (before adjustment factors were applied) to which an offer was made. Where <5 is listed, this indicates that less than 5 ATAR-based offers were made and so the score has not been published. N/A indicates no offers were made on the basis of ATAR.
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At UNSW, we are committed to ensuring prospective students have all the information they need in order to make informed decisions about their study options.
To assist you in gaining a better understanding of how Admissions works at UNSW, we have provided you with a summary of ATAR offers and the student profile.
We hope this information will help you identify the degree that is right for you.
Assumed knowledge
Visual Arts
Adjustment Factors
We offer a range of adjustment factor schemes that reward students for academic performance and extra-curricular achievements. These schemes also take into account a range of personal and educational disadvantages that may have affected your studies.
HSC Plus
This scheme rewards students who perform well in Year 12 subjects that are relevant to their preferred UNSW degree. You may be awarded up to five points.
Elite Athletes, Performers and Leaders (EAPL)
This program recognises achievements in the areas of sport, academia, leadership and music at an elite level. You may be eligible for up to five points.
Educational Access Scheme (EAS)
Factors such as illness, financial hardship, language difficulties or attending a particular school can mean you don't always get the best possible marks in Years 11 and 12. If one of these situations applies to you, submit an application for the Educational Access Scheme (EAS) via UAC. Eligible students can receive between 1 and 10 points towards their chosen UNSW degree.
Admission pathways
Your ATAR is not the only measure of your potential to succeed, which is why we offer a range of pathways into university. Explore your options below and get in touch with our future student advisors to discuss your path to UNSW.
Gateway Admission Pathway
This scheme is open to students in Years 11 and 12 who attend Gateway schools. It significantly adjusts the ATAR requirements for your preferred UNSW degree and provides you with an early conditional offer to UNSW.
Entry programs for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
We offer entry programs for Indigenous Australians, including the Indigenous Preparatory Programs and the Indigenous Admission Scheme (IAS). The entry pathway program you apply for will depend on the degree you want to study.
English language requirements
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If you’re completing an Australian Year 12 qualification (e.g. NSW HSC or equivalent), you do not need to provide anything extra to prove your proficiency. Your qualification will be used as evidence of your English proficiency.
If you do need to provide evidence of your English proficiency, this will be indicated in your application. You can prove this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
- English language tests and university English courses
- Prior study in the medium of English
- Other qualifications
UNSW Global offers courses and programs designed to help you reach the English language level required for entry into your chosen degree. Different options are available depending on your current English language level. Learn more.
International direct entry
We do not accept secondary qualifications from this country. We may accept tertiary study results, please contact us for more information.
Please contact us for direct entry requirements.
Admission pathways
UNSW Global has university pathway programs that provide seamless transition to UNSW Sydney so you can achieve your academic and career goals. Learn more.
English language requirements
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If English is not your first language, you’ll need to provide proof of your English proficiency before you can be given an offer to study at UNSW. You can do this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
- English language tests and university English courses
- Prior study in the medium of English
- Other qualifications
UNSW Global offers courses and programs designed to help you reach the English language level required for entry into your chosen degree. Different options are available depending on your current English language level. Learn more.
Check the specific English language requirements for this program
Program structure
The Bachelor of Fine Arts/Arts is a four-year program consisting of 32 courses.
The program includes:
- 10 Courses from your chosen Arts major
- 4 Courses from your chosen Arts minor
- 2 Prescribed faculty electives
- 16 Fine Arts courses
Study areas
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- Asian Studies
- Indigenous Studies
- Chinese Studies
- Advanced Chinese Studies
- Global Development
- Criminology
- Creative Writing
- English
- Environmental Humanities
- European Studies
- Film Studies
- French Studies
- Advanced French Studies
- Geographical Studies
- German Studies
- History
- Japanese Studies
- Advanced Japanese Studies
- Korean Studies
- Advanced Korean Studies
- Linguistics
- Media, Culture and Technology
- Music Studies
- Music Studies (Intensive)
- Philosophy
- Politics and International Relations
- Sociology and Anthropology
- Spanish Studies
- Theatre and Performance Studies
- Art Theory
- Studio Practice
- Economics
- International Business
- Human Resource Management
- Studies in Psychology
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- Economics
- Geography
- International Business
- Human Resource Management
- Studies in Psychology
- Psychology
- Arts and Social Sciences
- Asian Studies
- Indigenous Studies
- Australian Studies
- Chinese Studies
- Advanced Chinese Studies
- Global Development
- Criminology
- Creative Writing
- English
- Environmental Humanities
- European Studies
- Film Studies
- French Studies
- Advanced French Studies
- Geographical Studies
- German Studies
- Modern Greek Studies
- History
- Indonesian Studies
- Italian Studies
- Japanese Studies
- Advanced Japanese Studies
- Korean Studies
- Advanced Korean Studies
- Linguistics
- Media, Culture and Technology
- Music Studies
- Philosophy
- Politics and International Relations
- Sociology and Anthropology
- Spanish Studies
- Theatre and Performance Studies
- Gender Studies
- Art History and Theory
- Mathematics for Engineers
Full program structure
Each university year at UNSW has three terms and an optional summer study period.
Some courses need to be studied in your first and second year, so you’re prepared for courses that can only be studied in later years. You can study full-time or part-time. Depending on how you plan your study load, you can fit two or three courses into a term and one course in a summer term.
In the Bachelor of Arts, you’ll get to choose a major and minor from over 26 subject areas. In the Bachelor of Fine Arts, there are two majors to choose from and is structured to develop depth in disciplinary skills and knowledge, underpinned by specialised art history and theory courses. Discover more about what you’ll learn in each major below.
Option 1: Studio Practice Major
Disciplinary Studio Courses
In first year, choose from a range of introductory courses to expand your skills and knowledge. In second year, select at least two areas in which to deepen your practice from the following studio areas:
- Drawing: Learn the formal, material and conceptual possibilities of contemporary drawing practice.
- Painting: Engage with painting as a formal, material and conceptual practice.
- Photography: Develop diverse and transferable photographic skills across digital and analogue processes.
- Printmaking: Gain diverse technical skills across etching, lithography, relief-printing, screen-printing and digital imaging.
- Sculpture: Engage with sculptural, spatial and social possibilities of contemporary art.
- Moving Image: Explore contemporary approaches to video art, short film, audio-visual composition and installation.
Option 2: Art Theory Major
In the Art Theory Major, you’ll choose a combination of core and optional courses that are curated around the following study themes:
- Art and Embodiment
- Art and Institutions
- Art, Science and Technology
- Local and Global Art
Below is an example of what you could study in a standard four-year, full-time study plan.
First year
- 2 Courses from your chosen Arts major
- 2 Courses from your chosen Arts minor
- 4 Fine Arts courses
Second year
- 2 Courses from your chosen Arts major
- 2 Courses from your chosen Arts minor
- 4 Fine Arts courses
Third year
- 3 Courses from your chosen Arts major
- 1 Prescribed faculty elective
- 4 Fine Arts courses
Fourth year
- 3 Courses from your chosen Arts major
- 1 Prescribed faculty elective
- 4 Fine Arts courses
For further information on coursework, structure, course descriptions and timetables please see the UNSW Online Handbook.
Future careers
With two degrees that give you the ability to pursue your passion as you discover it. You’ll develop skills that are critical for a career that moves with and responds to the challenges of our fast-paced global world. Equipped with hands-on skills underpinning contemporary creative practice and culture you’ll have tangible skills to pursue a career across a range of arts, cultural, entertainment, media and technology industries.
As part of the open, inclusive and supportive Arts, Design & Architecture community, you’ll learn to think critically, communicate across disciplines, and solve problems creatively, as you gain the experience and connections to channel these skills into real-world solutions.
Potential careers
- Art and advertising director
- Arts administrator
- Art instructor
- Journalist
- Theatre, film and television producer
- Advocacy and campaign strategist
- Entrepreneur
- Visual artist
How to apply
Applications for undergraduate study from domestic students (Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, Australian permanent humanitarian visa holders and New Zealand citizens) are processed by the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).
Visit the Apply section of the UAC website and you can nominate up to five degrees in order of preference, with the first being your most desired degree and university.
On-time applications for admission usually close at the end of September each year for Term 1 admission. Late applications can be submitted, but a late fee will apply. For study starting in Term 1, the majority of offers are made in December and January. Visit the UAC website for key dates for admission outside of Term 1.
Ready to start your application?
For most international students, applications are submitted via our Apply Online service. We encourage you to submit your completed application as early as possible to ensure it will be processed in time for your preferred term.
Some high-demand programs with limited places, may have an earlier application deadline or may have an earlier commencement date. For more information visit our international applicant information page.
*If you are an international student studying an Australian qualification, go to the Universities Admission Centre (UAC) for application and UAC key dates. Note: If you are under 18 years of age, you need to make special arrangements. Read more.
Ready to start your application?
Fees & Scholarships
2022 Indicative First Year Full Fee
$9,180*
Commonwealth Supported Place: Student Contribution Band 2
*The student contribution for a Commonwealth Supported Place is an indication only of the amount payable in Year 1 based on a standard full-time load of 48 credit points (1.0 EFTSL). The actual student contribution you will be liable for depends on your individual program of study and the calendar year in which you enrol. Actual fees are calculated upon enrolment. Student contribution amounts are subject to annual review by the university and may increase each year during your studies (subject to caps determined by the Australian Government), effective at the start of each calendar year.
The indicative fees listed here are based on an estimated average and are for tuition only - other fees and charges are not included.
2022 Indicative First Year Fee
$38,960*
2022 Indicative Fee to Complete Degree
$160,635*
*Fees are subject to annual review by the University and may increase annually, with the new fees effective from the start of each calendar year. The indicative fees listed here are based on an estimated average and are for tuition only other fees and charges are not included. The amount you pay will vary depending on the calendar year to enrol, the courses you select and whether your study load is more or less than 1 Equivalent Full Time Student Load (8 courses per year).
Indicative fees are a guide for comparison only based on current conditions and available data. You should not rely on indicative fees. More information on fees can be found at the UNSW fees website.
Indicative fees to complete the program have been calculated based on a percentage increase for every year of the program. Fee increases are assessed annually and may exceed the indicative figures listed below.
Indicative fees to complete the program include tuition plus an estimate of study-related costs of approximately $1,000 per year. To find out more about other costs, visit UNSW International.
Scholarships
At UNSW, we award over $83 million in scholarships each year. We pride ourselves on rewarding excellence and making university accessible to students from all walks of life. Whether you’re a domestic or international student, our range of scholarships, prizes and awards can support your journey.
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Top 50WorldwideQS World University Rankings, 2022.
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MostEmployable GraduatesAFR Top 100 Future leaders Award.
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LeadingInnovation#1 Australian uni attended by start-up founders.
The student community collectively inspire and encourage my individual career goals.
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