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Bachelor of Arts

The BA – a means to self discovery

Enrol in a degree that covers all aspects of the human condition; allowing both vague and specific interests to develop into firm goals.

Why study the Bachelor of Arts at UNE?

All Arts subjects share the common element of people. Why do humans do the things that they do? The BA investigates this question across history, different social and geographic contexts, through literature, theatre, or religions. If you are enrolling in a BA you are no doubt interested in this bigger question, but may not be clear on how you would like to address it. At UNE we feel that a good approach to this quandary is to combine an initial breadth of study with an eventual depth of understanding. You start by choosing units from four or more subject areas, and then over the course of three years (full-time equivalent study) you begin to specialise in those areas that hold your interest.

At the end of the BA at UNE you are expected to have majored in two of the more than 30 subject areas available. You can choose your own combination (double major), or select one of the pre-specified combinations (combined major). After three years of study we consider that a depth of understanding in two areas is preferable to being restricted to a single major. You will develop a set of specific skills and knowledge, but still have the breadth allowing for a more flexible response to the possible changes that occur in respect to work, postgraduate study, or personal interests. There are three schools within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences that provide the major subject areas for the BA. You may want to visit their websites for more information on specific units of study – School of Humanities, School of Arts, and School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences.

UNE is renowned for the quality of its teaching, receiving a maximum five star rating from the good universities guide in 7 out of the past 8 years.  A record not matched by any other university in Australia.  UNE has also been recognised for its outstanding teaching performance by other agencies, such as the Carrick Institute, receiving the maximum of 10 citations in the last two consecutive years.

UNE is also the oldest provider of distance education in Australia.  You can enrol in a BA as either an internal or external student, with a high quality education assured in both modes.

For more discussion on the Bachelor of Arts at UNE, listen to the BA podcast.

Summary Information

Closing Dates

http://www.une.edu.au/studentcentre/admissions.php

Who should study the BA?

People undertake a BA for many different reasons.  In considering a BA, you might want to think about the outcomes. Whilst investigating the products and potential of humanity you will develop a range of analytical and communication skills.  Whether you are looking for a degree to enhance your career prospects, or simply fulfilling a deeply held desire to learn more about things that interest you, the BA offers you an exciting and stimulating challenge.

Career Opportunities

A Bachelor of Arts is, in many ways, the most valuable degree of all. This is because Arts graduates are not as restricted in what they can undertake relative to those with highly specialised degrees.  Examples of career paths include management, public relations, foreign affairs, education, business, human resources, research, psychology and archaeology. The employability of Arts graduates is a reflection of the skills they acquire during their study and this is becoming widely acknowledged.

BA students have one of the highest rates of post-graduation employment.

Employers often look for flexibility in their staff, expecting to retrain staff as work demands change.  To meet this need, they tend to seek out people who are intellectually flexible, with analytical minds, and good communication skills.

A student with a BA has shown they can think for themselves, can acquire and process information, can communicate their thoughts effectively and exercise initiative. That is exactly what employers are looking for, and no career is closed to BA graduates. As Janet Holmes a Court told the Financial Review, for her company, "Arts graduates make the best employees".

Whether you are looking for a degree to enhance your career prospects, or simply fulfilling a deeply held desire to learn more about things that interest you, the BA offers you an exciting and stimulating challenge.

Contacts

Inquiries specific to subject areas or majors are to be directed to the Academic Coordinator or School Manager in the most relevant of the three schools: