Bachelor of International Studies

Course summary for international students

Year	2026 course information
Award granted	Bachelor of International Studies
Campus	Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong), Online
Length	3 years full-time
Fee paying annual fee - commencing 2026	$37,400 for 1 yr full-time AUD
CRICOS code	075375D Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong)
Level	Undergraduate
VTAC codes	1400314033 - Waurn Ponds (Geelong), International full-fee paying place 1400514033 - Burwood (Melbourne), International full-fee paying place
Deakin course code	A326
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Dive into diverse cultures and build a global career by studying Deakin’s Bachelor of International Studies. If you are interested in different cultures, languages and perspectives outside of your own, this experience-rich course gives you a deep understanding of the international forces shaping the world today.

The Bachelor of International Studies is a degree that can take you anywhere. Gain an understanding of globalisation and development, global power and capitalism and build your intercultural communication skills through core units. Combine these foundation skills with specialised study in your area of interest and add value to your degree through one of our many international experiences.

Ready to create a global career?

First-hand experiences in other countries and cultures let you develop the practical and soft skills required to pursue a global career. You might see yourself studying at an overseas university, completing an in-person or virtual internationally focussed internship in Australia or overseas, mastering a new language through an In-Country Language Program or completing a short study tour.

It’s this international experience, combined with engaging course content delivered by teachers with extensive industry experience, that allows you to develop a systematic understanding of other cultures and societies. Feel confident about analysing and interpreting the international forces shaping government, business and community life in contemporary Australia, and impress employers with intercultural skills and experience.

Get even more out of your degree by choosing from nine majors to match your unique career aspirations. Your major allows you to become an expert in a specialty area, and the knowledge you will build will act as a bridge between you and your dream job.

Online studies

Deakin offers many courses which can be studied by distance education overseas.

However, international students living in Australia on a student visa, in each compulsory trimester (that is, Trimesters 1 and 2), must enrol in at least one unit that is offered as a Campus located unit and can, in addition enrol in units offered online. International students may undertake a maximum of up to one third (or equivalent) of their study as online study. Please note enrolment in one face to face unit in compulsory study periods is only allowed if the student is completing their final unit of study and will not exceed maximum one third (or equivalent) online requirement.

Fees and charges

The tuition fees you pay are determined by the course you are enrolled in. The 'Estimated tuition fee' is provided as a guide only and represents the typical first-year tuition fees for students enrolled in this course. The cost will vary depending on the units you choose, your study load, the length of your course and any approved Recognition of prior learning you have.

Each unit you enrol in has a credit point value. The 'Estimated tuition fee' is calculated by adding together eight credit points of a typical combination of units for this course. Eight credit points is used as it represents a typical full-time enrolment load for a year.

You can find the credit point value of each unit under the Unit Description by searching for the unit in the handbook.

Learn more about international student fees.

Career opportunities

Deakin is the #1 Victorian university for graduate employment.* With us you can step-into your future with confidence. The professional, social and personal experiences on offer throughout this course prepare you for employment in a range of areas in the private and public sector including:

businesses with an international orientation
communications
defence
diplomacy
education
finance
immigration
NGOs with regional and global links
trade and aid.

If you’re considering further study, Deakin’s honours program and postgraduate pathways can open up a world of research and employment opportunities in Australia and abroad.

For more information go to DeakinTALENT.

*Australian Graduate Survey 2010–2015, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2016–2023, Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT). The #1 graduate employment is based on overall employment for domestic undergraduates of Victorian universities, 4–6 months after course completion, with an equal overall employment rate with Monash University.

Course learning outcomes

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities	Review, analyse and apply key concepts in International Studies relating to international politics and society, globalisation and development, intercultural competency, global citizenship and professional development with reference to one or more Social Science disciplinary perspectives and appropriate theories and technical knowledge.
Communication	Apply learnings from personal and professional development in diverse organizational contexts to effectively communicate cross-cultural ideas, arguments and analyses to diverse audiences using a range of different mediums.
Digital literacy	Employ a range of digital technologies and platforms to conduct research, engage in discussion and debate, document personal and professional skills and attributes, communicate effectively with and deliver reports and presentations to a diverse range of audiences within and outside the field of International Studies.
Critical thinking	Analyse and critically evaluate conceptual and theoretical approaches to issues of international politics and society, intercultural competency, global citizenship, and professional development in the context of an increasingly complex globalised world that requires appreciation of local, national, regional and international dynamics and their interactions.
Problem solving	Employ initiative and creativity in conjunction with appropriate Social Science methods of research and analysis to systematically investigate and generate context-sensitive and pragmatic solutions to complex real-world problems.
Self-management	Exercise autonomy, responsibility, accountability and a sustained and ongoing commitment to learning and skill development in International Studies contexts including but not limited to communities of practice and scholarship.
Teamwork	Work and learn collaboratively and productively with others in the field of International Studies and with stakeholders from other disciplines and backgrounds to achieve shared goals.
Global citizenship	Analyse and respond appropriately to issues of cultural, social and political inequity; the transferability of knowledge and skills in different geographic, knowledge and organisational contexts as a reflective scholar and practitioner, taking into consideration cultural and socio-economic diversity, social and environmental responsibility and adherence to professional and academic ethical standards.

Approved by Faculty Board November 2020

Course rules

To complete the Bachelor of International Studies, you must pass 24 credit points. This includes:

DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
6 credit points of core units
1 major (8 credit points)
a minimum 2 credit points of approved international experience
remaining credit points which may comprise of:
- 1 additional major
- open elective units
a maximum of 8 credit points taken outside the Faculty of Arts and Education
a maximum of 10 credit points at level 1
a minimum of 6 credit points at level 3.

Most units are equal to one credit point.

As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester.

All students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.

Note: It is envisaged that students would complete the international experience in the third or fourth year of their course.

Majors

Refer to the details of each major sequence for availability.

International Relations

Middle East Studies

Politics and Policy Studies

Spanish

Course structure

Core units

Compulsory 0-credit point module

To be completed in the first trimester of study:

DAI001

Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin

Units

AIS101

Intercultural Communication

AIS102

Working in International Contexts [previously AIS201]

AIR200

Global Capitalism and Power

AIS204

Gender, Globalisation and Development

AIS303

International Studies Capstone Portfolio

AIS304

International Futures

International experience

All students must complete at least 2 credit points of international experience, selected from one or more of the following:

trimester of study at an overseas university exchange partner
international internship (AIS330 or AIS331)
in-country language program (in Chinese, Indonesian, Arabic, or Spanish)
approved study abroad program or approved study tour (AIS203 or other)
approved onshore internship with an international organisation (available for AIS330 only).
2 credit points of consecutive language units other than in-country language program can be taken to achieve one credit point of the international experience requirement

AIS203

Immersion Program: Japanese Politics, Society and Culture

AIS330, AIS331 - Internship units are normally undertaken in third year (or equivalent) and are subject to completion of specified prerequisite units and special application requirements, including Unit Chair approval of their planned placement.

AIS330

International Internship A (2 credit points)

AIS331

International Internship B (4 credit points)

For further information regarding the in-country language programs, refer to the major sequences in Indonesian, Chinese and Arabic.

For further information on the international student experience and on previous students' overseas internships, explore Arts and Education WIL opportunities.

Admission criteria

Selection is based on a holistic consideration of your academic merit, work experience, likelihood of success, availability of places, participation requirements, regulatory requirements, and individual circumstances. You will need to meet the minimum academic and English language proficiency requirements to be considered for selection, but this does not guarantee admission.

A combination of qualifications and experience may be deemed equivalent to minimum academic requirements.

If you don't meet the academic entry requirements as outlined in the tabs below, or haven't completed Year 12, or don't hold any relevant qualifications, the STAT (Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test) Multiple Choice (MC) may be an option for you to meet course entry requirements.

Academic requirements

Academic requirements - Higher education study

If you’re currently studying Year 12, or completed Year 12 in the last two years, you will need to meet all the following criteria to be considered for admission to this degree:

Year 12 prerequisite subjects

Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 25 in English EAL (English as an Additional Language) or at least 20 in English other than EAL

ATAR

Senior Secondary Certificate of Education with an unadjusted ATAR of at least 50 or equivalent

Academic requirements - Higher education study

If you have undertaken higher education studies after secondary schooling, you will need to meet all the following criteria to be considered for admission to this degree:

successful completion of at least two bachelor level or above units (AQF Level 7 or equivalent)

Academic requirements - VET study

If you have undertaken any Vocational Education and Training (VET) study after secondary school, you will need to meet at least one of following criteria to be considered for admission to this degree:

completion of a certificate IV or higher in a related discipline
completion of a diploma or higher in any discipline
at least 50% completion of a diploma or higher in a related discipline

Academic requirements - Work and life experience

If you finished Year 12 more than three years ago, or did not finish Year 12, and have not undertaken any further study, you may be considered for admission to this degree based on your work, volunteer and/or life experience.

Submit a personal statement outlining your motivation to study, previous education and employment history, and how this course can assist your career aspirations or progression. Think of it as a job application cover letter – it should be relevant and demonstrate your commitment and interest in this course or study area.

English language proficiency requirements

To meet the English language proficiency requirements of this course, you will need to demonstrate at least one of the following:

Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) English Units 3 and 4: Study score of 25 in English as an Additional Language (EAL) or 20 in any other English
IELTS overall score of 6.0 (with no band score less than 6.0) or equivalent
other evidence of English language proficiency (learn more about other ways to satisfy the requirements)

Admissions information

Learn more about Deakin courses and how we compare to other universities when it comes to the quality of our teaching and learning. We're also committed to admissions transparency. Read about our first intake of 2026 students (PDF, 879KB) – their average ATARs, whether they had any previous higher education experience and more.

Not sure if you can get into Deakin? Discover the different entry pathways we offer and study options available to you, no matter your ATAR or education history.

Credit for prior learning - general

If you have completed previous studies which you believe may reduce the number of units you have to complete at Deakin, indicate in the appropriate section on your application that you wish to be considered for credit transfer. You will need to provide a certified copy of your previous course details so your credit can be determined. If you are eligible, your offer letter will then contain information about your credit transfer.

Your credit transfer is formally approved prior to your enrolment at Deakin during the Enrolment and Orientation Program. You must bring original documents relating to your previous study so that this approval can occur.

You can also refer to the recognition of prior learning (RPL) system which outlines the credit that may be granted towards a Deakin University degree.

Alternative exits

Diploma of Arts (A215)

Articulated courses

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (A400)

Course duration

You may be able to study available units in the optional third trimester to fast-track your degree, however your course duration may be extended if there are delays in meeting course requirements, such as completing a placement.

Work experience

Open elective units may provide additional opportunities for Work Integrated Learning experiences.

Participation requirements

Elective units may be selected that include work-based training or community-based learning. Placement can occur at any time, including during standard holiday breaks. Learn about key dates at Deakin.

Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.

Mandatory student checks

Any unit which contains work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, Working with Children Check or other check.