A Deakin Bachelor of Arts degree offers enormous flexibility, allowing you to keep your career options open and design your course around your interests and for maximum employability.
All arts major sequences are taught as a combination of practical and theoretical learning, with many areas of study offering work placements.
One-third of the course may be taken from outside the Faculty of Arts and Education and you may take single, double, or even triple majors, providing numerous course combinations.
Course rules
To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Arts, students must complete 24 credit points as follows:
two major sequences of at least 8 credit points each. Majors must comprise 2 credit points at level 1 and a minimum of 2 credit points at level 3 (unless otherwise stated).
Or
one major of at least 8 credit points and one minor of at least 4 credit points consisting of a minimum of 1 credit point at level one and no more than 1 credit point at level 3 **
Plus
No more than 10 credit points of units at level 1
A minimum of 4 credit points at level 3.
Up to a maximum of 8 credit points may be taken from outside the Arts course grouped units.
** Students completing minors in Arabic, Chinese, Indonesian and Spanish are permitted to complete 4 cp across any 2 levels., i.e. students may complete 2 credit points at level 2 and 2 credit points at level 3
Course rules
Transition to University Study
The Faculty offers two units AIX160 Introduction to University Study and AIX117 Professional Writing for Work, that are specifically designed to ease the transition into university study. New students are encouraged to enrol in one or both of these units in their first year.
Major sequences
All students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts are required to complete at least one of the Arts major sequences listed below.
Not all major sequences are available via Campus study at Warrnambool. Students undertaking units in major sequences that are not available in Campus mode at their home campus may enrol in Cloud (online) offerings of those units.
Mandarin Chinese is one of the world’s most important languages. It is the official language of the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan and Singapore and is widely used in community groups throughout South-East Asia, Hong Kong, North America and Australia. It is one of the five official languages of the United Nations. Develop your communication skills in Chinese, with language fluency further enhanced through an understanding of Chinese culture, history and society. In-country language programs are available to students undertaking a major sequence in Chinese, giving you the opportunity to travel overseas and try out your language skills with native speakers.
Career outcomes
Careers in this field include work in the communications industry, community and government organisations, community health organisations, education sector, ethnic affairs associations, foreign affairs departments, multicultural organisations, tourism associations and translation services.
Note: AIC381 and AIC382 will be offered at Waurn Ponds (Geelong) from 2015
The Chinese major sequence for students who have completed Chinese at level 12 or equivalent (non-background speakers) begins at second level and consists of the following units:
Unit description is currently unavailable (2 credit points)
Details of major sequences
Drama
Campuses
Burwood (Melbourne)
Overview
The drama program develops your skills in contemporary drama practices and perspectives. It comprises a dynamic combination of acting theory and practice, performance styles and processes, theatre history, text studies, community theatre and technical studies. Final-year students are able to participate in performing arts (drama) internships.
Career outcome
You may find employment in community theatre, drama associations, drama education, film and television production, independent theatre companies and performing arts centres
Deakin is a world leader in children’s and young people’s literature and has developed a full major in the Bachelor of Arts in this growing field. Discover major trends in children’s texts across a range of media, and how stories for young people reflect and challenge the values of their time. This study area caters to students who are interested in children’s literature as a prominent domain of literary production and is of particular relevance to those who intend to work with children and young people as primary or secondary teachers and librarians, and those who wish to produce texts for young people.
Australian Studies is a cross-disciplinary examination of Australia in its local and global contexts. In this study area students engage with Australia’s history and geography, along with the politics, culture and society that makes us who we are. Australian Studies develops in-depth knowledge of Australia, including its colonisation, land uses, migration patterns, popular culture, engagements with Asia, as well as its Indigenous pasts and present. Students also develop critical skills in communication, research and in analytical, critical and abstract thinking.
Career outcomes
Career opportunities exist in the education sector, government agencies, cultural institutions, media organisations, the public service and the marketing and tourism industries.
Major study - students must complete 4 core units AIA105, AIA106, AIA200 and AIA300.
Note: Warrnambool enrolled students are able to complete this major sequence via campus mode by selecting the following elective units AIH238, AIH337, AIP230 and AIP247, in addition to the core units.
Australia’s trade with the Middle East has more than doubled in the past decade, making it an increasingly important region with broad strategic, economic, religious and cultural influence. Studies in Arabic help you develop communication skills in modern standard Arabic, with language fluency further enhanced through an understanding of Middle Eastern history, culture and society. In-country language programs are available to students undertaking a major sequence in Arabic.
Career outcomes
Graduates expect to gain employment in a wide range of organisations, including the education sector, federal defence agencies, government departments, immigration departments/ consultancies, intelligence agencies, major corporations, management consultancies, media organisations, multicultural associations, research and translation services.
In-country study
Competitive in-country scholarships are available to assist students in study in the Middle East. For further information please contact the experiential learning officer on telephone 03 5227 2693.
Students undertaking the Arabic major or the Language and Culture Studies major (referred to later) are encouraged to study abroad during the trimester 3. Intensive in-country units provide opportunities for students to increase their level of linguistic proficiency and cultural understanding. Deakin has well-established links with a number of institutions in Syria, Jordan, Oman and Tunisia. These relationships form an important feature of the Arabic program.
In-country units are offered at both second and third-level levels, and students who successfully complete these units will receive 2 credit points towards the major sequence.
It is possible, therefore, for students to complete the major sequence in two levels. This is an excellent way of accelerating completion of the major. Not only is the in-country experience a unique part of the language study, the fact that students will have completed the major in two levels gives them flexibility in the third level to take additional units.
Units
The Arabic major sequence is offered at two levels; beginners' level (little or no prior knowledge of the language) and post-level 12 Arabic.
Unit description is currently unavailable (2 credit points)
Students undertaking the beginners' sequence may undertake AIB309 and/or AIB310 in their final level as electives in addition to the prescribed major sequence.
Notes:
AIB205 and AIB306 are offered in alternating years 2016, 2018.
AIB351 and AIB352 will be offered at Waurn Ponds (Geelong) and Cloud (online) from 2015
The Arabic major sequence for post-level 12 Arabic:
Anthropology is the study of humanity in the broadest sense. Anthropology at Deakin focuses on the ways human society creates its communities in diverse cultural settings. Studies in anthropology prepare you to understand and work with people in diverse and international settings. Topics studied include poverty and development, crime and violence, belief systems, health and illness and human ecology.
Career outcomes
You may find employment in community relations, the education sector, government departments, the health industry, media corporations, research consultancies and welfare organisations.
Explore your creativity in the animation study area, looking at the principles of graphic and animation practice and how to develop a moving image. Develop a range of skills and expertise suited to careers in the creative arts, entertainment industry, education and any role that involves making creative choices, teamwork and communicating ideas visually.
Career outcomes
Graduates can be found working in advertising agencies, film production companies, marketing consultancies, multimedia businesses, television corporations and web development companies.
Film studies develops your creative and critical thinking while providing you with a practical and theoretical grounding in the production and application of film, video and television.
Career outcomes
Graduates can be found working in advertising agencies, broadcast television, corporate communication companies, film education associations, film production companies, freelance film production, media associations and television corporations.
Units in the Bachelor of Arts - Education Studies Major are designed to provide you with skills and insights to be able to leverage your degree to achieve employment in a broad range of education related fields and organisations. You will learn about educating children, young people and adults in formal and informal contexts. The BA Ed Studies Major will not provide you with accreditation for teaching in schools, but will provide you with a solid grounding should you wish undertake an accredited initial teacher program after completing your BA. Some units may be credited toward these postgraduate studies.
A course in dance at Deakin provides contemporary dance training, access to guest practitioners, the skills to choreograph your own work, as well as the chance to develop as a collaborative artist. Deakin is the only university where collaborative work in dance/video, physical theatre and online computer technology is a core component of the course. There is also a focus on skills in oral and written communication, personal and group management, reflection and decision-making. Final-year students are able to participate in performing arts (dance) internships.
Career outcomes
You may find work as a dancer in community dance organisations, contemporary dance companies, contemporary performance companies, dance associations, dance education, freelance choreography, performing arts centres and video and film businesses.
Criminology provides students with a theoretical and practical understanding of crime, including causes of crime and different techniques used to control crime, within the broader context of the criminal justice system. Criminology aims to develop specific knowledge in various crime types, including street crime, crimes in the home, serious and organised crime, transnational crime and terrorism, and key topic areas such as victims of crime, media representations of crime, surveillance and privacy, policing and security; and theoretical and practical skills in understanding and responding to crime problems.
Career outcomes
Promising career opportunities await in both the public and private sector, state and federal police, intelligence agencies and a range of law enforcement and anti-corruption and crime prevention agencies at federal, state and local government, correctional services, community services and private security industries.
Indonesian language studies develop communication skills in Bahasa Indonesia, as well as an understanding of Indonesian culture, history and society. With more than 220 million speakers of Bahasa Indonesia, and Indonesia being Australia’s closest Asian neighbour, the region is increasingly important to Australia economically, politically and culturally. In-country language programs are available to students undertaking a major sequence in Indonesian, giving you the opportunity to travel overseas and try out your language skills with native speakers.
In-country study
The Faculty offers the opportunity for students to undertake in-country studies of Indonesian at third year levels. Students who successfully complete these units will receive credit towards the major sequence. It is possible, therefore, for students to complete the major in two levels. This is an excellent way of accelerating completion of the major. Not only is the in-country experience a unique part of the language study, the fact that students can complete the major before their third level also gives some flexibility in the third level to take additional units.
Career outcomes
Careers in this field include work in the communications industry, community and government organisations, community health organisations, the education sector, ethnic affairs associations, foreign affairs departments, multicultural organisations, tourism associations and translation services.
Units
Indonesian major sequence for those entering at beginners' level
You can explore the nature of the modern world – the forces and great events of the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as the ways historians continue to interpret them. Themes covered include war and peace; modernisation and social change; colonialism, nationalism and internationalism; gender in history; the Holocaust; and sport. Third-year students have the opportunity to undertake an internship and may apply for the US Congress Internship Program.
Career outcomes
You may find employment opportunities in the education sector, local government, media corporations, museums/heritage organisations, research consultancies and tourism organisations.
International relations provides you with a better understanding of conflict and cooperation, and war and peace, in contemporary international politics. Study issues in global politics: the nature of power and security, globalisation and global governance, human rights and global justice, the politics of the Asian region and Australia’s place in the world.
Career outcomes
Graduates can expect to gain employment in a wide range of areas including federal defence agencies, foreign affairs departments, immigration departments/consultancies, major corporations, management consultancies and multicultural associations.
This long-established program at Deakin offers the skills and knowledge needed to prepare you for employment in the communications industries, across print, TV, radio and online. There is an emphasis on practical hands-on learning and gain experience and develop skills in communicating information in engaging, interesting and accessible ways across different media formats. The curriculum covers news and feature writing, radio and TV reporting, multimedia and online journalism, local and international journalism and media ethics and law. In your final year undertake intensive news production work and an industry internship.
Career outcomes
You may find employment in advertising agencies, consumer and business magazine publishers, freelance journalism, metropolitan, suburban and country newspapers, press agencies, public relations agencies, publishing companies, radio stations and television channels.
Develop your linguistic skills in Arabic, Chinese or Indonesian, but also gain essential cultural, historical and social perspectives.
Career outcomes
Careers in this field include work in the communications industry, community and government organisations, community health organisations, the education sector, ethnic affairs associations, foreign affairs departments, multicultural organisations, tourism associations and translation services.
Units
Students must complete 4 credit points in one of the languages: Arabic, Chinese, or Indonesian. In addition, students must select 4 credit points of contextual studies units, which must include at least 2 credit points at level 3, from the elective list below.
Arabic
Students must complete 4 credit points of Arabic units (AIB)
Chinese
Students must complete 4 credit points of Chinese units (AIC)
Indonesian
Students must complete 4 credit point of Indonesian units (AIF)
At Deakin, literature is the door to new understandings of cultures and histories. Our literary studies scholars have international profiles in philosophy, poetry, ecology and Australian literature, and will guide you in critical and creative journeys through great literature from the medieval era to today. There are also many opportunities for your own creative writing and critical analysis.
Career outcomes
You may find employment opportunities in advertising agencies, the education sector, freelance writing, government departments, libraries, market research companies, public relations agencies and publishing companies.
This is an area of rapid and continuous technological, political, economic and social change. Much of the recent explosion in the stock of human knowledge is linked with developments in media. This course of study enables you to graduate with a unique ‘multiskilled’ qualification appropriate for many careers and job markets.
Career outcomes
Graduates can expect to gain employment in a wide range of organisations, including the education sector, the entertainment industry, marketing consultancies, multimedia businesses, newspaper and magazine publishers, public relations agencies and radio and television companies.
Middle East studies provide a comprehensive understanding of the events and issues shaping the region, with an emphasis on both historical and contemporary issues relevant to the analysis of the Middle East as a regional system, as well as its place in the international system. Importance is placed on the changing role of the US in the Middle East since the end of the Cold War and its push to reshape the region’s political landscape according to American national interests. Several of the endemic conflict situations that exist in the Middle East are examined, including the War on Terror; the invasion and occupation of Iraq; the Israel-Palestine impasse; the 2006 Israel-Lebanon crisis; Iran’s nuclear ambitions; and the role of ‘rogue states’.
Career outcomes
Graduates can expect to gain employment in a wide range of organisations, including the education sector, federal defence agencies, government departments, immigration departments/consultancies, intelligence agencies, major corporations, management consultancies, media organisations, multicultural associations and research.
A distinctive feature of the philosophy study area is its focus on Asian philosophy, psychoanalysis and philosophy as practised in continental Europe. In individual units you cover questions dealing with the nature of human existence; value, belief and purpose; and knowledge and belief.
Career outcomes
Career opportunities exist in corporate and multinational corporations, the education sector, foreign affairs, government departments and the health industry.
Learn the basic techniques and practices of photography, using analogue and digital technologies, then progress to a range of professional analogue and digital photographic formats, as well as darkroom and studio environments. Students are strongly encouraged to experiment, research and develop their own conceptual and aesthetic sensibilities. The work undertaken at this level is applicable to exhibition, installation, multimedia and collaborative productions, and provides a strong basis for postgraduate studies and professional practice. In the photography major sequence you develop innovative projects that use the internet to capture images of photography students from around the world. Students are encouraged to participate in experimental photography.
Career outcomes
You may find employment opportunities in community arts organisations, creative practice, freelance photography, photo journalism, professional studio photography and web and multimedia design companies.
In first year you will consider how your lives are affected by – and how you can affect – the way power operates in our society. Then you will learn to recognise, analyse and compare different ideologies. You can study many different policies, European politics, environmental issues like combatting climate change, and how to achieve greater democracy and to improve forms of political expression.
Career outcomes
Graduates can expect to gain employment in many fields including foreign affairs, Intelligence and security, Journalism, Government organisations, Civil society organisations, Business, Policy advocacy, Policy research, Policy design and analysis, Political and social research, Political advisors, Politics, Public communication, Public relations & lobbying, Public service, Speech-writing, Teaching.
Gain expertise, practical experience and develop creative skills. In all units, the emphasis is on publication or the achievement of professional standards. Initially, you undertake various forms of constructive, descriptive and narrative writing, progressing to editing, non-fiction and fiction writing, script writing and poetry writing.
Career outcomes
You may find employment in freelance editing and writing, finance, health and manufacturing industries, government departments, media and entertainment industries, publishing companies, tourism, hospitality and service industries.
Public relations practitioners are 21st century communication specialists who manage and coordinate relationships between organisations, agencies and the public. With a focus on ethical and sustainable communication practices, the course builds key knowledge and skills in core public relations responsibilities such as: event management and campaigns; social media tactics and media relations; strategic planning, management and communication; and the allied field of marketing communication. Final-year students have the opportunity to develop their skills further by undertaking an industry internship, working with real clients to develop a public relations campaign. The degree’s structure also allows you to pursue study in areas such as journalism, media studies, visual communication design and marketing. This flexibility means our degree combines theory and real-life practice to prepare you for employment in a wide variety of public relations, media and communications roles.
Career outcomes
Our graduates can be found working in corporations, government departments, as well as in not-for-profits and NGOs.
Sociology is the study of the processes that create, maintain and change social groups. It explores ways of thinking about personal and public issues in modern social life and how to link them together through the study of society and social relations. Third-year students have the opportunity to further develop their skills by undertaking an internship.
Career outcomes
You may find employment opportunities in community relations, the education sector, government departments, the health industry, local councils, market research companies, welfare organisations and youth work.
Approximately 406 million people speak Spanish, making it second only to Mandarin Chinese in terms of its number of native speakers worldwide. Deakin’s Spanish studies will not only help you to develop communication skills in this important language, but also provide you with an understanding of the history and culture of Spanish-speaking countries. In-country language programs are available to students undertaking a major sequence in Spanish.
Career outcomes
Graduates can expect to gain employment in a wide range of organisations, including the education sector, immigration departments, federal defence agencies, intelligence agencies, government departments, multinational corporations, management consultants, non-government agencies, multicultural associations, research and translation services.
Units
Spanish major sequence for students with no prior language study.
The Spanish major sequence for students who have completed Spanish at Level 12 or equivalent (non-background speakers) begins at second level and consists of the following units:
Gain qualifications, skills and knowledge for professional practice in the visual arts. Develop skills for a specialised industry vocation or for a broader role in the fields of culture and the arts. The course combines contemporary theory with specialised studio practice, incorporating digital technologies. Final-year students are able to participate in visual arts internships.
Career outcomes
Graduates may find employment in art galleries and museums, commercial art, cultural associations, the education sector, film production companies, graphic design businesses, media consultancies and services in art therapy.
