Associate Degree of Arts
2025 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2025 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Associate Degree of Arts |
| Deakin course code | A250 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts and Education |
| Campus | Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong) |
| Duration | 2 years full-time or part-time equivalent |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | These course maps are for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2025: These course maps are for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2025: Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 6 |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Career opportunities
- Pathways
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Fees and charges
Course overview
University can be a challenge, which is why we have designed a course that offers you a supported learning environment and a guaranteed pathway into Deakin's Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Criminology or Bachelor of International Studies. The Associate Degree of Arts teaches you the learning skills you need to be successful at university, including communication, digital literacy, critical thinking and teamwork skills.
From day one you will be a part of the Deakin community and campus atmosphere. From your first trimester, you will also complete units from your target degree (depending on which stream you choose) to ensure you are ready to transition into your bachelor degree.
Choose from the general, criminology or international studies streams and learn how to navigate university in a supportive learning environment. You will experience smaller class sizes with world-class teachers in our state-of-the-art facilities.
Are you interested in studying at university but not sure you meet the entry requirements for a bachelor degree?
Deakin's Associate Degree of Arts is the perfect stepping stone to university study. You will benefit from supported entry into tertiary study, while building your confidence and skills to complete your target degree.
In addition to foundation units, you can follow your passions by choosing from a range of electives including:
- advertising
- anthropology
- design
- English - children's literature
- English - creative writing
- history
- international relations
- journalism
- media studies
- professional experience and practice
- public relations
- sociology
- visual arts.
Studying an associate degree prepares you to successfully complete further university study setting you up for a wider range of career opportunities.
Career opportunities
Upon graduation from the Associate Degree of Arts, you will have the opportunity to continue studying or use the degree as a standalone qualification. You will have guaranteed entry into our Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of International Studies, or Bachelor of Criminology depending on which specialisation you take, plus receive credit that could put you straight into your second year.
You will also have the opportunity to apply to transition into other bachelor degrees, including communication, design, psychology, health science, nursing, commerce, management or science.
An associate degree equips you with the skills to succeed in both university and your career.
For more information go to DeakinTALENT.
Pathways
Students who successfully complete the A250 Associate Degree of Arts are guaranteed entry into A310 Bachelor of Arts (General stream students) or A329 Bachelor of Criminology (Criminology Stream students) or A326 Bachelor of International Studies (International Studies Stream students) and may receive up to 16 credit points of Recognition of prior learning into these courses.
Following successful completion of the Associate Degree of Arts, students may also apply to transition, with credit, into a selected range of other Bachelor degrees, including Communications, Psychology, Health Science, Nursing, Commerce, Management or Science (including Marine Biology).
Course Learning Outcomes
General stream
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Acquire broad theoretical knowledge of and academic skills in the Arts, with some depth in the underlying principles and concepts in one or more disciplines or areas of practice in the Humanities, Social Sciences and/or the Creative Arts. Develop cognitive, technical and creative skills to understand discipline specific language in the Arts and apply this knowledge in employment contexts or for further studies. |
| Communication | Acquire skills in oral, written and electronic communication and the ability to use these skills to coherently present knowledge and ideas in a range or contexts. |
| Digital literacy | Research, analyse and communicate information in using knowledge of, and technical skills in a range of digital technologies. |
| Critical thinking | Use cognitive skills to identify analyse and critically evaluate information through the application of principles, concepts and techniques in one or more disciplines or areas of practice in the Humanities, Social Sciences and/or the Creative Arts. |
| Problem solving | Apply cognitive, technical and analytical skills and knowledge of principles and concepts in the Arts to investigate and transmit responses to sometimes complex problems in the Humanities, Social Sciences and/or the Creative Arts. |
| Self-management | Act with autonomy, responsibility and accountability in learning and working independently and in collaboration with others in professional, and scholarly contexts. |
| Teamwork | Work and learn collaboratively with others and as a member of a team. |
| Global citizenship | Understand and appreciate international perspectives in a global environment and act with awareness of ethics, cultural diversity and social responsibility in academic and work environments. |
Criminology stream
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Review and analyse major social science theories and key criminological concepts, theories and technical knowledge relating to crime and criminal justice issues, including the causes and consequences of crime, ways of responding to crime, and core debates in policing and security as well as broader issues of policy and politics, inclusion and exclusion, governing and governance, security, social justice, citizenship and human rights. |
| Communication | Effectively communicate the findings and analyses of criminological concepts, theories and technical knowledge, in a selection of written, digital and oral formats, to a range of audiences. |
| Digital literacy | Employ a range of generic and specialist criminal justice-specific digital communication technologies to apply criminological knowledge, conduct research and deliver reports and presentations to a diverse range of audiences. |
| Critical thinking | Analyse and critically evaluate theoretical approaches to crime problems and current policies and practices of governments and criminal justice practitioners and professions. |
| Problem solving | Employ initiative and creativity in conjunction with accepted evidence-based criminological methods to identify solutions to sometimes complex problems in criminology. |
| Self-management | Demonstrate autonomy, responsibility, accountability and a continued commitment to learning and skills development in the criminological field. |
| Teamwork | Work and learn collaboratively with others in the criminology field and from different disciplines and backgrounds while still maintaining responsibility for their own learning. |
| Global citizenship | Analyse and address criminological issues in the domestic and global context taking into consideration cultural and socio-economic diversity, social and environmental responsibility and the application of the highest ethical standards. |
International Studies Stream
| 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 including issues of human rights, race, gender and sexuality; 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. |
Course rules
To complete the Associate Degree of Arts students must pass 16 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period
- 4 credit points of core units
- 12 credit points of units taken from the General stream, Criminology stream or the International Studies stream
- a maximum of 10 credit points at level 1
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements. See the enrolment codes and terminology to help make sense of the University’s vocabulary.
Course structure
Core units (Foundation units)
| EAD110 | Communication Skills for Study and Work |
| EAD111 | Digital Literacy: Finding, Evaluating and Interpreting Information |
| EAD112 | Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Using Analysis to Develop Solutions |
| EAD113 | Teamwork: Working Constructively with Others |
General stream
Major Sequence areas to be chosen from the Bachelor of Arts (A310).
Please read the A310 course entry carefully for details of which major sequences are available at each campus location.
1 Employability sequence* credit point from the list below
| AWL200 | Leadership and Transformation |
| AWL201 | Communication and Persuasive Presentation |
| AWL202 | Entrepreneurial Mindset |
OR
| AWL203 | Expand Your Experience |
2 units from a first major sequence at level 1
2 units from a second major sequence at level 1
2 units from first major sequence at level 2
2 units from second major sequence at level 2
2 additional units from either the first or second major at level 2
1 additional unit from either the first or second major at level 2 OR 1 elective at level 1 or 2**
Maximum of 10 credit points at level 1
*AWL2XX must be taken in year 2
**Electives may be taken from inside or outside the Faculty of Arts and Education. Electives in year 1 are recommended to be level 1 only.
***Students who wish to undertake a double major in the Bachelor of Arts must take an additional unit in that major rather than an elective.
Criminology stream
| ACR101 | Introducing Crime and Criminology |
| ACR102 | Introducing Crime and Criminal Justice |
| ACR201 | Issues in Criminal Justice |
| ACR202 | Explaining Crime |
| ACR203 | Crime, Victims and Justice |
| ACR204 | Crime, Media and Justice |
Plus 6 electives at level 1 or 2 *
Maximum of 10 credit points at level 1
* Electives may be taken inside or outside the Faculty of Arts and Education. Electives in year 1 are recommended to be level 1 only.
International Studies stream
Major sequence areas to be chosen from the Bachelor of International Studies (A326).
Please read the A326 course entry carefully for details of which major sequences are available at each campus location.
| AIS101 | Intercultural Communication |
| AIS102 | Working in International Contexts |
| AIR200 | Global Capitalism and Power |
| AIS204 | Gender, Globalisation and Development |
and
2 units from an International Studies major sequence at level 1
4 units from an International Studies major sequence at level 2
2 elective units at level 1 or 2*
*Electives may be taken inside or outside the Faculty of Arts and Education. Electives in year 1 are recommended to be level 1 only.
Students and Applicants seeking to undertake the International Studies stream
Travel between campuses will be required to complete the International Studies stream. The International Studies steam will be taught at Waterfront campus and elective units will be taught at the Waurn Ponds Campus.
Course duration
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing placements.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
- Contact Student Central
Fees and charges
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, and their study discipline or your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.