Develop your skills as a contemporary art practitioner to engage critically and creatively with the world in new and traditional media including painting, drawing, printmaking, 3D, digital and multi-disciplinary forms.
Combine cutting edge theory with specialised studio practice when you enrol in Deakin’s Bachelor of Creative Arts (Visual Arts).
Incorporating digital technologies, traditional techniques and interdisciplinary practices, this course focuses on the curious, the critical and creative student. Students are introduced to contemporary art through a program that contextualises their work in theory and practice through lectures, workshops, tutorials, collaborative and independent studio. Critical thinking and collaboration are key to developing the technical skills of the 21st century as students need to be adaptable, articulate and creative practitioners, no matter the vocation they choose.
In internships you’ll have access to important arts organisations, events and galleries to enhance your curatorial, educational and administrative skills, while you will have numerous opportunities to exhibit in Deakin’s own gallery spaces. Showcasing your work through festivals, exhibitions and award programs is a great way to launch your career, gain professional experience and network.
By coupling your major with units in other creative arts disciplines your design skills will be sought after in areas like marketing, media, and communications. You could work on creative designs for websites, packaging, printed material, company branding, video games, advertising, exhibitions and displays. Combining your art specialisation with teaching studies can also qualify you to teach visual arts in schools and other educational settings.
Graduates can enjoy creative roles as artists, in arts administration, curation, academic research, illustration, design, video, advertising, film production and teaching. There are further opportunities within the arts and cultural communities.
Career opportunities
As a graduate of the Bachelor of Creative Arts (Visual Arts) you will be readily equipped with skills appropriate to the expanding arts industries in fields including illustration, design, video, advertising, film production, education, and community arts. The course will also equip you to pursue an independent studio career working towards exhibitions in: commercial galleries; publicly run arts spaces; experimental, collaborative and interdisciplinary exchanges; and higher degree research.
Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. Click here for more information.
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.
Transition to University study
The faculty offers two units AIX160 Introduction to University Study and AIX117 Professional Writing for Work which are specifically designed to ease the transition into university study. New students are encouraged to enrol in one or both of these units as electives in their first year.
Fees and charges
Fees and charges vary depending on your course, your fee category and the year you started. To find out about the fees and charges that apply to you, visit the Current students fees website.
Course Learning Outcomes
Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline specific knowledge and capabilities
Demonstrate a working knowledge of Visual Arts studio practice.
Demonstrate knowledge of art theoretical and historical content through studio practice.
Demonstrate particular depth of knowledge in the studio practice of painting and drawing.
Adapt knowledge to analyse and interpret art and cultural products within the art world and within a broader context of cultural production.
Apply discipline knowledge and problem solving skills to reflect on, engage with, and reshape cultural/societal practices
Communication
Express ideas and opinions cogently through oral, written, and nonverbal (visual) channels.
Engage critically with ideas through technically sophisticated and theoretically informed art practice.
Demonstrate an understanding of the art industry and its cultural contexts through written and oral communication.
Digital literacy
Employ a range of digital media technologies to create art works.
Demonstrate a high level of skill in both the manipulation of digital technologies as well as the creative extension of such technologies
Critically engage with the interaction of old and new media technologies through scholarly writing and creative arts practice.
Critical thinking
Analyse and interpret cultural products (including the student’s own work) and make informed judgements about their meaning, value, and efficacy.
Use visual arts practice to develop self-reflexive habits that both develop and critically re-examine personally held views.
Problem solving
Develop skills in identifying, analysing and solving creative (ill-defined) problems through studio practice.
Employ visual arts methodologies (ways of making) to define and explore new problems or re-frame existing ones.
Self-management
Use personal initiative and judgment to produce creative solutions to set creative briefs
Demonstrate initiative and autonomy in researching, developing and solving self-directed creative problems in the visual arts.
Demonstrate skills in objective critical self-assessment.
Teamwork
Collaborate with peers within and across disciplines to generate creative outcomes in art practice and professional situations.
Effectively negotiate interpersonal and creative differences through engagement in group projects.
Global citizenship
Demonstrate an awareness of ethical issues, cultural diversity, and social responsibility when engaging in Visual Arts scholarship.
Demonstrate an awareness of the ethical and inter-cultural issues involved in the production and interpretation of visual representations.
Approved by Faculty Board October 2015
Course rules
Students must complete 24 credit points including:
Complete six electives, of which at least three must be 2nd or 3rd level
We suggest students complete at least 4 units in a subject area different to their degree, preferably a linked sequence of study in the same area. This choice can include units from any degree in the University but is best chosen from the subject areas in the Bachelor of Arts (https://www.deakin.edu.au/course/bachelor-arts). We do recommend students complete at least two more selectable core units listed above.
Course structure
Complete five 1 credit point units chosen from the following list with at least 1 level 3 unit:
In choosing electives, students are encouraged to consider taking a major sequence or individual units from the following Creative Arts major sequences listed in:
Melbourne Burwood Campus - Elective cognate creative arts sequences
The following units are strongly recommended to students as part of their electives. Students may choose more than one cognate study area which must include units from at least 2 year levels (eg 1st and 2nd year OR 2nd and 3rd year).
Visual Communication Design (formerly Graphic Design)
Note: Students who commenced studies prior to 2011 may need to contact Student Support office for course advice. Melbourne Burwood Campus Tel 03 924 43843 or 03 924 43910 artsedstudentsupport@deakin.edu.au
Waterfront (Geelong) - Elective cognate creative arts sequences
The following units are strongly recommended to students as part of their electives. Students may choose more than one cognate study area which must include units from at least 2 year levels (eg 1st and 2nd year OR 2nd and 3rd year).
* ALC101 also offered in trimester 3 - Cloud (online) mode only.
** ACC301 is not offered 2014, re-offered 2015 subject to approval.
Course structure
Work experience
Elective units may provide the opportunity for Work Integrated Learning experiences.
Course duration - additional information
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.
Other Course Information
Assessment Assessment within the award of Bachelor of Creative Arts varies from written assignments and/or examination to practical and technical exercises and performance. In some units assessment may also include class participation, online exercises, seminar exercises and tests.
Research and research-related study
Independent research components are embedded across a number of units.
