Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Arts

2025 Deakin University Handbook

Year

2025 course information

Award granted Bachelor of Commerce / Bachelor of Arts
Deakin course codeD385
Course version1
Faculty

Faculty of Business and Law

Course Information

For students who commenced from 2020 to 2022

Campus
OnlineNo
Duration4 years full-time or part-time equivalent
CRICOS code0100819 Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong)
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition

The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7

Students and Applicants to Geelong Waterfront Campus

Travel between campuses will be required to complete this combined degree. The Bachelor of Commerce degree will be taught at Waterfront campus and the Bachelor of Arts degree will be taught at the Waurn Ponds Campus.

The final intake for this course version was 2022.

Students should contact a Student Adviser in Student Central for course and enrolment information.

Further course structure information can be found in the handbook archive.

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Combine complementary commerce and arts majors in Deakin's Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Arts to create a unique qualification built for your career.

Learn to think more critically as you develop a strong foundation in all aspects of commerce. You will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and work on real commercial projects through work placements domestically or internationally. At the same time, you can follow your passions into an arts major while building transferable skills that perfectly complement your commerce expertise.

Want versatile, job-ready skills in both the arts and commerce?

Students at Deakin's world-class business school graduate with work-ready skills and practical experience. Combine this with your arts major sequence and you be well-equipped with the transferable skills to launch a career in almost any industry.

In this combined course, you will study a range of topics across both areas. Develop your business knowledge through one of our commerce majors:

  • accounting
  • economics
  • finance
  • financial planning
  • human resources management
  • management
  • management information systems
  • marketing.

At the same time, explore a complementary area of the arts and strengthen your understanding of people, society, politics, language or the world. Choose from:

  • anthropology
  • criminology
  • gender and sexuality studies
  • history
  • international politics and relations
  • philosophy
  • politics and policy studies
  • sociology
  • studies of religions

Because your teachers are active in their fields, you will enjoy a classroom that is innovative,  contemporary and provides industry expertise. Plus, you'll have the chance to grow your connections through their professional networks.

Each degree offers opportunities to get involved in hands-on learning including overseas study tours, international and domestic internships, work placements and exchanges. Graduate with a well-rounded and global perspective employers will love.

Professional recognition

Deakin Business School is in the top 1% of business schools globally by holding both AACSB and EQUIS accreditations. These prestigious accreditations are awarded to business schools that meet strict standards of quality, academic and professional excellence, and demonstrate a commitment to ongoing improvement and innovation in their courses, ensuring our graduates are employable worldwide.

Depending on the major sequence you choose, your Bachelor of Commerce component may give you eligibility for a range of professional memberships and accreditations.

Students who complete the accounting major sequence are eligible to apply for:

Students who complete the marketing major sequence are eligible for a one-year credit reduction from the five years needed to become a Certified Practicing Marketer by the Australian Marketing Institute (AIM).

Students who complete the financial planning major sequence will satisfy the education standards prescribed by the Financial Adviser Standards (FAS) to be able to provide financial advice in Australia and be eligible for entry into the certification programs of the professional financial planning associations – the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Certification Program offered by the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) and the Fellow Chartered Financial Practitioner designation offered by the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA).

Students should consult with a course adviser to identify any additional requirements for membership for each professional body, and also consult with the professional body.

Career opportunities

As a Bachelor of Commerce/ Bachelor of Arts graduate, you’ll be ready for a variety of career opportunities including:

  • art centre manager
  • artist agent
  • careers counsellor
  • image consultant
  • import/export manager
  • marketing and communications manager
  • media analyst
  • NGO advisor
  • public relations manager
  • public servant
  • small business owner
  • trade delegate.

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.

Alternative exits

Bachelor of Arts (A300)
Bachelor of Arts (A310)
Bachelor of Commerce (M300)

Course learning outcomes

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes Course Learning Outcomes
Bachelor of Commerce
Course Learning Outcomes
Bachelor of Arts
Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities Apply a broad and coherent theoretical and technical knowledge of commerce and its applications Demonstrate a broad and coherent body of knowledge in the Arts disciplines, with depth in the underlying principles and concepts in one or more disciplines or areas of practice.
Communication Communicate commerce concepts and information effectively including in oral, written and visual forms in a cohesive and understandable manner to academic audiences, business professionals and laypersons Demonstrate highly developed skills in oral, written and electronic communication and the ability to communicate research outcomes, and produce scholarly papers.
Digital Literacy Use technologies to identify, locate, evaluate, synthesise and disseminate and communicate information in the field of commerce Research, analyse, synthesise and disseminate information using a range of appropriate technologies and resources in a rapidly-changing global environment.
Critical thinking Evaluate and critically analyse academic, professional and business information and values Use critical and analytical thinking and judgement in selecting and applying appropriate theories and methodologies to evaluate information and knowledge about society, culture and the arts.
Problem Solving Identify solutions to a diverse range of authentic problems in commerce Apply cognitive, technical and creative skills to generate solutions to unpredictable and sometimes complex problems in the Humanities, Social Sciences and the Creative Arts, including cross-disciplinary approaches.
Self-management Take personal responsibility for actions, self-reflect and critique own performance and identify and plan future professional development Demonstrate autonomy, responsibility and accountability for personal actions and a continued commitment to learning in personal, professional, and scholarly contexts.
Teamwork Interact and collaborate with others from a range of disciplines and backgrounds Work and learn collaboratively with colleagues, other professionals and members of the wider community.
Global Citizenship Engage effectively in different environments and contexts reflecting social, sustainable, ethical, economic, and global perspectives in the field of commerce Demonstrate an awareness of ethical issues, cultural diversity, and social responsibility when engaging in scholarship and professional roles in the local, national or international community.

Course rules

To complete the Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Arts students must pass 32 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:

To be completed in the first trimester of study

16 credit points from the Bachelor of Commerce

  • 8 credit points of core units
  • 1 major (8 credit points)
  • a minimum of 4 credit points of Faculty of Business and Law units at level 3

16 credit points from the Bachelor of Arts

  • 2 majors (16 credit points)

Or;

  • 1 major (8 credit points)
  • 1 minor (4 credit points)
  • A minimum of 4 credit points at level 3 of Arts coded units
  • A maximum of 6 credit points at level 1 of Arts coded units

Course requirements for both the Bachelor of Commerce (M300) and the Bachelor of Arts (A300) must be satisfied.

Majors

Students must complete one Bachelor of Commerce major sequence chosen from the below list. Refer to the details of each major sequence for availability:

^ These majors are the recommended pathway to qualify for membership of professional organisations.
* Offered to continuing students only

Students must complete one Bachelor of Arts major sequence chosen from the below list. Refer to the details of each major sequence for availability: 

* UX refers to User Experience


Course structure

Compulsory 0-credit point module

To be completed in the first trimester of study:-

DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin

Core units

MAA103Accounting for Decision Making

MAE101Economic Principles

MAF101Fundamentals of Finance

MIS171Business Analytics

MLC101Law for Commerce

MMK101Marketing Fundamentals

MMM132Management

MWL101Professional Insight

Work experience

This course provides students the opportunity to complete one or more elective work integrated learning units.
More Information: WIL Programs


Other course information

Course duration - additional information

Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.

Further information

Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.

Research and research-related study

Independent research components are embedded across a number of units.

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on your course, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year, the units you choose and your study load. To find out about the fees and charges that apply to you, visit the Current students fees website or our handy Fee estimator to help estimate your tuition fees.

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 photocopying or travel.