Bachelor of Arts
Begin your inspiring and flexible career with our Bachelor of Arts - one of Australia's most popular degrees.
Personalise your course, develop your creative and critical thinking, and learn from the best. The Bachelor of Arts (BA) offers a flexible approach to studying the humanities, social sciences and languages at Australia’s number one university. Read on to learn more.
Flexibility
Our innovative and flexible curriculum lets you tailor your degree to match your interests and career goals. Choose from more than 30 areas of specialisation, including languages, history, psychology, social sciences, media and communications, and economics.
Career readiness
Our graduates are in-demand and successful in securing employment across a diverse range of industries. You will develop career-ready skills including problem-solving, analytical thinking, communication expertise, leadership and creativity.
Be among the best
By enrolling in one of Australia’s most competitive degrees, you will be surrounded by other high-achieving students from around the world, helping you take on new challenges and push yourself to a higher level.
First-year foundations
Learn important academic skills not taught in secondary schools, and experience a range of study disciplines in your first year through our unique Arts Foundation subjects.
Practical skills
Develop your job-readiness by accessing student experience opportunities including internships, local and global volunteering placements, fieldwork and discipline-specific internships.
Global citizenship
Develop an international perspective through language study, and enjoy opportunities to study overseas.
As a Bachelor of Arts student, you will build interdisciplinary knowledge, community leadership and cultural awareness, and graduate with the skills necessary to succeed in the rapidly changing global workplace.
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Bachelor of Arts
Build a degree that broadens your education and helps you to discover your true interests and potential, before entering the workforce or pursuing a graduate qualification.
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Bachelor of Arts (Extended)
The Bachelor of Arts (Extended) is a four-year degree that will provide a pathway for Indigenous students to embark on careers that build on a strong Arts background.
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Majors
The Bachelor of Arts offers over 30 areas of study including Asian studies, European languages, communications, philosophy and more.
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Diploma in Languages
Learn a language while you are undertaking your Bachelor of Arts degree and enhance your international career prospects.
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Arts foundation subjects
The Faculty of Arts has developed six first-year Arts Foundation subjects. These subjects introduce you to ways of understanding complex issues across multiple disciplines.
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Breadth subjects
Explore subjects outside your core study area and develop your interests.
The Bachelor of Arts offers over 30 areas of study in the humanities, social sciences and languages. These can be studied as a major or a minor. Some study areas can only be studied as a minor. View example course plans to see how these disciplines can fit into your degree.
- Ancient World Studies Major
- Anthropology Major
- Arabic Major
- Art History Major
- Asian Studies Major
- Australian Indigenous Studies Major
- Chinese Language Major
- Chinese Studies Minor
- Classics Major
- Creative Writing Major
- Criminology Major
- Development Studies Minor
- Economics Major
- English and Theatre Studies Major
- English Language Studies Minor
- Environmental Studies Minor
- European Studies Minor
- French Major
- Gender Studies Major
- Geography Major
- German Major
- Hebrew and Jewish Studies Major
- History Major
- History and Philosophy of Science Major
- Indonesian Major
- Islamic Studies Major
- Italian Major
- Japanese Major
- Knowledge and Learning Minor
- Law and Justice Minor
- Linguistics and Applied Linguistics Major
- Media and Communications Major
- Philosophy Major
- Politics and International Studies Major
- Psychology Major
- Russian Major
- Screen and Cultural Studies Major
- Social Theory Minor
- Sociology Major
- Spanish and Latin American Studies Major
Enrich your academic experience. Take an internship or study overseas. Deepen your knowledge by studying a concurrent diploma. The Diploma in Languages is popular with many BA students.
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Internship and fieldwork subjects
Internships, community work projects, fieldwork and overseas intensives make up a wide range of opportunities for students to gain priceless work experiences and develop their career networks.
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Scholarships and prizes
Financial support and schemes are available to provide you with the world-class education you need. The University offers scholarships for domestic and international students, as well as students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
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Study overseas
We encourage students to go beyond their academic texts and bring their study to life. Experience a different culture, context and environment with any of the University's 171 exchange partners in 39 countries around the world.
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Honours
An honours year allows you to deepen the knowledge gained from your BA. You will focus your skills on an exciting piece of original research. Honours is available in the 30 disciplines offered as a major in the Bachelor of Arts.
Our graduates enjoy rewarding careers in a wide range of industries, in Australia and abroad. The Bachelor of Arts equips graduates with flexible thinking skills which can open up an array of opportunities.
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Careers with a BA
Our graduates have diverse skills which enable them to work in a wide range of occupations, depending on where their passions and opportunities take them. View employment statisics and job titles of our graduates.
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Further study
Once you complete your BA, you may decide to specialise in an industry or type of work. Or perhaps you really enjoy academia and the challenges of research. View options for furthering your studies after a BA.
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Guaranteed entry
Perhaps you already know the graduate program you wish to go on to before your BA has begun? The University offers four types of guaranteed entry pathways to graduate programs in the Faculty of Arts. Visit the Future Students website to learn more.
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Community Access Program (CAP)
Experience the benefits of expert tuition at The University of Melbourne. The Community Access Program (CAP) / Single subject studies allows you to enrol in single BA subjects without the commitment required to complete the whole degree.