Course summary
The Bachelor of Visual Arts provides a comprehensive grounding in the practical and theoretical aspects of contemporary visual arts practice. The theoretical component of the course instils an appreciation of both contemporary and historical perspectives applicable to contemporary art practice, curatorial practice and other careers in the arts industry.
Students gain a diverse and rich studio experience in an atmosphere that nurtures and inspires creativity. They develop their skills working in well equipped, purpose-built studios for painting, printmaking, three-dimensional studies (including ceramics and sculpture), DAD (digital art and design), drawing and photography. Students work under the guidance of academic staff who are all practising artists.
The Lismore campus is a cultural hub at the centre of the dynamic arts scene of the Northern Rivers.
Our visual arts graduates have featured in some of Australia’s most prestigious art awards and their work regularly features in commercial and public galleries nationally and internationally. Many have gained further qualifications through Honours and PhD studies to become art researchers and academics, while continuing their art practices.
The Bachelor of Visual Arts provides a comprehensive grounding in the practical and theoretical aspects of contemporary visual arts practice. The theoretical component of the course instils an appreciation of both contemporary and historical perspectives applicable to contemporary art practice, curatorial practice and other careers in the arts industry.
Students gain a diverse and rich studio experience in an atmosphere that nurtures and inspires creativity. They develop their skills working in well equipped, purpose-built studios for painting, printmaking, three-dimensional studies (including ceramics and sculpture), DAD (digital art and design), drawing and photography. Students work under the guidance of academic staff who are all practising artists.
The Lismore campus is a cultural hub at the centre of the dynamic arts scene of the Northern Rivers.
Our visual arts graduates have featured in some of Australia’s most prestigious art awards and their work regularly features in commercial and public galleries nationally and internationally. Many have gained further qualifications through Honours and PhD studies to become art researchers and academics, while continuing their art practices.
Core studies
- Studio studies: 3D studies, painting, printmaking
- Art theory
- Studio drawing
- Design
Major in either:
- Arts industry and media arts (including optional units in digital art and design, digital photography, online animation, online media design, professional placement, and arts project);
- Arts industry and technology (including optional units in digital art and design, digital photography, photography, studio drawing, studio elective and professional placement).
| Graduate Attribute | Course Learning Outcome |
|---|---|
| Intellectual rigour | Apply intellectual rigour and critical analysis to complex visual arts social, economic, environmental, political and historical issues. Develop research and evaluate ideas, concepts and processes through critical and reflective thinking and practice. Demonstrate skills and knowledge of the practices, languages, forms, materials, technologies, techniques and critical reflective thinking in Visual Arts discipline research. |
| Creativity | Negotiate and develop creative and innovative responses to specific visual arts challenges. Apply relevant skills and knowledge to produce creative works and artefacts. Develop research and evaluate ideas, concepts and processes through critical reflective thinking in the production of creative works. |
| Ethical practice | Interpret, communicate and present ideas, problems and arguments with reference to principles of social justice and visual arts ethical frameworks. Evaluate issues with reference to principles of social justice and visual arts ethical frameworks. |
| Knowledge of a discipline | Demonstrate a command of visual arts world views and contemporary issues relating to professional or scholarly settings in visual arts industries and communities. Demonstrate knowledge of the practices, languages, forms, materials, technologies and techniques in the visual arts. |
| Lifelong learning | Independently access, manage and evaluate sources of information in contemporary formats. Develop the qualities of a reflective, responsible and inclusive practitioner in culturally diverse settings. Work independently and collaboratively in the visual arts discipline in response to project demands. |
| Communication and social skills | Communicate effectively in visual, oral and written form. Work collaboratively to achieve mutually agreed outcomes. Interpret, communicate, collaborate and present ideas, problems and arguments in modes suited to a range of audiences. |
| Cultural competence | Demonstrate cultural proficiency, cultural competency and cultural safety in a range of professional and scholarly community contexts. Recognise, develop cultural understanding and reflect on social and cultural issues, and apply local and international perspectives to practice in the visual arts. |
Students have the opportunity to undertake practical workplace experience in the dynamic arts industries of the New South Wales North Coast. They can also study for a session at universities overseas including the prestigious Pratt Institute in New York, University of Hertfordshire in England, Universitat de Barcelona in Spain, University of Massachusetts in USA, and Kansai Gaidai University in Japan.
Course overview
Course code
3003160
Course abbreviation
BVA
Credit points
288
Equivalent units
24
Duration
3 years full-time; 6 years part-time
Duration
3 years full-time
Availability details
Domestic
| Location | Teaching period | UAC code | QTAC code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lismore | Session 1 | 333102 | 053021 |
Fee information
International
| Location | Teaching period | Annual Fees | CRICOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lismore | Session 1 | $21,360 ($2,670 per unit) | 026997B |
Course requirements
See the University’s Rules Relating to Awards, in conjunction with the Specific Award Rules listed below.
-
To be eligible for the award of Bachelor of Visual Arts degree a candidate shall successfully complete not less than 24 units comprising:
- All units listed in Part A of the Schedule of Units attached to the rules; and
- Eight [8] units from one of the majors listed in Part B of the Schedule.
Schedule of units
Course progressions
Your course progression is in the recommended order you should complete your course in. It is important that you follow this to ensure you meet the course requirements. For further assistance see How to Enrol in Units using My Enrolment.
Students should use course progression information to select units specific to their course and enrol in these units using My Enrolment
Browse uni-wide elective units by selecting Uni-wide elective in the advanced filter of the Unit search.
Browse shared majors and their units at Shared majors
| Title | Level of learning | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1, Session 1 | |||
| Part-time students should study either ART00621 or ART00406 and CAR10001 of this course progression for Year 2, session 1 | |||
| ART00621 - Visual Arts Studio Studies I: Foundation | Introductory | ||
| ART00406 - Studio Drawing I | Introductory | ||
| CAR10001 - Creativity and Arts Industries | Introductory | ||
| Year 1, Session 2 | |||
| Part-time students should study either ART00622 or ART00601 and ART00630 of this course progression for Year 2, session 2 | |||
| ART00622 - Visual Arts Studio Studies II | Introductory | ||
| ART00601 - Framing Modernity | Introductory | ||
| ART00630 - Design | Introductory | ||
| Year 2, Session 1 | |||
| Major must be selected and saved to study plan before enrolling into Year 2 units | |||
| ART00623 - Visual Arts Studio Studies III | Intermediate | ||
| ART00498 - Contemporary Debates in Visual Culture | Intermediate | ||
| Choose 1 unit from: Media Arts | |||
| Year 2, Session 2 | |||
| ART00624 - Visual Arts Studio Studies IV | Intermediate | ||
| Choose 2 units from: Media Arts | |||
| Year 3, Session 1 | |||
| ART00625 - Visual Arts Studio Studies V | Advanced | ||
| CAR10503 - Arts Industry Studies | Intermediate | ||
| Choose 1 unit from: Media Arts | |||
| Year 3, Session 2 | |||
| ART00626 - Visual Arts Studio Studies VI | Advanced | ||
| CUR30001 - Curating Contemporary Culture | Advanced | ||
| Choose 1 unit from: Media Arts | |||
| Title | Level of learning | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session 1 | |||
| ART00621 - Visual Arts Studio Studies I: Foundation | Introductory | ||
| ART00406 - Studio Drawing I | Introductory | ||
| CAR10001 - Creativity and Arts Industries | Introductory | ||
| Session 2 | |||
| ART00622 - Visual Arts Studio Studies II | Introductory | ||
| ART00601 - Framing Modernity | Introductory | ||
| ART00630 - Design | Introductory | ||
| Part-time students should complete:
either ART00621 or ART00406 and CAR10001 for Session 1 - either ART00622 or ART00601 and ART00630 for Session 2 |
|||
| Major must be selected and saved to study plan before enrolling into units for Year 2 | |||
| Title | Level of learning | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1, Session 1 | |||
| Part-time students should study either ART00621 or ART00406 and CAR10001 of this course progression for Year 1, Session 1 | |||
| ART00621 - Visual Arts Studio Studies I: Foundation | Introductory | ||
| ART00406 - Studio Drawing I | Introductory | ||
| CAR10001 - Creativity and Arts Industries | Introductory | ||
| Year 1, Session 2 | |||
| Part-time students should study either ART00622 or ART00601 and ART00630 of this course progression for Year 1, Session 2 | |||
| ART00622 - Visual Arts Studio Studies II | Introductory | ||
| ART00601 - Framing Modernity | Introductory | ||
| ART00630 - Design | Introductory | ||
| Year 2, Session 1 | |||
| Major must be selected and saved to study plan before enrolling into Year 2 units | |||
| ART00623 - Visual Arts Studio Studies III | Intermediate | ||
| ART00498 - Contemporary Debates in Visual Culture | Intermediate | ||
| Choose 1 unit from: Arts Studio | |||
| Year 2, Session 2 | |||
| ART00624 - Visual Arts Studio Studies IV | Intermediate | ||
| Choose 2 units from: Arts Studio | |||
| Year 3, Session 1 | |||
| ART00625 - Visual Arts Studio Studies V | Advanced | ||
| CAR10503 - Arts Industry Studies | Intermediate | ||
| Choose 1 unit from: Arts Studio | |||
| Year 3, Session 2 | |||
| ART00626 - Visual Arts Studio Studies VI | Advanced | ||
| CUR30001 - Curating Contemporary Culture | Advanced | ||
| Choose 1 unit from: Arts Studio | |||
Notes
| Note 1: | Units ART00621, ART00622, ART00623, ART00624, ART00625, ART00626 are double weighted [equal to 2 units] |
| Note 2: | Units ART10275 and COM00471 are also offered in Session 3 by Distance Education only. |
Unit groups
Arts Studio
| Title | Level of learning | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory: | |||
| ART00498 - Contemporary Debates in Visual Culture | Intermediate | ||
| CAR10503 - Arts Industry Studies | Intermediate | ||
| CUR30001 - Curating Contemporary Culture | Advanced | ||
| Choose five (5) from the following: | |||
| ART10094 - Digital Art and Design I | Intermediate | ||
| ART10095 - Digital Art and Design II | Intermediate | ||
| ART10096 - Digital Art and Design III | Advanced | ||
| ART10275 - Digital Photography I | Introductory | ||
| ART00456 - Photography II | Intermediate | ||
| ART00407 - Studio Drawing II | Introductory | ||
| ART00408 - Studio Drawing III | Intermediate | ||
| ART00641 - Studio Elective I (Visual Arts) | Introductory | ||
| COM00471 - Professional Placement | Advanced | ||
| SOY10114 - Independent Project | Advanced | ||
Media Arts
| Title | Level of learning | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory: | |||
| ART00498 - Contemporary Debates in Visual Culture | Intermediate | ||
| CAR10503 - Arts Industry Studies | Intermediate | ||
| CUR30001 - Curating Contemporary Culture | Advanced | ||
| Choose five (5) from the following: | |||
| ART10094 - Digital Art and Design I | Intermediate | ||
| ART10095 - Digital Art and Design II | Intermediate | ||
| ART10096 - Digital Art and Design III | Advanced | ||
| ART10275 - Digital Photography I | Introductory | ||
| COM00455 - Online Media Design | Intermediate | ||
| COM00456 - Animation Theory and Practice | Intermediate | ||
| COM10112 - From Page to Production: Essential Screen Skills | Intermediate | ||
| COM00471 - Professional Placement | Advanced | ||
| SOY10114 - Independent Project | Advanced | ||