Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art) (Visual Culture)
A degree with twice the creativity. Artistic professions shape society’s aesthetic and social needs.
About the Course
This degree offers a choice of two single majors: BA (Fine Art) or BA (Visual Culture). Students may choose to study both single majors to obtain the BA (Fine Art) (Visual Culture).
If you would like to explore the full breadth of art practice including theory and history, combining the two majors into a BA (Fine Art) (Visual Culture) is highly recommended. The combination of these majors will offer you broad experience in visual arts, theory and practice.
If you aspire to become a professional artist and want to contribute to the artistic, aesthetic and social needs of our society, the Fine Art major may suit you. The Fine Art major draws upon the diverse and complex traditions of Fine Art and calls for a high degree of self-discipline, a capacity for self-criticism and dedication to the demanding profession of being an artist.
In the Visual Culture major students explore the history and theories of art and learn to critically evaluate how art informs our world. Students have the opportunity to extend and apply research methods through theoretical and/or practical investigations in contemporary art.
Course Entry Requirements
- Successful completion of one full time semester (four standard subjects) towards an Undergraduate or higher level of study at an Australian University (separate evidence of English proficiency is not required)
- Successful completion of four OUA degree level subjects at pass level (this satisfies the English language proficiency requirement) OR
- Successful completion of two OUA degree level subjects with separate evidence of English proficiency is required.
- Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) 70 or equivalent. Students must have English ATAR, Literature ATAR or English as an Additional Language/Dialect ATAR. To determine your eligibility for entry please refer to Interstate Year 12 and IB Students, TISC Tertiary Institutions Service Centre Prerequisites
- Completion of an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Diploma or Advanced Diploma or Associate Diploma. You may also be eligible for credit toward your university study.
- Completion of an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Certificate IV and evidence of English proficiency.
- Successful completion of the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT). (Please note this test is valid for two years.)
- Finished secondary education more than two years ago
- Curtin Enabling Program: UniReady
- Enabling degrees completed through other Australian Universities which meet minimum entry requirements for that institution will be accepted as minimum entry requirements for this degree.
Additional Information
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people:
Centre for Aboriginal Studies- Domestic applicants with overseas qualifications
Course Structure
Recommended study pattern
To complete the degree as a full time student, a maximum of two subjects per Study Period is recommended.
Note: Students completing both the Fine Art and Visual Culture Majors concurrently must complete all common and major subjects for each of the single majors as listed below. The combined Fine Art and Visual Culture structure allows for only two level one electives.
Level 1 BA (Fine Art) (Visual Culture) - complete the following:
- APC100 Academic and Professional Communication (core subject)
- COM155 Culture to Cultures (core subject)
- VIS18 Introduction to History of Art and Design
- VSW13 Fine Art Studio Materials (Fine Art major subject)
- VSW14 Fine Art Studio Methods (Fine Art major subject)
- VIS19 Issues in Contemporary Art (Visual Culture major subject)
- 2 elective subjects
Level 2 and level 3
Single Major BA (Fine Art)
Complete four Level 2 and four Level 3 Fine Art major subjects
AND
Single Major BA (Visual Culture)
Complete four Level 2 and four Level 3 Visual Culture major subjects
The Bachelor of Arts degree incorporates a progressive structure of subjects designed to build knowledge and enable you to successfully progress through the degree.
Refer to the attached recommended Course Structure (PDF, 622KB)
Award requirements
To obtain the award for the BA (Fine Art) (Visual Culture) students must complete a total of 24 subjects as follows:
BA (Fine Art) (Visual Culture)
Students completing both the Fine Art and Visual Culture Majors concurrently must complete all common and major subjects for each single major.
- APC100 Academic and Professional Communication (core subject)
- COM155 Culture to Cultures (core subject)
- 10 Fine Art major subjects selected from Levels 1, 2 and 3
- 10 Visual Culture major subjects selected from Levels 1, 2 and 3
- 2 elective subjects
The following criteria also apply:
- The combined Fine Art and Visual Culture structure only allows for two elective subjects.
- You must complete the degree within 10 years
- You must complete at least eight Curtin University subjects where Credit for Recognised Learning (CRL) is applicable.
Choose your subjects
Majors
Fine Art and Visual Culture
In addition to the two Humanities subjects in Level 1 students studying the combined single majors BA (Fine Art) (Visual Culture) must complete 10 Fine Art major subjects and 10 Visual Culture major subjects as listed below
Level 1: Fine Art major subject VSW13 and VSW14 Visual Culture major subject VIS18 and VIS19
Level 2: Fine Art major subjects VSW210, VSW220, VSW230 and VSW240 Visual Culture major subjects VIS24, VIS27, VIS29 and VAR250
Level 3: Fine Art major subjects VSW31, VSW32, VSW330 and VSW340 Visual Culture major subjects VIS320, VIS330, VIS340 and VAR300
At the completion of this degree students will be able to:
- apply discipline knowledge of critical discourses within art and design; contribute to evidence based practice through visual research
- think critically and reflectively by incorporating creativity within the research and articulation of visual culture
- critically evaluate visual culture, technology, practices and literature relevant to the discipline, synthesise information from a range of sources
- demonstrate effective visual, spoken and written communication appropriate to art and design critical discourses
- use and discern visual and other technologies appropriate to the understanding of contemporary art and design
- sustain an engagement with visual culture and creative industries through self-directed ongoing learning skills
- recognise the significance of disparate international visual art and design practices in the development of local and national professional contemporary visual cultural production
- recognise the importance of cultural diversity through visual language; respect individuals from all cultures; develop cross-cultural collaborations that foster innovation and diversity in art and design
- work independently and collaboratively, demonstrating art and design professional practice and leadership skills.
