Faculty of Arts : Guide to courses

9. Planning your BA course

Table of Contents

 9. Planning your BA course

The BA is an extremely flexible degree allowing students to select subjects from a wide variety of areas of study. In particular, the first year of the degree provides an opportunity to study a broad selection of areas and subjects. Students are encouraged to choose at least four different areas of study in their first year (two semester subjects per area of study) in order to have a wider range of options available to them at second and third year. In the later years of the degree, students can choose to continue to enrol in a wide range of subjects or to begin to specialise (or Major) in an area of study of particular interest.

 9.1. What is an area of study?

An area of study is a grouping of subjects belonging to a particular discipline or theme. Within the BA degree you can choose from more than 70 different areas of study offered by the departments of the Faculty of Arts and by some other faculties within the University.

For a complete list of areas of study available within the BA, consult the Arts areas of study table (Arts areas of study table) and the Language table (Language table).

 9.2. Choosing areas of study and subjects

As far as is possible, it is important to begin planning your BA degree from the first year. The Arts areas of study table (Arts areas of study table) and the Language table (Language table) are designed to help you plan your degree, and to see in advance the possibilities available to you within different areas of study.

You need to be aware, for instance, that most but not all areas of study offer Majors. Some, such as Communication Skills and English as a Second Language or Astronomy, offer subjects at first year only that can supplement your main program of study. Some areas include subjects that involve overseas study. And while most areas of study offer a sequence of study beginning in first year, you need to know that some are interdepartmental programs that are available from second year only (see What is an interdepartmental program?).

 9.3. What is the relationship between areas of study and departments?

A variety of different departments, schools and centres within the Arts Faculty teach and administer the various areas of study (see Arts departments, schools and centres). Sometimes the relationship between an area of study and a department is very straightforward, for instance, the Criminology department offers Criminology subjects only. Increasingly however, departments and schools within the Arts Faculty are responsible for more than one area of study. The Department of English for instance, teaches both English (i.e. literary studies and creative writing) and Cultural Studies.

The Arts areas of study table (Arts areas of study table) and the Language table (Language table) provide a clear map of which areas of study belong to which departments. You can also establish this relationship by referring to the For more information section of any given area of study in this handbook. There you will find the full contact and address details of the administering (parent) departments or schools.

 9.4. What is a Major?

A Major is a specialisation in an area of study, requiring the completion of a specified number of subjects at each year level.

A Major requires the completion of 112.5 points of study. It usually comprises:

• 25 points (usually two subjects) of first year;

• 37.5 points (usually three subjects) of second year, and;

• 50 points (usually four subjects) of third year.

Some areas of study simply require 25 points (two subjects) of first year and 87.5 points (seven subjects) of second and/or third-year subjects.

Some areas of study have compulsory subjects that you must do in order to complete that Major. You should check the requirements for a Major in each area of study entry in this handbook to ensure that you are aware what is required.

 9.4.1. Language Majors

A language Major requires the completion of 125 points of study from first year to third year, not the regular 112.5 points required for other Majors (see Language Majors).

 9.5. Planning a Major

 9.5.1. Do I have to complete a Major?

You do not have to do a Major in an Arts degree, but you are advised to consider both the career and further study advantages of completing one or more formal areas of specialisation within your degree. When you finish your studies, the formal transcript of your results will include acknowledgement of the Major/s you have completed. And if you wish to continue with fourth year Honours study you are required to have completed a Major within the relevant area of study.

 9.5.2. What can I major in?

A full list of the areas of study offering Majors is included in the Arts areas of study table (Arts areas of study table) and the Language table (Language table). You can also consult the table to check which areas of studies offer Honours programs that build upon Major study.

 9.5.3. Majoring in two areas of study

If you plan to complete two Majors within your degree, it pays to choose areas of study that complement each other, allowing you to bring different kinds of expertise to bear upon each field of interest.

In particular, language study is recommended as an area of specialisation in itself, or as a means of enhancing your expertise in a particular field of interest. For instance, a Major in Italian would enhance studies in Renaissance Art History, just as Ancient Greek or Latin is necessary to the study of Classics and Archaeology. See Language study.

The following table charts the progress of a BA degree with Majors in History and Cinema Studies, where subjects as diverse as Geography and Philosophy have also been completed.

 9.6. BA study with two Majors

 Table 4: Arts degree with Majors in History and Cinema Studies

First year (eight subjects)   Sem 1   History 12.5 points   Philosophy 12.5 points   Geography 12.5 points   Cinema Studies 12.5 points   Sem 2   History 12.5 points   Philosophy 12.5 points   Geography 12.5 points   Cinema Studies 12.5 points   Second year (eight subjects)   Sem 1   History 12.5 points   Philosophy 12.5 points   Geography 12.5 points   Cinema Studies 12.5 points   Sem 2   History 12.5 points   History 12.5 points   Cinema Studies 12.5 points   Cinema Studies 12.5 points   Third year, (eight subjects)   Sem 1   History 12.5 points   History 12.5 points   Cinema Studies 12.5 points   Cinema Studies 12.5 points   Sem 2   History 12.5 points   History 12.5 points   Cinema Studies 12.5 points   Cinema Studies 12.5 points

This table shows how a standard BA might begin with four areas of study at first year, complete three areas of study at second year, and finish with specialisations in two at third year.

 9.7. New choices after first year

At second and third year many additional areas of study are available to students. The Arts areas of study table (Arts areas of study table) and the Language table (Language table) provide a guide to the year levels at which different areas of study offer subjects within the BA. In most cases, the areas of study that become available after first year (i.e. from second to third year only) are interdepartmental programs with their own requirements for entry. (See What is an interdepartmental program?.)

Students should also note that most languages can be studied at beginners level in both First and second year.

 9.8. Completing additional first year study

The Arts Faculty has introduced a new measure in 1999 which allows students to complete a maximum of 125 points of first year study.

This means that students who have already completed 100 points of first year study and find that they want to take extra first-year subjects in order to broaden their second/third year study options may do so. In such cases, students may complete two additional first-year subjects from a new area of study, thereby completing a total of 125 points of first year within the overall total of 300 points for their degree.

 9.9. Taking subjects to complete overall degree requirements

In some cases it may be necessary for students to take an isolated subject or subjects to fulfil their degree requirements.

Both Social Work Social Work subjects available in the Bachelor of Arts and Computer Applications Computer Applications in the Social Sciences and Humanities offer suitable subjects which are available at second/third year and require no prerequisite study.

 9.10. What is an interdepartmental program?

Interdepartmental or ID programs are specialised interdisciplinary areas of study which represent some of the newest developments in the social sciences and humanities. These include Environmental Studies, Cultural Studies, Islamic Studies, and Women's Studies.

The Faculty of Arts offers 19 ID programs to BA students, see Arts areas of study table. Each program is housed in a parent department or school within the Faculty and has a convener responsible for its academic program. ID programs enable you to incorporate subjects from a range of other areas of study into a focused program of Major study. For instance, the Asian Studies program includes Asia-focused subjects from History, Anthropology, Geography, Indonesian Studies, Chinese Studies, etc.

In this way ID programs offer particularly flexible and exciting paths for Major study. Students are advised to familiarise themselves with the ID programs that touch upon their academic interests, and to plan well in advance for entry. Some ID programs, such as Development, begin in first year and have no prerequisites. Some, like European Studies or Social Theory, are available from second year, or in the case of Cultural Studies are formally available from second year but include subjects that are recommended for study at first year. Similarly, Major requirements vary from program to program. Some include compulsory subjects, while others, such as Asian Studies and Medieval Studies, require or recommend concurrent language study.

For full details on each ID program, its prerequisites for entry, requirements for a Major, and the subjects included, consult the relevant entries in this handbook.

 9.11. Linked subjects

Some first year and second/third-year subjects are offered as linked semester subjects. Usually a student will enrol in both the first-semester and second-semester parts of linked subjects. While it is possible to enrol in the first-semester subject only, students require special permission to take a second-semester linked subject without completing its first-semester counterpart.

 9.12. Special entry and quota subjects

Some subjects (for example Creative Writing subjects) have special entry requirements which you must fulfil in order to enrol.

Quota subjects (such as summer intensive languages) have a limited number of places available and students are selected according to academic merit.

The Faculty of Arts Office can advise you on how to apply for special entry and quota subjects.

 9.13. Skills subjects

The following two areas of study offer skills subjects designed to develop study and career skills. These are:

• Communication Skills and English as a Second Language

• Computer Applications in the Social Sciences and Humanities.

 9.13.1. Skills subjects limitations

Students may take a maximum of three skills subjects for credit towards their Arts degree and no more than two of these may be taken at second/third year.

 9.14. Studying subjects offered at other universities

Study at other Australian universities (complementary course studies) is permitted when high-achieving students wish to take a subject not offered at the University of Melbourne towards their degree. Complementary course studies require the approval of the Faculty of Arts as well as permission from the relevant university. Arrangements must be made at the beginning of the year in which you wish to enrol in the subject/s concerned. Applications forms are available from the Faculty of Arts Office and further enquiries should be directed to Faculty course adviser for complementary studies.

Status:                   Official 1999
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