Faculty of Arts : Guide to courses
6. Combined arts degrees

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6. Combined arts degrees
    6.1. How do combined arts degrees work?
        6.1.1. The arts component of the arts/engineering, arts/geomatic engineering, arts/laws and arts/medicine degrees
        6.1.2. The arts component of the arts/commerce, arts/music, arts/science and arts/theology degrees
        6.1.3. The arts component of the arts/social work degree
        6.1.4. The arts component of the arts/teaching degree
    6.2. Combined arts degree requirements
        6.2.1. The arts-approved subject requirement for combined arts degrees
        6.2.2. Language study in combined arts degree
    6.3. Can I complete a major within a combined arts degree?
    6.4. Example of an arts component of a combined degree
    6.5. Arts/theology
        6.5.1. Course structure
        6.5.2. The arts component
        6.5.3. Theology component
        6.5.4. Applications

6. Combined arts degrees

The Bachelor of Arts can be taken together with other degrees as a combined degree. There are 10 combined arts degree options:

Bachelor of Arts/Commerce, Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Commerce
Bachelor of Arts/Engineering, Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Engineering (BA/BE) and Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Engineering(Information Technology) (BA/BE (IT))
Bachelor of Arts/Laws, Combined arts/law degree
Bachelor of Arts/Geomatic Engineering, Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Geomatic Engineering (BA/BGeomE)
Bachelor of Arts/Medicine, Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery/Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts/Music, Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Arts/Science, Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science (BA/BSc)
Bachelor of Arts/Social Work, Arts/social work combined degree
Bachelor of Arts/Teaching, Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Teaching (BA/BTeach)
Bachelor of Arts/Theology, Arts/theology

For information on combined Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) and combined Bachelor of Creative Arts degrees see The Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications)/Bachelor of Commerce degree and Combined creative arts degrees.

6.1. How do combined arts degrees work?

Generally a combined degree involves doing fewer subjects or points than are required if both degrees were completed separately.

To complete the combined arts degrees listed above you must complete subjects from both degrees to a minimum of 500 points or five full-time years of study (four years full-time study for arts/teaching; seven years full-time study for arts/medicine).

Each degree component will require the completion of a minimum number of points from each faculty within the total of 500 points (see the following sections for details). No subject can count towards both degrees.

You cannot be awarded one component of your combined degree upon completion of the minimum requirements for that component. If you discontinue either component of your combined course, you must complete the full requirements of your remaining degree (ie. the full amount of points required for the single degree).

6.1.1. The arts component of the arts/engineering, arts/geomatic engineering, arts/laws and arts/medicine degrees

Students must complete at least 200 points towards the arts component of these degrees, comprising:

50 points of first-year arts (usually four subjects)
75 points of second-year arts (usually six subjects)
75 points of third-year arts (usually six subjects)

No more than 150 points may taken in any one area of study: a maximum of 25 points at first year level and 125 points at second/third year level.

6.1.2. The arts component of the arts/commerce, arts/music, arts/science and arts/theology degrees

Students must complete at least 225 points towards the arts component of these degrees, comprising:

50 points of first-year arts (usually four subjects)
75 points of second-year arts (usually six subjects)
100 points of third-year arts (usually eight subjects)

No more than 162.5 points may taken in any one area of study: a maximum of 25 points at first year level and 137.5 points at second/third year level.

6.1.3. The arts component of the arts/social work degree

See Arts/social work combined degree for the details regarding the BA/BSW degree.

6.1.4. The arts component of the arts/teaching degree

Students must complete at least 250 points towards the arts component of this degree, comprising:

100 points of first-year arts (usually eight subjects)
75 points of second-year arts (usually six subjects)
75 points of third-year arts (usually six subjects)

No more than 187.5 points may taken in any one area of study: a maximum of 50 points at first year level and 137.5 points at second/third year level.

See Undergraduate for further details regarding the BA/BTeaching degree.

6.2. Combined arts degree requirements

For more detailed information on each combined arts degree, consult the relevant entries in this Handbook (see page references above). You are also expected to be familiar with the course requirements of both the components of your combined degree.

The BA course requirements regarding part-time study, credit, leave of absence, overloading etc. outlined on Further requirements for the BA apply to combined course students, as does much of the general information on Planning your BA course.

Useful examples of combined degree course structures may also be found in other faculties' entries. Further information on the general structure and requirements of each combined arts degree is also available at the Faculty of Arts Office.

6.2.1. The arts-approved subject requirement for combined arts degrees

The arts component of a combined degree is subject to the faculty's Arts-approved subject requirement. The arts-approved subject requirement means that students in most combined courses usually are not able to complete the number of points required for a major in areas of study from outside the Faculty of Arts.

In the combined arts/science degree, where up to 37.5 additional points must be completed on top of the minimum arts and science requirements, subjects other than arts or science subjects are not available.

In the combined arts/commerce degree, where up to 75 additional points must be completed on top of the minimum arts and commerce requirements, non-arts subjects are available provided that the subjects are available within the regular (300-point) BA degree.

Students in combined arts degrees other than arts/commerce are not permitted to enrol in subjects that are not arts-approved, see Which subjects are arts-approved?.

In all cases, a student may not count subjects usually available within the combining degree, towards their arts degree (for example mathematics or computer science subjects will always count towards science in the arts/science degree, and economics subjects will always count towards commerce in the arts/commerce degree).

Students who are currently enrolled in BA combined degrees who wish to complete subjects for which they will not receive credit in their course should enrol in such subjects through CAP. For further details see Community Access Program (CAP).

6.2.2. Language study in combined arts degree

The study of languages is encouraged in BA combined degrees, and language learning can be one outcome of the arts component, which allows for extended study of one language. As the BA also seeks to provide a broad base of learning in humanities and social sciences, a second language is not normally permitted for credit within the arts component of BA combined degrees.¹ The concurrent Diploma in Modern Languages provides further opportunities for additional language study.

6.3. Can I complete a major within a combined arts degree?

All combined course students can complete a major in areas of study that offer arts-approved subjects. With careful planning from first year some combined courses (arts/commerce, arts/music, arts/science and arts/theology) can accommodate the completion of two arts majors within the combined degree.

Students in the arts/engineering, arts/geomatic engineering, arts/law, arts/social work, arts/teaching and arts/medicine will not be able to complete two majors without overenrolling their arts course, see Taking extra subjects (over-enrolment).

If you do intend to do two arts majors in a combined degree, you should choose your first-year subjects carefully, and make sure that you have completed the prerequisite subjects for the majors. Once you have completed the maximum 50 points of first-year level arts subjects you will not be permitted to enrol in more arts subjects at that level.

6.4. Example of an arts component of a combined degree

The subjects in the following example total the 225 points of arts study required for arts/commerce, arts/music, arts/science and arts/theology degrees.

Table 8: The arts component of a combined degree with majors in philosophy and cultural studies

First year: four subjects	philosophy 12.5 points	English 12.5 points
First year: four subjects	philosophy 12.5 points	English 12.5 points
Second year: six subjects	philosophy 12.5 points	cultural studies 12.5 points	cultural studies 12.5 points
Second year: six subjects	philosophy 12.5 points	philosophy 12.5 points	cultural studies 12.5 points
Third year: eight subjects	philosophy 12.5 points	philosophy 12.5 points	cultural studies 12.5 points	cultural studies 12.5 points
Third year: eight subjects	philosophy 12.5 points	philosophy 12.5 points	cultural studies 12.5 points	cultural studies 12.5 points

Please note that for the BA/BE, BA/BGeomEng, BA/LLB and BA/MBBS, the example above with two majors would require the completion of two extra subjects beyond the 200 points required for the arts component of these combined degrees (and extra HECS/course fee liability). See Taking extra subjects (over-enrolment).

6.5. Arts/theology

The University of Melbourne and the Melbourne College of Divinity offer a combined degree in arts and theology.

6.5.1. Course structure

To meet the requirements for the BA/BTheology degree students must complete subjects totalling at least 500 points, usually five years of full-time study. A minimum number of subjects must be taken towards the arts component, and a minimum number towards the theology component of the combined degree:

Arts: 225 points
Theology: 240 points
From either arts or theology: 45 points of theology or 37.5 points of arts

6.5.2. The arts component

For a detailed breakdown of how the 225 points of arts component of the BA/BTheology degree should be distributed across year levels, see The arts component of the arts/commerce, arts/music, arts/science and arts/theology degrees.

6.5.3. Theology component

The Bachelor of Theology component of the combined degree requires the completion of a minimum of 240 Theology points (where one semester unit equals 15 points). These usually include:

30 points in Old Testament (field B)
30 points in New Testament (field B)
30 points in Systematic Theology (field C)
30 points in Church history (field C)
60 points in moral and practical theology (field D)

One discipline in either field B (biblical studies) or field C (Christian thought and history) must be taken to Level 3 (90 points).

6.5.4. Applications

Applications must be made for both components of the degree. Admission is decided by a committee of academics from the University of Melbourne and the Melbourne College of Divinity.

Applications to the Bachelor of Arts must be made through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre. Applications to the Bachelor of Theology should be made directly to the Dean of one of the following associated teaching institutions of the Melbourne College of Divinity:

Catholic Theological College, (PO Box 146) 278 Victoria Parade, East Melbourne, 3002
Evangelical Theological Association, c/o Whitley College, 271 Royal Parade, Parkville, 3052
United Faculty of Theology, Kernick House, Queens College, Parkville, 3052
Yarra Theological Union, (PO Box 79) 90 Albion Road, Box Hill, 3128

1.	Students who wish to enrol in Ancient Greek and/or Latin are exempt from this restriction.