Bachelor of Visual Arts

Bachelor of Visual Arts

The Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA) is designed for students interested in developing a professional art or design practice in the contemporary visual arts. BVA students are equipped with conceptual and technical skills relevant to developing a contemporary visual art or design practice.

The BVA program is based on the premise that inventive and committed visual arts and design practice will arise from self-directed and motivated learners, able to negotiate multiple art-related disciplines and able to import relevant skills to a specific practice. SCA educates its students for a professional role in the broader fields of contemporary art and design through the teaching of technical and theoretical skills and the synthesis of knowledge into practice. Students develop generic skills including the ability to apply unconventional problem-solving skills and to manage self-directed projects integral to success in a wide variety of careers.

BVA graduates establish careers in gallery management, curating, exhibition design, public relations and marketing, advertising, editorial photography, photojournalism, object and furniture design, film and video production, multimedia design, publishing, teaching and other fields where skills in visual communication are valued.

The BVA is a three-year course with a merit-based entry into a fourth-year honours program. Throughout the course, students undertake study in three core areas of enquiry: studio, studio theory, and core theory, augmented by an elective program.

Study Streams

The Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA) program is offered in three major study streams: Fine Arts, Media Arts and Object Art and Design.

The study streams provide specialised education relevant to the three major areas of studio practice. The streams help you to focus on your chosen career ambitions.

Bachelor of Visual Arts (Fine Arts)

The Bachelor of Visual Arts Fine Arts stream provides an opportunity for the specialist or interdisciplinary study of Painting, Printmedia, and Sculpture, Performance and Installation, in the context of contemporary fine arts for those predominantly interested in becoming practising, exhibiting, visual artists.

Bachelor of Visual Arts (Media Arts)

The Bachelor of Visual Arts Media Arts stream provides an opportunity for the specialist or interdisciplinary study of Film and Digital Art, and Photomedia, in the context of contemporary media arts. Media Arts provides access to skills and knowledge applicable to various career outcomes in the visual media, gained within a visual arts context including photomedia exhibition practices, photojournalism, visual communication, film and video, and multimedia design and other digital processes.

Bachelor of Visual Arts (Object Art and Design)

The Bachelor of Visual Arts Object Art and Design stream provides an opportunity for the specialist or integrated study of Ceramics, Glass, and Jewellery and Object in the context of contemporary art, craft and design practice. Object Art and Design provides professional skills and knowledge for those who wish to become practising object designers, studio artists, makers of hand-made functional objects or objects designed for manufacture.

Academic entry requirements

The basic academic requirement is the NSW Higher School Certificate or its interstate or overseas equivalent. The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is used as an indicator of ability to undertake studies at post secondary level (in particular the theory element of the degree).

Mature age applicants (aged 21 or more by 1 March in the year of admission) who have not satisfied the normal academic requirements are eligible for admission to the Bachelor of Visual Arts program under provisions for mature age application.

The Flexible Entry Scheme is also available for this course.

Additional entry criteria

Applicants fulfilling the requirements above will be selected on merit, based on the return of a BVA questionnaire, the presentation of a portfolio, and, for domestic students, an interview. The portfolio/interview is a single process and a score is given based on assessment of five criteria:

• commitment/vocational interest
• cultural awareness
• intellectual/critical skills
• communication and literacy skills
• portfolio

An overall score out of 100 is used to rank applicants.

Instruction at the University of Sydney is in English. If English is not an applicant's first language they must demonstrate a proficiency in English before admission can be confirmed.

The program

First year

First year at SCA is a vibrant mixture of interdisciplinary and studio-specific units of study. This program includes a variety of units that help to develop your ideas and concepts to develop your work and theoretical and critical awareness of contemporary art practice. In this program you will learn about appropriate materials and methods for your work and be able to develop the technical skills required to make and document it successfully. The interdisciplinary units of study are the main focus of the program and include Foundation Concepts, Contemporary Drawing and Theoretical Enquiry. Studio discipline-specific units from semester one onwards include time each week in your chosen studio major and a studio theory class.

Second and third year

Second and third years expand your understanding of visual arts through studio-based practice and studio and core theory subjects. You will undertake specialist study in a single studio and develop your art practice through structured group and self-directed projects. You may also choose a broader interdisciplinary study within the faculty or other parts of the University. The Theoretical Enquiry program provides a theoretical and historical understanding of contemporary art practice and encourages you to place your own studio practice in context.

Studio units of study

Studio Major €’ 12 credit points

From the second year of the BVA, you undertake study in a 12 credit-point studio-based major. The Studio Major provides a focused study in one of the eight studios. The curriculum is increasingly directed towards independent study augmented by group tutorials specifically oriented towards student-identified course outcomes in Fine Arts, Media Arts or Object Art and Design.

Electives €’ 3 credit points

From the second year of the BVA, major study in one of the studios may be combined with elective studies offered by other studios. These options enable you to further tailor your study to your desired outcomes. Please refer to the list of electives provided at the end of this chapter. Please note: introductory electives cannot be taken in the same studio as your major study.

The 3 credit-point electives may also be undertaken by students from other faculties of the University of Sydney, subject to availability.

If you would like to undertake an elective in another faculty, you are required to seek permission from the Associate Dean, Teaching and Learning, at SCA, outlining your study objectives

Studio Extension €’ 3 credit points

If you would like to extend your Studio Major rather than combining your Major with electives from other studios, you may undertake the 3 credit-point Studio Extension. This option enables you to maximise study in your chosen area.

Theoretical Enquiry units of study

The Theoretical Enquiry programs provide an introduction to the theories and histories of contemporary and modern fine art, media art, and craft and object design. The programs are designed to support students€™ studio practice and develop students€™ written, verbal and critical skills through essays, class discussions and other projects. The program extends over the full term of the undergraduate course.

A general theoretical enquiry strand addresses the theories and histories of art and design practice and critical theory and covers the development of ideas and philosophies central to the theoretical and historical framework of visual arts study.

A discipline-specific theoretical enquiry strand (Studio Theory units) addresses contemporary concerns particular to Fine Arts, Media Arts and Object Art and Design and the focus is on the art work and the actions of artists. This practical and actual aspect provides a bridge between studio practice and the theories of contemporary visual arts practice.

Studio Work Assessment

Students must present the following material:

• notebooks used to keep a record of ideas, projects and references
• where this will assist in demonstrating progress, a visual record of studio work produced during the period to be assessed, including work not available to be viewed during the final assessment process, and
• the completed studio work.

There will be two or more academic staff involved in reaching an academic judgement for all studio units. Studio assessment includes presentation of work and oral examination.

Theoretical Enquiry Units Assessment

For theory units of study the requirements and procedures for assessment will be different from that for studio work, and assessment notes or records will reflect this difference.

There are three distinct components of assessment, although not all may be applicable. Two of these components/assessment instruments will be used to evaluate and assess student progress in Theoretical Enquiry units, and will generally apply to study and completion in all units of study in Theoretical Enquiry:

• Participation, including attendance. Attendance at and participation in lectures, tutorials and other events organised as components of the unit of study. A record will be maintained for attendance and active participation in theory units.
• Seminar paper and/or presentation or its prescribed equivalent. This requirement may vary in its specific format from semester to semester or between theory unit components. However, it is expected that there be such a requirement or its workload equivalent. Assessment of seminar paper will be recorded as each student completes his/her presentation. Students are entitled to have access to comments made on a record regarding this presentation.
• Research essay/semester paper or its prescribed equivalent. An essay or semester paper is usually due at the end of each semester. This requirement may vary in format, such that two papers may be required, or the specified length or nature of the paper may vary between theory unit components. However, it is expected that there be an essay or its workload equivalent due at the completion of each unit of study, or at the end of semester, whichever comes first. Essay assessment will be recorded at the end of semester. The grade recommended following the summation review of the semester's work will be recorded after all other components have been assessed.

The value given to each of the above components for assessment may vary from unit of study to unit of study. However, in general, an essay is given more weight than a seminar paper. Attendance is in itself not awarded with marks towards assessment.

Lecturers delivering theory units are expected to make themselves available to students, and encourage students to approach them outside of formal class time.

Essays and other written work

Essays will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• structural clarity, with concise introduction outlining both sequence and content
• clear development of discussion and clear focus on the topic throughout
• inclusion of relevant research material and demonstration that it is understood
• demonstration of ability to process and order ideas/information
• critical evaluation of material
• formal bibliography that reflects the scope of research contained in the essay
• accurate documentation of sources in footnotes
• grammatical correctness and spelling, and
• avoidance of unnecessary repetition.

Technical Instruction

Technical instruction is an essential component of the undergraduate program at SCA. Technical demonstrations in specific core skills and processes, and related occupational health and safety, are held in studio-based units of study. Foundation Studio includes demonstrations of skills and techniques relevant to projects and facilities. Please refer to the Student Information section for details on Safety Equipment.

Academic adviser

Each student will have an academic adviser (mentor) who will be responsible for monitoring a student's progress in the course (assessment/evaluation) and supervising a student's academic work (assistance/advice). The dual role of an academic adviser in supervising and evaluating is important to be made clear between a student and his/her academic adviser.

Academic advisers are required to post times and days when they are available for consultation as well as set up regular patterns of one-to-one tutorials (in studios).

Each academic adviser is expected to meet regularly with all students supervised in a group tutorial, normally held each week. General attendance and study problems are normally monitored through this tutorial.

It is a responsibility of academic advisers and other academic staff involved with evaluation to acquaint students with the requirements of the course, their expectations in relation to the subsequent evaluative process leading to assessment, and the criteria applied.

Consultations with students will identify work to be carried out including expectations regarding its quantity, scale, quality and appropriate timetable for completion or submissions. It is expected that students will communicate their intentions and develop self-critical analysis in this process.

In the Week 7 Feedback Review, the academic adviser will discuss a student's progress to date. The academic adviser will also monitor for problems that the student may experience in any units outside the studio.

Information to be provided to students

Students will be given the following information at the commencement of each semester as appropriate to their level of study:

• name of academic adviser, days and times of availability for consultation,
• frequency of one-to-one tutorials with academic adviser (approximately every two to three weeks),
• a unit of study outline,
• a copy of the assessment criteria and definition of grades,
• attendance requirements in each unit of study,
• reading list if appropriate, and
• deadlines for submissions of work if specified.

They will also receive requirements of units of study such as:

• the minimum amount of work expected and guides for it, such as number of words, scale, complexity and sufficiency of number of works to judge development throughout the semester (eg although the number of works required will depend upon the scale and complexity of each, one large work for a semester would not be considered adequate),
• expectations for participation in tutorials/seminars or collaborative work,
• expectations regarding method of submission or presentation of work,
• expectations for development of competence and innovation,
• expectations for quality or standard of work in terms of critical awareness and development, and
• expectations regarding self-motivation in a unit of study.

Keeping records of work

Students are required to maintain a workbook and to keep a visual record of work, both of which must be made available at assessment.

Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours)

The objective of the additional honours year is to provide students who have qualified for, or been awarded, an undergraduate pass degree in visual arts the opportunity to extend their potential in studio-based and written research. Students may continue to work in the area of their undergraduate study or undertake research in a different area.

Studio areas available include Ceramics, Film and Digital Art, Glass, Jewellery and Object, Painting, Photomedia, Printmedia, and Sculpture, Performance and Installation (SPI). The honours program focuses on establishing the individual's research practice, further equipping students for entry into professional practice or entry into the Master of Fine Arts and Doctor of Philosophy programs.

Students nominate study by either:

• Studio project and research paper (predominantly through studio-based work, supported by a research paper of 5000€’7000 words).
• Dissertation and minor studio project (predominantly by dissertation of 15,000 words). In this case the program will provide an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the theoretical and critical issues that affect art making to prepare students for higher degree study in art history, theory or criticism.

Students are expected to have developed a focus and direction in their work and be prepared for working in a tutorial environment with a supervisor. Students are assigned a supervisor from SCA's academic staff members. They also participate in seminars and attend lectures as required. Students are examined at the end of the course at the Degree Show.

Admission to honours year

Applicants will need to have qualified for a pass degree in Visual Arts or have an equivalent qualification with a weighted average mark across intermediate and senior units of at least 65. Graduates can apply for honours up to three years after the completion of the BVA pass degree or equivalent.

Applicants are selected on the basis of their undergraduate grades and studio- and paper-project proposal. Applicants who are not current SCA students must also submit a portfolio of work and may be interviewed as part of the admission process.

Admission is competitive and not all eligible applicants can be offered candidature.

Application may be made for study in an interdisciplinary mode, in which case an application may be considered by more than one visual arts discipline. Interviews, if required, will take place in mid-November. For applicants offered a place, candidature cannot be deferred.

The program

Honours supervisors

Each student is assigned a supervisor for the general supervision of studio and written work, seminar preparation and other requirements of the course studies. The student has the responsibility for maintaining regular contact with the appointed course supervisor, maintaining ongoing studies consultation and keeping to a schedule of dates for the presentation of research paper or dissertation drafts. Meetings are expected to be at least fortnightly.

The supervisor will maintain a record of progress, and at the end of first semester a summary of progress will be provided to the candidate.

Honours examination

The final examination of candidature for BVA (Honours) will take place at the Degree Show at the end of the course.

A panel of two (one not being a member of SCA staff), will examine the studio work and research paper or dissertation. A supporting visual record of work completed during the candidature and documenting its development during the course forms part of the submission.

SCA will arrange preliminary meetings for the candidate with each of their examiners, to familiarise the examiner with work to be submitted.

Seminar attendance

Students must satisfy the requirements for both participation and attendance and be present at the whole of each seminar and contribute actively to its discussion.

Information to be provided to students

The BVA Honours Course Guide, which is made available to all students at the time of enrolment into the Honours program, is a comprehensive guide to the course requirements and includes advice on approaches to the Research Paper and Seminar Presentation.

Undergraduate units of study table