Bachelor of Visual Arts

The Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA) is a three-year full-time program that can also be taken part time over six years. The BVA is available in six disciplinary majors:

• painting
• photomedia
• screen arts
• sculpture (including glass and ceramics)
• printmedia
• jewellery and object.

You choose your major in the second year of your studies. You can also complete a second major in Critical Studies, which focuses on the theory and history of contemporary art.

Full-time pathway

*You can also apply to take a six credit point unit of study offered by another faculty. Please use the Special Permission function in Sydney Student.

Part-time pathway

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 issues, are held in studio units of study.

Academic adviser

You will have an academic adviser who is responsible for monitoring your progress in the course (assessment/evaluation) and supervising your academic work (assistance/advice). It is important that you understand the dual role of your academic adviser, in supervising and evaluating.

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

Each academic adviser is expected to meet regularly with all students, and supervise a group tutorial – usually held weekly.General attendance and study issues are monitored through this tutorial.

Academic advisers and other academic staff undertaking evaluation are responsible for ensuring that students are familiar with course requirements, the expectations of the evaluation process leading to assessment, and assessment criteria.

Your consultations with academic advisers will identify work to be carried out, including expectations regarding its quantity, scale, quality and appropriate timetable for completion or submissions. You are expected to communicate your intentions and develop self-critical analysis in this process.

Information to be provided to students

You will be given the following information at the start of each semester as appropriate to your level of study:

• name of your academic adviser, days and times of availability for consultation
• frequency of one-to-one tutorials with academic adviser
• 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 submission of work if specified.

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

• the minimum amount of work expected and specific guidance on number of words, scale, complexity and sufficiency of number of works to judge development throughout the semester (for example, 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.