Visual Arts

Students enrolled in degrees other than the Bachelor of Visual Arts and Bachelor of Visual Arts/Bachelor of Advanced Studies can take a Major or Minor in Visual Arts as part of their undergraduate studies in addition to a Major in their own discipline.

Requirements for completion

A major in Visual Arts requires 48 credit points from the table of the shared pool of majors/minors for undergraduate degrees including:
(i) 12 credit points of 1000-level core Visual Arts Foundation units
(ii) 12 credit points of 2000-level selective units
(iii) 18 credit points of 3000-level selective units
(iv) 6 credit points of 3000-level core project and interdisciplinary units

A minor in Visual Arts requires 36 credit points from the table of the shared pool of majors/minors for undergraduate degrees including:
(i) 12 credit points of 1000-level core Visual Arts Foundation units
(ii) 12 credit points of 2000-level selective units
(iii) 12 credit points of 3000-level selective units

Consult the course resolutions in your faculty handbook for advice on taking a second major or minor in your degree.

First year

In your first year, you complete two 6 credit point 1000-level units introducing you to visual art practice. Visual Arts Foundation 1 CAVA1001 focuses on a 2-Dimensional (image) and a 3-Dimensional (sculpture) project based creative learning experience in the studio. Visual Arts Foundation 2 CAVA1002 explores 4-Dimensional (Screen) and X-Dimensional (interdisciplinary) practices, and further extends your conceptual understanding and creative skills within a contemporary studio framework. You will become familiar with a broad range of concepts and work methods, covering a wide variety of media and processes that incorporates research driven, collaborative, participatory and experimental approaches to visual arts. This will prepare you to develop further your own visual language, ideas and modes of expression over subsequent years.

Second year

In your second year you complete two 6 credit point 2000-level selective units from the Visual Arts Major table. Visual Arts units at 2000-level introduce complex concepts and more demanding studio-based processes within visual arts practice. This diverse offering includes units drawn from a range of studio practices such as ceramics, glass, jewellery painting, photomedia, printmedia, , screen arts and sculpture , as well as a range of units growing out of experimental practices and the expanded field. You are able to approach this suite of offerings, representing the wealth of creative practice, with a modular, project-based methodology, or alternatively focus on complementary units with a view to developing depth of expertise in a particular area of studio practice.

Third year

In your third year the two 6 credit point 3000-level units deepen your engagement with visual arts and contemporary culture, and demand intensive and innovative approaches to studio practice. A great diversity of visual arts practices is again promoted, with the challenging technical and conceptual elements being delivered in a manner that encourages a more proactive and idiosyncratic work method growing from your individual research interests. This requires a higher level of commitment and diligence informed by a sophisticated synthesis of skills previously developed in conjunction with a burgeoning understanding of the particular context or discourse in which you are operating. Further, the principles of practice-led research are established in a way that maintains the ability to find a specific focal point alongside the potential to explore a shifting or interdisciplinary mode of art making.

Honours

The honours in Visual Arts allows you to extend your potential in studio-based and written research. You can choose to complete honours in Visual Arts either by studio practice and research paper, or by dissertation.

Your final examination will take place at the graduate exhibition at the end of the honours year. You are required to present your research paper and studio work; or dissertation with an oral examination, both to a panel of two examiners.

The requirements for honours in Visual Arts are described in the degree resolutions for the Bachelor of Visual Arts/Bachelor of Advanced Studies. 36 credit points of honours units will be included in the table for 2020.

Advanced coursework

The requirements for advanced coursework in Visual Arts are described in the degree resolutions for the Bachelor of Visual Arts/Bachelor of Advanced Studies.

24 credit points of advanced study will be included in the table for 2020.

Contact/further information

Undergraduate Coordinator: Dr Adam Geczy
Email: