You may think Arts degrees aren’t ‘practical’ or ‘career-oriented’, but times have changed, and there’s a whole range of hands-on industry experiences you can take advantage of when studying Arts. 

Need proof? Among our successful and prominent Arts graduates working all around the world are Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter, Perth Festival Artistic Director Iain Grandage and Mecca Cosmetica Founder Jo Horgan. 

Keen to follow in their footsteps? Check out some of our most practical Arts units.

Get your hands dirty with archaeology

You can’t get more practical than Doing Archaeology: Fieldschool. You’ll learn essential archaeology field skills in real-world situations before and after a week-long Perth metro or regional fieldschool. You’ll get to:

• formulate a research design
• conduct field surveys
• create and use artefact and site recording forms
• recognise and excavate stratified deposits
• take samples for radiocarbon dating
• use camera and survey equipment for site and topographical mapping
• process, analyse and store finds
• publish your results

Additionally, you’ll develop these skills working in a team and with key stakeholders such as landowners, Indigenous Australians, media and the public. Study this unit in our Archaeology major. 

Manifest yourself into a media mogul 

Get right in the thick of it with an international field trip. Television and Video Production will have you jetting off to one of Southeast Asia’s most glamourous cities, Singapore, for a three-week intensive study experience. You’ll use state-of-the-art equipment and facilities at Temasek Polytechnic and participate in hands-on workshops to produce team-based video projects and build an understanding of media production.  

You could also undertake studio-based work in Media Production Project, where you’ll produce a short video to become part of your portfolio. Using industry-standard digital media software, camera and editing equipment, you’ll bring your creative masterpieces to life while learning the tools required to succeed in the field of media production, including knowledge of industry standards and skills in project design, planning and management. You can study both units within our Communication and Media Studies major.

Learn about Aboriginal history 

Want to know more about Aboriginal memory, culture and language? Boodjar Moort Katitjin: Introduction to Indigenous Heritage and Knowledge has you covered. This unit looks at Aboriginal memory from the south of Western Australia with a focus on Noongar heritage and cultural continuity. You’ll visit sites of significance, including a field trip to Rottnest Island, and engage with a variety of guest speakers.  Study this unit within our Indigenous Knowledge, History and Heritage major.  

Spin the decks with music

Are you an aspiring musician or up-and-coming DJ? Sound Art: Major project just might be the unit for you. You’ll produce an advanced sound-based creative research project, such as a large-scale piece of electronic music, or an album of smaller electronic pieces, a sound installation, a live performance or an electronic film score. Your creative piece will be shared publically through an exhibition, live performance or presentation, and be accompanied by a research paper. Take this unit within our Music: Electronic Music and Sound Design major or Music Double Major. 

Shape the world around you 

Do you want to influence the spatial organisation of human activities or solve some of the biggest urban and regional challenges today and for future generations? Check out Local Places, Global Contexts. You’ll get hands-on experience in field research; data collection, analysis and interpretation; group work; and leadership while undertaking a research project in a designated location. You can study this unit within our Human Geography and Planning major. 

Fancy yourself a forensic scientist? 

Hear from the State’s leading forensic experts, including the Western Australian Police forensic section. Mysteries of Forensic Science will have you learning the skills and analysis techniques used in modern forensic science, such as crime scene protocols and evidence evaluation. You’ll also gain exposure to the legal and ethical issues when it comes to handling evidence. Study this unit within our Criminology major. 

Bonjour, Hola, Konnichiwa, Ciao, Guten Tag

People who speak more than one language are said to have improved memory, enhanced problem-solving skills, better concentration and listening abilities, and can multitask more successfully. It can also assist you in your travels (post-COVID-19). 

More importantly, employers are looking for multilingual grads. Knowing a second or even third language and understanding a culture other than your own can help you stand out from the crowd and give your career serious mobility. 

With UWA being the largest language hub in the State, we’ve got you covered with a choice of eight language majors: Chinese, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean and Spanish. 

Arts Professional Experience Practicum

Want to get hands-on experience while you study and open up new possibilities for your career? A Work Integrated Learning placement, or internship, might be for you. WILG2201: Professional Experience Practicum offers Bachelor of Arts students work placements with industry partners, paired with learning content and assessment activities.  Internships are available at a wide range of organisations, including for-profit and not-for-profit companies and can run from 20 days to 12 weeks. 

Believe us now? Check out our Bachelor of Arts for more information.