Undergraduate

Bachelor of Arts

Gain the lifelong, transferable skills employers are seeking with one of Western Australia's most diverse degrees.

75
Minimum ATAR
3
Years Full-Time
Globe
Global Career Flexibility

Majors available

Anthropology

Anthropology is understanding cultural diversity in a globalised world

Applied Human Geography

Get equipped with conceptual and practical tools to build a future of sustainable, vibrant and just societies and economies.

Archaeology

Archaeology is the only discipline to study more than three million years of human history in all its facets.

Asian Studies

Take Asian Studies and prepare yourself for a world of new experiences, opportunities and discovery in our region.

Chinese Studies

More than one billion people globally speak Chinese (Mandarin), making it the most widely-spoken language in the world. Study Chinese and open up doors to an exciting international career.

Classics and Ancient History

Explore the ancient Greek and Roman worlds at the only university in WA that offers Classics and Ancient History.

Communication and Media Studies

Communication and Media Studies is one of the most exciting and rapidly evolving areas of study in today's media-driven world.

Contemporary Popular Music

Engage with the popular music industry to develop your artistry and knowledge.

Criminology

Are you fascinated by crime and the human mind? Crime, psychology, ethics and law are just some of the areas you will explore as you seek to better understand people and the criminal justice system.

English and Literary Studies

English and Literary Studies gives you a unique opportunity to develop your reading, writing and thinking skills through the study of literature, film and television, and through producing your own creative writing.

Fine Arts

Fine Arts is the creative exploration of ideas and the formation of concepts within the unique imaginative field of making art.

French Studies

Studying French at UWA is more than simply learning a language. It's an experience which will open your mind to different cultures, enrich you with a knowledge of history and enable you to engage in real world issues.

Gender Studies

Examine thought-provoking issues around gender and sexuality in society today with a major in Gender Studies.

German Studies

German is one of the most widely spoken languages in Europe and, as a result, can open doors to many enriching cultural experiences.

History

Wars, revolutions, conflicts and diasporas, nations, empires, economies, environments, cultures, emotions and people – in history, there are no no-go areas and no questions off limits.

History of Art

Understanding the history of art enables students to explore in detail the ongoing significance of art as a platform for shaping and interpreting the world in which we live.

Indigenous Knowledge, History and Heritage

How do Indigenous people view the world? How does Indigenous knowledge inform the world around us?

Indonesian Studies

A major in Indonesian Studies enables you to achieve a high level of fluency in the language and learn about the unique culture and history of the country.

Italian Studies

Learn Italian while also exploring the riches of Italy's cultural past and its dynamic present.

Japanese Studies

This major offers you a passport to appreciating one of Asia's foremost economic and cultural powerhouses.

Korean Studies

The Korean Studies major combines learning the language with the study of Korea-related subjects in various disciplines.

Law and Society

From human rights, crime and justice to Indigenous rights, freedom of expression and religion, the Law and Society major explores the impact of legal and social policy on all areas of our lives.

Linguistics

From sounds and words to how language is used in different societies and cultures, linguistics is the study of language and communication.

Music and Society

Develop your skills and expertise in thinking critically about music.

Music General Studies

Studying Music General Studies allows you to continue your musical journey while pursuing other fields of interest.

Music Studies

Through Music Studies you have the opportunity to innovate, create, and expand your knowledge through performance, composition or musicology.

Music Theatre

Develop your artistry and knowledge as you take to the Music Theatre stage.

Music: Electronic Music and Sound Design

Combine your love of music and technology in this creative-focused major.

Philosophy

Tackle the big questions in life while learning crucial critical thinking skills.

Political Science and International Relations

Gain an understanding of governments and political systems in Australia and internationally and the values and ideologies that have motivated political action in modern society.

Psychological and Behavioural Sciences

Psychology is a fascinating and diverse area of study that seeks to answer questions about how and why people behave the way they do.

Spanish Studies

Learn the language and open your mind to the Spanish way of life.

Work and Employment Relations

Blend politics, law, sociology, economics, history and more as you investigate and challenge the policies and institutions designed to help both employers and employees get the most out of their relationship.

The learning experience

bachelor of arts

Associated professional pathway

As a Bachelor of Arts graduate, you can choose from a multitude of professional pathways. For example, Bachelor of Arts graduates are eligible to apply for a wide range of postgraduate arts courses, as well as professional postgraduate degrees in Law, Medicine, Engineering (if they also hold a major in Engineering Science) and many other areas.
bachelor of arts

UWA facilities include lecture theatres, case study rooms and break-out areas for group work and individual study.

UWA Schools

Six libraries

One of Australia’s most picturesque campuses

Five residential colleges

Vibrant student experience

Fees and scholarships

Domestic Student Fees

Indicative annual course fee
2025
Commonwealth Supported Place $10,248.76

Eligible Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) students can use the HECS-HELP loan program to pay their tuition fees. For Full-Fee Paying (FFP) places, students are charged an annual course fee.

Find out more information about tuition fees, or visit the fee calculator for a more accurate cost.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area.

A pathway for you. A place for you

This course is available for Experience-based entry

Together with this course, you can also apply for a select number of our undergraduate bachelor's degrees.

Through our Experience-based entry, we will assess all your academic achievements, qualifications and life experiences using a point system, where points will be awarded for each item submitted, and the total number of points will determine your eligibility.

Click here to find out more about how Experience-based entry works, courses available, check your eligibility and see our FAQs.

A pathway for you. A place for you

International Student Fees

Indicative first year fee
2024
$38,100.00
2025
$40,200.00

Find out more about tuition fees or visit the fee calculator for the estimated total course fee.

Note, tuition fees are reviewed annually and are subject to increase up to 7.5 per cent per annum.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area.

Careers and further study

Career Opportunities

The Bachelor of Arts prepares students for a range of career pathways. Popular careers cluster around the fields of policy making, communicating, educating and facilitating, human service provision and content creation. Graduate pathways and industries that relate to these fields include law, social work, international relations, population health, international development, environmental management, strategic communication, teaching, community engagement, arts administration, public relations, archaeology and heritage management, urban planning, human resource management, community development, counselling, marketing, security, and tourism.

Potential career opportunities include:

  • Policy Maker
  • Communicator
  • Educator
  • Human Service Provider
  • Content Creator
 
bachelor of arts

Associated professional pathway

As a Bachelor of Arts graduate, you can choose from a multitude of professional pathways. For example, Bachelor of Arts graduates are eligible to apply for a wide range of postgraduate arts courses, as well as professional postgraduate degrees in Law, Medicine, Engineering (if they also hold a major in Engineering Science) and many other areas.
bachelor of arts

Entry requirements

Admission requirements

To be considered for this course you need to: 

  • achieve the University’s minimum entry score
  • demonstrate English language competence
  • satisfy any prerequisites for your preferred majors (refer to individual major descriptions for prerequisite details)

You can view the prerequisites and recommended subjects for your chosen course here.

View our admission requirements for specific information, depending on your education history.

Assured Pathway information

If you have a professional career in mind, take advantage of one of our Assured Pathways. An Assured Pathway gives you an assured place in one of our postgraduate professional courses (such as Law, Engineering or Medicine) from the start of your studies with us. The pathways combine a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, providing you with a clearer direction to your career of choice.

Admission entry to UWA 

We offer a number of other pathways for you to gain entry into our undergraduate degrees if you do not meet the standard admission requirements. Learn more about our admission entry pathways.

About the Bachelor of Arts

UWA's Bachelor of Arts is one of the most flexible and diverse degrees in Western Australia, with over 30 majors, including Political Science and International Relations, History, Philosophy, and a range of European and Asian languages. With majors in humanities and social sciences, music, and design, including the interdisciplinary majors of Gender Studies and Criminology, our Bachelor of Arts lets you cultivate your passions while providing you with the lifelong, transferable skills that employers are seeking, giving you an immediate competitive edge in pursuit of a career. You will graduate with the skills to address complex social issues, integrate local and global knowledge and perspectives, collaborate across disciplinary, organisational and cultural boundaries, and perform human processes that cannot be mechanised or automated. 

Bachelor of Arts

Quick details

Degree specific majors
  • 33
Minimum ATAR
  • 75
Intake
  • February and July
Full time completion
  • 3 years full time
Course Code
  • BP001
CRICOS CODE
  • 003005D

Why study Arts at UWA?

  1. Our Bachelor of Arts is one of the most flexible and diverse degrees in Western Australia
  2. You’ll be taught by renowned scholars and researchers who are international leaders and experts in their fields as well as award-winning teachers
  3. You can get hands-on industry experience through our range of professional experience practicum units
  4. We’re the largest language hub in the state
  5. You can supplement and extend your formal studies with UWA’s exciting range of opportunities including global exchange, service learning or global citizenship collaborations
  6. You can enhance your interdisciplinary capabilities by taking electives, minors or additional majors in adjacent fields including STEM
  7. Our Arts graduates include the founder of Mecca Cosmetica, an Academy Award-winning artist, a film maker, the CEO of Greenpeace APAC and a former federal minister, to name a few
BACHELOR OF ARTS

Prominent alumni

UWA Bachelor of Arts alumni include:
  • Shaun Tan
    Academy Award-winning artist, writer and film maker
  • Jo Horgan
    Founder, Mecca Cosmetica
  • Tim Minchin
    Composer/lyricist, musician, comedian, actor, writer and director
  • Jarrad Seng
    Music and travel photographer and filmmaker
  • Michael Sheldrick
    Co-Founder of Global Citizen, author
  • Stephen Smith
    Former Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs
  • Iain Grandage
    Former Artistic Director of Perth Festival, composer, conductor
  • Kasia McNaught
    Founder of McNaught Media
  • James Evans
    Associate Director of Bell Shakespeare
  • David Ritter
    CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific
  • Sir William Heseltine
    Former Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II
BACHELOR OF ARTS
ENTRY PROFILE

Past ATAR scores

View full details to find out more about previous entry scores and see ATAR-based offers across all offer rounds1 for this course.

ENTRY PROFILE
ENTRY SCORES

Student backgrounds

Find out about the different pathways students use to enter this course by selecting 'View full details'. This gives an indication of the likely peer cohort for new students in this course at UWA.
ENTRY SCORES
STUDENT STORY

Meet our students

You'll learn to

  1. Develop the communication skills you’ll need to stand out in a global workforce and make a difference in the world
  2. Critically evaluate complex information in order to make informed judgements
  3. Use flexible and creative approaches to problem-solving
  4. Engage ethically and responsibly with the world 

Become a bilingual citizen of the world at the largest language hub in Western Australia

Become a bilingual citizen of the world at the largest language hub in Western Australia
Rankings

First in Western Australia

  • Ranked 1st in WA and 10th in Australia for Arts and Humanities
  • Ranked 1st in WA and 7th in Australia for Social Sciences and Management
    (QS WUR by Subject 2024)
Rankings

Matilda Cornes

Matilda Cornes

Where could an Arts degree take me?

Meet three inspiring UWA Arts grads who achieved big things after completing their studies in Where could an Arts degree take me?

Alumni Testimonial

Deborah Katona

I stumbled into finishing a History major almost by accident. I was advised to study subjects I found interesting and was naturally drawn to the history units; they extended my knowledge and I was challenged to think critically about issues raised. After graduating, I completed the graduate program at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, although I've also had the opportunity to fill positions with other departments within the public service. The environment I work in can be demanding and complex, and I constantly apply the critical thinking, analysis and writing skills developed during my degree course in a professional setting.
Alumni Testimonial
ALUMNI STORY

Joshua Sanchez-Lawson

"Throw yourself into the vibrant campus culture of volunteering that UWA has to offer. There’s no better way to make friends, make an impact, learn new skills and forge valuable networks all at once."

Joshua Sanchez-Lawson graduated from UWA with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Law and Society, and Communications and Media Studies. Read more about Joshua's story.

ALUMNI STORY
Arts Alumni Testimonial

David Bunting

I chose Archaeology because I could merge my interests of history, geography and anthropology with the outdoors. My studies and experiences have led to a number of opportunities working with a variety of Aboriginal groups as a consultant archaeologist with a range of resources companies such as FMG, Rio Tinto, Newcrest Mining and various government departments such as Main Roads. I have worked at BHP in a variety of heritage-related roles and have since shifted to a broader role which involves community development and sustainability planning.
Arts Alumni Testimonial
A pathway for you. A place for you

This course is available for Experience-based entry

Together with this course, you can also apply for a select number of our undergraduate bachelor's degrees.

Through our Experience-based entry, we will assess all your academic achievements, qualifications and life experiences using a point system, where points will be awarded for each item submitted, and the total number of points will determine your eligibility.

Click here to find out more about how Experience-based entry works, courses available, check your eligibility and see our FAQs.

A pathway for you. A place for you

Graduate with two degrees

The combined degree option allows you to pair your Bachelor of Arts degree with another passion, broadening your career options and giving you an edge in a rapidly changing workforce.

You can combine the Bachelor of Arts with:

You’ll graduate with two Bachelor degrees in just four years, opening up a world of possible career paths while broadening your knowledge, networks and horizons.

Duration: 4 years, *5 years
ATAR: Please refer to relevant course pages

BACHELOR OF ARTS

Our facilities

UWA Bachelor of Arts students have access to a range of world-class facilities that enhance your learning and give you hands-on experience before you enter the workplace.

These facilities include:

These are complemented by our University-wide facilities including our libraries, which house more than 850,000 books and more than 230,000 non-print items in a wide range of formats, from manuscripts to electronic databases. There's also a wide range of study spaces around campus, including by the picturesque Swan River.

BACHELOR OF ARTS

Jessie Gordon

Jessie Gordon