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1. Introduction to undergraduate study

New students

Upon enrolment you will receive a handout which will assist you in structuring your degree. For this information to make sense, it is recommended that you familiarise yourself with terminology like 'credit point', 'unit of study', 'major', 'junior credit points', 'prerequisites', 'corequisites' etc. You will find definitions in the glossary at the back of this handbook.

Extra information

For more comprehensive information about degree pathways, Frequently Asked Questions and much more, go to the Arts website:
www.arts.usyd.edu.au.

Values in teaching and learning in the Faculty of Arts

The faculty is committed to:

  • the basic importance of the liberal arts and social sciences for the enrichment of social, cultural and individual life
  • critical and open enquiry
  • intellectual freedom and academic autonomy together with social responsibility
  • provision for cooperative and collegial relationships in teaching and learning
  • fairness, honesty and concern for truth, tolerance and mutual respect between teachers and students in all aspects of teaching and learning.

Outcomes of a bachelor degree in the Faculty of Arts

Study in the faculty should lead to the development of:

  • an ability to communicate orally and in writing
  • an analytical and critical competence in the knowledge, language and forms of argument of several fields of enquiry, and an understanding of the connections between them
  • a knowledge of the major theoretical approaches in the relevant fields
  • an awareness of cross-cultural issues, involving if possible the study of another language
  • an ability to live within a complex intellectual domain, using that domain to criticise familiar contexts and assumptions
  • an understanding of ethical issues associated with the acquisition of knowledge
  • the capacity to extend the acquired knowledge and skills beyond the university.

Honours graduates are expected to be more knowledgeable in their field, to possess more highly developed conceptual, critical and analytical abilities, and to have more advanced research skills.

Undergraduate degrees offered by the Faculty of Arts

  1. Bachelor of Arts (BA)
  2. Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (BA (Hons))
  3. Bachelor of Arts (Advanced) (Honours) (BA (Advanced) (Hons))
  4. Bachelor of Arts (Asian Studies) (BA (AsianStud))
  5. Bachelor of Arts (Asian Studies) (Honours) (BA (AsianStud) (Hons))
  6. Bachelor of Arts (Languages) (BA (Lang))
  7. Bachelor of Arts (Languages) (Honours) (BA (Lang) (Hons))
  8. Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) (BA (Media and Communications))
  9. Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) (Honours) (BA (Media and Communications) (Hons))
  10. Bachelor of Socio-Legal Studies (BSocLegStud)
  11. Bachelor of Socio-Legal Studies (Honours) (BSocLegStud (Hons))
  12. Bachelor of International and Global Studies (BIGS)
  13. Bachelor of International and Global Studies (Honours) (BIGS (Hons))
  14. Bachelor of Political, Economic and Social Sciences (BPESS)
  15. Bachelor of Political, Economic and Social Sciences (Honours) (BPESS (Hons))

Undergraduate diplomas offered by the Faculty of Arts

  1. Diploma of Arts (DipArts)
  2. Diploma of Language Studies (DipLangStud)
  3. Diploma of Social Sciences (DipSocSci)

Undergraduate combined degrees offered by the Faculty of Arts

  1. Bachelor of Arts (Advanced) (Honours)/ Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (BA (Advanced) (Hons)/MBBS)
  2. Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (BA/LLB)
  3. Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) and Bachelor of Laws (BA(Media and Communications)/LLB)
  4. Bachelor of Arts and Master of Nursing (BA/MN)
  5. Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Social Work (BA/BSW)
  6. Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Arts (BCom/BA)
  7. Bachelor of Education (Secondary: Humanities and Social Sciences) and Bachelor of Arts (BEd/BA)
  8. Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Arts (BE/BA)
  9. Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts (BSc/BA)
  10. Bachelor of Music Studies and Bachelor of Arts (BMusStudies/BA)
  11. Bachelor of International and Global Studies and Bachelor of Laws (BIGS/LLB)
  12. Bachelor of Information Technology and Bachelor of Arts (BIT/BA)
  13. Bachelor of Political, Economic and Social Sciences and Bachelor of Laws (BPESS/LLB)

Undergraduate degrees offered by the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Arts

  1. Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences (BLAS)

Regulations of the degrees

There is a great deal of information in this handbook about the regulations of the degrees in which you are enrolled and also about departments and interdisciplinary programs in the faculty and the many units of study which are the building blocks of your degree. If you are not clear about these regulations and degree structures it is best to write to or call the faculty office, whereas questions about subjects and units of study and how they fit together in both the scholarly and logistical sense are best addressed to the department concerned.

University Counselling Service

The University Counselling Service is available to help you with any difficulties which might arise in coping with the demands of university life.

For other University services, see the General University section at the back of this handbook.

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