Why Study / Key Benefits

The Bachelor of Arts is designed for students who want to understand how societies evolve, how people influence the world around them and how contemporary social, political, cultural and technological issues can be addressed.

Key benefits include:

• Choice of a specialised Arts major while retaining a broad elective component.
• Development of critical and creative reasoning.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Problem-solving and self-management skills.
• Cultural competency and digital literacy.
• Opportunity to work on real social-change campaigns.
• Work Integrated Learning through a placement, internship or industry-linked project.
• Option to combine the Bachelor of Arts with a second degree through an approved double-degree pathway.
• Exposure to current social, environmental, political, cultural and technological issues.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The Bachelor of Arts contains four core units, one selected major consisting of eight units and 12 elective units.

The four core units are:

• Technology and Society — ART10002
• Skills and Strategies for Social Change — ART20003
• Changemakers in Action — ART30004
• BA Professional Practice — ART30005.

For the Climate and Social Justice major, the current eight major units are:

Year 1:

• Environment and Society: Problems and Solutions — SOC10005
• Power and Protest: The History and Politics of Social Movements — HIS10005

Year 2:

• History, Politics and Human Rights — HIS20009
• First Nations Resistance, Activism and Empowerment — INS20004
• Philosophical Perspectives on Nature and Science — PHI20010

Year 3:

• Conflict, Justice and Peace — POL30019
• Environmental Philosophy — PHI30009
• Changing our Climate — SOC30020.

Disciplines / Specialisations

The Bachelor of Arts currently offers the following majors:

• Climate and Social Justice
• Criminology and Social Change
• Ethics and Technology
• Indigenous Studies
• Literature and Creative Writing
• Perspectives on Globalisation
• Politics, Power and Technology
• Screen Studies and Popular Culture.

The Climate and Social Justice major focuses particularly on:

• Climate change
• Environmental justice
• Social justice
• Conflict resolution
• Human rights
• Social movements
• First Nations activism and perspectives
• Environmental philosophy
• Climate and society.

Programme Highlights

The Bachelor of Arts provides:

• 3-year undergraduate degree structure.
• 300 credit points.
• Eight available Arts majors.
• Broad elective choice.
• Work Integrated Learning.
• Industry, community and civil-society engagement.
• Practical social-change campaign experience.
• Optional 6-month or 12-month professional placement.
• Development of critical and creative reasoning.
• Communication and collaboration skills.
• Complex problem-solving.
• Self-management.
• Cultural competency and digital literacy.

Students can also combine the Bachelor of Arts with another qualification through approved double degrees, including:

• Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Applied Innovation
• Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Business
• Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Psychological Sciences
• Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Health Science / Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Arts.

Career Outcomes

Swinburne identifies potential career opportunities including:

• Community development officer
• Government relations coordinator
• Political correspondent
• Policy developer
• Journalist
• Intelligence analyst.

The wider Bachelor of Arts course handbook also identifies career possibilities such as:

• Advocate
• Diversity officer
• Security assessor
• Strategic advisor
• Ethics officer
• NGO/aid worker
• Policy analyst/coordinator
• Electorate officer
• Campaign coordinator
• Volunteer coordinator
• Communications officer
• Copywriter
• Digital content creator
• Marketing officer.

For students choosing Climate and Social Justice specifically, Swinburne identifies:

• Sustainability and climate change consultant
• Government relations coordinator
• Journalist
• Community advocate or development officer
• Environmental officer
• Policy analyst.

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

The current course information confirms:

• Course code: BA-ARTS3
• CRICOS code: 088388C
• Campus: Hawthorn
• Duration: 3 years full-time
• Total: 300 credit points
• Current future intakes: March and August 2027.

International Student Visa Requirements

International students intending to study this CRICOS-registered degree in Australia normally require an Australian Student visa, subclass 500.

Swinburne requires international students studying in Australia on a Student visa to study full-time and on campus.

Typical Student visa requirements include:

• Valid passport and identity documentation.
• Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).
• Evidence of English proficiency where required.
• Evidence of financial capacity where required.
• Genuine Student requirement.
• Health and character requirements where applicable.
• Any additional documents specified by the Department of Home Affairs document checklist.