Bachelor of Arts

Three years full-time
Six years part-time

Many students ask, “What is an arts degree?” An arts degree at the University of Sydney offers a range of subjects unmatched by any other university in Australia. We offer more than 15 languages at beginners or advanced level, along with a choice of over 45 subject areas, each of which offers several units of study.

You have the opportunity to graduate with a major (specialisation) in up to two areas. This makes our Bachelor of Arts (BA) a very attractive degree for people who wish to develop skills as a basis for employment or as the foundation for further specialised postgraduate study.

Our arts degree is very versatile. All areas of study teach you to develop your capacity for critical analysis and argument. It also gives you an awareness of the value of language as a political, intellectual, creative and communicative tool. These attributes are highly sought-after in every area of employment. If you are unsure about the career path you wish to pursue, an arts degree from the University of Sydney offers you freedom of choice while providing many other attractive opportunities. There are many ways to structure your degree. An example appears in the table below.

Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

One year full-time

After completing their Bachelor of Arts (Pass) degree, as many as one third of our students undertake a year of specialised research training to gain the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree. While the honours year is usually taken in one area, you can combine two related honours programs into a joint honours year, or undertake a double honours over two years.

Bachelor of Arts Sample Degree Structure

Year One		Year Two		Year Three
Semester 1	Semester 2	Semester 1	Semester 2	Semester 1	Semester 2
TABLE A MAJOR JUNIOR PRE-REQ UNIT	TABLE A MAJOR JUNIOR PRE-REQ UNIT	TABLE A MAJOR SENIOR UNIT	TABLE A MAJOR SENIOR UNIT	TABLE A MAJOR SENIOR UNIT	TABLE A MAJOR SENIOR UNIT
TABLE A JUNIOR UNIT	TABLE A JUNIOR UNIT	TABLE A SENIOR UNIT	TABLE A MAJOR SENIOR UNIT	TABLE A SENIOR UNIT	TABLE A MAJOR SENIOR UNIT
TABLE A JUNIOR UNIT	TABLE A JUNIOR UNIT	TABLE A OR B SENIOR UNIT	TABLE A OR B SENIOR UNIT	TABLE A OR B SENIOR UNIT	TABLE A OR B SENIOR UNIT
TABLE A OR B JUNIOR UNIT	TABLE A OR B JUNIOR UNIT	TABLE A OR B SENIOR UNIT	TABLE A OR B SENIOR UNIT	TABLE A OR B SENIOR UNIT	TABLE A OR B SENIOR UNIT
24 credits	24 credits	24 credits	24 credits	24 credits	24 credits
Core units of study and semester offerings are subject to change					Total 144 credits
Each box represents one 6 credit point unit of study. This diagram is a sample structure only, and is based on a standard full-time progression over 3 years.