Where can a degree from Sydney College of the Arts take you?
Our degrees will equip you with the very best training and knowledge to thrive not only in an ever-changing contemporary art environment, but also in the broader global workforce.
Be taught by practising artists, writers and curators, and benefit from their extensive professional experience and industry networks. Our creative degrees encourage you to work across disciplines to realise your ideas. We offer undergraduate degrees as well as specialist postgraduate qualifications supporting various career pathways and personal ambitions:
Many of our graduates become prominent artists and creative professionals:
“Regardless of where you end up, the critical thinking and creative production processes are important for all careers. SCA was a nurturing and exciting place to learn, and if you’re wanting a career in the arts there really isn’t anywhere else. Also, don’t pay any attention to people who tell you that there are no jobs.”
Dominic Kavanagh
Gallery Coordinator at Warmun Art Centre, Western Australia
Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours), 2016
“SCA gave me a great sense of freedom and the support I needed to develop my own approach to art making. Time allowed in studios made me realise even terrible ideas can become interesting once they are given enough care and thought. Use of non-art materials might be the most interesting aspect of my work that people may not expect as a result of this. It is not always important what we use, but how to use them seems to be the key.”
Koji Ryui
Artist
Bachelor of Visual Arts 2001, Master of Fine Arts, 2011
“Studying visual arts gave me the ability to generate and articulate my ideas. It also broadened my understanding of what it meant to be an artist. I think also working in arts administration now, I am glad that I started off as an artist myself. It gives me a greater empathy and understanding of other artists that I now work with in a professional capacity.”
Susie Rugg
Kids and Families Coordinator, Museum of Contemporary Art; Founder and Creative Director, Handy with Scissors (a website featuring sustainable art-and-craft ideas for children)
Bachelor of Visual Arts, 2006
“SCA gave me the sense of community I was craving and a framework in which to develop my skills. I also loved being surrounded by other visual artists in different disciplines and mediums, and it helped me hone my skills as a visual storyteller.”
Julian Shaw
Filmmaker
Master of Film and Digital Image, 2009
“Studying at the SCA was a lot of fun. It’s the only time in life I’ve been allowed to really just be thinking and making things. This course taught me how to be a conceptual thinker, gave me practical art-making skills, a solid network of like-minded people and the confidence to speak about art and in front of people (something I’ve always found hard).”
Jay Ryves
Creative Director and Co-founder, Future Classic (independent record label)
Bachelor of Visual Arts, 2001
“The Bachelor of Visual Arts at SCA not only allowed me to develop technical and practical foundations in photomedia, it also created fundamental opportunities and pathways for a career in arts administration and a deeper understanding of the visual arts industry. During my time at SCA, I formed relationships with my lecturers and tutors who have become life-long friends and mentors who I can always seek advice and support from.”
Alyson Hewett
Philanthropy Manager, Carriageworks
Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours), 2014
“I wanted to study at an institution that was heavily invested in the conceptual basis of making art as well as the practical tools and facilities to create the work I wanted to make. The fact that the lecturers were practising artists, whom I knew of and admired, was an imperative to choosing SCA over other universities. I did a lot of research into lecturers at arts schools around the country before settling on the SCA.”
Jonny Niesche
Artist
Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours) 2008, Master of Visual Art, 2013
"I decided to study a Master of Fine Art at SCA to develop my arts practise and cast critical eye on the art work I have created since 2003. Dr Julie Rrap was my academic supervisor, the conversations we shared were very valuable and the process of researching and writing the research paper was vital to artistic growth."
Petrina Hicks
Practising Artist
Master of Fine Art (Research), 2017