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Single degrees

Bachelor of Arts – Bendigo (RBA)

The Bachelor of Arts is an undergraduate course designed to meet the needs of students in a rapidly changing and uncertain environment. As occupations change, disappear, or are absorbed into new multi-skilled ones, it is vital that the education students receive now promotes responsiveness and creativity, and develops skills that can be easily transferred into a range of new activities and occupations at a later stage when and if needed. Fostering multi-skilling and flexibility is the goal of the Bachelor of Arts at Bendigo.

The Bachelor of Arts at Bendigo offers students a wide choice of subjects. Hence students (subject to regulations and timetabling) are able to tailor their studies to their own specific needs.

The Faculty offers the following core majors and sub-majors:

Majors

• History
• English
• Sociology and Politics

Sub-major

• Indonesian

Electives

• Religion and Spirituality Studies
• Planning
• Visual arts/Graphic design

Subject to regulations, quotas and timetable, a limited number of subjects from other Schools and Departments may be taken, including:

• Accounting
• AUSLAN
• Biology
• Business law
• Computing
• Economics
• Environmental science
• Human resource management
• Information technology
• Marketing
• Mathematics
• Psychology
• Public health

Course requirements

To qualify for the degree of Bachelor of Arts, students must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 360 credit points, with at least 120 credit points at third year level and include in their course at least one core major. The core majors available at Bendigo are English, history and sociology and politics. Students may also complete a sub-major (110 credit points) in Indonesian. The Faculty also offers a number of elective subjects from additional disciplines e.g. art history, drama, philosophy etc.

Single Major (130 credit points)

A major consists of 130 credit points in a discipline, and must include the following:

• 30 credit points at first year level (including a first-year core subject),
• 40 credit points at second-year level (including a second-year core subject) and,
• 60 credit points at third-year level (including a third-year core subject)

Double major (260 credit points)

Students can complete a double major within the BA which consists of 130 credit points in each of two different disciplines. The structure is the same as the structure for a single major but students must complete the structure for two different disciplines.

Course regulations

A full-time study load for each year level is 120 credit points (60 credit points in each semester). Students require permission from the faculty to overload by taking more than 60 credit points in any teaching period. Permission is normally based on a student’s previous academic record.

First year subjects

Students must take a minimum of 90 credit points at first year level from subjects offered by the faculty. A minimum of 120 credit points and a maximum of 135 credit points of first year subjects may normally be included in the degree.

Subjects from other La Trobe faculties and other universities

Students may take two semester subjects at each year level from other La Trobe faculties or other universities. Students may, with permission, study subjects from another tertiary institution in a discipline that is not available at La Trobe University. Applicants for cross-institutional study in a discipline that is available at La Trobe University require written approval from the head of that School or Department. This should be submitted to the Faculty Enquiries Office.

Links to postgraduate study

The Bachelor of Arts can also provide a pathway to specialisation at postgraduate levels in a range of different programs: graduate diplomas, Masters degrees by coursework and research, and PhD studies at Bendigo – and programs at other universities. For many careers, specialised skills developed at postgraduate levels are essential: librarianship, urban and regional planning, teaching, journalism, computing, management, recreation and leisure and counselling. A Graduate Diploma in Arts also exists for graduates wishing to pursue an undergraduate major not previously studied. All the disciplines and area studies of the Bachelor of Arts are available for study within a Graduate Diploma in Arts.

Subjects

The following list of disciplines and areas of study from which students may construct their courses identifies subjects by year level. Normally, 30 credit points of first year subjects in the relevant discipline are required as the prerequisite for second or third-year subjects. Otherwise, students may seek approval to enrol in a subject from the subject coordinator. Subjects listed will be available dependent upon staff availability and/or student demand.

English

First year level (15 credit points)

Second/third year level (20 credit points)

English subjects not available in 2010

History

Indonesian language

Religion and Spirituality Studies

First year level (15 credit points)

Sociology and Politics

First year level (15 credit points)

Visual Arts electives for non-Bachelor of Visual Arts or Bachelor of Graphic Design students are available. Subjects include options in:

• Ceramics
• Illustration
• Photography
• Photojournalism
• Painting/Drawing
• Visual Arts Practice are tailored to the Education degrees.