Humanities and Social Sciences

Undergraduate Studies

Bachelor of Visual Arts

The Bachelor of Visual Arts is offered on both the Bendigo and Mildura campuses and involves three years full time or equivalent part time study. Some studio majors are not offered at Mildura.

Students can specialise in one of the studio majors listed below. Alternatively students can combine and hybridize media from more than one major studio area as their major study by Year Three. The excellent academic program is supported by generous access to specialist studios and equipment. The Bachelor of Visual Arts degree aims to provide students with a quality environment for learning and research, developing aesthetic appreciation and artistic practice with an emphasis on individualism, whilst at the same time offering the opportunity to expand technical expertise across a broad range of media.

Studio Majors

• Ceramics (Bendigo campus only)
• Painting/Drawing
• Photography
• Printmaking
• Animation
• Sculpture (Mildura campus only)

Subjects

• Theory and Methodologies in Studio Practice: This subject is a 'laboratory of ideas.' Working within the chosen studio major the students develop their own ideas against the benchmark of contemporary practice which is presented in the lecture program and workshops. A folio of work is developed in the workshop and a written component is required.
• Visual Arts Media Workshop: Working within the chosen studio major, the students train and test their craft and technique, through a series of applied assignments and projects.
• Comparative Studies: In Comparative Studies students bring their major medium into the Workshop of another discipline. They are encouraged to compare, merge and hypridise the two mediums through innovation and collaboration. In Year Three this can become and alternative major study.
• Art and Visual Culture: This is a first year foundation unit. Students become articulate in visual language and discover the old and new worlds of visual culture. In Year Three alternative theoretical study electives are also available.
• Professional Studies: Taken in Year Three, Professional Studies involves research, internship and networking to prepare the student to take the final steps into a career in the Visual Arts industry.

Career Opportunities

Graduates in visual arts have several career options. Many work in an art related industry, including curatorship in collections, commercial and public galleries, arts administration in municipal and government community arts programs, photojournalism, web design and colour and interior design consultancies. Others will choose the vocation of practicing exhibiting artist. Some choose to undertake further study including postgraduate studies; for instance in Education, going on to become teachers. Others pursue studies in Art Therapy and establish themselves in hospitals and institutions.

Course Information 2009