Bachelor of Fine Arts (Degree with Honours) (BH-FA)
Bachelors Honours DegreeYear: 2025 Delivered: On Campus (Southbank)
About this course
Coordinator
Danny Butt
Contact
Students currently admitted in this course:
Future students:
Overview
| Award title | Bachelor of Fine Arts (Degree with Honours) |
|---|---|
| Year & campus | 2025 — Southbank |
| CRICOS code | 029294J |
| Fees information | Subject EFTSL, level, discipline and census date |
| Study level & type | Undergraduate Coursework |
| AQF level | 8 |
| Credit points | 100 credit points |
| Duration | 12 months full-time |
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (Degree with Honours) aims to produce innovative, ethical, critically engaged creative practitioners.
This degree with honours offers students an opportunity to combine rigorous creative investigation with practice led research skills – interlocking critical curiosity and creative enquiry to encourage a deeper understanding and capacity in their chosen field of artistic practice.
The degree seeks to introduce honours candidates of proven ability and aptitude to research training – developing students' critical thinking, creative drive, and capacity to devise, define and manage a major creative research project.
Students specialise in Dance, Design and Production, Film and Television, Music Theatre, Theatre, or Visual Art, and each undertake a year-long project under the guidance of their individual supervisor to be completed by the end of the academic year.
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (Degree with Honours) provides students with a pathway to a masters or PhD research degree.
Entry requirements
1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:
- within the last 5 years, a Bachelor of Fine Arts or equivalent degree, with a weighted average mark of at least H2B (70%) or equivalent, with a major relevant to the discipline specialisation within the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Degree with Honours) that they seek to enter.
Applicants are also required to complete a written proposal, portfolio, and interview, as prescribed by the Academic Board for the specialisation to which entry is sought.
Dance Specialisation
- a written proposal; and
- a portfolio; and
- interview (shortlisted applicants only).
Design and Production Specialisation
- a written proposal; and
- a portfolio; and
- interview (shortlisted applicants only).
Film and Television Specialisation
- a written proposal; and
- a portfolio; and
- interview (shortlisted applicants only).
Music Theatre Specialisation
- a written proposal; and
- a portfolio; and
- interview (shortlisted applicants only).
Theatre Specialisation
- a written proposal; and
- a portfolio; and
- interview (shortlisted applicants only).
Visual Art Specialisation
- a written proposal; and
- a portfolio; and
- interview (shortlisted applicants only).
Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.
2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:
- prior academic performance; and
- written proposal; and
- portfolio; and
- interview (shortlisted applicants only)
3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.
4. For applicants who have not completed the Victorian Certificate of Education or the International Baccalaureate Diploma, the undergraduate English language requirements must be met.
Notes:
- Quotas may be applied to the degree as a whole or to discipline specialisations.
- Details for the written proposal, portfolio, and interview can be found on the Fine Arts and Music Study website https://finearts-music.unimelb.edu.au/study-with-us
Film and Television Specialisation
Successful applicants in the Film and Television Specialisation will be required to hold a current:
- First Aid Certificate (HLTAID003); and
- Working with Children Check.
These must remain valid for the duration of the course.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
Inherent requirements are the abilities, knowledge and skills needed to complete this course that must be met by all students. For information on the inherent requirements specific to this course contact the course/specialisation coordinator. In some circumstances reasonable adjustments may be available to enable students to meet these requirements while still preserving the academic integrity of the university's learning, assessment and accreditation processes.
Students who have a disability which may prevent them from participating in tasks involving these inherent academic requirements are encouraged to contact Student Equity and Disability Services https://students.unimelb.edu.au/student-support/student-equity-and-disability-support
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this course, graduates should be able to:
- demonstrate independence in their creative practice;
- formulate and complete rigorous creative research projects, employing discipline-specific practical and theoretical methods;
- critically evaluate issues of methodology, theory and context relevant to their own practice, and communicate these effectively within and beyond their discipline;
- apply personal and professional integrity to their practice, respecting diverse contributions, knowledges and histories.
Generic skills
On completion of this course, graduates should be able to:
- engage in independent and contextually-informed creative practice;
- employ well developed and flexible problem-solving skills appropriate to the discipline;
- effectively communicate the results of research and scholarship by oral and written means;
- initiate major projects and formulate viable research questions;
- critically evaluate relevant scholarly literature and creative practice;
- manage time and maximise the quality of research and scholarship;
- understand and display facility with scholarly conventions in the discipline area;
- understand their relationship with and responsibility to the cultural environment and society;
- respect truth, intellectual integrity and ethical approaches to research and scholarship.
Graduate attributes
Graduates of the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Degree with Honours) will have developed the following skills and attributes that allow them to be:
Artistically excellent:
- demonstrate a flexible and innovative approach to the challenges facing contemporary artists/practitioners;
- display a strong sense of intellectual integrity and of the ethical demands of creative practice and scholarship;
- have in-depth knowledge of their specialist discipline(s);
- reach a high level of achievement in artistic practice, writing, research activities, problem-solving and communication;
- be critical and creative thinkers, with an aptitude for continued, self-directed learning and research.
Knowledgeable across disciplines:
- critically examine, synthesise and evaluate knowledge across a range of disciplines;
- expand analytical, cognitive and aesthetic skills through research-oriented practice;
- have the capacity to participate fully in collaborative learning and to confront unfamiliar problems.
Leaders in communities:
- be well-informed citizens able to contribute to their communities wherever they live and work;
- have excellent interpersonal and decision-making skills, including an awareness of personal strengths and limitations;
- engage in meaningful public discourse, with a profound awareness of community needs.
Attuned to cultural diversity:
- express sensitivity towards different cultural practices;
- have an understanding of the social and cultural diversity making up communities in which they practice and beyond;
- respect Indigenous Knowledge, cultures and values.
Active global citizens:
- understand their relationship with and responsibility to their cultural environment and society;
- accept social and civic responsibilities;
- have awareness of the sustainability of the environment;
- have a broad global understanding, with a high regard for human rights, equity and ethics.
Course structure
100-point program of compulsory subjects in the course or in a chosen specialisation.
Course Progression Rules
Students must have completed CREA40001 Research Methods before progressing to CREA40002 Research Paper.
Specialisations
Students apply for and enrol in one of six specialisations:
- Dance
- Design and Production
- Film and Television
- Music Theatre
- Theatre
- Visual Art
25 points of compulsory subjects
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| CREA40001 | Research Methods in the Creative Arts | Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank) |
12.5 |
| CREA40002 | Research Paper | Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank) |
12.5 |
75 point core subject according to their specialisation
Majors, minors & specialisations
| Name | Credit Points |
|---|---|
| Dance | 75 |
| Design and Production | 75 |
| Film and Television | 75 |
| Music Theatre | 75 |
| Theatre | 75 |
| Visual Art | 75 |
Further study
Graduates may progress to a wide range of graduate coursework programs as well as research higher degree programs.
Last updated: 6 April 2025