Program Requirements

The Bachelor of Arts requires completion of 144 units, of which:

A maximum of 60 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

A minimum of 12 units of courses tagged as Transdisciplinary Problem-Solving

A minimum of 18 units must come from the completion of 3000-level courses

The 144 units must include:

48 units from the completion of one of the following majors:

Disciplines and Fields

Anthropology

Archaeology

Art History and Curatorial Studies

Asian and Pacific Culture, Media and Gender

Australian Indigenous Studies

Biological Anthropology

Classical Studies

Criminology

Demography

Design

Development Studies

Economic Studies

English

Environmental Studies

Gender, Sexuality and Culture

History

International Relations

Linguistics

Music Studies

Peace and Conflict Studies

Persian

Philosophy

Political Science

Psychology

Public Policy

Sociology

Language and Geographic Area Studies

Ancient Greek

Arabic

Asian History

Asian Studies

Chinese Language

Chinese Studies

French Studies

German Studies

Hindi Language

Italian Studies

Indonesian Language

Japanese Language

Japanese Linguistics

Japanese Studies

Korean Language

Korean Studies

Latin

Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies

Northeast Asian Studies

Pacific Studies

Sanskrit Language

Southeast Asian Studies

Spanish Studies

Thai Language

Vietnamese Language

A minimum of 24 units from completion of courses not previously taken from the following subject areas, which may contribute towards the completion of a minor:

ANTH - Anthropology

ARAB - Arabic

ARCH - Archaeology

ARTH - Art History & Curatorial Studies

ARTV - Visual Arts

ASIA - Asian Studies

BIAN - Biological Anthropology

BIOL - Biology

BURM - Burmese

CHIN - Chinese

CLAS - Classics

COMP - Computer Studies

CRIM - Criminology

DEMO - Demography

DESN - Design

ECON - Economics

ENGL - English

ENVS - Environmental Studies

FREN - French Studies

GEND - Gender and Sexuality

GERM - German Studies

GREK - Ancient Greek

HIND - Hindi

HIST - History

HUMN - Humanities

INDG - Indigenous Studies

INDN - Indonesian

INTR - International Relations

ITAL - Italian Studies

JPNS - Japanese

KORE - Korean

LANG - Language Studies

LATN - Latin

LING - Linguistics

MATH - Mathematics

MNGL - Mongolian Language

MUSI - Music

PASI - Pacific Studies

PERS - Persian

PHIL - Philosophy

POLS - Political Science

POPH - Population Health

PORT - Portuguese

PSYC - Psychology

RUSS - Russian Studies

SOCR - Social Research

SOCY - Sociology

SPAN - Spanish

STST - Strategic Studies

TETM - Tetum

THAI - Thai

TIBN - Tibetan

TOKP - Tok Pisin

TURK - Turkish

VIET - Vietnamese

A minimum of 48 units from completion of elective courses offered by ANU, which may include courses in the lists above not previously taken.

Once you have met the program requirements of your degree, you may have enough electives to complete an additional elective major or minor. Majors and minors if taken together must have different names.

Majors

Minors

Elective Study

Once you have met the program requirements of your degree, you may have enough electives to complete an additional elective major, minor or specialisation.

Study Options

Admission Requirements

At a minimum, all applicants must meet program-specific academic/non-academic requirements, and English language requirements. Admission to most ANU programs is on a competitive basis. Therefore, meeting all admission requirements does not guarantee entry into the program.

In line with the university's admissions policy and strategic plan, an assessment for admission may include competitively ranking applicants on the basis of specific academic achievement, English language proficiency and diversity factors.

The University reserves the right to alter or discontinue its programs and change admission requirements as needed.

Domestic applicants

Before applying for a program, you should review the general information about domestic undergraduate admission to ANU programs and how to apply, and the program-specific information below.

• Applicants with recent secondary education are assessed on:
• completion of Australian Year 12 or equivalent, and the minimum Selection Rank (from their academic qualifications, plus any adjustment factors) requirement for this program; and
• co-curricular or service requirement (applies to applicants who complete secondary education in the year prior to commencing at ANU); and
• English language proficiency; and
• any program-specific requirements listed below.
• Applicants with higher education study are assessed on:
• previous higher education studies; or secondary education results if completed less than one full-time equivalent year (1.0 FTE) of a degree; or the result from a bridging or preparatory course; and
• English language proficiency; and
• any program-specific requirements listed below.
• Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study are assessed on:
• previously completed VET qualifications at AQF level 5 or higher (i.e. a Diploma or above); or secondary education results if the VET qualification is not completed; and
• English language proficiency; and
• any program-specific requirements listed below.
• Applicants with work and life experience are assessed on:
• ATAR or equivalent if secondary education was completed; or the Special Adult Entry Scheme (SAES); or work experience; and
• English language proficiency; and
• any program-specific requirements listed below.

International applicants

Applicants who complete a recognised secondary/senior secondary/post-secondary/tertiary sequence of study will be assessed on the basis of an equivalent selection rank that is calculated upon application. A list of commonly observed international qualifications and corresponding admission requirements can be found here . Applicants must also meet any program specific requirements that are listed below.

Diversity factors & English language proficiency 

As Australia's national university, ANU is global representative of Australian research and education. ANU endeavours to recruit and maintain a diverse and deliberate student cohort representative not only of Australia, but the world. In order to achieve these outcomes, competitive ranking of applicants may be adjusted to ensure access to ANU is a reality for brilliant students from countries across the globe. If required, competitive ranking may further be confirmed on the basis of demonstrating higher-level English language proficiency.

Further information is available for English Language Requirements for Admission 

Prerequisites

Adjustment Factors

Adjustment factors are additional points added to an applicant’s Selection Rank (for example an applicant’s ATAR). ANU offers adjustment factors based on performance and equity principles, such as for high achievement in nationally strategic senior secondary subjects and for recognition of difficult circumstances that students face in their studies. 

Selection Rank adjustments are granted in accordance with the approved schedules, and no more than 15 (maximum 5 subject/performance-based adjustment factors and maximum 10 equity-based adjustment factors) can be awarded. 

You may be considered for adjustment factors if you have:

• applied for an eligible ANU Bachelor degree program
• undertaken Australian Year 12 or the International Baccalaureate
• achieved an ATAR or equivalent at or above 70
• not previously attempted tertiary study.

Please visit the ANU Adjustment Factors website for further information.

Fee Information

All students are required to pay the Services and amenities fee (SA Fee)

The annual indicative fee provides an estimate of the program tuition fees for international students and domestic students (where applicable). The annual indicative fee for a program is based on the standard full-time enrolment load of 48 units per year (unless the program duration is less than 48 units). Fees for courses vary by discipline meaning that the fees for a program can vary depending on the courses selected. Course fees are reviewed on an annual basis and typically will increase from year to year. The tuition fees payable are dependent on the year of commencement and the courses selected and are subject to increase during the period of study.

For further information on Fees and Payment please see: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/fees-payments

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Employment Opportunities

Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts may find work in publishing, policy, education, international development, politics, media, information technology, communications, journalism, aid, advertising, art conservation, government and many other fields.

Learning Outcomes

1. critically apply theoretical frameworks and research techniques to understanding national and international issues and problems;
2. identify relevant sources of information, and judge the importance, reliability and ethical implications of those sources;
3. evaluate ideas and develop creative solutions to problems, including through independent pursuit of knowledge and making connections between different disciplinary approaches and methods; and
4. communicate and debate orally and in writing, and work with others, using a variety of media.

Further Information

Completing the Transdisciplinary Problem-Solving Course Requirement

Students completing the Bachelor of Arts are required to complete a minimum of 12 units of Transdisciplinary Problem-Solving (TD) courses as part of their program. Please see the recommended courses in the Other Information section in each major for guidance on which courses are recommended for your discipline. If you would prefer to complete TD courses from outside your discipline, please consult Programs and Courses and select the Transdisciplinary filter.

Additional areas of study - Completing a minor in the BARTS

In addition to your compulsory major, we recommend that you complete at least one additional minor during the course of your studies. The following minors are available in the Bachelor of Arts and must be undertaken in a different discipline to your major. The CASS Student Office can provide tailored advice on how to best plan your studies:

Advanced Ancient Greek

Advanced Arabic

Advanced Chinese Language

Advanced French Studies

Advanced German Studies

Advanced Italian Studies

Advanced Japanese Language

Advanced Korean Language

Advanced Latin

Advanced Persian

Advanced Sanskrit Language

Advanced Spanish Studies

Ancient Greek

Anthropology

Anthropology of Asia

Applied Linguistics

Arabic

Archaeology

Art History and Curatorial Studies

Asian and Pacific Archaeology

Asian and Pacific Culture, Media and Gender

Asian and Pacific Linguistics

Asian and Pacific Literature and Film

Asian History

Asian Studies

Asia-Pacific Politics

Asia-Pacific Security Studies

Australian Indigenous Studies

Biological Anthropology

Burmese Language

Chinese Language

Chinese Studies

Classical Studies

Criminology

Demography

Design

Development Studies

Economic Studies

English

Environmental Policy

Environmental Studies

Forensic Linguistics

French Studies

Gender and Sexuality

German Studies

Health, Medicine and the Body

Heritage and Museum Studies

Hindi Language

History

Historical International Security

Human Ecology

Indian and South Asian Studies

Indonesian Language

Indonesian Studies

International Communication

International Relations

Italian Studies

Japanese Language

Japanese Linguistics

Japanese Studies

Korean Language

Korean Studies

Latin

Linguistics

Literary Chinese

Mathematics

Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies

Middle Eastern Politics and Security

Mongolian Language

Music Studies

Northeast Asian Studies

Pacific Studies

Peace and Conflict Studies

Persian

Philosophy

Philosophy and Science

Political Science

Russian Studies

Russian and Central Asian Studies

Sanskrit Language

Science Communication

Social Research Methods

Sociology

Southeast Asian Studies

Spanish Studies

Sustainable Development

Tetum Language

Thai Language

Tibetan Language

Tok Pisin Language

Vietnamese Language

Visual Arts Practice

APAC accreditation and pathway to Honours in Psychology

This program is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) when students complete the accredited sequence of psychology courses. At ANU this includes minimum required learning achieved by successful completion of PSYC1003, PSYC1004, PSYC2001, PSYC2002, PSYC2007, PSYC2008, PSYC2009, PSYC3018, PSYC3025, PSYC3026 and an additional 2 x 3000 level PSYC courses. Students in an ANU Bachelor of Arts who wish to be eligible for Honours in psychology must complete the specific set of courses that satisfy the APAC accreditation requirements.