UNSW is a progressive university, which engages in a practical way with key contemporary social issues. That ethos is reflected in our Arts and Social Sciences programs, with their expanding options for work-integrated learning and international opportunities. Our professionally designated programs, the Bachelor of Education (Secondary) and the Bachelor of Social Work, provide you with hands-on professional training and credentials. Our programs and specialisations in Media, Criminology, Development Studies and Environmental Studies prepare you for employment in those fields, as well as deepening your understanding of them. The new Bachelor of Social Policy and Research, which starts in 2013, develops skills in conducting research, analysing data and policies, writing reports, and project management – all highly relevant to research careers in public policy or the private sector. The Bachelor of International Studies offers a truly global perspective, including a one-year overseas study placement at a partner institution. Our specialist creative courses in Music, Dance and Theatre and Performance combine practice with theory, to develop existing interests and talents or broaden your horizons in new directions.

The wide-ranging UNSW Bachelor of Arts is organised around the knowledge and skills you will need to succeed in a rapidly changing professional world. The BA offers a solid foundation in traditional Humanities and Social Science disciplines, but allows you to test out the application of those disciplines to such pressing topics as global development, international business and the environment. We particularly encourage you to study a language, for a competitive edge in the global marketplace.

With so many options on offer, you will need to make important decisions and choices during your time in the Faculty. When you need advice, visit the Student Centre on the ground floor of the Morven Brown Building. Our academic staff have feedback hours, when you can seek more specialist academic advice. We encourage you to take advantage of the whole range of campus activities, from sports and clubs, to social events and volunteering.

We hope that you will take an active role in the affairs of the Faculty and the University. Students are represented on our main decision-making body, the Academic Board, as well as on many Faculty committees. We also invite you to comment regularly on your courses and your overall experience. We are always on the lookout for ways to improve.

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at UNSW is a lively and welcoming meeting place for scholars and students, buzzing with challenging ideas and focused activity. As a member of that community, you will discover new ways of thinking about the world, at the same time as you acquire knowledge and skills that will serve you well in your future career. Study hard, have fun, and a very warm welcome to you.


Professor James Donald
Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

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