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Fine Arts - 4800

Program Summary

   
   
 
Campus: College of Fine Arts Campus
 
 
Career: Undergraduate
 
 
Typical Duration: 3 Years
 
 
Typical UOC Per Semester: 24
 
 
Min UOC Per Semester: 3
 
 
Max UOC Per Semester: 27
 
 
Min UOC For Award: 144
 
 
Award(s):
 
 
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours)
 
 
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Major)
 
  

Program Description

The Bachelor of Fine Arts is the equivalent of three years full-time study. It is intended to provide an introduction for those who wish to involve themselves as practitioners in the visual arts or related fields.

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Fine Arts a student must accrue a total of 144 units of credit.

Program Objectives and Learning Outcomes

The program aims:

1. To provide an opportunity for students to undertake rigorous and demanding studies at tertiary level from a wide range of approaches and disciplines within the visual arts.

2. To provide the opportunity for students to explore aspects of the visual arts through critical examination of the possibilities they offer and by use of available technological resources.

3. To encourage students to develop an increased self-motivation and commitment to their studies.

4. To provide an environment in which students may develop as far as possible the following characteristics and abilities both during and subsequent to their involvement in the program:
  • an understanding of concepts relevant to aesthetics and the visual arts; an understanding of various media through practice and experimentation with such media; a confidence and competence in decision making, together with an appreciative and informed awareness of viewpoints in the visual arts other than their own; and an understanding of the historical and theoretical underpinning of contemporary fine art practice.
5. To encourage students to realise their own intellectual and creative potential.

6. To increase students' awareness of, and sensitivity to, their environment.

Program Structure

Selection of Major Studies
Following the completion of Introductory Studies in Session 1, placement of students in a major sequence in Session 2 will be based on the results for Session 1 courses, student preferences and the availability of places.

Students will be allocated to the highest preference that their aggregate of marks determines.

Students may undertake either a major sequence of 60 units of credit OR a major of 42 units of credit and a minor in another discipline of 18 units of credit.

Approved Disciplinary Streams
Painting/Drawing
Printmaking
Sculpture, Performance, Installation
Photomedia
Time Based Art
Ceramics
Jewellery
Textiles

Electives
Electives allow students to plan their studies to specific needs, interests and career aspirations. Some students may choose electives to focus and deepen their studies, others will choose electives from a broad range of art, art education, design, digital media, art history and theory courses. Electives may be taken as courses offered by other faculties of the university.

General Education Requirements

Students are required to complete 12 units of credit in General Education. General Education contributes to the broad educational objectives of university study, and are taken at the Kensington campus.

For further information on available courses, please refer to General Education in the Table of Contents (see left hand side of this page).

Honours

BFA Honours is a program of higher level study available to BFA students who wish to undertake research in Fine Arts, extending into a Honours fourth year. BFA students, in consultation with lecturers, should apply for entry to the program by the end of Session 4 but no later than Session 6. For entry to Honours, students must have achieved a distinction average in 48 units of credit in Fine Arts core courses from Years 2 and 3.

In their Honours year, students undertake a research program in their area of Fine Arts specialisation. Each student is allocated a supervisor. Honours students are expected to perform at a satisfactory (SY) level throughout the program. The program is full-time. The body of work undertaken will be presented and assessed in exhibition form, accompanied by the presentation of a research paper relating to the student's studio practice.

Students are required to undertake formal activities in conjunction with SART4030, SART4043 and SART4044.

1. To be eligible to graduate with Honours students must complete all requirements of the Pass degree (see Academic Rules) and complete an additional 48 units of credit over the equivalent of 1 year full-time.

a) Entry from completed 3rd year (without having graduated):
To be eligible for entry to Honours a student must have achieved a distinction average in 48uoc in Fine Arts core courses in years two and three. Students will normally nominate at the end of year 2 but must nominate no later than the end of year 3.

b) Entry where candidate has graduated with a Pass-level degree:
Applicants with a degree of bachelor at pass level (i.e. without honours) may be permitted to enrol in honours with credit for all courses in the program prior to honours. In this case applicants must satisfy the prerequisites for entry to the honours or the equivalent of those prerequisites.


2. The Honours year consists of:

a) an Honours Paper outlining studio research practice;

b) A Research Practices and Methods course;

c) Honours Studio Practice, which shall lead to the exhibition of work; and

d) attendance at such seminars, lectures and classes shall be required.

Honours is awarded in the following classes: Honours Class 1, Honours Class 2 Division 1 and Honours Class 2 Division 2. The class of Honours awarded shall be determined on the following weightings: Honours Studio Practice 70%, Honours Paper 20%, Research Practices & Methods 10%. Honours is not awarded where the weighted mark is less than 65.

Academic Rules

1. For the Pass degree, a student must complete and pass 144 units of credit.

2. Students must complete 18 units of credit in approved Fine Arts Introductory Studies courses or their equivalent.

3. A degree must contain a major sequence of study or a combination of a major and a minor.

4. Students must complete 30 units of credit in Contextual Studies comprising 24 units of credit in Art History and Theory (SAHT) courses and a 6 unit of credit Professional Practice course.

5. Students must complete 12 units of credit of General Education.

6. Students must complete 24 units of credit in electives.

7. A major sequence is defined as 60 units of credit in a single discipline. A major sequence may also be taken as 42 units of credit in one discipline with an 18 units of credit minor in another discipline. Major sequences are defined in Fine Arts Table A.

8. A minor sequence is defined as 18 units of credit in a single discipline which is available within but not taken as part of a major defined in Fine Arts Table A, or a sequence as defined in other undergraduate College of Fine Arts programs.

9. Not more than 60 units of credit in Level 1 courses will be counted towards the degree, with a minimum of 24 units of credit in Level 1 courses being successfully completed prior to undertaking Upper Level courses.

Fees

For information regarding fees for UNSW programs, please refer to the following website:  https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/fees/FeesMainPage.html

Fine Arts Table A - Major Courses

Discipline
Painting/Drawing
Stage 1 - SART1311, SART1305
Stage 2 - SART2320, SART2340, SART2330, SART2350
Stage 3 - SART3340, SART3360, SART3350, SART3370

Printmaking
Stage 1 - SART1313, SART1306
Stage 2 - SART2322, SART2342, SART2332, SART2352
Stage 3 - SART3342, SART3362, SART3352, SART3372

Sculpture/Performance/Installation
Stage 1 - SART1314, SART1307
Stage 2 - SART2323, SART2343, SART2333, SART2353
Stage 3 - SART3343, SART3363, SART3353, SART3373

Photomedia
Stage 1 - SOMA1312, SOMA1309
Stage 2 - SOMA2321, SOMA2341, SOMA2331, SOMA2351
Stage 3 - SOMA3341, SOMA3361, SOMA3351, SOMA3371

Time Based Art
Stage 1 - SOMA1315, SOMA1308
Stage 2 - SOMA2324, SOMA2344, SOMA2334, SOMA2354
Stage 3 - SOMA3344, SOMA3364, SOMA3354, SOMA3374

Ceramics
Stage 1 - SDES1316, SDES1319
Stage 2 - SDES2325, SDES2328, SDES2335, SDES2338
Stage 3 - SDES3345, SDES3348, SDES3355, SDES3358

Jewellery
Stage 1 - SDES1317, SDES1320
Stage 2 - SDES2326, SDES2329, SDES2336, SDES2339
Stage 3 - SDES3346, SDES3349, SDES3356, SDES3359

Textiles
Stage 1 - SDES1318, SDES1321
Stage 2 - SDES2327, SDES2345, SDES2337, SDES2355
Stage 3 - SDES3347, SDES3365, SDES3357, SDES3375

Program Schema (pdf download)

Related Program(s)
4812 Fine Arts/Arts

Area(s) of Specialisation

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© The University of New South Wales (CRICOS Provider No.: 00098G), 2004-2011. The information contained in this Handbook is indicative only. While every effort is made to keep this information up-to-date, the University reserves the right to discontinue or vary arrangements, programs and courses at any time without notice and at its discretion. While the University will try to avoid or minimise any inconvenience, changes may also be made to programs, courses and staff after enrolment. The University may also set limits on the number of students in a course.