The Bachelor of Art Education is the equivalent of four years full-time study in art education and specialist fine arts studies. The art education program incorporates flexibility in structure in order that students may develop their individual potential as future art educators in a variety of roles.

Professional experience placements are undertaken in primary and secondary schools, and other educational, community, cultural and industry based settings, including a full session Professional Experience Internship.

Secondary art teachers are required to fulfil many and varied responsibilities. This program prepares students to function as a visual arts and design teacher in secondary schools, primary schools, community organisations, museums and galleries, as a curriculum development officer, designer, artist, art and design historian/theorist/critic. The opportunity exists within the course for students to focus on any of these roles.

The Bachelor of Art Education comprises an art education major, professional experience in art education, courses in fine arts, including art history and theory, electives and General Education courses.

The Foundation Year
All students complete foundation courses in art education (including school field experiences), fine arts and art history and theory. These courses provide a core, foundational experience. In subsequent years students develop plans emphasising their interests in the practices of art education and fine arts and design, contextualised through courses in their art education major including professional experience.

Art Education
Courses in art education provide students with investigations and applications of the theoretical and practical knowledge of the art educator. These compulsory courses include fieldwork and professional experience in a range of educational, cultural, community and industry contexts and the Professional Experience Internship.

Fine Arts
Courses in fine arts include: ceramics, drawing, jewellery, painting, photomedia, printmaking, sculpture, performance and installation, textiles and time based art. Students may plan sequences of courses in the fine arts as a major (at least 24 units of credit). In completing a Fine Arts major, students may choose courses offered as electives and the core in the Bachelor of Fine Arts.

Art History and Theory
Students complete SAHT1101 Mapping the Modern and SAHT1102 Mapping the Postmodern in their foundation year, and may take other courses as part of their electives.

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

Year 1

Year 2

Students must complete the following core courses, Fine Arts major courses (12 units of credit), electives (12 units of credit) and General Education (6 units of credit):

Year 3

Students must complete the following core courses, Fine Arts major courses (12 units of credit), an elective (6 units of credit) and an Art Education elective (6 units of credit):

Year 4

Students must complete the following core courses, an elective (6 units of credit) and General Education (6 units of credit):

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 usually taken at the Kensington campus.

For further information, please refer to General Education in the Table of Contents to the left of this page.

The Bachelor of Art Education may be completed with Honours. Please refer to the Academic Rules re Honours.

To complete the requirements for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Art Education:

1. For the Pass degree, a student must complete and pass 192 units of credit which shall include:

a) 69 units of credit in Core Studies in Art Education;

b) 33 units of credit Professional Experience in Art Education;

c) a Fine Arts Major, consisting of 12 units of credit in Fine Arts Introductory courses, SAHT1101 and SAHT1102, and at least 24 units of credit from Fine Arts courses;

d) 12 units of credit of approved General Education courses;

e) 24 units of credit in open electives; and

f) 6 units of credit in Art Education electives.

2. No 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.

3. Honours will be awarded to students with a Distinction average in at least 42 units of credit in Upper Level Core Studies in Art Education, who have successfully completed SAED4051 Practices of Research in Art, Design and Education and SAED4055 Honours Research Project in Art and Design Education Studies. 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 basis of results in SAED4051 and SAED4055 and in accordance with School and Faculty policies.

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