The Bachelor of Creative Arts (Visual Arts) is offered by the Faculty of Education, Humanities and Law as a dual award with the Advanced Diploma in Visual Arts (CUV60211) offered by the Adelaide College of the Arts at TAFE SA.  The dual award requires three years of full-time study, or the equivalent part-time, to complete both qualifications. Students are required to enrol concurrently at both the University and TAFE SA to complete the dual award.

Admission requirements

Applicants must meet the minimum requirements for consideration for entry to all undergraduate courses as specified in detail in the University Entry Requirements.

Course aims

The aim of the course is to prepare students for a professional life by:

  • equipping students with the understanding and practical skills that enable them to investigate and develop their artistic practice in a chosen medium in the visual arts;
  • encouraging all students to work as conceptual artists in their chosen medium;
  • developing in students an understanding of the changing social and cultural contexts, and the changing modes of representation and meaning in the visual arts;
  • enabling students to explore practical issues and techniques through studio work;
  • providing students with the capacity to analyse concepts of creativity and visual thinking, and with experience in the creative process;
  • producing graduates capable of the application of logical thought, analysis, and research skills in ways that will enhance both the creative and practical processes required in the production of visual art.

Learning outcomes 

Upon completion of their degree, students will have developed in-depth theoretical, conceptual, practical, technical, aesthetic, historical and business skills in the Visual Arts. In addition, students will have developed a range of transferable skills.

Practical skills

In specialising in the Bachelor of Creative Arts (Visual Arts), students will be able to:

  • demonstrate their ability to produce creative work to a high standard in their chosen program
  • become effective members of creative production and planning teams
  • understand the processes involved in the production of creative work
  • be able to analyse and critically evaluate ideas and solve problems
  • be familiar with theories, factual content and research methods relevant to their program of study including an awareness of practices related to their chosen program
  • be familiar with aspects of the arts industries relevant to their chosen program.

Transferable skills

Students will also develop:

  • communication and presentation skills (oral, written, electronic, graphic)
  • teamwork and interpersonal skills
  • the ability to give and receive constructive feedback
  • management and planning skills.

Program of study

To qualify for the Bachelor of Creative Arts (Visual Arts), a student must complete 108 units as follows:

  1. 54 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study listed below; and
  2. the Advanced Diploma of Visual Art (CUV60211) at TAFE SA, for which 54 units of credit will be granted.

The award of a grade of Fail (F) on more than one occasion in the same topic may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University’s Policy on Student Progress.

Stream - Visual Arts

Core - Year 1 topics

4.5 units comprising:

COMS1001 Academic and Professional Communication (4.5)

Option - Year 1 topics

4.5 units chosen from:

SCME1003 Essential Multimedia (4.5)
PSYC1107 The Psychology of Weird and Wonderful Ideas (4.5 units)

Option - Year 2 topics

4.5 units chosen from:

AUST1001 Australian Studies: Identities (4.5 units)
CREA1001 Introduction to the Creative Arts (4.5 units)
ENGL1101 Approaches to Literature (4.5 units)

Plus 4.5 units chosen from:

AUST2500 Australian Studies: Social and Political Cultures (4.5 units)
CREA2106 Creative Arts Theory and Practice (4.5 units)
ENGL2121 Adaptations: Literature on Screen (4.5 units)

Core - Year 3 topics

27 units comprising:

VISA3005 Mining the Museum (4.5 units)
VISA3006 Studio 6 (4.5 units)
VISA3007 Studio 7 (4.5 units)
VISA3008A Studio 8, Part 1 (4.5 units)
VISA3008B Studio 8, Part 2 (4.5 units)
VISA3009 Creative Economies (Practice and Opportunity) (4.5 units)

Option - Year 3 topics

4.5 units chosen from:

AUST2610 Australian Studies: Indigenous Australian Art (4.5)
VISA3404 Visual Thinking and Creativity (4.5 units)

Plus 4.5 units chosen from:

AUST3330 Reading Australian Culture (4.5 units)
SCME2050 Screen Production Techniques 1 (4.5 units)
SCME2102 Gender, Media and Technology (4.5 units)
MGRE2214 Greek Mythology: Gods, Heroes & Mortals (4.5)

TAFE SA RTO Code: 41026