Bachelor of Arts
Townsville, Cairns
DEGREE STRUCTURE
The Bachelor of Arts degree is characterised by diversity, flexibility and coherence.
Diversity: The wide range of subjects listed in Tables Ia and III of the Master Schedule indicates the large number of options available for inclusion within a BA degree. In addition, of the 72 units required for completion of the degree, up to 26 units can be selected from other tables in the Master Schedule.
Diversity is built into the BA degree structure, particularly at level 1 where, with certain exceptions, not more than 6 units may be taken from any one discipline. Greater specialisation may occur at levels 2 and 3.
At all levels some subjects are available without specific prerequisites and at level 1 a number of subjects which do not lead into a three-year sequence are available.
Flexibility: Not only can an Arts degree be constructed from a wide range of subjects and strands, but also these can be put together in a variety of ways. This means that each student’s BA course of study can be tailored to their own mix of interests and talents, with the result that very few students follow a totally identical course of study.
While some limitations to flexibility are contained in the BA requirements (in terms of number of units at each level, in any one discipline, and from outside Tables Ia and III) there remains considerable scope for both flexibility and diversity in constructing a BA degree program.
Coherence: There is no requirement in the Bachelor of Arts degree for students to complete a three-year major sequence in a particular discipline, although many BA students will choose to do so by selecting one or two of the single discipline strands. However, this is not the only way in which students may fulfil the requirement for coherence in the BA degree.
One alternative is to select one of the interdisciplinary strands and thereby to achieve coherence in Aboriginal and Islander studies, Australian studies, Environmental studies, Southeast Asian studies or in Women’s studies. Please see the Faculty Office for information on these strands of study.
Another alternative, in consultation with the Academic Advisers, is to devise an individually coherent program of study, selecting subjects from a number of disciplines which are complementary in some way.
It should be noted that total coherence is not required. Thus it is possible to include in a BA degree, areas of study which are not closely related to the main focus of the degree. For example, while choosing complementary geography and sociology subjects at levels 2 and 3 it is quite acceptable also to include visual arts subjects, thereby developing a life interest alongside subjects relevant to a future career.
GENERAL STRAND
The General strand allows a student, in consultation with the Academic Advisers, to construct an individually tailored degree program which fulfils the conditions of the BA requirements and combines coherence with diversity and flexibility.
Level 1 students are advised to enrol in the General strand in order to experience several discipline areas before selecting one or more specific strands at level 2. Additionally, students who do not wish to follow precisely any of the single discipline or interdisciplinary strands listed below, should enrol in the General strand for all three years of the BA degree.
Once enrolled in a specific strand a student is not obliged to remain in it but may change to the General strand or, provided the prerequisites are fulfilled, to a different specific strand.
Bachelor of Arts
LEVEL 1
(a) At least 6 level 1 units from English (EL), French (FR), Japanese (JA), Journalism (JN), History (HI), Humanities (HU), Politics (PL) or Public Policy;
(b) at least 6 additional level 1 units from subjects from Table Ia or III of the Master Schedule of Subjects;
(c) remaining level 1 subjects from the Master Schedule.
(Note: The normal full-time load is 24 units. Students must complete at least 18 units of level 1 subjects but can have up to 30 units of level 1 subjects in their degree.)
LEVEL 2
(a) At least 8 units of level 2 subjects from Table Ia or III of the Master Schedule;
(b) at least 7 additional units of level 2 subjects from the Master Schedule;
(c) remaining subjects can be drawn from Table Ia or III or from other parts of the Master Schedule which comply with Sections 2.2 and 4 of the BA Requirements.
LEVEL 3
(a) At least 12 units of level 3 subjects from Table Ia or III of the Master Schedule;
(b) at least 6 additional units of level 3 subjects from the Master Schedule;
(c) remaining level 3 subjects can be drawn from Table Ia or III or from other parts of the Master Schedule which comply with Sections 2.2 and 4 of the BA Requirements.
Strands within the Bachelor of Arts degree
While the Bachelor of Arts degree is characterised by its diversity and flexibility, students wishing to specialise in a particular discipline should refer to the recommended strands listed below and those under the Bachelor of Social Science program beginning on page 273.
English
LEVEL 1
| 6 units of level 1 English subjects with at least 3 units from the following: | |
| EL1004:03 | The Romantic Vision (Cairns only) |
| EL1005:03 | The Modernist Experiment (Cairns only) |
| EL1006:03 | The Motives for Fiction (Townsville only) |
| EL1007:03 | Getting of Wisdom: Literary Youth and Maturity (Townsville only) |
| ADDITIONAL SUBJECTS | |
| Additional units may be chosen from the Master Schedule in accordance with the requirements of the degrees of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Social Science. | |
LEVEL 2
| At least 8 units of level 2 English subjects. | |
| Students seeking to pursue honours should complete at least 16 units of English at level 2. | |
| For combined honours 12 units of English at level 2 are required. | |
| ADDITIONAL SUBJECTS | |
| Additional units may be chosen from the Master Schedules in accordance with the requirements of the degrees of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Social Science. |
LEVEL 3
| CORE SUBJECTS | |
| At least 12 units of level 3 English subjects. | |
| Students seeking to pursue honours should complete: | |
| EL3025:06 | Literary Theory (Townsville only) |
| ADDITIONAL SUBJECTS | |
| Additional units may be chosen from the Master Schedule in accordance with the requirements of the degrees of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Social Science. | |
LEVEL 4 (Honours students only)
| CORE SUBJECTS | |
| EL4001:08 | English 4 Honours (Townsville only) |
| EL4002:04 | English 4 Honours (Townsville and Cairns) |
| or | |
| EL4005:04 | Recent Australian Fiction (Townsville and Cairns) |
| EL4003:12 | English 4 Honours Thesis (Townsville and Cairns) |
| or | |
| EL4004:12 | Joint English Honours (Townsville and Cairns) |
| EL4007:04 | Postmodernism in Theory and the Arts (Cairns only) |
| EL4008:04 | Contemporary British Literature (Cairns only) |
History
LEVEL 1
| CORE SUBJECTS | |
| 6 units of level 1 History subjects. | |
| ADDITIONAL SUBJECTS | |
| Additional units may be chosen from the Master Schedule in accordance with the requirements of the degrees of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Social Science. |
LEVEL 2
| CORE SUBJECTS | |
| At least 8 units of level 2 History subjects. | |
| ADDITIONAL SUBJECTS | |
| Additional units may be chosen from the Master Schedule in accordance with the requirements of the degrees of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Social Science. |
LEVEL 3
| CORE SUBJECTS | |
| At least 12 units of level 3 History subjects. | |
| ADDITIONAL SUBJECTS | |
| Additional units may be chosen from the Master Schedule in accordance with the requirements of the degrees of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Social Science. |
LEVEL 4 (Honours students only)
| CORE SUBJECTS | |
| HI4080:18 | History Honours Thesis (Cairns only) |
| HI4200:18 | History Honours Thesis (Townsville only) |
| HI4443:06 | Writing History (Townsville and Cairns) |
Journalism
Refer to Bachelor of Journalism program on page 269.
Modern Languages
Refer to the Bachelor of Languages program on page 269.
LEVEL 1
| CORE SUBJECTS | |
| 6 units of level 1 French or Japanese subjects. | |
| ADDITIONAL SUBJECTS | |
| Additional units may be chosen from the Master Schedule in accordance with the requirements of the degrees of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Social Science. |
LEVEL 2
| CORE SUBJECTS | |
| At least 8 units of level 2 French or Japanese subjects. | |
| ADDITIONAL SUBJECTS | |
| Additional units may be chosen from the Master Schedule in accordance with the requirements of the degrees of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Social Science. |
LEVEL 3
| CORE SUBJECTS | |
| At least 12 units of level 3 French and Japanese subjects. | |
| ADDITIONAL SUBJECTS | |
| Additional units may be chosen from the Master Schedule in accordance with the requirements of the degrees of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Social Science. |
LEVEL 4 (Honours students only)
| CORE SUBJECTS | |
| FR4420:12 | Memoire A |
| ELECTIVES | |
| At least 12 units of level 4 French subjects. | |
Politics
LEVEL 1
| CORE SUBJECTS | |
| 6 units of level 1 Politics subjects: | |
| PL1001:03 | Comparative Politics: Making Sense of a Puzzling World |
| PL1002:03 | World Politics: International Conflict and Cooperation |
| ADDITIONAL SUBJECTS | |
| Students with an OP of 10 or higher are strongly encouraged to do EL1010:03 Effective Writing. Those with an OP of 1-9, but with a “Sound” or worse in English, are also encouraged to do Effective Writing. Additional units may be chosen from the Master Schedule in accordance with the requirements of the degrees of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Social Science. | |
LEVEL 2
| CORE SUBJECTS | |
| At least 8 units of level 2 Politics subjects, one of which should include: | |
| PL2001:04 | Politics Through Comedy (Townsville only) |
| PL2003:04 | The State: Theory and Comparative Analysis |
| Plus at least one of: | |
| PL2250:04 | Australia and World Politics |
| PL2291:04 | Australian Public Policy and Politics |
| PL2294:04 | Public Administration and Inter-government Relations |
| Students should also take at least one Social Science methods subject from: | |
| SS2011:04 | Fundamentals of Social Research Methods |
| SS2023:04 | Qualitative Methods |
| ADDITIONAL SUBJECTS | |
| Additional units may be chosen from the Master Schedule in accordance with the requirements of the degrees of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Social Science. | |
LEVEL 3
| CORE SUBJECTS | |
| At least 12 units of level 3 Politics subjects, one of which should include: | |
| PL3002:06 | Policy Analysis and Management |
| PL3153:06 | International Relations and Foreign Policy (Townsville) |
| or | |
| PL3251:06 | Approaching World Politics (Cairns) |
| ADDITIONAL SUBJECTS | |
| Additional units may be chosen from the Master Schedule in accordance with the requirements of the degrees of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Social Science. | |
LEVEL 4 (Honours students only)
| CORE SUBJECTS | |
| PL4001:06 | Applied Political and International Analysis |
| PL4002:06 | Theory and Method in Political Science |
| PL4201:12 | Politics Honours Thesis |
It is emphasised that the specific strands are identified primarily to provide guidance for students. Thus enrolment in a specific strand is not compulsory, although students considering BA Honours are advised to enrol in a specific strand in the Honours discipline (or, in the case of combined Honours, in two disciplines).
Strands – Townsville campus
Anthropology; Archaeology; Asian Studies; Australian Studies; Cultural Heritage Studies; Economics; English Literature; Geography; History; Information Technology, Indigenous Australian Studies; Mathematics and Statistics; Modern Languages; Politics; Psychology; Public Policy; Social Policy; Sociology; Southeast Asian Studies; Tropical Environment Studies; Visual Arts; Welfare Studies; Women’s Studies.
Strands – Cairns campus
Anthropology; English Literature; Geography; History; Information Technology; Mathematics and Statistics; Modern Languages; Politics; Psychology; Public Policy; Social Policy; Sociology; Tropical Environment Studies; Welfare Studies.