The Bachelor of Arts is a multidisciplinary degree program providing opportunities to study in the broad discipline areas of communication, cultural studies, environmental studies, film, geography, history, Japanese language & culture, journalism, literary studies, media studies, professional and creative writing, public relations, sociology, tourism, and welfare studies.  The flexible structure of the Bachelor of Arts gives graduates broader perspectives on the contemporary world and is designed to develop critical, analytical and problem-solving skills.

Although the BA has a broad range of choices, the rules of the degree are very simple. To graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree, students must comply with the following Program Rules. They must complete:

• 24 courses (144 units of credit);
• at least 2 complete core studies plans (72 units of credit - see below);
• no more than 10 Level 1 courses; and
• prerequisites and corequisites for each course (where applicable).

Core Studies Plans
The BA is a federation of disciplines that have the BA as their home degree. The core studies plans are simply those plans offered by these disciplines, and the terms 'Core Studies Plans' and 'Core Electives' clearly distinguish these plans and courses from elective plans or general electives that may be taken from other degree programs within CQU (or from cross-institutional study).

Remember, you need to choose at least 2 core plans to be eligible to graduate.

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
• Australian History
• Australian Studies
• Communication Practice
• Cultural Studies
• Environmental Geography
• Environmental Studies
• Film Studies
• Human Geography
• International History
• Japanese Language & Culture
• Journalism
• Liberal Studies
• Literary & Cultural Studies
• Literary Studies
• Media Studies
• New Media Studies
• Professional & Creative Writing
• Public Relations
• Sociology
• Tourism
• Welfare Studies

Note:  full details of the courses and rules for these plans are provided in the courses section.

What is a core studies plan?
A core studies plan is made up of 6 courses (36 units of credit) designated as a core studies plan. At least 4 of these 6 must be at Advanced Level. Provided prerequisites are met, however, students may complete up to 6 Advanced Level courses for a plan. Students should note that each course may only be taken as part of 1 plan.

What is a core studies elective?
Core studies electives are courses that are not listed in your chosen core studies plans but are taken from other core studies plans in the Bachelor of Arts.

What is a general elective?
A general elective is a course that is not part of any core studies plan in the Bachelor of Arts but is counted towards your overall degree program. General electives can be chosen from any other degree program in the University (check course availability for prerequisites which must be met) or, under certain conditions, from degree programs at other universities (cross-institutional studies). 

Full-time students
The usual full-time enrolment in the Bachelor of Arts is 4 courses in Term 1 and 4 courses in Term 2 (8 courses in total for the year). Beginning students should enrol in Level 1 courses only. 4 out of the 8 courses must be taken from the core studies plans below.

Part-time students
The usual part-time enrolment in the Bachelor of Arts is 2 courses in Term 1 and 2 courses in Term 2 (4 courses in total for the year). Beginning students should enrol in Level 1 courses only. At least 2 courses must be taken from the core studies plans.

Course availability
Students should note that although Level 1 courses are offered every year, some Advanced Level courses may only be offered in alternate years. Students should check the availability by clicking on the hyperlinked course codes of their choices.

Computer Requirements
Students are expected to have access to a computer with Internet and email capabilities as most of the BA core courses now have an online presence in the learning management system, Blackboard. CQU student computer labs and libraries provide computer access at CQU campuses, while the Learning Network Queensland can also provide access for distance education students in most parts of the State.

Diploma of Arts
If, for some reason, students are unable to complete the full Bachelor of Arts, they can exit with a Diploma of Arts. To be eligible you must have successfully completed 8 courses or 48 units of credit within the Bachelor of Arts. 4 of the 8 courses or 36 units of credit must come from the core studies plans of the BA.  The other 4 courses can be electives chosen from any other program at CQU, or from credit for previous studies. Students must satisfy the normal prerequisites that apply to their courses.

There is no entry to this program. Students must enrol in the Bachelor of Arts and formally apply to graduate with a Diploma of Arts.

BA (Specialisation)
Students may take all 24 courses, including 2 separate and complete plans (12 courses or 72 units of credit in total), from the BA core studies plans. This will enable students to take up to 4 complete plans (each of 6 courses) from the core studies plans or, if they wish, a minimum of two plans, with the remaining core studies electives taken from either additional courses in the disciplines already studied in the required 2 core studies plans or from other core studies plans.  Students who choose this option will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts, but without a specialisation.

Students may also choose to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (Specialisation), e.g. BA (History), by completing the requirements for their chosen specialisation as detailed below.

Electives
Note that the 6 electives in each specialisation are defined as follows:

• 6 electives (36 units of credit) from:  

1. an additional plan or 6 core studies electives from the BA core plans;
2. a plan or 6 general electives from any CQU program;
3. a plan or 6 general electives by cross-institutional study; and
4. a combination of a-c above.

BA (Cultural Studies)
To be eligible for a BA (Cultural Studies), students are required to meet the following rules (in addition to the Program Rules):

24 courses (144 units of credit) including:

• 12 courses (72 units of credit) in cultural studies:
  • cultural studies plan (required);
  • 1 plan from the following: film studies, literary studies, literary & cultural studies;
• 1 plan (36 units of credit) from the core BA plans; and
• 6 electives (36 units of credit).

BA (Environmental Studies)
To be eligible for a BA (Environmental Studies), students are required to meet the following rules (in addition to the Program Rules):

24 courses (144 units of credit) including:

• 12 courses (72 units of credit) as follows:

4 Level 1 courses

• GEOG11023 Physical Geography of Australia
• GEOG11024 Conservation in Australia
• ENVR11011 Environmental Science A
• ENVR11012 Environmental Science B

Plus any 8 from the following:

• GEOG19022 Data Visualization
• GEOG19021 Geographic Information Systems
• GEOG19029 Applied Demography
• EVST19008 Environmental Management
• EVST19007 Social & Environmental Impact Assessment
• EVST19020 Environmental Management Systems
• EVST19015 Environmental History
• LAWS11046 Law & the Environment
• ECON19031 Environmental Economics
• SOCL19057 Environmental Sociology
• SOCL19060 Human Ecology

• 1 plan (36 units of credit) from the core BA plans; and
• 6 electives (36 units of credit).

BA (Film Studies)
To be eligible for a BA (Film Studies), students are required to meet the following rules (in addition to the Program Rules):

24 courses (144 units of credit) including:

• 12 courses (72 units of credit) as follows:

Level 1 courses

• COMM11109 Media & Cultural Industries
• CULT11011 Australian Film and Culture
• CULT11012 Image and Text
• LITR11055 Popular Genres
• AUDV11002 Video Production

Advanced Level courses

• FILM19001 Creative Visualisation
• COMM12023 Screen Studies
• COMM12022 Technology, Communication & Culture
• LITR19047 Science Fiction & Film
• CULT19014 Melodrama Film and Gender
• CULT19015 Explorations in the Gothic
• HUMT13006 Humanities Research Topic

• 1 plan (36 units of credit) from the core BA plans; and
• 6 electives (36 units of credit).

BA (Geography)
To be eligible for a BA (Geography), students are required to meet the following rules (in addition to the Program Rules):

24 courses (144 units of credit) including:

• 12 courses (72 units of credit) in geography (human geography and environmental geography plans (required));
• 1 plan (36 units of credit) from the core BA plans; and
• 6 electives (36 units of credit).

BA (History)
To be eligible for a BA (History), students are required to meet the following rules (in addition to the Program Rules):

24 courses (144 units of credit) including:

• 12 courses (72 units of credit) in history (Australian history and international history plans (required));
• 1 plan (36 units of credit) from the core BA plans; and
• 6 electives (36 units of credit).

BA (Journalism)
To be eligible for a BA (Journalism), students are required to meet the following rules (in addition to the Program Rules):

24 courses (144 units of credit) including:

• 12 courses in communication and journalism (72 units of credit) (communication practice and journalism plans (required));
• 1 plan (36 units of credit) from the core BA plans; and
• 6 electives (36 units of credit).

BA (Literary Studies)
To be eligible for a BA (Literary Studies), students are required to meet the following rules (in addition to the Program Rules):

24 courses (144 units of credit) including:

• 12 courses (72 units of credit) in literary studies including:
  • literary studies plan (required);
  • 1 plan from the following: cultural studies plan, literary & cultural studies plan, professional & creative writing plan;
• 1 plan (36 units of credit) from the core BA plans; and
• 6 electives (36 units of credit).

BA (Media Studies)
To be eligible for a BA (Media Studies), students are required to meet the following rules (in addition to the Program Rules):

24 courses (144 units of credit) including:

• 12 courses (72 units of credit) in communication (communication practice and media studies plans (required));
• 1 plan (36 units of credit) from the core BA plans; and
• 6 electives (36 units of credit).

BA (New Media Studies)
The new media studies specialisation explores the world of new media, from the production and consumption of new media texts and forms, to the ways new media transform the experience of everyday life. Today, new media extend beyond the broadcast paradigm of mass media and towards networks, distributed communities and towards personalised and mobile devices integrated into everyday life. Students will gain a broad knowledge of, and critical engagement with, new media and their cultural environments, as well as the ability to explore new media forms in a practical way.

For further details about specific courses in the Specialisation, please contact Dr Phil Roe on +61 7 4150 7088 or email p.roe@cqu.edu.au.

BA (Professional Studies)
Students will take the following:

• at least 12 courses from the BA core studies plan, which must include 2 separate and complete core studies plans (12 courses or 72 units of credit in total);
• a professional plan from those listed below (36 units of credit) (see Schedule A):  
  • Psychology;
  • Marketing;
  • Digital Innovation;
  • Information Technology; and 
  • 6 electives (36 units of credit) or an additional professional plan.

BA (Psychology)
To be eligible for a BA (Psychology), students are required to meet the following rules (in addition to the Program Rules):

24 courses (144 units of credit) including:

• 12 courses (72 units of credit) in psychology defined as the 'accredited sequence' as detailed in Schedule A; and
• 2 plans (72 units of credit) from the core BA plans.

BA (Public Relations)
To be eligible for a BA (Public Relations), students are required to meet the following rules (in addition to the Program Rules):

24 courses (144 units of credit) including:

• 12 courses (72 units of credit) in public relations including:
• communications practice and public relations plan (required);
• 1 plan (36 units of credit) from the core BA plans; and
• 6 electives (36 units of credit).

BA (Sociology)
To be eligible for a BA (Sociology), students are required to meet the following rules (in addition to those mentioned above):

24 courses (144 units of credit) including:

• 12 courses (72 units of credit) from the sociology plan;
• 1 plan (36 units of credit) from the core BA plans; and
• 6 electives (36 units of credit).