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Bachelor of Creative Arts (Visual Arts)

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Summary
Bachelor of Creative Arts Specialisation Visual Arts (BCAR)
Study Mode
  • On-campus
  • External
  • Online
Start
  • Semester 1 (February)
  • Semester 2 (July)
  • Semester 3 (November)
Number of Units
  • 24 units
Duration
  • 3 years or part-time equivalent
Campus
  • Toowoomba
View USQ Handbook
Program Information Set

Fill your resumé with professional experience

Expand and grow your abilities as a visual artist while you expand your resume with exhibitions of your work and gain a formal qualification. Offering practical and theory streams, the Bachelor of Creative Arts (Visual Arts) lets you explore a variety of studios to ensure specialization in the medium that best suits your profile as an emerging artist.

You will be able to undertake studies in one or a combination of studios including ceramics, spatial construction (sculpture and textiles), painting, printmaking, drawing, and gallery studies. This entire degree in Visual Arts is able to be studied online (with studio options concentrating on painting and gallery studies), as well as on campus.

Take the opportunity to specialise in one studio for virtually the entire degree or combine disciplines within creative arts or other areas of study.

Professional experience

Unique within Australia, this degree enhances your professional opportunities through specialised activities and partnerships. We regularly host international exchange exhibition programs with universities like the University of Saskatchewan, Universitas Sebelas Maret (Indonesia) and Nangyang Technological University (Singapore) as well as interstate partnerships. Taught by nationally and internationally renowned artists, these exhibition programs provide excellent opportunities to enhance your skills.

This degree will enable you to emerge as a practicing, professional artist. Other career paths include vocations as secondary school teacher (with further study), art critic, librarian, curator, arts administrator, studio and gallery manager, community arts and arts researcher.

Other majors for the Bachelor of Creative Arts: Film, Television and Radio, Music and Theatre.

Students in the Bachelor of Creative Arts have the opportunity to choose one of a series of extended majors offered as part of their selected specialisation. An extended major is a specified group of courses with values of 16, 20, or 24 units.

  • Visual Arts (16 unit Major)
  • Visual Arts (24 unit Major)

The following eight-unit Creative Arts majors can be combined with a 16 unit extended major as a second major:

  • Film, Television, and Radio (8 unit Major)
  • Music Practice (8 unit Major)
  • Theatre Practice (8 unit Major)
  • Theatre Theory (8 unit Major)
  • Visual Arts Practice (8 unit Major)
  • Visual Arts Theory (8 unit Major)

With approval, students are able to take one major or minor/elective study from other undergraduate programs offered by USQ.

Courses to be studied Units
Core courses 1
Discipline Foundation 7
Discipline Extension 8
Second Major 8
Total 24
Courses to be studied Units
Core courses 1
Discipline Foundation 7
Discipline Extension 8
Minor sequence 4
Minor sequence  4
Total 24
Courses to be studied Units
Core courses 1
Discipline Foundation 7
Discipline Extension 8
Minor sequence 4
Electives  4
Total 24
Courses to be studied Units
Core courses 1
Discipline Foundation 7
Discipline Extension 12
Minor sequence 4
Total 24
Courses to be studied Units
Core courses 1
Discipline Foundation 7
Discipline Extension 12
Total 24
Refer to the USQ Handbook for courses to be studied and recommended enrolment patterns.

How much will it cost?

Approximate annual costs1 for your first year of study (8 units) in this program are:

Study Mode Cost
Commonwealth supported AUD 6560
Domestic full fee paying AUD 19600

Loan to help you pay your fees

You may not have to pay your course (subject) fees upfront. HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP allows you to defer your fees until your income reaches a certain level.

You may also be eligible to receive financial support from Centrelink.

Scholarships and financial assistance

You may be able to apply for scholarships to help with your study costs.

1 These are indicative annual fees for 2018 and costs will vary depending on the actual courses selected during your study. Fees may also vary from year to year as they are reviewed annually.

16/66
OP/Rank
This is the 2019 adjusted OP / Rank for this program.

The lowest OP/unadjusted Rank* to which an offer was made is 20/59. OP/Ranks based upon all offers made in Semester 1, 2018.

Entry Requirements

  • Subject pre-requisite: English (4, SA) or equivalent, Visual Arts (4, SA).
  • It is a requirement that Queensland-based students hold a current positive notice indicating that they are deemed suitable for working with children and young people whilst studying the Bachelor of Creative Arts – Film Television & Radio, Theatre, Music and Visual Arts. Further information about the Blue Card or Exemption Card suitability process is available from the Blue Card Services.
  • Non-standard applications (i.e. non-OP applicants) will also be considered with an audition or interview on a case-by-case basis. To register for an audition or interview at USQ please email usq.support@usq.edu.au and provide the following information in your email:
    • your best contact phone number, and
    • whether you require a phone interview (applies to applicants who do not live within 100km of a USQ campus). 

External studies

Visual Arts students studying externally should note the following further requirements: 

  • only painting, drawing, Arts Management and theory courses are available by external offer
  • the following practical studios are not available by external study: ceramics, print-making, linear construction, spatial construction, painting.

*Further admission information

An adjusted Selection Rank is the result of combining additional ranks through special entry schemes for admission.

Special entry schemes for admissions may help you get into the program of your choice by increasing your Selection Rank, through the allocation of additional ranks in certain circumstances.

An adjusted Selection Rank is the result of combining additional ranks with a student's OP/Selection Rank. An unadjusted Selection Rank is the student's Selection Rank without any rank adjustments.

USQ is committed to greater admissions transparency. Learn more about the education and work experience, as well as average OP/Ranks for this programs' student cohort for Semester 1, 2018.

Explore pathways
We can help

How to apply

  • Apply via QTAC (Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre) if you:
    1. have never studied with USQ before, or
    2. are a Year 12 student.

Please note down the QTAC codes below to complete your application.

  • Alternatively, you may be able to apply directly to USQ if you:
    1. are a current or previous USQ student returning to study with complete or incomplete qualifications (excluding Head Start students), or
    2. want to transfer to USQ from another university, or
    3. have recently graduated from TAFE.

QTAC codes

Mode Codes
Toowoomba 909161
Distance  909165

Closing dates

Applying directly to USQ:

  • Semester 1, 2020 - applications close Friday 28 February, with semester 1 commencing on Monday 24 February 2020.

If you are applying via QTAC, you will need to check the QTAC closing dates.

Credit for previous study or work experience

You may be eligible for credit if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help to reduce the number of courses that you need to study to finish your program.

Other options for you

Bachelor of Creative Arts (Honours) (Visual Arts)