Overview 2021
Location
Commonwealth Supported places available
Location
- What is an ATAR
- CRICOS: 005531K
Explore your practice in Drawing and Printmaking; Object and Furniture; Painting; Photography; or Sculpture and Time-Based Media, advancing your technical skills with individual attention. Studying Critical Practices together with studio-based making, you will contextualise your practice in the art landscape. As your degree unfolds, you move to open and interdisciplinary units allowing you to dream big, experiment and create work with public outcomes.
Feel Tasmania’s past beneath your feet every time you’re on campus inside the former IXL Jam Factory on Hobart’s city docks or Launceston’s historic Western Railway Yard at Inveresk. Both sites provide generous studio spaces and equipment to improve the scale and complexity of your work, highly skilled technicians to show you the ropes, and access extending beyond scheduled class times.
On our island campus of Tasmania, the line between student and professional practice often dissolves. Engage with acclaimed international creatives drawn here on a personal scale through the Artist in Residence and Arts Forum programs. From the beginning of your degree, take part in a rich exhibition program across our on-site galleries and iconic spaces to develop essential curatorial skills and showcase your work publicly.
Through access to exclusive creative collaborations with Media, Music, and Theatre and Performance students you will build close creative networks, test working relationships, and leverage your accomplishments to generate future opportunities. Find yourself working with Tasmania’s unique festival scene, creatively solving real client briefs, or soaking up inspiration together on a field trip overseas.
This empowering, hands-on Fine Arts experience gives you specialist skills that can be applied into a range of exciting contexts and careers. With the added flexibility to choose units across the University, you can develop complementary skills in design, creative arts and health, music, media, and creative writing or explore history, politics, blue and green sciences, and other subjects to inspire your practice.
Course objectives
This empowering, hands-on Fine Arts experience gives you specialist skills that can be applied into a range of exciting contexts and careers. With the added flexibility to choose units across the University, you can develop complementary skills in design, creative arts and health, music, media, and creative writing or explore history, politics, blue and green sciences, and other subjects to inspire your practice.
Learning outcomes
Graduates of the Bachelor of Fine Arts (AQF Level 7) will be able to:
- Produce conceptually multi-layered creative works and projects with speculative and iterative outcomes as a process of self-directed creative inquiry
- Synthesise technical and theoretical knowledge to critically analyse ideas, artefacts and methods in the arts, and apply this analysis to appraise your own and others’ work.
- Situate your practice within relevant and diverse contexts (e.g. social, cultural and historical)
- Communicate complex ideas and processes effectively to audiences and stakeholders using written, oral and visual skills
- Develop an autonomous and ethical creative practice that contributes to professional, scholarly, and social communities.
Practical experience
Learn beyond the classroom
Studying in Tasmania, our whole Island becomes your campus. Speak with your unit coordinator about how you can gain practical experience by volunteering in research initiatives, becoming an ambassador, or taking part in a work experience program.
Study overseas at one of our partner institutions
Our international exchange program offers opportunities to study at universities around the world, and it counts towards your degree. Exchange can allow you to have an affordable educational and cultural experience in a foreign country for a semester, or a full year. To facilitate this, we offer a range of scholarships and financial assistance. You may also be eligible for OS-HELP Loans or scholarship funding to assist with their airfares, accommodation and other expenses.
UPDATE (MARCH) 2021: Please note, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Face-to-Face Study Abroad & Exchange programs have been postponed until 2022.
Alternative Virtual Exchange Opportunities can be found on our Virtual Overseas Experiences tab. For more information please contact Global.Mobility@utas.edu.au
Find out more about Student Exchange.
Become a Student Ambassador
Improve your communication, teamwork and leadership skills, meet new people, inspire and help others, and developing lasting friendships and networks as a student ambassador. Our ambassadors proudly represent the University throughout Tasmania in schools, at University and community events, and support a range of recruitment and engagement activities. Through the Student Ambassador Program you will have many opportunities for training and professional development, experience in real-world community engagement and outreach, networking, and public speaking, plus end up with a key point of distinction on your CV.
Work placement
The University of Tasmania is integrated into all areas of industry locally, nationally and internationally be it through research or work placement programs. Talk to your course coordinator about finding an opportunity to take part in a work experience, placement, or extracurricular activities during your degree.
Career outcomes
As a designer, people come to me wanting a solution to a problem. We work out the best way of solving that visually, emotionally and commercially.
Graduates from the Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours find employment in a variety of positions within the arts professions, including studio practice, theoretical writing on art, curatorial work, gallery administration, research and teaching, as well as participating in individual and group-generated projects.
- 13.6% Graphic Designers and Illustrators
- 13.5% Photographers
- 10.4% Visual Arts Professionals
ABS Labour Force Survey, National Skills Commission trend data to May 2019 and projections to 2024.
Postgraduate study
If you successfully complete this course, you may be also be eligible to apply for a range of other postgraduate courses including Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diplomas and Masters by coursework and research. Filter the course list by Postgraduate to view the current courses available.
Course structure
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) requires the completion of 300 credit points including:
- Core units in Critical Practices (100 credit points)
- A studio practice major (100 credit points)
- Electives (100 credit points)
In Critical Practices core you will complete 50 credit points at Introductory level and 50 credit points at Intermediate level. Normally, you will complete the introductory level units in your first year of study (or part-time equivalent).
A major is an area of focus in your degree. During your studies, you’ll choose an area that interests you, and then study a group of units related to that area. Find out more at What is a Major?
In the Studio Practice major you will specialise in one art practice. In the major you will complete 25 credit points at Introductory level 25 credit points at Intermediate level and 50 credit points at Advanced level. The studios available are:
- Drawing and Printmaking
- Painting
- Photography (Please note that in 2021, intermediate level photography units are taught in Hobart only. If you are based elsewhere you can still complete these units if you are able to travel to study.)
- Object and Furniture
- Sculpture and Time Based Media
In your Elective component you are able to choose from any units which you meet the pre-requisites for, at any level, from across the university. You can also complete additional art practice studio or creative curriculum units in your elective space.
Critical Practices Core
Introductory
Creating artwork involves encounters with objects, materials, ideas, cultures and other life forms. This unit will involve visits to Museums, Art Galleries and public artworks to investigate the many forms of collection and archive within a community. Public collections include…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 1 | ||||
View all details for FSA115 Critical Practices in Art: Encounters
Ecologies place us in relationship with other living beings and our physical surroundings, as well as being a way we can talk metaphorically about having a place within a wider network. This unit will introduce you to place, ecology and…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
View all details for FSA119 Critical Practices in Art: Ecologies
A manifesto is a public declaration of principles, intentions, motives or views. It is written by an individual or a group to reflect their views. A manifesto can express an opinion on a particular issue, a whole worldview or set…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 1 | ||||
View all details for FSA123 Critical Practices in Art: Manifestos
We exist as embodied beings: bodies are how we move through the world and how we touch, and see and interact with it. The purpose of the unit is to introduce students to the concept of the body and bodies…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
View all details for FSA124 Critical Practices in Art: Bodies
Intermediate
Exhibitions are not only a way to present creative works. They are also a way to make meaning, generate ideas and communicate with an audience. This unit will present key contemporary, historical, philosophical and cultural debates and guide you through…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 1 | ||||
View all details for FSA221 Critical Practices in Art: Exhibitions
This unit explores the interaction between art and writing. More than writing about art or the inclusion of text in art works, this unit encourages you to think about writing as both a mode of creative expression as well as…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
View all details for FSA222 Critical Practices in Art: Writing
This unit invites you to find your way through the field of contemporary art. You will unpick moments of change and transition within a broader context of local, national, and global histories of art, and to see yourself as an…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 1 | ||||
View all details for FSA223 Critical Practices in Art: Fields
Collaborative work is integral to working in and with the creative and cultural industries. This unit encourages you to take supported creative risks and introduces you to work-integrated learning methods and practices. Students and staff will propose creative projects that…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
Studio Practices
Introductory units
Complete 25 credit points at Introductory level. You should choose at least one unit from a studio which you intend to specialise in at Intermediate level.
This unit will introduce you to the techniques of drawing and printmaking as processes of enquiry and creation. You will learn about the technical and material possibilities of both mediums and how to use a studio as both a site…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
Introduction to studio design and making.This unit sets the foundations for designing and making objects in a world of rapid change. Directed by academic staff and technicians, you will design and make a cohesive collection of small-scale objects that critically…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
Sculpture and Time Based Media 1 (STBM 1) explores the integration of objects with electronic and time based media to provide a solid platform for creative exploration and expression. You will investigate sculpture and installation processes through an exploration of…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 1 | ||||
Photography 1 will introduce you to the medium of photography. Directed by staff and technicians, in the context of a studio/workshop/tutorial curriculum, you will be introduced to traditional techniques, new technologies and approaches to contemporary practice. Study of this unit…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 1 | ||||
Painting is a vital and exciting medium that continues to fascinate contemporary artists and audiences. By undertaking this unit, you will gain an understanding of painting and its place within contemporary visual culture, exploring contemporary forms of painting as well…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
Intermediate units
Complete 25 credit points in a single studio.
Drawing and Printmaking
This unit will explore the ground as both a site for exploration and a support for expression. You will undertake a suite of practical exercises and projects that provide you with methods, concepts and practical skills for generating new ideas…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 1 | ||||
This unit will focus on the body as a site for exploration. The body has been a subject for drawing and printmaking across cultures and time. You will engage with the body through observation and interpretation from life drawing and…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
Painting
This unit focuses on the development and deployment of concepts and ideas through a variety of image-making strategies using paint as the primary medium. While you will deal with many of the more traditional issues surrounding painting, you might also…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 1 | ||||
This unit focuses on the development of ideas and images leading to final, resolved artworks. While you will deal with many of the more traditional issues surrounding painting, you might also employ new technologies, or other non-conventional processes. In undertaking…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
Photography
Photography 2A increases your competency in photography by instruction in the use of digital and medium to large format analogue cameras. Flash photography and studio lighting are demonstrated. The notion of photographic truth is investigated through series of illustrated lectures…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
Photography 2B will diversify and broaden your capacity to understand and engage with methodologies and processes associated with contemporary practice. Through group and individual tasks, you will develop your ability to experiment with aspects of the photographic medium, iterative processes…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
Object and Furniture
This unit provides further development in object and furniture design. It reflects a commitment to craft skills necessary for contemporary maker-designers while also exploring the role of design as a critical practice and way of thinking within a world already…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 1 | ||||
The surface and combining digital fabrication. This unit explores the notion of surface. Intersecting individual studio practice with digital fabrication, students respond to critical design brief/s focused on a world in rapid transformation. Students will be equipped with experimental approaches…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
Sculpture and Time Based Media
Sculpture and Time-Based Media (STBM) 2A is focussed on Activating and Immersive Environments through studio-based creative exploration and investigation of historical precursors and current practice and related discourse. Second year STBM involves deep engagement with objects, making processes, electronic and…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 1 | ||||
Sculpture and Time Based Media (STBM) 2B is focussed on Interactive and Participatory Installation through studio-based creative exploration and investigation of historical precursors and current practice and related discourse. Second year STBM involves deep engagement with objects, making processes, electronic…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
Advanced units
Complete 50 credit points of Advanced level units, including one unit from the Creative Curriculum.
In this unit you will develop and apply a contextual narrative for a body of resolved work suitable for public exhibition and display. You will engage in the processes and strategies of refinement, which can include iteration, material manipulation, reflection…
Credit Points: 25
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
You will be coached in the generation of ideas for art projects through speculative play and experimentation.¿¿You will develop an independent Project Proposal through iterations of research, making and reflection. You will develop your creative research practice and learn how…
Credit Points: 12.5
This unit is currently unavailable.
Creative Curriculum
This work-integrated learning unit will provide you with an opportunity to be guided and supported in undertaking a public creative work. As a member of a team, you will be provided with a brief. Your team’s response will be guided…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Winter school | ||||
Responding innovatively to a client-initiated briefs is a critical part of working in the creative and cultural industries. This unit fosters collaborative, responsive interaction with internal and external partners and your peers. Introducing a range of interdisciplinary frameworks, this unit…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 1 | ||||
Note: Entry to the unit is competitive, and is subject to approval by the unit coordinator. To apply for entry into the unit and relevant grant consideration where appropriate, please email the unit coordinator.This unit offers you the opportunity to…
Credit Points: 12.5
This unit is currently unavailable.
View all details for HEJ351 Field trip in Creative Industries, Practices and Cultures B
You will be assigned to a work placement in a government, private, or not-for-profit organisation approved by the University. As part of your internship you will, where opportunity allows, contribute to the production, publication and presentation of creative content, while…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Hobart | Winter school | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 1 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Winter school | ||||
Electives
You will complete 100 credit points of Elective units in the Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Your electives can be used to add breadth to your degree, by exploring a variety of different subject areas from across the University in areas such as Health, Business, Science and the Creative Arts. Alternatively, you can deepen your engagement with specific subject areas, for example, by completing additional studio practice units.
You can also use this space to complete a major which may be a major chosen from another course, such as the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Business or Bachelor of Science*.
Please contact uConnect if you need more information or if you want to add a second major to your study plan.
To search for possible Elective units, use the Unit Search tool to search by the discipline that you are interested in. You can complete any units marked as "Student Electives" which you meet the pre-requisites for.
*Some exclusions apply. Not all majors can be taken by students in different courses.
Help Finding electives and enrolling
We want your study experience with us to be as smooth as possible and we know that choosing from lists and lists of electives can sometimes be overwhelming.
The guides and links below are presented to help you navigate all of these options and find the electives that are best for you.
However, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team at UConnect if you need any help.
Find the answer to your question - ASK US
- What are electives?
- How can I find an elective?
- Are there enrolment help / information sessions that I can attend?
- I am new to UTAS, how do I enrol?
Other help and guides
Need help choosing your first year units? Try the Unit Selection Guide.
Entry requirements
Eligibility
We encourage you to apply for the courses you most want to study. If you’re not eligible to enter your chosen course right now, the admissions team will work with you to find the best pathway option.
Enquire online for advice on the application process and the available pathways to study.
Domestic Applicants
Domestic applicants who have recently completed secondary education
Applicants are ranked by ATAR and offers made based on the number of places available. In 2020, the lowest ATAR to receive an offer into this course was 50. The lowest ATAR to receive an offer may change from year to year based on the number of applications we receive.
Applicants must also have completed one of the Subject Pre-requisites listed below or equivalent.
Applicants who have recently completed senior secondary studies but have not received an ATAR may still be eligible for admission. We will consider your individual subject results on a case-by-case basis when we assess your application.
Domestic applicants with higher education study
To be eligible for an offer, applicants must have:
- Partially completed an undergraduate course at Diploma level or higher (or equivalent). Applicants must have completed at least two units of study (equivalent to 25 UTAS credit points). If an applicant has failed any units the application may be subject to further review before an offer is made; or
- Completed the UTAS University Preparation Program (or an equivalent qualification offered by an Australian University).
We strongly recommend students have completed previous study in visual arts.
Domestic applicants with VET / TAFE study
To be eligible for an offer, applicants must have completed a Certificate IV (or equivalent) in any discipline.
We strongly recommend students have completed previous study in visual arts.
Domestic applicants with work and life experience
Applicants without senior secondary, tertiary or VET / TAFE study can complete a personal competency statement and provide a portfolio of up to ten digital images of recent original artwork in any medium and a statement of interest explaining why you are interested in studying Fine Arts at university.
Subject Pre-requisites
These prerequisites apply to students from all educational backgrounds.
To be an eligible for an offer, you must have studies or experience equivalent to a satisfactory achievement in one of the following Tasmanian Senior Secondary subjects:
ART315117 | Art Production |
ART315214 | Art Studio Practice |
ARA315116 | Art Theory and Criticism (replaces Art Appreciation ARA315111) |
CGD315118 | Computer Graphics and Design |
HDS315118 | Housing and Design |
MED315117 | Media Production |
TEG315115 | Technical Graphics |
You can enquire online for information on interstate and international equivalents to the Tasmanian senior secondary subject above. If you have not met this prerequisite, you will need to complete a UTAS foundation unit before you start your course.
Provide evidence of pre-tertiary TASC subject/s in visual arts successfully completed (e.g. academic transcripts and certificates of completion).
Special Consideration
If your ability to access or participate in education has been affected by circumstances beyond your control, you can apply for special consideration as part of your application. We will consider a range of factors, including economic hardship, serious medical condition or disability.
We can only approve applications for special consideration where we are confident that you have the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in your studies. If your application is not approved, the UTAS admissions team will work with you to find the best alternative pathway to your chosen course. Special consideration is not available for international applicants.
International Applicants
Admissions information for international applicants, including English language requirements, is available from the International Future Students site. You can also enquire online to check your eligibility.
Credit transfer
You may be eligible for advanced standing (i.e. credit points) in this degree if you:
- Have successfully completed relevant units through the through the University Connections Program (UCP);
- Have completed an award such as a Diploma or Advanced Diploma from TAFE or another institution;
- Are currently studying another Bachelor degree at the University or at another institution;
- Have completed a Bachelor degree at the University or an equivalent award from another institution.
How to apply for a credit transfer
Simply apply as part of the standard online application process for this degree. Alternatively, your credit transfer can be assessed independently. Find out more information about how to apply for a credit transfer/advanced standing at Recognition of Prior Learning, or talk to us on 1300 363 864 or enquire online about your credit transfer.
Alternative entry pathways
If you do not meet the General Entrance Requirements or course-specific requirements, there are alternate entry pathways to the Bachelor of Fine Arts:
Talk to us on 1300 363 864 or enquire online about your alternative entry pathway.
Detailed Admissions Information
Detailed admissions information and advice for all undergraduate courses, including comprehensive, course-level student profiles, is available from UTAS Admissions.
Fees & scholarships
Domestic students
Domestic students enrolled in a full fee paying place are charged the Student Services and Amenities Fee but this fee is incorporated in the fees you pay for each unit you enrol in. Full fee paying domestic students do not have to make any additional SSAF payments.
Detailed tuition fee information for domestic students is available at the Domestic Student Fees website, including additional information in relation to a compulsory Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).
International students
2021 Total Course Fee (international students): $102,350 AUD*.
Course cost based on a rate of $32,950 AUD per standard, full-time year of study (100 credit points).
* Please note that this is an indicative fee only.
International students
International students are charged the Student Services and Amenities Fee but this fee is incorporated in the annual rate. International students do not have to make any additional SSAF payments.
Scholarships
Domestic Students
Each year, the University offers more than 900 awards including scholarships, bursaries and prizes to students from all walks of life, including those who have achieved high academic results; those from low socio-economic backgrounds; students with sporting ability; students undertaking overseas study; and students with a disability. Applications for most awards commencing in Semester 1 open at the beginning of August and close strictly on 31 October in the year prior to study.
Find out more about Scholarships & Prizes available.
International Students
There are a large range of scholarships, bursaries and fee discounts available for international students studying at the University of Tasmania.
Find out more about International Scholarships available.
How can we help?
Do you have any questions about choosing a course or applying? Get in touch.
- Domestic
- 1300 363 864
- International
- +61 3 6226 6200
- Course.Info@utas.edu.au
- Online
- Online enquiries