News & Stories

Arts with an edge

The University's revamped Media and Arts offerings are giving the next generation of creatives a great education with an emphasis on real-world experience.

New degree programs in 2017 will give Arts graduates an edge in the field of media, music and fine arts.

The University’s Faculty of Arts is launching three new programs next year - the Bachelor of Media with Honours, the Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours and the Bachelor of Music with Honours.

The programs aim to give students more industry insight, enhanced practical skills and increased access to experienced practitioners and world-class facilities.

“I’m really excited and passionate about the new Bachelor of Media degree as it offers students the ability to both gain a broad range of skills and understandings of the media, and then to specialise in their particular area of interest,” Dr Kathleen Williams, Head of Discipline Journalism, Media and Communications, said.

“In that specialisation they’ll be creating their own work in our new lab and learning from academics and industry partners.”

Among the new degree program’s offerings are increased opportunities for work-integrated learning and a screen major, which is new to next year’s program.

“We’re excited to offer such a unique degree that allows students to tailor study to their interests, engage in contemporary debates about media, experience workplaces, travel overseas, complete a major in another area of interest and create their own work.”

The new Bachelor of Music has been redesigned to reflect the industry’s current needs according to Glen Hodges, Deputy Director of Music.

“The original degree program has always been well-subscribed, so in our degree redesign we wanted to build on our strengths,” he said.

We wanted to simplify the process but also further cater to the growing market of non-traditional music career pathways.

“The new degree helps develop a student’s music abilities on all levels, while nurturing embedded skills which help support creativity and flexibility throughout their career.

“We really wanted to open doors to their music career. For students to look at all avenues of where a degree in music can take them.”

The renaissance of Tasmania’s arts community with the arrival of MONA, among other key players, was behind the introduction of the new Fine Arts degree.

“We have been working on this program for a number of years, and looking at how much the landscape has changed and the new degree is really our response to that,” John Vella, Director of Art program, said.

“Students will enjoy greater interface with a diverse range of different studios where we have introduced new engagement opportunities including greater synergies across the different year groups within the program.

While we have maintained a strong focus on the traditional art disciplines such as sculpture and drawing, we have also further integrated theory and practice.

“We are also working with Architecture and Design on a new design degree which we are aiming to launch in 2018.”