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The Bachelor of Arts (Dean’s Scholars) degree is designed to develop your communication and personal skills, creativity, capacity for independent thought, adaptability to new situations, and problem-solving abilities.
Choose from more than 25 majors and be equipped with real life skills to take advantage of incredible career opportunities.
This degree provides you with the opportunity to participate in a tailored mentoring and advanced academic study program.
Study options
FULL TIME
3 years
PART TIME
6 years
Start times
Spring
Suspended
APPLY NOW FOR 2024
At Western, we care how you do in all aspects of your life. We believe your future is unlimited and together the possibilities are endless.
As the uni named number one in the world two years in a row – 2022 and 2023 for our social, economic and environmental impact in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, apply today to discover your unlimited potential and start at Western in 2024.
Visionaries welcome
Throughout the degree you will develop superior knowledge and confidence to graduate a step ahead in your career. You will be invited to participate in the academic and research life of the School of Humanities and Communication Arts, including symposia and academic seminars.
Practical components are accepted towards a student's degree via practicum or internship subject and/or advanced standing (in class where experience is directly related to the program of study).
Program structure
Our program structure is outlined in our handbook. Here you can view all of the subjects you will be studying.
Language majors will enable you to develop an appropriate level of proficiency in a second language, which may be used for professional purposes such as teaching, interpreting and translation, business or international relations.
If you are undertaking a language major in Arabic, you will be able to use the language in question according to its grammatical and pragmatic principles, communicate with native speakers appropriately in the spoken as well as the written mode, and demonstrate an understanding of the cultures and societies associated with the language.
Available on Bankstown and Penrith campuses.
Social Anthropology is the study of humans and the cultures they create. The Anthropology major offers you the opportunity to examine social patterns and practices across cultures, to discover similarities and differences between cultures, and to understand the processes by which humans organise and create meaning.
Language majors will enable you to develop an appropriate level of proficiency in a second language, which may be used for professional purposes such as teaching, interpreting and translation, business or international relations.
If you are undertaking a language major in Chinese, you will be able to use the language in question according to its grammatical and pragmatic principles, communicate with native speakers appropriately in the spoken as well as the written mode, and demonstrate an understanding of the cultures and societies associated with the language.
Available on Parramatta campus.
The Creative Writing major provides you with the opportunity to produce your own creative writing and to edit and learn how
to publish your work.
You will study with professional authors, editors and publishers from the Writing and Society Research Centre and staff from the School of Humanities and Communication Arts.
In addition, you will have the opportunity to study contemporary approaches to language and literary studies, including literary criticism and theory, linguistic analysis, genre and textual study, and to read and examine a wide selection of modern and classic literature.
Available on Bankstown and Penrith
If you are interested in the complexities of detection, prevention and correction, or the cultural and social factors of criminality, this could be the major for you.
This major will give you a comprehensive understanding of how all of these factors fit together. It offers the opportunity to study crime and criminal justice in a critical way that stresses the social and cultural definitions of criminality.
Available on Bankstown, Parramatta and Penrith campuses
Cultural and Social Analysis is an interdisciplinary major, developing the knowledge, research skills and analytical capacities relevant to understanding and interpreting landscapes of cultural diversity and social difference in our contemporary world.
This major focuses on both the broad contours, as well as the specific microsocial environments. This major provides grounding in contemporary debates and methodologies in cultural studies and social theory, and draws on various disciplines, including history, sociology, film studies, and the visual arts.
Topics include popular culture, everyday urban life, cultural and social impacts of scientific theories and new technologies, multiculturalism, and contemporary spirituality.
Available on Parramatta campus.
A major in Economy and Markets prepares you to be an active participant in addressing the wide range of problems faced by governments, social organisations and the business community in the domestic and international economies. The world’s commercial and political systems affect the quality of life and standard of living of every single person on the planet. If you would like to play a part in the workings of these systems, and have an impact on their outcomes, a major in Economy and Markets is the ideal choice.
The major introduces you to the application of economic analysis to issues affecting both the business sector and a range of government institutions. You will learn how economies function and how public policy and the way organisations behave affects diverse social, economic and environmental problems.
You will be introduced to a wide array of competing economic theories, so that you are critically informed about the ways in which they can be used to transform the world. You can expect to develop your analytical and problem-solving skills, including the capacity to apply modern statistical techniques, and also to critically examine issues from multiple theoretical perspectives.
Available on Bankstown, Parramatta and Penrith campuses.
The English major invites students to explore contemporary approaches to language, literary studies and writing, including literary criticism and theory, linguistic analysis, genre and textual study, and creative writing. The English major focuses on the imaginative workings of language, and students can study a wide selection of modern and classic literature, as well as the relationships between written texts and other media such as film and information technology.
Students also have the opportunity to produce their own creative writing and to edit and learn how to publish their work. Career prospects include publishing, editing, teaching, writing and advertising.
Available on Parramatta and Penrith campuses.
Geography is the integrated study of people, places and environments. In this major, you will examine the geography of contemporary Australian cities and regions. The interests of today’s geographers include post-colonialism, the emergence of global information economies, indigenous issues, class and cultural disparities, population movement, sexuality and space, and the global diffusion of popular culture.
Urban Studies is a discipline focused on social justice within the city, through its critical assessments of people’s access to scarce urban resources, such as housing, transport, education and employment.
The political, economic and cultural forces that shape cities and urban policy are the key concerns of the Urban Studies curriculum. These applied interests in urban wellbeing and city structure are the intellectual basis for the urban planning profession.
Available on Parramatta campus.
In a world where the preservation of historical and natural environments is one of the major challenges facing all societies, heritage has become a touchstone for social and cultural identity, our understanding of modernity, peace and development, our senses of citizenship, custodianship and community.
At the same time, heritage places have become significant tourist destinations and so, in a world of flows and networks, the heritage– tourism relationship is a critical one. This major leads to career paths with government and private sector roles in visitor management and development within heritage enterprises, such as museums, galleries and historic properties.
Available on Bankstown, Parramatta and Penrith campuses.
Since the revival of humanist thought in the Renaissance, universities have placed studies in history and political thought at the centre of exploring what it is to be human.
At the heart of the History and Political Thought major are four compulsory units, which introduce the student to the modern history of humanity (since 1500). Although Europe is very prominent in the major, you will be invited to compare its history to the histories of Asia, Africa and the Americas.
The major culminates in a capstone unit in students’ final semester, discussing historical theories and methods. A wide range of elective units covers European, American, Australian and Asian history and political thought, and includes thematic units which range widely over time and place.
Available on Bankstown, Parramatta and Penrith campuses.
What does it mean to live in Indigenous Australia? The Indigenous Australian Studies major offers you the exciting opportunity to acquire key cultural competencies that will enable you to understand and work more effectively with Indigenous Australians in professions such as the arts, communications, media, education, government and non-government, policy, health, sciences, and community services.
The Indigenous Australian Studies major addresses the cultural, historical, social and economic issues affecting Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, and relationships.
Available on Parramatta and Bankstown campuses.
This major explores the links between leadership and entrepreneurship in the context of dynamic domestic and global environments. The major introduces the concepts of change and innovation as they relate to organisational transformation of businesses. You will deal with conflicting viewpoints to understand the complexity of the organisational relationships involved in change and innovation.
To prepare you for management roles, the major examines the challenges associated with developing sustainable, innovative and creative organisations, and includes assessments that facilitate engagement with elements of organisational change and innovation.
The major develops an understanding of how to initiate a business venture, taking advantages of perceived opportunities and mobilising the required resources. To this end, different theories and perspectives on leadership and entrepreneurship are examined, and you will be encouraged to apply them to real-life situations as a way of preparing to be future leaders and entrepreneurs.
Available on Parramatta campus.
The global economy is becoming increasingly important for organisations seeking out new opportunities to expand their customer base and develop partnerships.
Managers who are well-versed in the needs of doing business internationally and who can exploit these opportunities will therefore play an integral role in any such corporation.
This major provides you with the detailed knowledge of the international dimension of business and the necessary understanding of the workings of that market system.
Available on Bankstown and Parramatta campuses.
International English examines English in its many varieties with a focus on the international development of the language, extending far beyond native English speakers, and identifying features of the language essential to academic and professional performance.
The major provides a basis for international students who may intend to teach English in different countries, or enter other language-centred professions, or for local students intending to pursue post-graduate degrees in education or wanting to improve English skills.
The major provides studies in the varieties and structures of English, informed by specific studies in linguistics, English teaching and bilingualism, and language acquisition.
Available on Bankstown and Parramatta campuses.
This major has been designed to meet the needs of Australian government, business and society, to engage the states and peoples of Asia at all levels in pursuit of national interests and as part of the globalisation process.
It provides you with the opportunity to study contemporary Asia, in addition to the rich and diverse histories, politics, cultures and languages of Asian countries, as well as the international issues affecting Australia’s interests and role in the region and in the world at large.
The major area also includes a range of units concerned with the United States and Europe as well as with Asia itself, and units in international relations covering other parts of the world. It seeks to produce graduates with a broad, liberal education, and with the skills to mediate between Australia and the world in general, and Asia in particular through political, economic, commercial, cultural, diplomatic and strategic links.
You are encouraged to undertake a minor in an Asian language in conjunction with the major.
Language majors will enable you to develop an appropriate level of proficiency in a second language, which may be used for professional purposes such as teaching, interpreting and translation, business or international relations.
If you are undertaking a language major in Indonesian, you will be able to use the language in question according to its grammatical and pragmatic principles, communicate with native speakers appropriately in the spoken as well as the written mode, and demonstrate an understanding of the cultures and societies associated with the language.
Available on Bankstown campus.
In this major you will engage in interdisciplinary study essential to an understanding of Islam, past and present. The area of study balances historical and modern Islamic studies and research methods. One of the keys to Islamic Studies is ‘relevance’ to contemporary Australian society, but relevance can only come from a sound comprehension of past traditions in Islamic scholarship and their socio-historical contexts.
Preparation for graduate study is also a key objective of this program, with its focus on developing critical and interdisciplinary research skills through a combination of approaches.
Language majors will enable you to develop an appropriate level of proficiency in a second language, which may be used for professional purposes such as teaching, interpreting and translation, business or international relations.
If you are undertaking a language major in Japanese, you will be able to use the language in question according to its grammatical and pragmatic principles, communicate with native speakers appropriately in the spoken as well as the written mode, and demonstrate an understanding of the cultures and societies associated with the language.
Available on Bankstown campus.
Language is fundamental to the human experience. Through the study of how language works, you will make contact with fundamental philosophical, sociocultural, and psychological questions about what it means to be human.
Linguistics prepares you with a foundation for many careers, including early childhood and primary teaching (with further study), policy analysis, communication, and social services in culturally diverse communities.
You will also gain the analytical tools of empirical science, including the ability to break complex problems into components with tractable solutions and to evaluate theories on the basis of empirical facts. These skills prepare you for success in postgraduate studies and careers in research, analytics, business and law.
Available on Penrith campus.
Music is a universal art form. It transcends geographical, national, political, cultural and racial boundaries, and can evoke the full spectrum of emotions in listeners.
Music encourages introspection, inspires social awareness and unity, and has even been known to inform policy.
The Music Performance major provides you the opportunity to develop your professional and creative potential in making and appreciating a range of different types of music. You will gain practical experience in performance as a soloist and in groups, in composition, audio production, film music, and collaboration.
Available on Penrith campus.
Musicology is the academic study of music which focuses on the history, theory and cultural contexts of music. You will focus on repertoire and media of the 20th and 21st centuries and also study music from earlier historical periods. You will gain practical experience in library research and retrieval.
Available on Parramatta and Bankstown campuses.
A major in Organisations and Work provides you with the skills to initiate valued change and contribute in the complex field of management. The development of strategic knowledge provides strong analytical outcomes directed at understanding the impact managers have on organisational decision making.
This major also aims to instil values and attitudes that support leaders in judgements about balancing the pursuit of organisational objectives with creating opportunities for developing people’s capacities.
Available on Parramatta and Penrith campuses.
The Peace and Development Studies major is concerned with inequalities of power and opportunity that lead to international and local conflict, uneven development, social dislocation and environmental degradation. This major examines the structural causes of racist and gendered violence, environmental crises, forced migration, poverty, resource conflict, and inter-generational inequity.
You will be introduced to theories and methods for identifying, measuring and resolving conflict and environmental degradation. Constructive solutions include empowerment and self-determination, sustainable living, peace building and conflict resolution strategies.
The major is organised around three fields of inquiry: structural inequality, social justice and human rights; development and sustainability; and peace and humanitarian responses/ actions.
During your studies, you will engage with social theory within an interdisciplinary and applied framework of important civic and global issues.
Available on Bankstown and Parramatta campuses.
Philosophy has always asked the ‘big questions’, for example, about the limits of our knowledge, the best way that humans can live together, how we understand the world around us, and what is ‘the good life’.
Our philosophy major enables you to develop particular skills and attributes – such as clear thinking, capacities to assess arguments and values, and sound understanding of important philosophical views – that have always been essential to university scholarship and which continue to be valuable for graduates in both public and private life.
Available on Bankstown, Parramatta and Penrith campuses.
The Psychological Studies major comprises units in the discipline of psychology that focus on the field of inquiry, using scientific techniques and methods to understand and explain behaviour and experience.
Units in the program are drawn from the following core areas of psychology: brain and behaviour, learning, motivation and emotion, social psychology, lifespan development, perception, and cognitive processes.
Available on Bankstown and Penrith campuses.
Sociology is the study of society and culture. Using diverse methods, practices and theories, it helps us understand social life. Sociology is fundamental to the social sciences because the quality of life of every human on the planet is directly or indirectly influenced by their relative position within, and responses to, society.
This major in Sociology provides you with a thorough training in the methods, theories and select leading areas of contemporary sociology. In the Sociology major, you will have opportunities to study particular themes from a sociological perspective, including inequalities, deviance, identities, gender, religion, medicine and health care, ethnicity and migration, and the family, among other possibilities.
A Bachelor of Arts with a major in Sociology will prepare you for both employment and a research higher degree.
Students must maintain a grade point average of 5 or above to remain in the program. Those who do not maintain this average will be transferred to the Bachelor of Arts.
Fees and delivery
Fees: Varies depending on subjects selected. View available subjects in our handbook.
For further information on University fees, please visit Fees and University Costs.
Delivery: On campus
Fee: AUD $27,552*
Delivery: On campus.
Start your unlimited journey today.
Your career
As a graduate of this program, you can look forward to career opportunities in:
- Communication and media industries
- Education
- Psychology and counselling
- Cultural, political and social policy analysis
- Writing and publishing
- Anthropology
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Open up to your unlimited potential. Study at Western.
Your career
Academia
University Lecturers and Tutors prepare and deliver lectures and conduct tutorials in one or more subjects within a prescribed program of study at a university and conduct research in a particular field of knowledge.
Journalism
Journalists and Other Writers research and compile news stories, write and edit news reports, commentaries and feature stories for presentation in print and electronic media, and compose written material to advertise goods and services.
Welfare Worker
Welfare Workers provide support, information and advice to clients on emotional, financial, recreational, health, housing and other social welfare matters, and evaluate and coordinate the services of welfare and community service agencies.
Teaching (with further study)
Teachers teach a range of subjects within a prescribed curriculum to primary school students and promote students' social, emotional, intellectual and physical development.
Translator
A translator converts the written word from one language into another. Translators must also understand cultural references, the intent of the writer and cadence of the text.
Psychologist (with further study)
Psychologists investigate, assess and provide treatment and counselling to foster optimal personal, social, educational and occupational adjustment and development.
Social Research
Social Professionals research and study human behaviour, society and institutions from current and historical perspectives, and verbally render spoken statements, and transcribe text and recorded spoken material from one language into another.
Music
Music Professionals write, arrange, orchestrate, conduct and perform musical compositions.
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Apply now and start your unlimited journey.
*The tuition fees quoted above are the fees for the normal full-time study load of the program (80 credit points) per annum. International students will be subject to a variable fee regime; i.e. enrolled students will be required to pay fees during their program based on the approved fee for each calendar year. Fee changes (if any) will occur at 1 January each calendar year. Students who extend their program past the normal finish date of the program will be required to pay additional fees based on the prevailing fee level. Western Sydney University is a multi-campus institution. The University reserves the right to alter the location of its programs between campuses and other locations as necessary. Students should be aware of the possibility of change of location for the whole or part of programs for which they enrol and should plan for the need to travel between Western Sydney campuses.
** Lowest Selection Rank
