College of Creative Arts, Design and Humanities

Welcome to the College of Creative Arts, Design and Humanities

Adelaide University’s College of Creative Arts, Design and Humanities represents one of the most diverse creative and cultural academic portfolios in Australia.

Our foundation is built on a strong legacy of leadership in arts, culture and creativity, including the South Australian School of Art - one of the nation’s longest-running art schools, and home to the world’s first Bachelor of Design degree - and the Elder Conservatorium of Music, which continues to shape Australia’s musical talent.

With a focus on future creative and cultural innovators and leaders, our teaching offers a rich blend of theory and practice, underpinned by world-class research and external partnerships. Students engage in industry and community-connected learning, providing real-world experimentation and critical reflection. We collaborate with leading organisations - including Rising Sun Pictures, Adelaide Fringe, Channel 44, and the Helpmann Academy - to help students develop industry-relevant skills and professional networks. Creative and cultural exploration is nurtured through our on-campus studios, workshops, and performance spaces, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to shape culture, and make meaningful impact.

Our unique on-campus galleries and museums - including the Architecture Museum, SASA Gallery, Samstag Museum of Art, and MOD. - serve as vibrant hubs for inspiration, discovery and community connection.

You can make it here

Students create and learn in our purpose-built studios, workshops, and performance spaces, which feature industry-standard equipment, tools and software for hands-on, immersive practice.

Industry-connected learning

Build real-world experience through industry placements, mentorships, masterclasses, and projects. We collaborate with innovative and ethical organisations to ensure our graduates are career and world-ready.

Explore the college

Our study areas 1
Our research 2
Partner with us 3
Our people 4

Express your creativity and shape culture with our degrees, which connect critical thinking, storytelling, and real-world creative and cultural practice.

Our schools

Our diverse portfolio of creative arts, design and humanities programs is housed across five dynamic schools:

Elder Conservatorium of Music and School of Performing Arts

Shaping visionary artists since 1898, with programs spanning music, musical theatre and the performing arts - empowering graduates for careers in the global entertainment industry.

Learn more

School of Architecture and Built Environment

Committed to shaping the future of our cities and communities through innovative thinking, design and research, with degrees in architecture - including interior and landscape architecture - and urban and regional planning.

Learn more

School of Art and Design

Building on the foundation of the South Australian School of Art, birthplace of the world’s first design degree, the school is a leader in art and design education, shaping diverse creative career pathways in the fine arts, design (graphic, industrial), visual effects, digital media, and illustration and animation.

Learn more

School of Communication, Media and Journalism

Equipping future storytellers and media professionals with the skills to inform, engage and influence in a rapidly evolving landscape. Degrees span media and communication, journalism, film and television and immersive media.

Learn more

School of Humanities

Dedicated to exploring the human experience through disciplines that challenge perspectives and inspire thoughtful dialogue, with the freedom to choose from a series of majors through degrees including the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Creative Arts.

Learn more

Shaping the future through Arts, Culture and Creativity

Our degrees empower students to imagine new possibilities, challenge conventions, and contribute meaningfully to society. Through critical thinking, cultural insight and creative expression, you will gain the skills to lead with empathy, innovate across disciplines, and shape a more inclusive and dynamic future.

Real-World Experiences

Our strong industry and community partnerships provide you with:

Internships and mentorships
Industry and community-based projects
Masterclasses and guest lectures
Opportunities to build professional networks and skills for the workplace.

Create, explore and reflect in purpose-built facilities, including:

An on-campus Virtual Production and TV studio
Radio station and podcasting suites
Theatre and performance spaces
Studios for glassblowing, ceramics, painting, 3D printing and more.

By the time you graduate, you’ll have a professional portfolio that showcases your creative identity, technical skills and real-world know-how.

Our scope

Our research explores how creative and cultural practices respond to industry and societal needs, and in doing so shape the world around us. By sparking curiosity and igniting imagination through a variety of research methodologies and methods -including creative practice, design thinking, critical theory, and Indigenous ways of knowing - we aim to expand knowledge, enrich lives, and contribute to a more vibrant, artistic, equitable, and inclusive future.

Our research

We’re home to the following research centres and concentrations:

Creative People, Products and Places Research Centre (CP3)

The Creative People, Products and Places Research Centre (CP3) is internationally recognised for undertaking high-quality humanities and creative practice research into culture and creativity.

J.M. Coetzee Centre for Creative Practice

The J.M. Coetzee Centre for Creative Practice is devoted to understanding creativity, and is a cultural hub where leading literary, musical and multimedia scholars and artists can learn from one another.

Mobile Languages Team

The Mobile Languages Team supports the preservation and revitalisation of Aboriginal languages through community-led, culturally respectful research and engagement. Guided by principles of transparency, recognition, and community, they work in partnership with Aboriginal communities to document, maintain, and protect language and cultural heritage materials.

Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music

The Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music is the only devoted university-based centre for studies in Australian Indigenous music. Part of the Elder Conservatorium of Music, it has a dedicated university entry program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and works with Indigenous musicians through creative practice research projects that connect with Country and community.

Our researchers also work with:

The Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments (IVE), which leads augmented and virtual reality research, combining computer science, engineering, neuroscience, design, and creativity.
The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, the only organisation in Australia dedicated exclusively to housing, homelessness, cities and related urban research.
The National Enterprise for Rural Community Wellbeing (NERCW) - building resilient rural communities by co-designing targeted interventions to address environmental, economic and health stressors. NERCW shape knowledge, policy and practice for rural wellbeing through collaborative research.

Adelaide University’s Signature Research Themes

Adelaide University delivers transformative research across five signature research themes.

Creative & Cultural
Food, Agriculture & Wine
Defence & National Security
Sustainable Green Transition
Personal & Societal Health

Adelaide University is also proud to support an institution-wide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Strategy.

Our researchers work across multiple themes, with major strengths in the Creative and Cultural Signature Research Theme. In this area of focus, we build on Adelaide’s reputation as a cultural capital, home of design, festivals, and the broader creative and cultural industries. We partner on research with our many leading cultural institutions, and we aim to be global leaders in First Nations-led creative and cultural research.

Discover our research degrees

Deepen your expertise in a specialised area, contribute to shaping the creative and cultural industries, and drive innovation by undertaking a PhD, Master of Philosophy, or Master of Research.

Find out more about our research degrees and how we translate discovery into meaningful change.

Research with us

Let’s get creative together

Industry partnerships and creative collaboration are at the heart of what we do. We work with industry, cultural organisations, and communities to co-create meaningful experiences that enrich student learning and spark innovation. These partnerships take many forms - internships, placements, exhibitions, residencies, guest lectures, and research projects - ensuring our students and staff engage with real-world challenges and opportunities.

Connect with our researchers

Our research is led by experts who explore how creativity and culture are made, valued, and experienced. We investigate what it means to be human, challenge convention, and create work that inspires, informs, and transforms. Whether you're looking to address social or cultural challenges, explore new creative directions, or contribute to thought leadership, we welcome collaboration.

Access emerging talent

Our students and graduates are the next generation of cultural leaders, creative innovators, and changemakers. Through fresh perspectives and diverse thinking, they bring energy and insight to every collaboration. By partnering with us, you’ll not only access emerging talent - you’ll also help shape it to meet the evolving needs of industry and society.

Our partnerships and collaborations are where ideas find their shape, and where creativity helps to forge a brighter future.