Why Bachelor of Fine Arts?
Love art and want a sustainable career? We’ll give you the tools to turn creative expression into a profession.
Bring your ideas to life in dedicated studios and workshops. Build a formidable creative portfolio. Connect with Adelaide's vibrant network of galleries, studios and artist-run initiatives.
Expand your skills. Gain confidence and find your voice. Collaborate with peers, artists and mentors.
You’ll graduate ready to build your career as a successful working artist.
Overview
This unique three-year degree is all about learning through experimentation. It teaches the necessary skills for careers as a professional artist, including adaptability and the capacity and confidence to take creative risks.
You’ll dip your toes into painting, photography, printmaking, collage, ceramics, jewellery making, glassblowing, installation art – and so much more – before focusing in on the areas of your choice.
You’ll connect with visiting artists and academics, building links and relationships with the creative arts community – both within the University and beyond. By engaging with local art and cultural organisations and institutions, you’ll build invaluable networks for your future career.
You’ll analyse and interpret artistic works while advancing your technical skills. Learn how to present your art in galleries and public spaces. Build critical, creative and reflective thinking. Tailor your experience with research projects, a placement or a semester of study abroad.
You’ll graduate ready to turn your creative practice into a sustainable career as a freelance artist. Or apply your skillset in creative organisations, galleries, museums, education, digital media or marketing.
Key features
Discover Adelaide’s art community, creative spaces and activities. - Get hands-on experience exploring painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, collage, ceramics, jewellery making, glassblowing and installation art.
- Build practical and professional skills for a lasting creative career.
- Network with practicing artists, makers, researchers and industry professionals.
- Expand your horizons through placements, study tours and exchange programs.
- Be mentored by supportive teachers and work alongside visiting artists.
What you'll learn
Our Bachelor of Fine Arts is interdisciplinary and responsive to evolving industries and technologies. It is distinctive in its focus on hands-on learning and practice-based research. Creating art involves risk-taking, responding to criticism and problem solving. In this degree, we teach you to welcome, navigate and grow from challenges like these.
Delivered in a multimodal format, the program is designed to respond to industry expectations and give you the skills to achieve success in creative careers including resourcefulness, empathy, criticality and independence. Our emphasis on making and practice-based material research means you’ll build an impressive portfolio of creative work while you study.
You’ll learn how to write proposals and respond to briefs, build communication and marketing skills, and develop critical and creative thinking. Explore the history of diverse cultural traditions, contemporary art practices and the changing role of the artist in society.
In your first year, you’ll be introduced to a variety of different materials and studio areas, including:
- Painting
- Photography
- Printmaking
- Sculpture
- Ceramics
- Glass
- Jewellery
- Metal and wood
- Video, sound and performance art.
These will expand your skillset and help you refine and crystallise your strengths and passions.
In your second year, you’ll develop more enhancing technical and conceptual skills in your chosen studio areas and explore their histories and contemporary practices. This is complemented by cross-disciplinary courses that emphasise collaborative practice and build the scope and application of your skills.
From your second year, you’ll also choose from a wide range of courses in visual culture, art history and cultural studies covering topics such as:
- Ethical public engagement and cultural sensitivity
- Art writing and research
- Global art cinema and audiovisual culture
- The circulation of art and ideas
- New technologies in the digital age
- The role of curators and critics
- Art and politics.
You’ll have extended studio time in the second and third years and be inducted into the safe use of state-of-the art equipment and facilities including:
- Ceramics wheels and kilns
- Glass furnace and hot shop
- Sandblasting adn cold working equipment
- Metal, plastics and wood-working machinery
- Waterjet cutter and CNC equipment
- 3D printers and laser cutters
- Etching, lithography and relief presses
- Jewellery studio and equipment
- Textiles workshop and dye room
- Photographic darkrooms and lighting studios
- Video and sound editing suites
- Screenprinting exposure and washout facilities.
You’ll also have the opportunity to participate in events and projects with community partners, workshops with visiting artists and academics, industry placements, and study tours. Defined Work Integrated Learning (WIL) courses will be facilitated in partnership with the Samstag Gallery and organisations such as JamFactory, Guildhouse, the Art Gallery of South Australia, ACE, Nexus and Helpmann Academy
You’ll graduate as a versatile and skilled professional, ready to apply your knowledge and experience across the art and cultural spheres – and beyond.
What courses you'll study
Complete 144 units comprising:
- 114 units for Core courses, and
- 12 units from Work integrated learning, and
- 18 units for Electives
Complete 114 units comprising:
- 18 units from Common core, and
- 96 units for all Program core
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Course name
An Ethically Rich Life
|
Course code
COREX001
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Fact or Fiction: Data for Everyone
|
Course code
COREX002
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Igniting Change: Ideas to Action
|
Course code
COREX003
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Proppa Ways, Future Practice
|
Course code
COREX004
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Responsible AI: Bridging Ethics, Education and Industry
|
Course code
COREX005
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Ways of Being, Ways of Seeing
|
Course code
COREX006
|
Units
6
|
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Course name
Drawing for Art and Design
|
Course code
GRAP1001
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
2D Fine Arts Studio
|
Course code
VISU1000
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Everyday Materials Workshop
|
Course code
VISU1001
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Materials and Processes for Fabrication
|
Course code
COMP1012
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Art and Power
|
Course code
HIST1002
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
3D Fine Arts Studio
|
Course code
VISU1002
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Everyday Technologies Workshop
|
Course code
VISU1003
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Specialisation 1: Fine Arts
|
Course code
VISU2000
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Specialisation 2: Fine Arts
|
Course code
VISU2002
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Specialisation 3: Fine Arts
|
Course code
VISU3000
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Fine Art Practice and Research
|
Course code
VISU3005
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Specialisation 4: Fine Arts
|
Course code
VISU3003
|
Units
12
|
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
 |
Course name
Drawing for Art and Design
|
Course code
GRAP1001
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
3D Fine Arts Studio
|
Course code
VISU1002
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Everyday Materials Workshop
|
Course code
VISU1001
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Art and Power
|
Course code
HIST1002
|
Units
6
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
Materials and Processes for Fabrication
|
Course code
COMP1012
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
2D Fine Arts Studio
|
Course code
VISU1000
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Everyday Technologies Workshop
|
Course code
VISU1003
|
Units
6
|
| Year 2 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
Specialisation 1: Fine Arts
|
Course code
VISU2000
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
6
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
Specialisation 2: Fine Arts
|
Course code
VISU2002
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
6
|
| Year 3 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
Specialisation 3: Fine Arts
|
Course code
VISU3000
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
Fine Art Practice and Research
|
Course code
VISU3005
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
6
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
Specialisation 4: Fine Arts
|
Course code
VISU3003
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
6
|
Complete exactly 12 units from the following:
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Course name
Art in Public
|
Course code
VISU3900
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Fine Arts Professional Experience
|
Course code
VISU2900
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Cross-disciplinary Research Project
|
Course code
VISU3002
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Study Tour
|
Course code
ARCH3016
|
Units
6
|
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
Drawing for Art and Design
|
Course code
GRAP1001
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
3D Fine Arts Studio
|
Course code
VISU1002
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Everyday Materials Workshop
|
Course code
VISU1001
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Art and Power
|
Course code
HIST1002
|
Units
6
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
Materials and Processes for Fabrication
|
Course code
COMP1012
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
2D Fine Arts Studio
|
Course code
VISU1000
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Everyday Technologies Workshop
|
Course code
VISU1003
|
Units
6
|
| Year 2 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
Specialisation 1: Fine Arts
|
Course code
VISU2000
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
6
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
Specialisation 2: Fine Arts
|
Course code
VISU2002
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
6
|
| Year 3 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
Specialisation 3: Fine Arts
|
Course code
VISU3000
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
Fine Art Practice and Research
|
Course code
VISU3005
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
6
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
Specialisation 4: Fine Arts
|
Course code
VISU3003
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
6
|
Complete 18 units comprising:
- 6 units from University-wide electives, and
- 6 units from Program electives - Art History and Visual Culture 1, and
- 6 units from Program electives - Art History and Visual Culture 2
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Course name
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art
|
Course code
CREA2002
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Reframing the Renaissance
|
Course code
HIST2005
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Global Art Cinemas
|
Course code
MDIA1011
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Screening Gender and Sexuality
|
Course code
MDIA2018
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Drawing and Printmaking in Theory and Practice
|
Course code
VISU2003
|
Units
6
|
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Course name
Baroque to Neo-Baroque
|
Course code
HIST3004
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Tradition and Transformation in Contemporary Art
|
Course code
VISU3004
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Creative Nonfiction: Theory and Practice
|
Course code
WRIT3000
|
Units
6
|
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
Drawing for Art and Design
|
Course code
GRAP1001
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
3D Fine Arts Studio
|
Course code
VISU1002
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Everyday Materials Workshop
|
Course code
VISU1001
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Art and Power
|
Course code
HIST1002
|
Units
6
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
Materials and Processes for Fabrication
|
Course code
COMP1012
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
2D Fine Arts Studio
|
Course code
VISU1000
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Everyday Technologies Workshop
|
Course code
VISU1003
|
Units
6
|
| Year 2 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
Specialisation 1: Fine Arts
|
Course code
VISU2000
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
6
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
Specialisation 2: Fine Arts
|
Course code
VISU2002
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
6
|
| Year 3 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
Specialisation 3: Fine Arts
|
Course code
VISU3000
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
Fine Art Practice and Research
|
Course code
VISU3005
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
6
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
Specialisation 4: Fine Arts
|
Course code
VISU3003
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
6
|
Career outcomes
Graduates of the Bachelor of Fine Arts can build careers as artists and makers, but an artist’s skills also have much broader application including:
- Art education
- Arts and festival administration
- Art writing and criticism
- Gallery management and curation
- Glass, ceramics, and jewellery design
- Set design and construction for film and theatre
- Public art coordination
- Community cultural development.
Or you can go on to further study in the Master’s program or a PhD in Fine Arts to take your skills, networks and career prospects to the next level.
Industry trends
Fluctuations in the economy and arts funding mean that artists need to be resourceful and adaptable. Successful artists are lifelong learners able to expand and diversify their skills in response to new opportunities and changing contexts. Many artists supplement their income through work in other parts of the arts sector or through teaching and workshop facilitation to satisfy demand for creative outlets in the wider community. There is also a growing emphasis on digital skills and online platforms as crucial spaces to showcase work and connect with audiences.
Australia is seeing more investment in the arts through government initiatives aimed at strengthening the creative economy. The 2023-24 Federal Budget has allocated substantial funds to cultural institutions, arts training and screen production, building infrastructure and creating more opportunities for artists..
Ongoing conversation about the importance of cultural diplomacy and artists as advocates and community builders are also opening new paths for artists’ professional growth. A rise in 'embedded creatives' – artists working in non-traditional sectors – also highlights the broad applicability of the skills you will gain through study in the Bachelor of Fine Arts at Adelaide University.
Ready to apply?
Please note that a non-refundable application fee of AUD$150 applies for every application submitted to Adelaide University.
Your study experience and support
Adelaide University sets you up for success in your studies – and your social life. You’ll have access to work placement and internship opportunities, overseas study tours and exchanges, networking events with guest speakers and more. Our campuses are equipped with purpose-built facilities including lecture theatres, libraries, workshops, laboratories, and spaces that simulate real work environments. These are all supported by the latest technologies and a 24/7 online learning platform with personalised study information and resources.
You’ll have everything you need to live well and thrive during your studies, with health services on campus, gymnasiums, technology zones and modern student lounges. Get involved in campus sport or join our student clubs that will connect you to your passions – and the people who share them.
Adelaide also has a variety of accommodation options to suit your individual requirements and budget, with options ranging from dedicated student accommodation to private rentals. One of the world’s most liveable cities, Adelaide has lots of leafy parks, gardens and social hubs – and some of the highest living standards globally. No matter where you are in Adelaide, you’re only a short distance from beaches, vineyards, museums, art galleries, restaurants, bars and parklands. Visit the accommodation web page to find out more.
Student services
We’re here to support you on your student journey. Adelaide University offers a range of support services and facilities, including:
- Career advice and mentoring services
- Personal counselling
- LGBTQIA+ support
- Academic support
- Fees and finance help
- Security services
- Accommodation services
- Common rooms
- Prayer rooms.
You’ll also have unlimited access to our dedicated student support hub. Visit in-person or online, or contact our friendly team by phone. We can assist you with anything study-related including enrolment, identification cards, timetables, fees and more.
Your campus
You'll be studying at one of our renowned campuses, accessing cutting-edge facilities and contemporary study spaces.
Study hours
Your courses will require a combination of different learning formats, including lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars and practicals. Aside from your classes, you’ll also need to allocate additional time for independent study. This may include assignments, readings, projects and contributing to online discussion forums. As a rough guide, full-time studies may require 12-26 hours of class time and 14-18 hours of independent study per week.
Assessment
During your studies at Adelaide University, you’ll complete a mixture of practical, professional and research-based learning. Your assessment types will vary depending on the degree you’re studying, but may include:
- Case studies
- Essays and assignments
- Examinations
- Group projects
- Internships and placements
- Practicals
- Presentations
- Reports and project documentations
- Research projects
- Workplace and classroom contributions.
