Bachelor of Arts (Canberra)
- Commencing Terms
- Semester 1
- Duration
- 3 Year(s)
- Delivery Mode
- Face-to-face (includes blended)
- Campus
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Canberra
- Codes
- UAC code 450001
- Program code 4400
- CRICOS code -
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2025 Indicative first year full fee
- $12,500*
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2025 Indicative full fee to complete degree
- $38,000*
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2025 Indicative first year full fee
- -
-
2025 Indicative full fee to complete degree
- -
Fees
Fees
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Flexible course structure
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Broad study areas
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Leadership skills
The Australian Defence Force Academy
Combining teaching and research with military education
UNSW Canberra specialises in high-quality undergraduate and postgraduate courses in all areas relating to military, strategic and defence studies. This means future leaders of the Navy, Army and Air Force can combine their military and leadership training with our world-class university programs and defence industry expertise.
- Overview
- Entry requirements
- What will I study?
- Future careers
- How to apply
- Fees
Overview
Leverage the defence and security related expertise of UNSW Canberra with the flexibility of a Bachelor of Arts degree. Pursue your interests and career aspirations across a range of disciplines including languages, history, politics and business.
You’ll develop transferable skills and in-depth knowledge in this undergraduate degree. Through your study at UNSW Canberra you’ll gain the tools to think critically, communicate effectively and conduct independent research.
Key features
Learn from the best
The UNSW Canberra School of Humanities and Social Sciences is recognised for its academic excellence in both research and teaching. We offer an outstanding higher education experience for our unique and diverse student population, with the best university teacher-to-student ratio in Australia. Our researchers and teaching staff are experts in their fields and are dedicated to developing future global leaders in defence and industry.
Benefit from specialised facilities
UNSW Canberra at ADFA is home to several unique state-of-the-art facilities. When you study with us, you’ll have exclusive access to the UNSW Canberra Academy Library Special Collections. Items of national significance include more than 300 manuscript collections, 13,000 rare items and papers of the former Prime Minister John Howard.
Learn through a unique lens
Our strength lies in our defence and security teaching and research. With us, you can enjoy the benefits of UNSW and ADFA’s unique community – we've educated leaders in defence, government and industry for more than 50 years.
Why study at UNSW Canberra?
Expand your thinking
This undergraduate degree will enrich your understanding of the world, challenge you to think outside the box, and become a creative problem solver who can tackle challenges across a range of industries.
Become a leader
A UNSW Canberra Bachelor of Arts degree gives you strong communication and research skills - essential attributes of effective leaders in the Australian Defence Force and successful graduates seeking a career in the public or private sector.
Develop a varied skillset to suit any role
You’ll develop your abilities in critical analysis and argument as well as an awareness of the value of language as a political, intellectual, creative, and communicative tool. This degree has a wide range of courses and electives come together to offer majors in Business, Geography, History, Indo-Pacific Studies and International & Political Studies (IPS).
Want to see more from UNSW Canberra at ADFA?
Entry requirements
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- The 2024 Lowest Selection Rank (LSR) is the adjusted rank (ATAR plus adjustment factors) you would have needed to gain entry to this degree in 2024.
- The 2024 A levels score is based on four Advanced Level (A2) subjects. Entry scores are calculated from the best three or four A2 subjects (excluding repeated subjects) using the following values: A*=6, A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1. At most one Applied A Level subject may be included in the best four subjects used to calculate the aggregate.
- The 2024 IB Diploma is an indication of the IB you would have needed to gain entry to this degree in 2024. It is to be used as a guide only.
- The 2024 Lowest ATAR is the lowest ATAR (before adjustment factors were applied) to which an offer was made. Where <5 is listed, this indicates that less than 5 ATAR-based offers were made and so the score has not been published. N/A indicates no offers were made on the basis of ATAR.
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At UNSW, we are committed to ensuring prospective students have all the information they need in order to make informed decisions about their study options.
To assist you in gaining a better understanding of how Admissions works at UNSW, we have provided you with a summary of ATAR offers and the student profile.
We hope this information will help you identify the degree that is right for you.
Additional Selection Criteria
Undergraduate entry to the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) is open to Australian residents who are members of the Australian Defence Force and selected members of overseas Armed Forces. Trainee Officers are selected by one of the three services (Navy, Army or Airforce) in the Australian Defence Force and must also meet academic entry requirements for UNSW Canberra at ADFA. Applying for ADFA is a dual application process. As selection for the Australian Defence Force is a competitive process, which can take up to 12 months, it is preferable that you apply to Defence Force Recruiting in Year 11. Visit this site for more information on both application processes.
Adjustment Factors
We offer a range of adjustment factor schemes that reward students for academic performance and extra-curricular achievements. These schemes also take into account a range of personal and educational disadvantages that may have affected your studies.
HSC Plus
This scheme rewards students who perform well in Year 12 subjects that are relevant to their preferred UNSW degree. You may be awarded up to five points.
Elite Athletes, Performers and Leaders (EAPL)
This program recognises achievements in the areas of sport, academia, leadership and music at an elite level. You may be eligible for up to five points.
Educational Access Scheme (EAS)
Factors such as illness, financial hardship, language difficulties or attending a particular school can mean you don't always get the best possible marks in Years 11 and 12. If one of these situations applies to you, submit an application for the Educational Access Scheme (EAS) via UAC. Eligible students can receive between 1 and 10 points towards their chosen UNSW degree.
Admission pathways
Your ATAR is not the only measure of your potential to succeed, which is why we offer a range of pathways into university. Explore your options below and get in touch with our future student advisors to discuss your path to UNSW.
Gateway Admission Pathway
This scheme is open to students in Years 11 and 12 who attend Gateway schools. It significantly adjusts the ATAR requirements for your preferred UNSW degree and provides you with an early conditional offer to UNSW.
Entry programs for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
We offer entry programs for Indigenous Australians, including the Indigenous Preparatory Programs and the Indigenous Admission Scheme (IAS). The entry pathway program you apply for will depend on the degree you want to study.
English language requirements
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If you’re completing an Australian Year 12 qualification (e.g. NSW HSC or equivalent), you do not need to provide anything extra to prove your proficiency. Your qualification will be used as evidence of your English proficiency.
If you do need to provide evidence of your English proficiency, this will be indicated in your application. You can prove this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
- English language tests and university English courses
- Prior study in the medium of English
- Other qualifications
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, UNSW College’s Academic English Programs are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
Program structure
Arts degrees at UNSW are flexible, allowing you to choose from a variety of study areas and keep your options open. The skills you develop in critical thinking, leadership, and management are transferable to almost any role and will equip you for an exciting and fulfilling career in the Australian Defence Force within the Navy, Army or Air Force.
Choose from a diverse range of courses and electives when you select up to two majors in:
- Business
- Geography
- History
- Indo-Pacific Studies
- International & Political Studies (IPS)
Chief of the Defence Force Program
The Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) programs offer the opportunity for students entering UNSW Canberra with a high Entrance Rank, and who maintain a high level of performance in their studies, to undertake research in a range of disciplines that will develop their critical thinking and independent research skills beyond that available in the standard Bachelor degree programs.
The range of CDF programs includes specialist courses in critical analysis and/or research methods related to the area of study. All programs also include discipline-specific research projects. The research projects will be supervised by academic staff from the relevant discipline. With the approval of the Head of School, cross-disciplinary projects may be undertaken. Students in the research courses may work independently or as part of a team, depending on the nature of the project undertaken, though all students will submit an individual assessment. The final assessment will be based on a written paper or report and oral presentations.
Throughout the program, students will be engaged in cohort activities including invited lectures, seminars, general reading and social events.
Full program structure
Students must complete 144 UOC when taken as a stand-alone program. You must complete 96 UOC of disciplinary courses including specialisations.
You’ll complete either:
1. A major specialisation (48 UOC)
2. A minor specialisation (36 UOC)
3. Upper-level Arts electives (12 UOC)
OR
1. A major specialisation (48 UOC)
2. A second major specialisation (48 UOC)
You will also need to complete:
1. Prescribed Elective courses (12 UOC)
2. Free Elective courses (24 UOC)
3. General Education courses (12 UOC)
Disciplinary courses include:
· Geography
· History
· Business
· International and Political Studies
· Indo-Pacific Studies
Prescribed Electives include:
· Introduction to Cyber-Security: Policy & Operations
· Fundamentals of Data Analysis
General Education courses include:
· Introduction to Strategic Studies
· Strategy Management and Leadership
· Law, Force and Legitimacy
· Introduction to Military Ethics
Free Electives include:
· Organisational Behaviour
· Business Economics
· Introduction to Oceanography
· Contemporary Issues in Science
· Cyber Crime and Ethics
· Introduction to Information Technology
· Foundations of Management
· Introduction to Programming
· Engineering Practice and Design
· Introduction to Civil Engineering
Upper-level Arts electives include:
· The Origins of Modern War
· Introductory Business Ethics
· Politics of Australian Security
· Contemporary Security Studies
· Global Climate & Environmental Security
· The United Nations in Global Politics
· International Politics and Ethics of War
· The Politics of International Human Rights
· Ethnic Conflict and World Politics
· Genocide: Crime of Crimes
· Conflict in the Asia-Pacific
· Global History
Future careers
Potential roles
- Maritime Warfare Officer
- Pilot
- Intelligence Officer
- Logistics Officer
- Air Combat Officer (mission aircrew)
- Human Resource Manager
- Army Officer in a variety of corps
“Studying at UNSW Canberra as a Trainee Officer has provided me with an amazing opportunity to study with world-class lecturers. The small class sizes have helped me to gain a more thorough understanding of course content.”
Jade Burton, Bachelor of Arts Student
How to apply
Applications for undergraduate study from domestic students (Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, Australian permanent humanitarian visa holders and New Zealand citizens) are processed by the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).
Visit the Apply section of the UAC website and you can nominate up to five degrees in order of preference, with the first being your most desired degree and university.
On-time applications for admission usually close at the end of September each year for Term 1 admission. Late applications can be submitted, but a late fee will apply. For study starting in Term 1, the majority of offers are made in December and January. Visit the UAC website for key dates for admission outside of Term 1.
Ready to start your application?
Fees & Scholarships
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