Bachelor of Art and Design

Develop a career as an artist, curator, or designer with this internationally-recognized course, lead and taught by artists and art experts from the thriving Northern Rivers arts community.

The Bachelor of Art and Design provides the opportunity to develop your artistic range and skills base, while also building your understanding of art theory.

Southern Cross visual arts graduates have been recognized with some of Australia’s most prestigious art awards and their work is held in galleries and exhibitions around the world.

You will be able to enjoy rich and diverse studio experiences, developing and exploring your capabilities and potential as an artist, while immersed in an atmosphere that nurtures and inspires creativity.

Southern Cross offers purpose-built studios which provide students with the opportunity to use a wide range of media, including painting, printmaking, ceramics and sculpture, digital arts and design, and drawing.

Career Opportunities

Graduates typically become practicing artists and fine art researchers within the context of contemporary practice. Students exhibit in the Graduate Exhibition and can undertake research projects.

Professional Placement

Students have the opportunity to undertake an internship in the dynamic arts industries of the New South Wales North Coast. They can also study for a session at universities overseas including the prestigious Pratt Institute in New York, the University of Hertfordshire in England, Universitat de Barcelona in Spain, the University of Massachusetts in the USA, and Kansai Gaidai University in Japan.

Major Areas of Study

Core studies

• Studio studies: painting, printmaking, mixed-media, 3D studies

• Art theory

• Curating

• Studio drawing

• Design

In the second and third year, students select from a range of creative and media arts units and/or units from across the University to complement their areas of interest.

Assessment methods

Units in visual arts studio studies, digital art, and design, photography and drawing are assessed by studio production work, artist’s journal, portfolio, and e-portfolio. Generally, approximately 70 percent of the final grade is based on the studio production work. During study sessions, there are ongoing individual and group critique opportunities for feedback on students’ progress. Art theory units are generally assessed through research papers, group presentations, and take-home exams.

Teaching methods

On-campus students experience a variety of teaching approaches including studio-based teaching, fieldwork, lectures, tutorials, online activities and video-linked or podcast virtual classes. The method of teaching may vary from unit to unit. Students also have the opportunity to study some units online (for example, digital photography).

Facts, figures, rankings and awards

Southern Cross University is a progressive, young and connected regional research university, with vibrant campuses in northern New South Wales and the southern Gold Coast. We offer undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and many are available in a dynamic online form. Whether studying on-campus, online, or both, we deliver exciting, contemporary and high-quality learning experiences.

Why SCU?

Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 20Bold, progressive and just 23 years of age – Southern Cross University is one of the Asia-Pacific’s Top 100 Universities and one of the world’s Top 50 Generation Y Universities .

Our contemporary campuses, with purpose-built state-of-the-art facilities, are located on the east coast of Australia, at the Gold Coast in Queensland, and in Lismore and Coffs Harbour in New South Wales. All are unique regions renowned for their natural beauty and ecological diversity, providing living laboratories for learning and creative hubs for artistic endeavour.

Branch campuses in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth are operated in collaboration with EduCo on behalf of Southern Cross University. The University also operates The Hotel School Sydney and Melbourne in partnership with Mulpha Australia. We also deliver degrees with collaborators in China, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.

We have a large and diverse range of courses available online, offering interactive and immersive learning experiences wherever our students are.

Whether studying on-campus, online, or both, we deliver exciting, contemporary and high-quality learning experiences.

We aim to produce graduates who are career ready, world ready and digitally literate, and who experience an academic environment distinctive for its personal approach.

The University has a strong focus on industry and community collaboration to produce engaged teaching and research outcomes.

This connectivity is seeing Southern Cross University lead the $13.8m national Farming Together Pilot Program, partnering with the Northern Rivers Co-operatives Alliance and the Australian Government. The University has also introduced an important new Centre for Organics Research with the NSW Department of Primary Industries.

In the latest Excellence in Research for Australia report, Southern Cross achieved outstanding ratings of 'at world standard' or above in 24 research fields. In nine research fields, the University was evaluated at the highest possible classification of 'well above world standard'. This was achieved in the fields of Geochemistry, Oceanography, Environmental Science and Management, Zoology, Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Crop and Pasture Production, Forestry Sciences, Nursing, Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Campuses

Southern Cross University is a vibrant, contemporary Australian university with beautiful campuses on the Gold Coast, Lismore and Coffs Harbour.

Sydney, Melbourne and Perth branch campuses (International students)

Southern Cross University's branch campuses at Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth are conveniently located in the central business districts.

Studying at SCU Sydney, Melbourne or Perth gives international students the opportunity to complete undergraduate or postgraduate degrees in three of the world's most liveable cities. Southern Cross University collaborates with EduCo Sydney Branch Pty Ltd for the operation of the SCU Sydney, Melbourne and Perth branch campuses.