The Bachelor of Arts degree

• General information
• Objectives of the BA
• Admission requirements for the BA degree
• Guaranteed entry levels for the Bachelor of Arts
• Monash Orientation Scheme for Aborigines
• Course structure for the BA
• Schedule of arts disciplines
  • Cessation of intake for 1999
• Course requirements
• Definitions
• Workload requirements
• Time limits
• General restrictions

General information

Course code: 0002

Objectives of the BA

The broad teaching and learning objectives of the Monash BA degree ask of students that they satisfy the requirements of study within some elements of the very wide range of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences offered by the faculty, and of some disciplines offered by other faculties. In the process of satisfying these requirements, students are enjoined to grasp the very special opportunity provided by the BA to open their horizons of understanding and imagination to the many new materials, ideas and values with which they will be confronted.
Graduates in arts are expected to have:

• come to a self-conscious understanding of the present interpretations and (in the case of honours students) future likelihoods of the major issues underlying the content of and approaches to the disciplines they study;
• developed the intellectual capabilities inherent in reading and interpretation, written argument, quantitive analysis, qualitative critique and creative thinking required of scholarship and practice in various humanities, arts and social science disciplines;
• mastered the practical skills (including computing skills and those of oral presentation) determined by the various departments and centres as necessary to operating in the student's chosen spheres of study and interest;
• become aware of the kinds of personal and cultural understanding, ethical attitudes and, where appropriate, physical and aesthetic appreciations that underpin the traditional liberal education provided by the faculty;
• demonstrated the flexibility needed to apply these studies in the rapidly changing circumstances of intellectual life and the world of the professions they are likely to inhabit.

Graduates with a Bachelor of Arts degree are expected to be able to pursue further formal learning and to apply their understanding, no matter their walk of life or wherever in the world they choose to study or work.
Under the present regulations, students in the faculty are given a wide variety of paths by which they can achieve the objectives set out above. This breadth constitutes one of the great strengths of the Monash BA, which offers a very large range of humanities, social science, creative and performing arts courses of any university in Australia.
The teaching of all disciplines is structured in such a way that, in general, students find they are led from an elementary appreciation of the objectives set out above in their first year to a relatively sophisticated understanding by the third year. Honours students, in fourth year, will begin to test themselves on the possibility that they may make a certain original contribution to the learning and scholarship of their chosen discipline or combination of disciplines.
Not all disciplines, however, work in exactly the same way. Some - especially languages and creative arts - build on skills and abilities incrementally acquired over the years of the degree, and are quite tightly structured and layered. After the first year, others will revisit similar texts or issues, asking more of students' understanding and critical ability on each encounter. Students are sometimes likely to find themselves in a class with both first and second-year students, or second and third-year students. In such a situation, they will discover that the second or third-year students will be expected to show a deeper understanding and an ability to discuss more extensively the literature on the topic.

Admission requirements for the BA degree

Applicants to the faculty must satisfactorily complete the Victorian Certificate of Education (or its equivalent) by obtaining a grade average of C in units three and four of English and a grade average of D in at least three other studies.
Students who have successfully completed any of the following will be deemed to have an ENTER 1.5 percentage points higher to a maximum of four percentage points: classical societies and cultures, geography, history (any), international studies, literature, LOTE (any), political studies. Interstate and overseas applicants must complete a qualification regarded as comparable to the VCE. The Faculty of Arts has one of the most liberal policies regarding the VCE and will accept any approved study to be counted in a student's 'best four' subjects used to calculate the score for university entry. Students in the middle band should note, however, that consideration will be given to performance in English and the best other humanities/social sciences results, and the full range of the applicant's VCE studies and results.

Guaranteed entry levels for the Bachelor of Arts

The university has introduced 'guaranteed entry levels' for some courses. For the Bachelor of Arts degree an ENTER of 80.95 (TER 72) will guarantee an offer of a HECS-based course and an ENTER of 77.45 (TER 67) will guarantee an offer in a fee-based course in the first round of the selection process.

Monash Orientation Scheme for Aborigines

Director: Ms H Curzon-Siggers
The Monash Orientation Scheme for Aborigines (MOSA) aims to accelerate access by Koorie people to university qualifications, thereby increasing Koorie participation in the professions, public service, management and community leadership, thus contributing to Koorie self-management. It arose initially from the ideas of Koorie people and organisations.
The scheme offers Koorie candidates specific preparation for university study, bridging the educational and cultural gap which frequently exists between Koorie people and other first-year university students.
Classes are held weekdays between nine to five where MOSA's own teaching staff and its specially designed courses assist candidates to acquire study and communication skills which are essential at university. Candidates who successfully complete the humanities orientation program at appropriate levels and are recommended for provisional matriculation by the MOSA committee will be guaranteed first-year places in the Monash faculties of Arts, Law, and Business and Economics. For further information contact the director, Ms Helen Curzon-Siggers (phone 9905 4200).

Course structure for the BA

The general requirements are:

• an arts major;
• an arts minor;
• a first-year arts sequence;
• a minimum of 144 points.

These general requirements for the Bachelor of Arts were approved in November 1995. The generic regulations were passed by faculty board at its meeting on 23 October 1996 and Academic Board at meeting 8/96.

Schedule of arts disciplines

At meeting 2/97 Academic Board it was agreed 'that, for the purposes of defining the structure of the Bachelor of Arts, disciplines and subjects referred to as 'arts' be considered to be those taught by departments of the Faculty of Arts in an approved schedule.
The following is a schedule of disciplines taught by departments of the Faculty of Arts:

Cessation of intake for 1999

Monash policy and philosophy ensure that students will be offered the opportunity to complete the major or the degree in which they are currently enrolled. In implementing any closures of courses or major streams this policy will be adhered to.
In 1999 there will be no new intake into first year subjects in the following disciplines:

In 1999 there will be no first-year students admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Human Services. A minor in American studies will only be available from 1999
^M DISCIPLINES ARE OFFERED TO LEVEL OF MINOR ONLY AND SUBJECT TO SUFFICIENT STUDENT DEMAND AND AVAILABILITY OF STAFF.

** AT FACULTY BOARD MEETING 4/98 'PSYCHOLOGY' WAS RECOGNISED AS AN ARTS DISCIPLINE FOR THE PURPOSES OF UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES IN THE FACULTY. PSYCHOLOGY CAN THUS BE STUDIED AS A MAJOR OR MINOR SEQENCE IN THE BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE, AND AS AN HONOURS DISCIPLINE IN THE BACHELOR OF ARTS (HONOURS) DEGREE. IN RESPECT OF DOUBLE DEGREES, A MINOR SEQUENCE IN PSYCHOLOGY IS ONLY PERMITTED IN DOUBLE DEGREES INVOLVING THE BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE.
1 BEGINS AT SECOND-YEAR LEVEL.
2 INCLUDES POLISH, RUSSIAN, UKRAINIAN.
3 INCLUDES FILM AND TELEVISION AND ART HISTORY AND THEORY.
* STUDENTS ENROLLED AT GIPPSLAND MUST COMPLETE NINETY-TWO POINTS FROM SUBJECTS OFFERED BY THE SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES AND SHOULD REFER TO THE GIPPSLAND SECTION OF THE HANDBOOK FOR SUBJECT DETAILS. DISCIPLINES OFFERED AT GIPPSLAND IN ARTS INCLUDE AUSTRALIAN STUDIES, MASS COMMUNICATIONS, HISTORY/POLITICS, KOORIE STUDIES, SOCIOLOGY, COMMUNITY STUDIES, GENDER STUDIES, INDONESIAN, JOURNALISM, WRITING, AND SOCIAL WELFARE.
STUDENTS MUST SELECT NINETY-TWO POINTS FROM SUBJECTS IN THE SCHEDULE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COURSE REQUIREMENTS. THE REMAINING FIFTY-TWO POINTS MAY BE SELECTED FROM APPROVED SUBJECTS INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE FACULTY OF ARTS.
STUDENTS SHOULD CONSULT THE DOCUMENT ON MAJORS AND MINORS AVAILABLE IN EACH DEPARTMENT OR AT THE FACULTY UNDERGRADUATE OFFICE ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE MENZIES BUILDING TO DETERMINE MAJORS AND MINORS AVAILABLE IN EACH DISCIPLINE.

Course requirements

Regulation 3 refers
The course of study for the Bachelor of Arts must include:

• an arts major (from the schedule of arts disciplines) discipline A;
• an arts minor (from the schedule of arts disciplines) discipline B;
• a third first-year arts sequence (from the schedule of arts disciplines) discipline C;
• a total of 144 points.

Disciplines A, B and C = 92 arts points. The remaining fifty-two points may be taken from disciplines A, B or C in the Faculty of Arts or disciplines outside the Faculty of Arts (discipline D)*
* SEE GENERAL RESTRICTIONS BELOW.

Definitions

Regulations 2 and 3 refer
The definitions below supplement section two of the regulations and help to define section three of the regulations.

• A 'discipline' is an area of study offered by a department or centre.
• A 'sequence' is a first-semester subject which is followed by related second-semester subject in the same discipline at first-year level.
• A 'minor' is two years of study in a single discipline. It consists of a first-year sequence (twelve points) followed by sixteen points at second-year level (usually two subjects). A minor can also comprise sixteen points at second year (normally two subjects) and sixteen points at third year (normally two subjects).
• A 'major' is three years of study in a single discipline, totalling fifty-two points. It consists of a first-year level sequence of twelve points (normally two first-year subjects in the same discipline), sixteen points at second year (normally two subjects), and twenty-four points at third-year level (normally three subjects).
• A 'prerequisite' is a subject which must be completed before a student is permitted to proceed to a further subject in that discipline.

Workload requirements

Regulation 3 refers
A student must complete 144 points in the degree of which ninety-two points must be taken in three different arts disciplines (listed in the approved schedule) and in accordance with the structure outlined in the general requirements of the BA degree.
The remaining fifty-two points may be taken from subjects taught by departments of the Faculty of Arts and/or subjects taught by departments outside the Faculty of Arts and/or approved alternatives
If students choose to select any or all of the fifty-two points from subjects offered by the Arts faculty these subjects may be selected from the disciplines taken as part of the major, minor or other first-year sequence, except that students may not take more than twenty-four points at first-year level in any one discipline.
A normal year's work for a full-time student for the pass degree is forty-eight points and any student wishing to overload must seek permission from the coordinator, undergraduate studies (Clayton campus) or the campus administrator (Berwick, Caulfield, Gippsland or Peninsula,). In any event, students will not be permitted to overload more than one subject a semester in second and third year. Over-enrolment in first year is not permitted, except for students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts Dean's Scholars Program with permission.
Students would normally be required to undertake two first-year sequences before progressing to a second-year subject. Part-time students requesting to proceed to a second-year subject without two first-year sequences are advised to see the coordinator, undergraduate studies for advice or the relevant campus administrator.
Students wishing to complete more than 144 points must seek permission from the faculty board and in such an event will not be permitted to undertake more than 160 points.
All students must meet prerequisite requirements as prescribed in the handbook in the subject description.

Time limits

Regulation 11 refers
The degree is normally taken in not less than three years and not more than eight, including students studying part-time.
Students undertaking summer semester or accelerated programs must seek permission from the faculty board to complete the degree in less than three years. Applications shoud be made to the faculty registrar with supporting documentation from the head of department.

General restrictions

Regulation 3 'Course of study' refers
Except with the permission of the faculty board:

• a student may not do more than four first-year level subjects in a semester in first year;
• a student may not undertake more than sixty points or ten subjects at first-year level throughout the degree;
• a student may not undertake any subjects which the faculty regards as having considerable duplication of content;
• a student may not undertake a group of subjects within a discipline in which the second, third and fourth digits are identical;
• a student may not undertake a subject offered in the summer semester and a corresponding subject or subjects in a different teaching period;
• a student may not undertake a subject where it has been failed twice previously, except with the approval of the faculty board, acting on the recommendation of the head;
• a student may not take more than twenty-four points at first-year level in any one discipline.

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