Bachelor of Fine Arts
at University of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.
A studio-based fine-arts degree with majors in painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, screen, sound, performance or expanded practice. Includes an annual graduate exhibition.
ATAR cutoff history
Published cutoff data for the University of Canberra Bachelor of Fine Arts. We never invent figures; entries marked "not published" mean the university or admissions centre has not released a verified cutoff for that intake.
| Intake year | ATAR cutoff | Admissions centre |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official UAC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
UC offers the Bachelor of Arts in Heritage, Museums and Conservation alongside the Visual and Creative Arts strand, sitting in the Faculty of Arts and Design. The three-year studio degree (Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts) covers majors in Photography and Media Arts, Visual Communication and Fine Art (Painting, Drawing, Print, Sculpture). Year one builds the Studio Foundations core covering visual literacy, drawing, colour theory, digital tools (Adobe Creative Cloud, Procreate, Premiere), art history and theory. Year two consolidates major studio practice with intermediate-level technical, conceptual and historical units, plus a contextual electives stream and the start of work-integrated learning. Year three runs advanced studio sequences, a self-directed major project and the capstone graduate exhibition staged in the UC Belconnen studios and Canberra venues (with strong links to Canberra Contemporary Art Space and Belconnen Arts Centre). UC visual arts has a particular strength in heritage and conservation, supported by proximity to the National Library of Australia, National Archives and National Gallery conservation departments.
Example first-year subjects
- Studio Foundations
- Photography and Media Arts 1
- Drawing and Visual Literacy
- Art and Design History
- Digital Tools for Visual Arts
- Materials and Process
How you will be assessed
- Studio projects with weekly desk crits and pinned-up reviews
- Studio portfolios with materials samples, process documentation and finished works
- Written art history and theory essays of 1500 to 3000 words
- Group studio critiques and oral defences
- Self-directed major project with supervisor mentorship
- Capstone graduate exhibition open to the public
Career outcomes
- Graduates work as practising artists, screen and stage performers, art directors and gallery educators across the cultural sector.
- Common destinations include exhibition assistant roles at state galleries, freelance studio practice and arts-administration positions in regional councils.
- Many alumni progress into curatorial roles, postgraduate study or arts education in secondary schools.
Typical first jobs
- Practising artist with studio in Canberra (Megalo, M16, Belconnen Arts Centre)
- Gallery officer at the National Gallery, NPG, NLA and Canberra Museum and Gallery
- Exhibition or program coordinator at ACT cultural facilities and ArtsACT
- Conservation or heritage assistant at National Library of Australia and National Archives
- Arts administration coordinator at Canberra Contemporary Art Space and regional councils
- Casual secondary art teacher (with subsequent Master of Teaching)
Graduate starting salary
$50,000 - $62,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
After graduation
Strong students continue into the one-year Bachelor of Arts (Honours) with a self-directed studio research project and a written exegesis of 8,000 to 12,000 words. Common postgraduate pivots include the Master of Heritage, Museums and Conservation (a UC flagship), Master of Visual Arts (at ANU), graduate-entry curatorial programs and the Master of Teaching (Secondary) for secondary art teaching registration via TQI. Many graduates take residencies at Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Belconnen Arts Centre, Megalo Print Studio and PhotoAccess before further study.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students who enjoy long workshop hours and ongoing critique of their work
- Those willing to combine technical making with reading art history and theory
- People drawn to Canberras national cultural institutions (NGA, NPG, NLA)
- Students considering heritage, conservation or museum sector careers
- Those comfortable with self-directed major projects in the final year
It is probably not for you if
- Students wanting a structured timetable with clear right-or-wrong answers
- Those who avoid public critique of their work
- Anyone uncomfortable with messy, materials-driven workshop environments
Related courses at UC
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the University of Canberra handbook and on UAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/canberra/bachelor-of-fine-arts.