Bachelor of Fine Arts
at Charles Darwin University, Northern 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 Charles Darwin University 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 | SATAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | SATAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | SATAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official SATAC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
Year one runs the studio foundation: drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, digital media and art history and theory. CDU teaches the Bachelor of Fine Arts in close partnership with the Charles Darwin University Art Gallery and the Northern Territory contemporary art scene, with strong Indigenous arts pedagogy embedded across units. Year two narrows into a chosen studio strand (painting, sculpture, photography, screen, expanded practice) and adds critical writing and exhibition theory. Year three is dominated by independent studio practice, an artist statement and writing portfolio, and preparation for the annual graduate exhibition staged at the CDU Art Gallery and Darwin Festival sites. Expect long studio days (6 to 9 hours), open critique sessions and exposure to local galleries, festivals and Indigenous-owned art centres. Cohorts are small with direct lecturer access.
Example first-year subjects
- Drawing 1
- Painting Studio 1
- Photography Foundations
- Art History and Theory
- Sculpture and 3D Studio
- Digital Imaging and Lens Studio
How you will be assessed
- Studio practice portfolios across each strand
- Critique sessions and verbal defence of work
- Artist statements and reflective journals
- Group exhibition curation tasks
- Annual graduate exhibition piece in third year
- Essays in art history and contemporary theory
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 visual artist supported by NT Government grants and residencies
- Gallery assistant at the Museum and Art Gallery of the NT or CDU Art Gallery
- Art-centre coordinator at a remote Indigenous art centre
- Exhibition and festival production assistant (Darwin Festival)
- Freelance photographer or videographer
- Visual-arts teacher (with further teacher-education study)
After graduation
Honours pathway available for strong students, often anchored in Indigenous arts research, northern Australian contemporary practice or screen and sound. Postgraduate routes include the Master of Contemporary Art, Master of Curatorship and the Master of Teaching (Secondary) for arts educators. Alumni also pathway into the research masters through partners such as the Australian National University or RMIT, and into postgraduate study in arts management or curation.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- You can sustain a self-driven studio practice across the week
- You are interested in Indigenous arts and northern Australian context
- You handle public critique sessions and can take direct feedback
- You enjoy long unstructured studio time outside scheduled classes
- You want a small cohort with direct lecturer access
It is probably not for you if
- You want a stable income immediately after graduation
- You dislike critique-based assessment and prefer exams
- You want a large metropolitan arts scene on your doorstep
- You expect a fully theoretical art-history degree
Related courses at CDU
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the Charles Darwin University handbook and on SATAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/charles-darwin/bachelor-of-fine-arts.