Bachelor of Fine Arts
at CQUniversity Australia, Queensland.
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 CQUniversity Australia 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 | QTAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | QTAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | QTAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official QTAC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
First year covers studio foundations and core skills: drawing and visual language, materials and making across media, foundational theatre or visual-arts technique, and the history and theory of art and performance. CQUniversity delivers creative-arts study in studio settings and through flexible and online modes, with online students using recorded critiques, submitted documentation and virtual studios, which suits regionally based and working learners. Second year develops your chosen practice, whether visual art, theatre and performance, music or screen and digital media. Studio and rehearsal time increases, briefs become self-directed, and you build a body of work alongside theory units on contemporary practice, audiences and the cultural sector. Collaboration and feedback through critique are central. Third year is dominated by a major self-directed creative project and professional-practice units covering funding applications, freelancing, copyright and presenting work. Work-integrated learning links you with regional galleries, theatres, festivals and councils. The year culminates in a graduate exhibition, performance season or showcase that becomes the portfolio you take to industry.
Example first-year subjects
- Foundations of Drawing and Visual Language
- Materials and Making
- Introduction to Contemporary Art and Performance
- Studio Practice and Process
- Art and Cultural History
- Collaboration and the Creative Industries
How you will be assessed
- Studio works, folios and creative submissions
- Performance, exhibition or screening assessments
- Process journals and concept-development documentation
- Critiques and peer-and-self review
- Written essays on art history and theory
- Final major creative project and graduate showcase
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 or performer (often portfolio or freelance)
- Gallery, exhibition or studio assistant
- Arts-administration or festival-support officer
- Community or regional arts-program coordinator
- Screen, sound or production assistant
- Arts educator or workshop facilitator
- Freelance creative for local businesses and councils
Graduate starting salary
$52,000 - $64,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-24.
After graduation
Most graduates build a portfolio or practice-based career, combining their own creative work with related roles in galleries, theatres, festivals, arts administration and community arts, often serving regional Queensland's cultural sector. Income is frequently project-based and portfolio-led rather than salaried. Postgraduate options include the Master of Creative Arts or Fine Arts, the Master of Teaching (to teach secondary arts), arts-management coursework and a research Honours or higher-degree pathway for those moving toward academic or studio-research careers.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Self-motivated makers with a strong creative drive
- Students who can give and act on honest critique
- People committed to a practice-based, portfolio-led career
- Self-directed learners suited to online or distance studio work
- Collaborative students who enjoy festivals, shows and exhibitions
It is probably not for you if
- Students wanting a clear, salaried job outcome at graduation
- Those uncomfortable presenting and defending creative work
- People who prefer exams and right-or-wrong answers
- Students expecting a high starting income straight away
Related courses at CQU
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the CQUniversity Australia handbook and on QTAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/cqu/bachelor-of-fine-arts.