Bachelor of Fine Arts
at The University of Notre Dame Australia, Western Australia.
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 The University of Notre Dame 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 | TISC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | TISC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | TISC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official TISC 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 is a broad studio foundation: drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, digital media and an introduction to contemporary art theory, taken alongside Notre Dame's Core Curriculum units in philosophy and ethics that ground creative practice in questions of meaning and value. You begin a studio journal documenting process and ideas, and work in small studio groups. Second year develops a primary studio specialisation such as painting, photography, sculpture, sound or moving image, plus a secondary studio. Group critiques become regular, and art-history and theory subjects deepen. You learn to research, develop and defend a body of work and start building a professional portfolio. Third year is the capstone: a major self-directed body of work for the graduate exhibition, a research-driven artist statement and advanced theory electives. The graduate show is the key moment for connecting with galleries, residencies and Honours applications, alongside remaining Core units.
Example first-year subjects
- Drawing and Visualisation
- Studio Foundation
- Painting 1
- Photography Studio 1
- Introduction to Art History and Theory
- Introduction to Ethics (Core)
How you will be assessed
- Studio portfolio and final body of work
- Studio journal or process documentation
- Regular group critiques and peer review
- Short critical and theoretical essays
- Capstone graduate exhibition
- Artist statement and written exegesis
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
- Studio assistant to a practising artist
- Gallery assistant or installer
- Arts administrator at a festival or institution
- Freelance artist working on grants and commissions
- Visual arts educator (with Master of Teaching)
- Curatorial or registrar assistant
- Art department or production role in screen and media
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 combine an artistic practice with part-time work in galleries, arts administration or teaching. Honours is available for strong students and is the entry point to research masters and practice-led PhD study. Other postgraduate options include the Master of Teaching (secondary visual arts), coursework masters in curatorship or contemporary art, and arts-management qualifications.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Self-motivated makers already developing their own practice
- Patient students who iterate work over months
- People comfortable showing unfinished work in critique
- Curious readers who engage with contemporary art theory
- Learners who value small, hands-on studio teaching
It is probably not for you if
- Students seeking a guaranteed stable salary at graduation
- Those who avoid public critique of their work
- People who want a structured, rubric-driven course
- Students unwilling to keep a parallel job to fund practice
Related courses at UNDA
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the The University of Notre Dame Australia handbook and on TISC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/notre-dame/bachelor-of-fine-arts.