Bachelor of Arts
at University of South Australia, South Australia.
A flexible humanities and social sciences degree. Students major in fields such as history, sociology, politics, literature or a language, with broad elective choice across the faculty.
ATAR cutoff history
Published cutoff data for the University of South Australia Bachelor of 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
First year is broad and exploratory. At UniSA you take introductory courses across two or more disciplines (such as politics, sociology, history, languages, communication, criminology or human geography) alongside a core academic-literacy and research-skills course. You generally choose a major and minor by the end of first year. Second year deepens your chosen major with more theory, research-method courses and primary-source analysis. Reading and writing loads increase, with weekly tutorial preparation of substantial set texts. UniSA's practice focus shows up in applied courses and community-engaged projects rather than purely abstract seminars. Third year is specialisation and capstone. Many students complete an internship or industry-project course (UniSA emphasises work-integrated learning), a research-led capstone, or a study tour. Strong students can apply for an additional Honours year, which is the standard entry point to research masters and PhD study in the humanities and social sciences.
Example first-year subjects
- Introduction to Politics and Society
- Foundations of Sociology
- Communication and Media Studies
- Australian History
- Introductory Language Study (such as Italian or Japanese)
- Academic Research and Writing
How you will be assessed
- Essays of 1500 to 3000 words carrying much of the course mark
- Tutorial participation and weekly discussion responses
- Research project or community-engaged capstone in third year
- Take-home or seen-question exams
- Oral presentations and seminar facilitation
- Annotated bibliographies and primary-source analyses
Career outcomes
- Graduates work in writing, editing and publishing roles across media, government and the not-for-profit sector.
- Many alumni pursue policy and research positions in the public service or NGO sector.
- Common further-study pathways include teaching, law (graduate JD) and a research Honours year.
Typical first jobs
- Policy or project officer in South Australian or Commonwealth public service
- Communications or media officer
- Research assistant or analyst
- Electorate or community-sector coordinator
- Marketing or content coordinator
- Editorial assistant or junior journalist
- Program officer in a not-for-profit organisation
Graduate starting salary
$55,000 - $66,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-24.
After graduation
Most graduates enter the workforce directly or take a one-year Honours program built around a thesis. Honours is the usual entry point to research masters and PhD study and is often expected for senior public-service research roles. Common postgraduate paths from a UniSA BA include the Master of Teaching (secondary), graduate law (JD), Master of Social Work (Qualifying), Master of Communication, and policy or international-relations masters.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Strong readers who enjoy long-form writing and argument
- Students drawn to politics, history, language or culture
- Independent learners comfortable with lighter timetables
- People who want to build a flexible, transferable skill set
- Students keen to use internships to shape a career direction
It is probably not for you if
- Students wanting a single, clear job title at graduation
- Those who dislike heavy reading and frequent essay writing
- People who prefer maths-heavy or lab-based study
- Students who need tight structure and high contact hours
Related courses at UniSA
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the University of South Australia handbook and on SATAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/unisa/bachelor-of-arts.