Bachelor of Arts
at University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.
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 the Sunshine Coast 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 | 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 at UniSC is broad. You take introductory subjects across at least two disciplines (history, sociology, communication, English literature, politics, criminology, social science) plus a foundation subject in academic writing and critical thinking. Most teaching is at Sippy Downs, with smaller tutorial groups than the big-city universities. You declare a major by the end of first year. Second year deepens the major with more theory, research-method subjects and primary-source work. Reading and weekly tutorial preparation step up sharply, and you begin connecting coursework to regional issues on the Sunshine Coast such as community development, environment and local media. Third year is specialisation and capstone. Many students take an internship or work-integrated learning subject placed with regional councils, NGOs or media outlets, plus a research project in the major. Strong students continue into an Honours year, the standard entry point into research masters and PhD study in the humanities.
Example first-year subjects
- Introduction to Sociology
- Australian History
- Foundations of Communication
- Introduction to Politics and Government
- Academic Writing and Critical Thinking
- Introduction to Criminology
How you will be assessed
- Essays (1500 to 3000 words) carrying 40 to 60 per cent of most subjects
- Tutorial participation and weekly written responses
- Research project or capstone in third year
- Take-home exams or seen-question final exams
- Oral presentations and seminar facilitation
- Annotated bibliographies and 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 Queensland or local government
- Research assistant or analyst
- Communications, media or content officer
- Editorial assistant or community journalist
- Community-sector programme coordinator
- Electorate or member-of-parliament office staffer
- Marketing or events coordinator
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 an Honours year (one extra year with a thesis). Honours is the entry point to research masters and PhD study. Common postgraduate paths from a UniSC arts degree include the Master of Teaching (primary or secondary), graduate law, the Master of Social Work (qualifying), the Master of Counselling and communication or public-policy masters. Many graduates also move straight into public-sector and community roles across the Sunshine Coast and wider Queensland.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Strong readers who enjoy long-form non-fiction and academic writing
- Students who like building arguments and defending them in writing
- People drawn to politics, history, communication or culture
- Independent learners comfortable with light timetables
- Students who value small classes and a regional campus community
It is probably not for you if
- Students wanting a single, clear job outcome at graduation
- Those who dislike heavy reading and frequent essay writing
- Students who prefer maths-heavy or lab-based subjects
- People who need tight structure and many contact hours
Related courses at UniSC
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the University of the Sunshine Coast handbook and on QTAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/usc/bachelor-of-arts.