Bachelor of Arts
at University of Tasmania, Tasmania.
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 Tasmania 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 | VTAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | VTAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | VTAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official VTAC 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 introduces the breadth of the College of Arts, Law and Education. Students sample foundation units across three or four majors before committing, with options including English, History, Philosophy, Sociology, Politics and International Relations, Aboriginal Studies, Asian Studies, Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Spanish, Geography and Environment, Journalism, Media and Communications and Theatre and Performance. Tutorials run at 12 to 20 students with weekly readings of 80 to 150 pages per unit. Year two narrows to two majors, with 200-level units adding research methods, historiography and discipline-specific theory. Sandy Bay in Hobart and Newnham in Launceston each carry the full BA, with some units taught on the Cradle Coast (Burnie) campus. Year three is capstone-led with independent research essays, advanced seminars and theory-heavy units. The BA can be paired with University College's Diploma of University Studies for students entering through Schools Recommendation. Assessment leans on long-form writing, with seminar participation typically weighted 10 to 20 per cent.
Example first-year subjects
- Introduction to Sociology
- Power, Politics and the State
- Reading Literature
- Australian History
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledges
- Introduction to Philosophy
How you will be assessed
- Essays of 1500 to 3500 words across most arts units
- Tutorial participation usually 10 to 20 per cent
- Take-home final exams or research papers in lieu of formal exams
- Annotated bibliographies and literature reviews from second year
- Oral presentations and seminar leading in 300-level units
- Honours year features a single 18,000 word thesis
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 officer in the Tasmanian State Service graduate programme
- Electorate officer for a Tasmanian state or federal MP
- Communications officer at the Department for Education TAS
- Research assistant in a not-for-profit (Anglicare Tasmania, TasCOSS)
- Editorial and content roles at the Hobart Mercury or The Examiner
- Project officer in a Tasmanian local council (Hobart, Launceston, Burnie)
Graduate starting salary
$55,000 - $68,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
After graduation
Strong students take the BA Honours year (added 4th year, supervised thesis around 18,000 words) which is the standard pipeline into PhD or research masters in the humanities. Many BA graduates do the UTAS Master of Teaching (Primary or Secondary, 2 years) for AITSL accreditation, the Juris Doctor (3 years) to enter law, or the Master of International Relations. UTAS offers combined bachelors with Laws (BA/LLB, 5.5 years), Economics (BA/BEc) and the University College Associate Degree pathway. The Diploma of Languages can be stacked alongside the BA without adding time.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students who enjoy reading 100 plus pages a week and writing long-form essays
- People comfortable defending an argument in small Hobart or Launceston tutorials
- Those willing to design their own pathway across two majors
- Students considering law, journalism, policy or postgraduate teaching
- Independent learners who can manage unstructured study time
It is probably not for you if
- Students who want a structured timetable with clear career outcomes from day one
- Those who prefer technical problems with single correct answers
- Anyone hoping to avoid 2000 to 3000 word essays
Related courses at UTAS
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the University of Tasmania handbook and on VTAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/utas/bachelor-of-arts.