Bachelor of Arts
BA
Duration
3 years full-time
Entry times
Semester 1 or 2 (February or July)
Fees Estimate
Scholarships
Pathways
Pathways include:
- Bachelor of Arts with Honours
- Master of Arts
- Master of Arts (Thesis)
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Download Brochure
Online to on-campus
Duration
3 years full-time
Entry times
Semester 1 or 2 (February or July)
Fees Estimate
Scholarships
Pathways
Pathways include:
- Bachelor of Arts with Honours
- Master of Arts
- Master of Arts (Thesis)
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Download Brochure
Overview
With over 30 subjects to choose from, spanning the humanities, social sciences, languages, and creative arts, Bachelor of Arts (BA) students can follow their passion and gain valuable skills.
Over the three years of your degree, you will gain the critical thinking, creative problem solving, and communication skills that employers want. Unique practical experiences such as internships are on offer too.
You now have the option of following the traditional pathway to gain a major and a minor in the BA or to take the specialisation pathway with a set programme of courses.
- Take advantage of courses offering field trips, real-world case studies, performances, internships, and community projects
- Choose from over 30 Arts subjects as your major and minor, or double major
- You have the option to study a minor from additional subjects across Commerce, Health Sciences, Science, Sport Coaching, and Youth and Community Leadership
- Get involved with some of the many Arts related student clubs including Arts Society, JSoc, PolSoc, Classoc, Musoc ,and many more
You will need University Entrance (or equivalent) to enrol.
If English is your additional language, you are also required to meet UC's English language requirements.
For information on the enrolment process, please see how to apply for undergraduate qualifications.
Recommended preparation
All Arts subjects, including languages, can be started at first-year level without previous knowledge of the subject. A good standard of oral and written English is important.
Successful study to Year 13 is recommended for advanced Mathematics courses.
Bachelor of Arts – Major/minor pathway example degree structure
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Compulsory courses
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Major courses
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Minor courses
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Other Arts courses
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Courses from Arts or other degrees
Students who started their BA before 2022 will follow a different structure. See the UC Calendar Archive in the year you began for your degree requirements.
Bachelor of Arts – Specialisation pathway example degree structure
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Compulsory courses
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Specialisation courses
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Courses from Arts or other degrees
Each small block represents a 15-point course. However, some courses may be 30 points or more.
This diagram is an example only – other combinations are possible. For specific course requirements, see the Regulations for the Bachelor of Arts.
The Bachelor of Arts requires a minimum total of 360 points:
- at least 255 points from Arts courses, including two compulsory courses
- the remaining 105 points can be from either Arts courses or courses from other degrees.
A minimum of 225 points must be from courses above 100-level, with at least 90 points at 300-level.
The degree takes 3 years of full-time study, or can be studied part-time for up to 10 years.
Majors, minors, and specialisations
BA students have the option of completing either:
- a major and a minor
- two majors (a double major)
- a specialisation
Each major has specific course requirements, but all consist of a minimum of 135 points in a single Arts subject. Of these, at least 45 points must be at 200-level and at least 60 points at 300-level.
A minor consists of a minimum of 75 points, including at least 45 points above 100-level, in a single subject chosen from the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Health Sciences, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Sport Coaching, or Bachelor of Youth and Community Leadership.
Specialisations offer a pathway that groups courses from different subjects into a central theme. Each specialisation is made up of 225 points of compulsory courses across different subjects, with a minimum of 90 points at 300-level and 180 points at 200-level or above.
You may include a minor alongside your specialisation study as well.
Double degrees
It is possible to combine an Arts degree with other degrees such as the Bachelor of Commerce or Bachelor of Criminal Justice.
Find out more information about Double degrees.
Conjoint degrees
Students can study the Conjoint Bachelor of Arts and Commerce or the Conjoint Bachelor of Arts and Science, which requires 60 points less than a double degree and will be completed in four years in an intensive format.
Contact a Student Advisor from each relevant College or School for course planning advice.
The Bachelor of Arts is a highly flexible degree that allows a wide range of choices from major and minor subjects or specialisation pathways, as well as courses from other degrees.
See ‘How do I plan my degree?’ above for an example degree structure diagram.
Compulsory course
All students in the BA must complete two of the following courses:
- ARTS 102 Problems, Questions, Evidence
- MAOR 165 Tuakiri: Culture and Identity
- WRIT 101 Writing for Academic Success
Major subjects
Specialisations
Specialisations include a set programme of courses centred on a broad theme. These allow you to develop expertise in more subjects than a major, as well as the opportunity to customise your study to your particular interests.
- Creative Industries and Contemporary Practice
- Cultural Heritage
- Global Societies and Cultures
- International Affairs
- Language, Brain and Behaviour
- Philosophy, Politics and Economics
- Society, Diversity and Change
Minor subjects
UC has a wide range of options for postgraduate and graduate study with excellent research facilities.
- Graduate Diploma in Arts
- Graduate Diploma in Journalism
- Graduate Diploma in Strategic Communication
- Bachelor of Arts with Honours
- Postgraduate Certificate in Arts
- Postgraduate Certificate in Digital Humanities
- Postgraduate Certificate in Māori and Indigenous Leadership
- Postgraduate Certificate in Te Reo Māori
- Postgraduate Diploma in Art Curatorship
- Postgraduate Diploma in Arts
- Postgraduate Diploma in Te Reo Māori
- Master of Arts
- Master of Arts (Thesis)
- Master of Applied Translation and Interpreting
- Master of European Union Studies
- Master of International Relations and Diplomacy
- Master of Linguistics
- Master of Māori and Indigenous Leadership
- Master of Policy and Governance
- Master of Strategic Communication
- Master of Te Reo Māori
- Master of Writing
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Arts graduates enjoy a raft of exciting career destinations, for instance in media, politics, communications, tourism, teaching, publishing, business, advertising, and more.
Find out more about what you can do with a degree from UC.
See Tuition Fee Structure for more information
| Year | Points | Info | Fees (NZD) |
| 2021 | 120 | Banded Fee - total tuition fee dependent on course selection | $6,281 - $7,015 |
| 2021 | 120 | Anthropology; Art History and Theory; Chinese; Cinema Studies; Classics; Cultural Studies;Education; English; European and European Union Studies; French; German; History; Human Services; Japanese; Linguistics; Māori and Indigenous Studies; Media and Communication; Philosophy; Political Science and International Relations; Russian; Sociology; Spanish; Te Reo Māori (Band 1) | $6,281 per 120 points |
| 2021 | 120 | Economics (Band 2) | $6,648 per 120 points |
| 2021 | 120 | Geography; Music; Psychology (Band 3) | $7,015 per 120 points |
| 2021 | 120 | Statistics (Band 9) | $6,306 per 120 points |
| 2022 | 120 | Banded Fee - total tuition fee dependent on course selection | $6,388 |
| 2022 | 120 | Anthropology; Art History and Theory; Chinese; Cinema Studies; Classics; Cultural Studies;Education; English; European and European Union Studies; French; German; History; Human Services; Japanese; Linguistics; Māori and Indigenous Studies; Media and Communication; Philosophy; Political Science and International Relations; Russian; Sociology; Spanish; Te Reo Māori (Band 1) | $6,388 |
| 2022 | 120 | Economics (Band 2) | $6,761 |
| 2022 | 120 | Geography; Music; Psychology (Band 3) | $7,134 |
| 2022 | 120 | Statistics (Band 9) | $6,413 |
| Year | Points | Info | Fees (NZD) | Fees (NZD) Excl GST |
| 2021 | 120 | This is an indicative fee - total tuition fee will be dependent on your course selection (banded) | $29,875 | $25,978 |
| 2022 | 120 | This is an indicative fee - total tuition fee will be dependent on your course selection (banded) | $30,725 | $26,717 |
Contact us
For the full degree requirements, see the Regulations for the Bachelor of Arts.
For study planning help, contact Te Rōpū Takawaenga o UC | UC Liaison Office (new students) or a Te Rāngai Toi Tangata | College of Arts Student Advisor (advancing students).
For more information on facilities, resources, and staff, see Te Rāngai Toi Tangata | College of Arts.
For more general information, email info@canterbury.ac.nz or freephone 0800 VARSITY (827 748).