Federation University is bolstering its Bachelor of Arts Degree, offering revitalised courses from 2024.
Professor Claire McLachlan, the university’s executive dean for education, arts and community said that “art degrees can open up many different career possibilities,
“We are thrilled to be able to strengthen our arts course to suit the modern needs of students and employers.”
The arts degree will feature a new History and Heritage Studies major while strengthening its current Indigenous Studies subject, both of which the university has recruited a new senior lecturer for.
The change follows a comprehensive review of the course to ensure it meets contemporary student and industry needs.
For Federation University, this is the first step in enhancing the Bachelor of Arts degree, with future plans to introduce new majors and implement them into the institution’s cooperative model.
This model sees students integrated into the workforce through direct connection to employers, which professor McLachlan is an avid advocate for.
“Writing for an audience, critical thinking, digital literacy and data literacy are among the range of skills people can gain when studying the arts and these will only be enhanced by the introduction of the co-op model,” the professor said.
The History and Heritage Studies major will explore global and Australian history, also covering the importance of regional and local heritage, tourism and Indigenous history.
As for the Indigenous Studies major, it explores identity, history, reconciliation, diversity, human rights, health and visual arts among other things.
Beginning at the end of 2025 all courses will be designed, developed and delivered in collaboration with industry partners, where students will receive paid work placements for a valuable head start in their career.
Professor McLachlan said that they are “already in discussions with local employers about placements opportunities for our Arts students to give them the real-world skills they need to succeed in their chosen industry.”
The renewed course will be available to students at Federation University’s campuses in Mt Helen, Berwick and Gippsland.
Enrolments for the degree are now open, for more information visit http://study.federation.edu.au.
