Bachelor of Arts (Western Civilisation)
Course information for - 2023 entry
Offered at 1 locations
- Study mode
- Attendance
- Duration
- 3 years full-time or equivalent part-time
- ATAR
- New
- Fees (first year)*
$13759 CSP
- Start dates
-
Semester 1 intake: Not availableMidyear (Semester 2) intake: Beginning July 2023Applications open April 2023
Overview
The Bachelor of Arts (Western Civilisation) provides students with a rigorous and stimulating intellectual program in which they engage with western philosophy, history, literature, politics, art and culture, and develop a deep understanding of the great works, ideas and movements within the western intellectual tradition in the core of the program. Students also take a major in one of drama, English, history, philosophy, politics and international relations, psychology, sociology, theological studies, or visual arts. The degree fosters skills that prepare students for leadership roles in the private and public sectors including government, business, social enterprise and the arts.
Offers will be made to applicants based on high ATAR results and will also be assessed against other criteria, namely “Ramsay Attributes” (i.e. potential to make a positive contribution in Australia and the world as demonstrated through resume, references and a personal statement).
ACU is offering up to 30 Ramsay Scholarships to students undertaking this degree, funded by the Ramsay Centre, each valued at up to $96 000 ($32,000 per year of the degree). Students eligible for scholarship will be selected by a committee, comprising senior ACU and Ramsay Centre staff.
Course details
Course structure
To complete the Bachelor of Arts (Western Civilisation), a student must complete 240 credit points (cp).
Sample program map
| Year - Study period | Unit 1 | Unit 2 | Unit 3 | Unit 4 | Unit 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 - Semester 1 | WCIV100 The Desire to Understand: Introducing the Western Intellectual Tradition | WPOL100 The Birth of Politics: Origins of Western Political Thought | WCIV101 Form and Beauty: Origins of Western Art and Architecture | Major / Minor / Elective Unit 1 | |
| Year 1 - Semester 2 | WLIT100 Greek and Roman Classics: Origins of Western Literature | WPHI101 Thinking the Real: Western Metaphysics | Major / Minor / Elective Unit 2 | Major / Minor / Elective Unit 3 | |
| Year 2 - Semester 1 | WLIT200 Medieval and Renaissance Masterpieces: the Rise of the English Literary Tradition | WPOL200 The Rise of Liberalism: Authority, Society and Freedom | WCIV200 Doctrine, Myth and History: Religion and the West | Major / Minor / Elective Unit 4 | |
| Year 2 - Semester 2 | Major / Minor / Elective Unit 5 | Major / Minor / Elective Unit 6 | Western Civilisation Elective | Western Civilisation Elective | |
| Year 3 - Semester 1 | WLIT201 The Age of the Novel: 1600-1900 | WPHI201 Truth and Knowledge in Western Philosophy | WCIV300 Making a Difference: Community Engagement in Local, National and International Contexts | Major / Minor / Elective Unit 7 | |
| Year 3 - Semester 2 | WLIT300 Romanticism to Postmodernism: Movements Toward the Literary Present | WPHI301 The Good, the Right and the Beautiful: Western Ethic and Aesthetics | WPOL300 Politics and People in British, American and Australian Democracies | Major / Minor / Elective Unit 8 |
This is a sample program only and units will vary depending on your campus and mode of study. Please refer to the handbook for the prerequisite units and the current listing.
Semester 1 Intake
AQF framework
Exit Points
Students who have met the requirements of the Diploma in Liberal Arts can exit with this award.
Entry requirements
Applicants must comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.
To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must have completed the following prerequisites at year 12 level or equivalent:
| State | Prerequisites |
|---|---|
New South Wales | English (Standard) (Band 3) or English (EAL) (Band 4) |
Entry into this course is based on a combination of a written submission including Curriculum Vitae, transcript of results, school reports, references,and essay, an interview, and academic performance. Applicants are assessed on a combination of:
- ATAR or Selection Rank, International Baccalaureate (IB), or equivalent, and
- Interview.
Disclaimer: The course entry requirements above are for 2023 Admission.
View transparency admission information
English language requirements
Overall score of 6.0. Individual score of 6.0 in writing and speaking, and 5.5 in listening and reading.
Entry into this course is based on a combination of a written submission (personal statement essay), an interview and academic performance. Applicants are assessed on a combination of:
- written submission of a personal statement,
- ATAR-Selection Rank including adjustment factors, International Baccalaureate (IB), or equivalent, and
- interview.
Adjustment factors
If you’re currently completing Year 12 you may be eligible for adjustment factors that can boost your rank and help you get into your desired course.
Adjustment factors may be applied to your TAC application if you study particular subjects, attend schools geographically close to our campuses or in certain regional areas, apply as an elite athlete or performer or meet certain other criteria.
Inherent requirement
There are essential components of a course or unit that demonstrate the capabilities, knowledge and skills to achieve the core learning outcomes of that course or unit. You will need to be able to meet these inherent requirements to complete your course.
Learn more about inherent requirements for your course and how they affect you
Pathways
Further study
Bachelor degree graduates may be eligible to progress to honours study or to a range of postgraduate coursework programs, eg Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diplomas and, through them to coursework Master’s degree programs.
Fees
Course costs
$13759 CSP
* indicative only; subject to passage of legislation.
All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a full-time study load of 40 credit points (normally 4 units) per semester.
A student’s annual fee may vary in accordance with:
- the number of units studied per semester;
- the choice of major or specialisation; and
- elective units.
The University reviews fees annually.
Payment options
You should be able to concentrate on getting good marks instead of worrying about how you’ll pay your fees. We have a number of options that can help you ease the financial burden, including government assistance, scholarships and income support.
Scholarships
ACU is offering up to 30 Ramsay Scholarships to students undertaking this degree, funded by the Ramsay Centre, each valued at up to $96 000 ($32,000 per year of the degree). Students eligible for scholarships will be selected by a committee, comprising senior ACU and Ramsay Centre staff.
Applicants who wish to be considered for a scholarship will need to meet the essential requirements for admission to the BAWC:
- Provide details of their academic achievements, leadership experience and community engagement activities using the Applicant Resume Form;
- Provide a 750-1500 word written submission, that can be either:
- An essay response to the following question: How should champions of Western Civilisation reply to its critics today?
OR
- An existing piece of written work on an Arts/Humanities theme (for example, an essay from the Year 12 curriculum which addresses a topic based on studies of literature, history, philosophy, religious studies etc)
- Attend an interview
- The Applicant Resume Form and essay response should be uploaded as a part of the application to study.
Scholarship applicants will also:
- be an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident at the time of application;
- in the ordinary course:
- complete year 12 in the year of application; or
- have completed Year 12 in the preceding 3 years
- have not undertaken preliminary study at a tertiary level, other than secondary school advancement programs or first year Bachelor level study
Or you could be eligible for one of the hundreds of scholarships we award each year to help students from across the university with the cost of studying, accommodation or overseas study opportunities.
Staff Profile
Professor Robert Carver
Director, Western Civilisation Program
Professor Robert Carver’s main teaching and research interests lie in Renaissance literature, Renaissance humanism, the influence of classical texts and ideas on Western culture, and the origins and development of the novel – from ancient prose fiction to contemporary Australian writing.
Professor Carver graduated from the Australian National University with a University Medal in English and Latin. He won a Commonwealth Scholarship to Magdalen College, Oxford, where he was awarded his doctorate (DPhil) in 1992. Following stints at Trinity College, Oxford, and the British Academy, he taught at Oriel College, Oxford, before moving to the University of Durham in 1997. At Durham, he served as Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, and Associate Professor of Renaissance Literature in the Department of English Studies, taking on the role of Deputy Head of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities between 2007 and 2010.
His publications include an Oxford Classical Monograph, The Protean Ass: The Metamorphoses of Apuleius from Antiquity to the Renaissance (OUP, 2007), translations from the Latin writings of the twelfth-century mystic Hildegard of Bingen, and numerous scholarly articles on ancient, medieval, and Renaissance literature.
Testimonial
"I was inspired to study the Bachelor of Arts (Western Civilisation) because I wanted the ability to study multiple disciplines at once, including history, philosophy and political science. I also love the emphasis ACU has on small class sizes and how this allows students to develop closer relationships with academic staff."