Bachelor of Arts

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Case studies

Case studies



JUDY LIU

EDUCATION

Careers in this sector include:

  • Adult training and development
  • Community and government education
  • Education promotion
  • Policy research and administration
  • Secondary and primary school teaching
  • Academic teaching

Many Arts students are working in the education sector as promoters, administrators and policy makers. After completing a graduate qualification, such as the Master of Teaching, Bachelor of Arts students can become teachers.

"The whole course and my study experiences in Australia have been very helpful in taking me into the art world and my teaching position. I was easily able to put my learning into practice and did some comparison studies in fields of arts and arts management between China and Australia and other countries. The course has a good balance of academic research and practical application."

Judy Liu, Master of Art Management
Full-time lecturer, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing University of Technology Part-time Art Project Director





TIM O'HALLORAN

GOVERNMENT

Careers in this sector include:

  • Local, state and federal government positions
  • Foreign affairs and diplomacy
  • Government communications
  • Government advising and media liaison
  • Policy development

Melbourne Arts graduates are employed in Government positions at all levels in Australia, from local through to Federal, and from administrative positions to the highest levels of authority. There are many employment opportunities internationally, including positions in diplomacy and foreign affairs.

"It's not good enough to go to University and get a degree. You need to seek out activists that are fighting for something you also believe in. Once you've decided where you stand, join an organisation - a union, a political party, an environmental NGO. In other words, get your hands dirty - it's no use having an opinion if you can’t turn it into real change."

Tim O'Halloran, Bachelor of Arts (Political Studies) (Honours)
Chief of Staff, Government of New South Wales





TOM PARKER

BUSINESS

Careers in this sector include:

  • Human resources
  • Project management
  • Marketing and communications
  • Public relations
  • Corporate and management consultancy

Melbourne Arts graduates excel in business, consultancy and trade by applying their Arts education to research, communications and problem solving in business environments.

"Studying Arts at the University of Melbourne encouraged me to synthesise, analyse and think critically. I am indebted to the Chinese program for delivering a broad range of subjects that allowed me to develop my understanding of Chinese language and culture."

Tom Parker, Bachelor of Arts (Asian Studies) (Honours)
Director, Red Tape Consulting China Consultant - Australian Football League





AMY ESPESETH

CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

Careers in this sector include:

  • Arts management
  • Art curatorship
  • Cinema management
  • Art conservation
  • Museum management
  • Author

Many Arts graduates have followed their passion for art and creativity and are now working in creative industries. These include those who are producers of creative work and those who support and promote artists.

"Undergoing a PhD, especially while supported by an Australian Postgraduate Award, has permitted me as a reader/academic to pursue my interests while focusing the study towards an eventual outcome, the thesis. As a writer, I've been given the space and time required to think through and prepare a creative manuscript."

Amy Espeseth, Master in Arts (Creative Writing)
PhD candidate and author Winner of Premier's Literary Award 2009





DUC PHAM

INTERNATIONAL CAREERS

Careers in this sector include:

  • International trade and diplomacy
  • Development and aid projects
  • Multinational business
  • Media correspondence
  • Language translation Teaching

The Arts curriculum at Melbourne has been designed with an international focus to give students cross-cultural awareness and the ability to adapt to a variety of cultural environments. Students who study a language with the Faculty of Arts give themselves an international and competitive advantage.

"For anyone interested in nation/state-building, political strategy/economy/culture, studying international relations is highly recommended. In my experience, studying international relations exposes us to religious, cultural, regional/subregional, and state/international/world affairs, and also to issues concerning the environment, diplomacy, warfare, history and international political economy. It's very interesting and at the same time challenging to grasp these issues in depth."

Duc Pham, Master of International Politics
Department of Immigration and Citizenship





LEAH CRAVEN

MEDIA AND PUBLISHING

Careers in this sector include:

  • Journalism
  • Television, advertising and marketing
  • Publishing
  • Corporate communications
  • Public relations
  • Online publishing
  • Media management

Arts graduates are equipped with the organisational, research and communications skills to succeed in a high-paced media environment. Many work in publishing where the ability to produce high-quality work within tight deadlines is essential.

"My first story was during the 2008 US presidential campaign. Hillary Clinton was starting to feel pressure from Barack Obama and when the story started breaking, I was fortunate there was nobody else in the office to work on the story. But previous to this I had been working very hard and hoping convince the producers at SBS that I was ready to take on a bigger story when the opportunity came."

Leah Craven, Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
Master of International Politics
SBS World News Reporter/Producer





ELLEN SANDELL

OTHER CAREERS

Careers in this sector include:

  • Law
  • Architecture
  • Building and planning design
  • Health sciences including psychology
  • Nursing and social work

A wide range of other careers is available to Arts students depending on graduate study choices, their passions and what extra-curricular experience they obtain during their degree. The Bachelor of Arts can be a pathway into some careers which require further study at the graduate level.

"It may be that my studies in Spanish don't translate directly to my work for the environment, but when I am writing my projects or reports, I feel like I am doing an Arts assignment."

Ellen Sandell, Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science
Majors in Linguistics, Spanish and Genetics
Young Environmentalist of the Year 2009
Victorian Director for the Youth Climate Change Coalition





POLLY BANKS

COMMUNITY

Careers in this sector include:

  • Community development (local and international)
  • Project coordination
  • Disability support
  • Policy development
  • Research and consultancy

The not-for-profit and community sectors are popular destinations for Melbourne Arts graduates who want to use their knowledge and skills to assist others and make a positive difference in the world.

"After finishing my undergraduate studies with a double degree in Journalism and International Relations, I intended to pursue a career in journalism. While I was in the process of applying for journalism jobs in Melbourne, I began working part time in the community development sector as the Assistant Coordinator of a homeless shelter in Fitzroy. This position greatly altered my perspective on what type of work would keep me satisfied in the long term and led me to pursue a career in development rather than journalism."

Polly Banks, Masters of Development Studies
Save the Children, Kimberly



OTHER CASE STUDIES

The Faculty of Arts often catches up with alumni who have studied the Bachelor of Arts and now have exciting careers. These stories are published in the media and in the University of Melbourne's various newsletters and publications.

Pathways & Careers

 

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