A Bachelor of Arts is grounded in the humanities and built around sustained engagement with ideas, texts and arguments that have shaped Western intellectual life. Rather than surveying topics briefly, students study core disciplines in depth through original works and close discussion. Across three years of full-time or part-time study on a face-to-face campus, the degree is typically completed through 24 units that develop both subject knowledge and disciplined habits of thought.
At its core, a Bachelor of Arts program draws on four foundational fields: literature, history, philosophy and theology. Each major approaches questions differently and requires distinct skills, which is why choosing the right one matters for both academic success and long-term satisfaction.
Key majors in a Bachelor of Arts
Majors within a Bachelor of Arts emerge directly from the structure of the curriculum. While all share an emphasis on careful reading and structured argument, each discipline trains students to think in a particular way.
Literature focuses on the close reading of texts across genres and historical periods. Students examine language, form and structure to understand how meaning is created. Attention is paid to detail at the sentence and paragraph level, with discussion often centred on how literary choices reflect broader cultural, historical or philosophical contexts. This major suits students who enjoy working carefully through texts and exploring multiple layers of interpretation.
History studies events, movements and ideas in sequence, with an emphasis on explanation rather than memorisation. Students read primary and secondary sources from different periods, assess their reliability and construct arguments about cause and consequence. The discipline teaches how to situate events within wider social and political developments, making it well suited to those who enjoy building coherent explanations from evidence.
Philosophy examines questions about ethics, knowledge, logic and the nature of reality. Students learn to follow arguments step by step, test their internal consistency and evaluate competing claims. Reading often involves dense texts that reward patience and precision. This major appeals to those who enjoy abstract reasoning and careful analysis of ideas.
Theology focuses on key texts and debates within Western intellectual and religious traditions. Students read authors from different centuries and learn to place each contribution within longer conversations about belief, meaning and interpretation. The discipline requires attentiveness to historical context as well as sensitivity to language and argument.
Choosing a major after finishing school
For students coming straight from high school, choosing a major can feel daunting. Many are ready for serious academic engagement but unsure which discipline best suits them. Early units in a Bachelor of Arts are designed to help clarify this decision by exposing students to different methods of inquiry.
Literature requires sustained attention to language and interpretation. History asks students to explain developments over time using evidence. Philosophy demands structured reasoning and precision in argument. Theology involves interpreting complex texts within long-standing traditions.
A practical way to approach this choice is to consider which type of task feels most manageable under pressure. Some students thrive when analysing texts closely, while others prefer constructing explanations from historical sources or testing logical arguments. Assignment feedback during the first semester can also be revealing. Comments highlighting strengths in a particular form of reasoning often point to a major that can sustain deeper study.
Choosing a major as an adult student
Adult students returning to study often bring different priorities and experiences. Rather than revisiting school subjects, they tend to look for alignment between their established habits of thought and the demands of each discipline.
Someone accustomed to writing clear reports or working with language may find literary analysis more intuitive than expected. Those involved in decision-making or policy may recognise familiar structures in philosophical argumentation. Individuals with experience in education, community work or public service often find that historical study sheds light on issues they have encountered in practice. Theology attracts students who want to engage formally with long-standing questions that they may have previously considered informally.
For adult learners, a brief personal inventory can be helpful. This might include preferred reading styles, comfort with abstract reasoning, capacity for reflective study and willingness to engage closely with long texts. The major that aligns with these factors is more likely to remain sustainable across multiple semesters.
Balancing interest and intellectual demands
While personal interest is important, it should be balanced with an honest assessment of each discipline’s demands. All majors within a Bachelor of Arts require regular reading, structured writing and participation in discussion. The difference lies in how those skills are applied.
Students benefit from choosing a major that not only interests them but also matches how they think and work. When the fit is right, the workload feels purposeful rather than burdensome, and intellectual growth becomes more consistent over time.
Moving on to future work and study
Majors within a Bachelor of Arts prepare graduates for fields where careful reading, clear writing and reasoned analysis are valued. These include education, policy, research, communications and further academic study. More broadly, the degree develops habits of attention, interpretation and judgment that are useful in many professional contexts.
Prospective students who want to understand the structure and expectations of the degree in more detail may benefit from attending a virtual open day. These sessions typically provide access to webinars, course guides and opportunities to ask questions about study pathways.
Choosing a major is an important step, but it does not need to be rushed. A Bachelor of Arts offers the space to explore foundational disciplines, refine intellectual skills and make informed decisions based on experience rather than assumption.
