Bachelor of Arts in Western Civilisation University of Wollongong

The Bachelor of Arts in Western Civilisation will expose you to ideas that have been inspiring people since their inception — in Ancient Greece and Rome, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Enlightenment and the Modern Era. You will have the unique opportunity to directly engage with a carefully curated selection of some of the most influential works in the Western tradition of thought and art.

What you will study
You will philosophically reflect on questions about art, literature, science and religion while also investigating such topics as the nature of selfhood, truth, reason and wisdom. You will discover how great ideas and art can shape us - our understanding of ourselves and the world - and how ideas can make a difference for good or ill.

You will develop informed and reasoned views about significant contemporary concerns, such as the value of democracy, benefiting from your acquired knowledge of the history of ideas. You will become acquainted with diverging perspectives from within various Western traditions of thought and art as well as under-represented voices and perspectives from outside of those traditions.

You will choose one major from the following: Archaeology and Ancient History; Creative Writing; History; Indigenous Studies; Languages; Sociology; English Literatures; Philosophy; Politics; International Relations; Global Sustainable Development.

Course Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes are statements of learning achievement that are expressed in terms of what the learner is expected to know, understand and be able to do upon completion of a course. Students graduating from this course will be able to:

CLO Description

1 Knowledgeably describe and analyse exemplary masterpieces of Western thought, art and architecture;

2 Philosophically reflect upon and aesthetically appreciate exemplary masterpieces of Western thought, art and architecture;

3 Critically discuss and analyse connections between Western and non-Western traditions of thought, art and architecture;

4 Critically examine the very idea of Western civilisation and the contribution Western ideas and ideals make to, and challenges they raise for, today’s world;

5 Participate in civil, rational discussion and argument, backed by reason, applying relevant social skills and acquired intellectual virtues;

6 Communicate effectively, open mindedly and ethically across a wide range of contexts.

7 Apply specialized knowledge of a chosen area of study to understand and address complex issues

Why choose this course

You will study the core of your liberal arts degree in a small cohort with some of the brightest students in Australia. Small classes will allow you to form a collective, cohesive and collegial community of inquiry. Your learning will also be enhanced by a program of invited talks by distinguished scholars.

On graduating you will be a well-rounded free thinker, with the skills to be a passionate and socially responsible leader of tomorrow across many sectors such as civil society, business, government and academia.

Career opportunities

Archiving and Librarianship
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Arts
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Government Policy

Healthcare Policy & Management
Heritage Specialist
Historian

Human Resources
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Translation & Interpreting

Legal Work
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Tourism and Hospitality
Writing