Bachelor of Art History and Curatorial Studies and Bachelor of Arts

The Bachelor of Art History and Curatorial Studies and Bachelor of Arts at the University of Western Australia, located in Perth, brings together two intersecting fields for students passionate about the visual arts, history, and cultural curation. Over four years of full-time study, you will examine artworks, exhibitions, and museums, with a keen focus on the Australian context and global perspectives. Alongside core art history and curatorship units, you'll combine subjects from the broader Bachelor of Arts: options might include literature, history, languages, or Indigenous studies, allowing you to broaden your skillset.

This course is structured around semesters, with teaching delivered through lectures, seminars, tutorials, and on-site visits to galleries and museums in the Perth cultural precinct. You'll complete units in art criticism, curatorial theory and practice, research methods, and writing about art. As you progress, you may take part in work-integrated learning (such as professional placements), often alongside curators or collections managers in WA institutions or community arts organisations.

By the final year, students commonly undertake a research-based or curatorial project, synthesising what they’ve learnt in a practical or scholarly form. Throughout your studies, you build skills in visual analysis, exhibition planning, research, critical writing, and public communication, qualities that align closely with the needs of museums, cultural venues, and creative industries.

This double degree suits those interested in career paths spanning art museums, galleries, cultural policy, or public programming. It is well suited to learners who enjoy combining analytical thinking with creative interpretation, and who want to understand and share art in an Australian and international context. Confirm units, specialisation options, and the structure of credit points on the official University of Western Australia website.

• Gallery curator or assistant curator in public or private collections
• Museum educator or public programs officer
• Researcher or project officer in cultural heritage organisations
• Arts administrator or events coordinator in local, state, or national arts bodies
• Arts journalist, critic, or writer for Australian media outlets
• Policy roles within government cultural agencies

Graduates can access work rights (up to 48 hours per fortnight during study) and may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Museums, galleries, arts festivals, and academic or cultural policy groups are typical employers across Australia.