Bachelor of Visual Art (Visual Art Studio Practice)
UndergraduateUSQ-VSP-DEG2026
Course information for 2026 intake View information for 2025 course intake
Become a professional visual artist
Fine tune your creative side and produce engaging visual pieces. You’ll study painting, printmaking, drawing, sculpture, and ceramics. Explore trends in new media and design. Think about how people experience art. Adapt. Innovate. Create!
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 3 years full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 24
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
- CSP available
- Yes
Bachelor of Visual Art (Visual Art Studio Practice)
About this degree
Upon completion of this program, graduates will be able to:
- Use advanced studio-based knowledge, technical proficiency, and apply individual work ethic necessary for practice as a skilled, professional visual artist.
- Use a broad knowledge of the historical, ideological, critical and ethical perspectives in the visual arts, both historically and in contemporary cultural, social contexts and industry.
- Apply a high level of critical reflexivity and reflectivity in the design, implementation and evaluation of individual and group art projects with an ability to adapt knowledge and skills in problem solving.
- Apply a flexible and innovative approach to practising creativity and engaging the visual arts in the wider community and in a range of professional industries.
- Use a range of verbal, written and visual communicative forms that will enable effective and articulate engagement with relevant organisations, industry bodies and professional networks.
- Actively engage with the advocacy and pursuit of ongoing research in the visual arts and their role in cultural growth.
- Interested in blending an area of visual art you’re passionate about with a rewarding profession? When choosing to major in Studio Practice (painting, printmaking, drawing, sculpture, ceramics and photography), you will graduate with traditional visual art industry qualifications but also benefit from dynamic pathways for qualifications in arts therapy, education, business, marketing and graphic design. Within the Studio Practice major, you will have the opportunity to undertake courses that utilise and are embedded within the renowned McGregor Summer and Winter Art School, to attain credit for studio work. Benefit from the practical studios to meet the varied needs of individual practitioners, such as the ceramics studio – the only ceramics studio at a Queensland university, and one of only four in Australia.
Recommended study pattern
Year 1
SCA1001 Persuasive Communication: Presenting Yourself and Your Ideas
VIS1010 2D Studio Foundations
VIS1101 Perspectives in Visual Arts: Movements, Moments and Events
SCA1002 Introduction to Creative and Critical Thinking
VIS1020 3D Studio Foundations
VIS1402 Artists and their Studio Practice
2 x Second Major courses
Year 2
SCA2001 Cultural Responsibilities and Creative Communities
VIS2010 Intermediate Studio 1
VIS2101 Visual Storytelling: Building Personal and Cultural Narratives in the 21st Century
SCA2002 Arts Business: Making and Managing Your Arts Career
VIS2020 Intermediate Studio 2
VIS2202 Curatorial and Cultural Management
2 x Second Major courses
Year 3
VIS3010 Advanced Studio 1
VIS3020 Advanced Studio 2
VAP3100 Professional Visual Art Project 1
VAP3200 Professional Visual Art Project 2
4 x Second Major courses
Award requirements
Completion of 24 units as outlined in the Recommended Study Pattern section.Choose your subjects
Majors
- Visual Art Studio Practice
- Curation, Innovation and Visual Art.
Electives
You may select courses from the available minors to make up your electives in this program.
Exit points
Diploma of Creative Arts Studies.
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative first year fee
$9,312
Indicative total fee $27,936
The amounts shown here are indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.
Fees may vary depending on:
- the subjects you choose
- credit from previous work experience
- your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.
To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.
As Australia’s #1 university for graduate starting salary (Good Universities Guide, 2022), University of Southern Queensland is the right place to make real progress. Regardless of your education history, your age or your aspirations, at UniSQ you’ll be inspired by quality learning experiences matched with top resources and research. Having delivered distance and online learning for over 40+ years, UniSQ supports you to learn at your own pace—exactly how it suits you.
Learn more about USQ.
Explore USQ courses.
- QS World University Ranking 2026, within Australia:
- 23
- Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2026, within Australia:
- 24
How to apply
University of Southern Queensland manages enquiries and applications for this degree.
Complete your details and we'll make sure your enquiry is sent to University of Southern Queensland who will contact you to discuss this degree.
Don't worry, we're still here to help you - you'll receive a personalised follow-up from an Open Universities Australia student advisor to make sure you have found the right degree for you.
Entry requirements
- ATAR - 60.00 or equivalent Attend an interview with portfolio. If you do not hold an ATAR, applicants can successfully undertake an interview and supply a written statement. Note: It is a requirement that Queensland-based students hold a current positive notice indicating that they are deemed suitable for working with children and young people whilst studying the Bachelor of Visual Art. Further information about the Blue Card or Exemption Card suitability process is available from the Blue Card Services. Proof of meeting the English Language Proficiency requirements is also required.
- Completed VET qualifications can be used to derive an ATAR score or Selection Rank which may be used to meet the Entry Requirements for the program. We encourage you to reach out to the UniSQ team to discuss your options further.
- Work and Life experience may be used to derive an ATAR score or Selection Rank which may be used to meet the Entry Requirements for the program. We encourage you to reach out to the UniSQ team to discuss your options further.
All students are required to satisfy the applicable English language requirements. For entry to the Bachelor of Visual Art (Visual Art Studio Practice) program, applicants are required to meet the Category 2 English Language Proficiency requirements.
- Exemptions/credit will be assessed based on the UniSQ Credit and Exemption Procedure. Claims for credit for previous study should be submitted prior to or at the time of enrolment. Each claim will be assessed on individual merit in line with UniSQ policy.
Study method requirements
The Visual Art Studio Practice specialisation is available on-campus in Toowoomba and online.
Online Visual Art students should note the following further requirements:
- all Curation, Innovation and Cultural Management courses are available online
- On-campus/online students may be able to gain credit for approved studio intensives/workshops undertaken in the non-teaching periods eg. UniSQ McGregor Summer and/or Winter schools
Career opportunities
Australian job snapshots
Data sourced from Australian Jobs 2023.
| Role | Earnings | Employment change |
|---|---|---|
| Painters (Visual Arts) | N/A^ | N/A^ |
| Private Tutors and Teachers | N/A^ | Up 9% |
| Sculptors | N/A^ | N/A^ |
| Visual Arts and Crafts Professionals | N/A^ | Up 10.3% |
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