Bachelor of Fine Arts / Engineering (Honours)(Civil Engineering)

5 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of New South Wales

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Fine Arts / Engineering (Honours) at UNSW Sydney is a unique double degree that lets you combine creativity with technical expertise. It’s ideal for students who are passionate about art — whether it’s visual arts, music, or animation — but also want the challenge of solving real-world problems through civil engineering. Over five to six years, you’ll explore both fields side by side, graduating with the skills to create and innovate in both creative and technical spaces.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1 — Foundations in Art & Engineering
In your first year, you’ll get a taste of both worlds: core art courses like studio practice and drawing fundamentals, alongside introductory engineering subjects such as mathematics, physics, and Introduction to Engineering Design and Innovation. This year helps you develop a creative voice while learning the problem-solving mindset engineers use to tackle real-world challenges.

Year 2 — Exploring Specialisations & Engineering Core
Your second year focuses on building depth. You’ll take medium-specific art courses, such as concept development in animation, ensemble work in music, or studio investigations in visual arts. On the engineering side, you’ll study core civil subjects like mechanics, materials, and structures, giving you the technical foundation needed for more complex projects.

Year 3 — Applied Projects & Disciplinary Growth
By year three, you’ll start applying your knowledge through larger art projects, exhibitions, or performances. Civil engineering courses such as transport engineering, water engineering, and environmental systems give you insight into how infrastructure shapes communities, allowing you to tackle challenges with both creativity and technical precision.

Year 4 — Creative Depth & Engineering Practice
In year four, you’ll focus on advanced art projects and professional presentations, while civil engineering courses include specialised design projects and professional practice components. You’ll develop teamwork, project management, and sustainable design skills, stretching both your creative and analytical abilities.

Year 5 — Capstone Projects & Professional Experience
The final year brings everything together: capstone art projects, research-led practice, and advanced civil engineering design projects. You’ll also complete industrial training, giving you practical experience to graduate confident in both creative and professional settings.

Focus areas: Civil infrastructure design, creative and visual arts practice, animation and moving image, music composition and performance, art theory.
Learning outcomes: Solve complex creative and technical problems, design innovative civil systems and artistic works, communicate across disciplines, and present professional portfolios and engineering solutions.
Professional alignment (accreditation): Engineering (Honours) is fully accredited, preparing you for membership with Engineers Australia.
Reputation (employability rankings): UNSW Engineering is highly ranked nationally and internationally, and the Fine Arts program is known for producing creative practitioners who excel in exhibitions, performance, and media.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At UNSW, this double degree is designed so you’re always learning by doing. From day one, you’ll get hands-on experience — whether that’s creating art, designing projects, coding, or solving real engineering challenges. You’ll have access to professional tools and spaces that let your ideas come to life, so your work isn’t just theoretical — it’s practical, creative, and career-ready:

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

Professional creative tools: Use Adobe Creative Cloud for animation, digital art, video and design, giving you experience with the same software used in the creative industry.
Specialist arts studios: Work in dedicated studios and performance spaces, taking part in exhibitions, screenings, performances, and collaborative projects that build both skill and confidence.
Engineering Work Integrated Learning: Complete at least 60 days of industrial training in real workplaces, gaining practical experience in civil engineering projects before you graduate.
ChallENG project collaborations: Join cross-disciplinary teams to tackle real engineering challenges, bringing your creative perspective to practical solutions for industry clients.
State-of-the-art engineering facilities: Make use of the Engineering Makerspace, Design Futures Lab, and The Making Centre for prototyping, testing, and hands-on engineering work.
Creative and digital workshops: Access fully equipped workshops, digital studios, and specialist production facilities across UNSW campuses to support your art, music, animation, and design projects.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduating from the Bachelor of Fine Arts / Engineering (Honours) at UNSW Sydney gives you a rare combination of creative skills and technical know-how that employers really value. With this degree, you could work as a Civil Engineer, Creative Project Designer, Infrastructure Consultant, or Innovation Specialist — roles where your creativity and engineering expertise come together to solve real-world problems:

Here’s how UNSW helps you turn your degree into a career:

Personalised career support: UNSW Careers & Employment helps you with everything from writing résumés and preparing for interviews to connecting with employers and attending industry events.
Strong graduate outcomes: UNSW graduates are recognised as some of the most employable students in Australia, with a reputation for being work-ready thanks to hands-on learning and industry experience.
Industry connections & internships: Through Work Integrated Learning (WIL) and programs like ChallENG, you’ll gain real-world experience and build a professional network that can lead to internships or graduate positions.
Professional accreditation: The engineering part of your degree is accredited by Engineers Australia, meaning your qualification is recognised nationally and internationally — a big advantage if you want to work overseas.
Versatile career paths: Graduates can pursue careers in infrastructure, creative industries, consulting, government, transport, or construction — giving you flexibility to explore the areas that excite you most.

Further Academic Progression:
You could pursue a Master’s degree in Engineering, Creative Arts, Design, Architecture, or Project Management to deepen your expertise.If research appeals to you, consider Honours, Graduate Diplomas, or even a PhD in civil infrastructure, digital media, interactive design, or arts practice. Short courses, professional certificates, and graduate programs can also help you specialise in areas like sustainable design, digital fabrication, arts management, or heritage conservation.