Bachelor of Media Arts (Honours)

1 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of New South Wales

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Media Arts (Honours) is a one-year advanced undergraduate degree designed for high-achieving students who have completed an undergraduate degree in Media Arts or a related field. This program enables you to deepen your critical and creative skills through a significant practice-led research project, positioning you for pathways into postgraduate research or careers across the arts, media, and cultural sectors.

Curriculum Structure

Term One: Foundations and Research Development

During your first term, you'll engage in intensive coursework that bridges theory and practice in contemporary media arts contexts. This period focuses on establishing your research framework and developing the analytical foundations you'll need for your independent project. You'll work closely with supervisors to refine your research direction and build the conceptual underpinnings for your thesis or practice-based work.

Terms Two and Three: Independent Research and Practice-Led Project

After completing Term One coursework, you'll dedicate Terms Two and Three to developing your significant practice-led research project. This is where your learning becomes truly personalized—you'll work under expert supervision to advance your knowledge through hands-on creative practice combined with rigorous research methodology. At the end of Term One, you'll participate in the SAM Honours symposium, where you'll present your research in progress to peers, supervisors, and academic staff, receiving valuable feedback to shape your final work.

Focus Areas

Media Arts practice and theory integration, contemporary media contexts, practice-led research methodology, and advanced creative development.

Learning Outcomes

A detailed understanding of the relationship between theory and practice in contemporary media arts, advanced research skills, and critical creative abilities that prepare you for higher-degree research or professional roles in the arts and cultural sectors.

Professional Alignment

Upon graduation, you'll be well-positioned for careers in the arts, media, and cultural industries, with clear pathways to postgraduate research programs such as a Master of Fine Arts or PhD.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

In the Bachelor of Media Arts (Honours) at UNSW's Paddington campus, you'll dive straight into hands-on creative work through the School of the Arts & Media's industry-standard facilities, building real-world media skills with access to cutting-edge studios and equipment designed for practical projects. This one-year program emphasizes experiential learning via thesis projects that can include practical components in available media mediums, supported by technical staff and spaces like performance studios—perfect for turning your ideas into professional-level media arts outputs. You'll collaborate closely with supervisors and production teams, using minimalist, resource-smart approaches to maximize creativity without excess spending.

Here's what you can expect to work with:
- Esme Timbery Creative Practice Lab (CPL) venues like Io Myers Studio and Studio 1 for presenting practical media works, equipped with flexible lighting, sound systems, video projection (including a 4-metre remote-controlled screen), and configurable seating for up to 112 people.
- Technical Resource Centre in the Robert Webster Building, offering three video/sound editing rooms, a stop motion animation studio, multi-media labs, computer labs, video cameras, basic lighting kits, and audio recording gear for your coursework.
- Media-specific resources including three multimedia labs, one sound lab, two sound recording studios, two stop motion labs, and video editing suites—ideal for digital media production and experimentation.
- Additional AV tools from CPL such as projectors, PA systems, amplifiers, microphones, and TV screens for presentations and performances.

These facilities give you the edge to create standout honours projects that showcase your skills to future employers. Ready to take that step? Applications are open for those with a strong WAM from a relevant undergrad like Bachelor of Media Arts—let's get you set up to apply.

Progression & Future Opportunities

In the Bachelor of Media Arts (Honours) at UNSW's Paddington campus, you'll dive straight into hands-on experiential learning through the School of the Arts & Media's industry-standard facilities, building real-world media skills with access to professional-grade studios, labs, and equipment designed for creative projects and research. This one-year program emphasizes practical components like media production and presentations, where you can experiment in dedicated spaces while getting supervision from technical staff and faculty—perfect for turning your ideas into portfolio-ready work. You'll have everything you need to collaborate, create, and refine your craft in a supportive environment that mirrors industry settings.

Here's what stands out for gaining those practical skills:

- State-of-the-art studios like Io Myers Studio and Studio 1 in the Esme Timbery Creative Practice Lab (CPL), equipped with flexible lighting, sound systems, video projectors, and 4-metre screens for presenting practical media works—ideal for Honours projects that must be removable and minimalist.

- Technical Resource Centre on Level 2 of the Robert Webster Building, offering video/sound editing rooms, stop motion animation studios, multimedia labs, computer labs, digital stills/video cameras, basic lighting kits, and audio recording gear for your coursework.

- Media & film-specific resources including three multimedia labs, one sound lab, two sound recording studios, two stop motion labs, and video editing suites to support hands-on media production and experimentation.

- Creative Practice Labs (CPL) technical equipment such as video/slide projectors, theatre/film lights, zoom recorders, PA systems, amplifiers, microphones, and TV screens—prioritized for student research and class presentations.

- Opportunities for practical components and group-style presentations in studios or even outdoor locations (with approval), supervised by staff to ensure feasible, resource-efficient media projects.