Undergraduate
You’ll be studying on-site at our award-winning campus, learning in small classes from nationally recognised artists.
You can develop both the technical and conceptual skills you need as a contemporary practising artist in our undergraduate programs. Applications for studying in Semester 2 2023 will open on the same date as our Open Day - Saturday 27 May. If you are interested in studying at ACSA, in either our short course or undergraduate courses, our Open Days are a great opportunity to meet staff and current students as well as to see the campus facilities and teaching spaces.
‘Coming to Adelaide Central School of Art all those years ago was like coming home. I remember visiting the school on the cusp of Year 12 graduation and immediately feeling that I had found my place in the world. The small, community-minded environment, the focus and energy of the lecturers, staff and students, and the hands-on approach to visual arts practice all drew me in and has held me there ever since.’
– Julia Robinson, BVA graduate and lecturer
Curriculum
The curriculum of our three undergraduate programs, the Diploma of Visual Art, Associate Degree of Visual Art and Bachelor of Visual Art and the post-graduate Honours program embrace the disciplines of:
- Drawing
- Painting
- Sculpture
- Video and Performance
- Art History & Theory
- Contemporary Studio Practice
Our degree courses are accredited by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, having satisfied the national accreditation requirements that lead to qualifications under the Australian Qualifications Framework.
We understand the importance of flexibility around part-time study options and all of our programs, except the final year of the BVA and the Honours program, can be undertaken at a part-time rate. We also offer scholarships, awards and Work-Integrated Learning subjects to provide contemporary industry experience in the visual arts sector.
‘My Adelaide Central School of Art experience was a major turning point, enabling me to develop high-level skills that weren’t being taught elsewhere, coupled with the knowledge needed to make it as a professional artist, all within a friendly and supportive environment. Being part of a smaller caring community was an integral part of the experience. I felt nurtured and understood.’
Julia Robinson, BVA graduate and lecturer
Graduate Attributes
The Graduate Attributes describe the broad qualities and capabilities that our students are expected to develop through tertiary studies at Adelaide Central School of Art. These attributes provide graduates with a foundation for lifelong learning and professional practice, both in the visual arts sector and beyond.
View examples of graduate career profiles here.
The Graduate Attributes are embedded in our curriculum, extending the discipline-specific unit learning outcomes to encompass broader capabilities that can be applied to a wide range of contexts. The Graduate Attributes are also promoted through our collegiate culture, which connects formal education to a cooperative atmosphere of mutual support, peer learning and creative exchange.
Professional readiness
Our graduates demonstrate professional readiness through comprehensive making abilities, professional business skills, relevant technological aptitude, and time management skills. They are able to contextualise their practice within local and national networks and generate professional opportunities in the arts industry.
Graduates understand the multifaceted nature of being an autonomous practising professional artist, recognising that this might entail studio practice, exhibition of work, pursuit of funding opportunities and residencies, teaching, critical writing, arts administration and work in related creative industries.
Creativity, adaptability and critical thinking
Our graduates are critical and creative thinkers. They have the ability to adapt their knowledge, research capabilities and problem solving skills to a range of contexts. They demonstrate intellectual curiosity, and recognise connections between differing academic fields and the broader arts industry.
Graduates’ adaptability supports longevity in their visual art practices and ensures that skills are transferable to broader fields of study, practice and employment.
Autonomy, self-awareness and ethical understanding
Our graduates demonstrate intellectual autonomy, initiative, self-awareness and academic integrity. Graduates learn empathy and intercultural understanding through participation in our collegiate culture. They have the ability to work alongside and collaborate with people of diverse ages, genders, sexualities, social and cultural backgrounds and levels of experience.
The ethical, empathetic and academically rigorous conduct of our graduates positions them to transition into independent practice, employment, or post-graduate study.
Communication
Our graduates have the ability to effectively communicate complex ideas, emotions and human experiences through their artworks. They are also adept in communicating verbally and in writing. Our graduates have the capacity to adapt these communication skills for a variety of professional and academic contexts and audiences.
Relocation Grants
Grants of up to $2000, for the purpose of relocation to Adelaide (from interstate or regional South Australia), are available to outstanding applicants who wish to study the Bachelor of Visual Art on a full time basis.
For more information and to apply, view the Relocation Grant Application Form
Eligible students are also encouraged to apply for a $5000 School Leaver Scholarship.
The inaugural Relocation Grant was awarded in 2017 to Tori Mansfield.She moved to Adelaide from Orange, New South Wales, after being accepted to study a Bachelor of Visual Art.
“The grant will be an incredible help to me. Having to move so far away from home, it’ll help me to establish myself here in Adelaide and be a helping hand whilst I look for part time work,” she said.
Tori thrived in her first year and received a 2017 Port Art Supplies Encouragement Award for her demonstrated commitment to her study and efforts to be involved in the School’s community.
To express your interest in applying for a Relocation Grant, please email our Student Liaison Officer, Andrew Herpich, or call 08 8299 7300.
New Student Application
Diploma of Visual Art | Associate Degree of Visual Art | Bachelor of Visual Art. Applications for entry into the DVA, ADVA and BVA courses for Semester 2 2023 will open on 27 May 2023. Our Open Day will be held on Saturday 27 May, 10-4pm.
