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Anthropology

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Major structure

Overview

Your course structure

The Bachelor of Arts requires the successful completion of 24 subjects (300-points), including at least one major. Most students study eight subjects each year (usually four subjects in each semester) for three years full-time, or the part-time equivalent.

Most Arts majors require 100 points of study (usually eight subjects) for attainment. This means out of your 300-point program, you have the opportunity to achieve two majors in your course.

Completing your major

If you are taking Anthropology as a major, you must complete:

  • Two level 1 (usually first year) subjects, comprising of either:
  • Arts Discovery and one level 1 elective subject (for a single major) OR two level 1 electives (for a double major)
  • Two level 2 core subjects and one level 2 elective subject (usually second year)
  • One level 3 capstone subject and two Level 3 elective subjects (usually third year)

If you are taking Anthropology as a minor, you must complete:

  • 25 points (usually two subjects) of level 1 elective subjects (usually first year)
  • Arts Discovery (if not already counted towards a Major)
  • 25 points (usually two subjects) of level 2 elective subjects (minor)
  • 25 points (usually two subjects) of level 3 elective subjects (minor)
Breadth studies

Breadth is a unique feature of the Melbourne curriculum. It gives you the chance to explore subjects outside of arts, developing new perspectives and learning to collaborate with others who have different strengths and interests — just as you will in your future career.

Some of our students use breadth to explore creative interests or topics they have always been curious about. Others used breadth to improve their career prospects by complementing their major with a language, communication skills or business expertise.

Profile

Jasmin Whyte

Jasmine Whyte is currently completing a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Anthropology.

Before I started at the University of Melbourne, I was working full time in an organic industrial kitchen.

I decided to study because I felt under-utilised at work. Life as a one-woman production line has its economic perks but certainly leaves much to be academically desired. I had decided to major in Psychology but soon found the science a little too dry. I did one unit of Anthropology and was immediately enamoured by the heated class discussion. Anthropology tutorials were emotional. People spoke about what mattered to them.

I like the lifestyle of studying the BA. I like being forced to interact with people I would never talk to and think about things I would have never thought of. I like spending hours researching. Spending hours talking people’s ears off. Labouring over sentences. I finish every class feeling a bit smarter.

Anthropology forces me to see those aspects of life which, in their blinding salience, become invisible. Why do we do what we do? Why do we value what we do? What different (and more sophisticated) solutions have been developed in response to common human problems? Anthropology makes sense of the world again and again as many times as there are cultures.

Explore this major

Explore the subjects you could choose as part of this major.