Study options
Broaden your horizons through industry experience and global study opportunities.
Creative writing in various mediums including poetry, fiction, screen writing and creative non-fiction, are able to be pursued through the Writing major, as is professional writing and editing. Playwriting and dramaturgy are offered through the Drama major, but can be incorporated into a Writing major. Students wishing to pursue exhibition curation and visual art criticism should investigate the Art History major. All of our disciplines offer the opportunity to engage in critical scholarly writing. The School can supervise postgraduate writing projects in all of these fields.
English Literature
“Narrative is present in every age, in every place, in every society; it begins with the very history of mankind and there nowhere is nor has been a people without narrative”
—Roland Barthes
In the English Literature major students enter a world of narrative. UQ is the only university in Queensland to offer breadth and depth in a range of courses examining the richness of literatures in English. Students who choose a major in English Literature learn to develop their enjoyment of reading and analytical skills through analysing the influential narratives that have shaped societies across time and place. Students who are passionate about literature, history, and culture often choose the English Literature major, while those who would like to combine literature with other media forms like film and TV (and plan to become English teachers) often choose the English major.
The English Literature major begins with two courses: one in literary classics (ENGL1800) and one in contemporary fiction (ENGL1500). Students then choose from a variety of elective courses in second year, including literary criticism and critical theory, the novel, world literature, Shakespeare and early modern literature, gothic fiction, and postmodernism. Gender and textuality, literary modernism, and Australian literature form the compulsory third year courses that conclude the major.
Students who excel in literature are encouraged to consider an extended major, and to plan for a one-year Honours degree after they complete their BA.
Hear more about this Major from Joy, a recent Bachelor of Arts student studying English Literature and Writing.
English
English is the medium of communication, business and entertainment for millions of people around the world.
From witty plays and elegant films to pungent protest songs and complex novels, it allows people to formulate and convey their particular vision of the world and their often urgent desire to celebrate or improve it. Students will examine examples of English at work in different circumstances, ranging from poetry to television and the Internet. The English Major is for students who intend to become secondary English teachers or for students who want to work at the intersection of English literature, film, and television.
Drama
It’s UQ Drama: experiencing, examining, creating theatre
UQ Drama encourages students to examine, experience, and create theatre in a program that offers one of the most comprehensive canonical curriculums in Australia. By studying theatre history, theory and practice at UQ, you will be challenged to think about what constitutes performance on the stage, on the page and in everyday life. You will develop an understanding of the theatrical and literary aspects of drama, from ancient Greek classics and medieval theatre to the most recent plays from around the world. You’ll critique professional performances, review plays, compare the classics with contemporary scripts, and craft your career on a broad base of knowledge and experience. You’ll also work with leading local, national and international practitioners to develop work in our state-of -the art studio facility. As you progress through your major, you’ll also get to write, perform in, and direct plays for assessment.
Art History
From the early modern to the contemporary, studying Art History at UQ enables you to explore in detail the ongoing significance of art as a platform for shaping and interpreting the worlds in which we live.
Art History provides practical skills in visual literacy and communication, critical thinking, historical analysis, academic research and writing, exhibition design and curatorship, opening doors to a variety of employment pathways in the visual arts industries and cultural sector, both nationally and internationally.
Art History is available to study as a Single Major (16 units) or an Extended Major (24 Units), and features courses on Australian art, Renaissance and Baroque Art, Modernism, the history of photography, contemporary art and critical theory, Indigenous arts of the Australia Pacific region, methodologies of art history, and arts writing and curatorship.
Students further benefit from a range of curatorial internship and professional development opportunities across Australia and internationally, as well as placements with the University of Queensland Art Museum. UQ offers one of the few fieldwork courses on Indigenous Australian art available in Australia, an invaluable opportunity to work in a remote indigenous community. Students are also able to undertake an intensive three-week study abroad course in Venice, immersing themselves in Renaissance and Baroque art and architecture, and attending the Venice Biennale.
Film and Television Studies
Film and Television Studies introduces the language of film and television and the principal ways in which screen media are written about and analysed.
This major introduces you to the history, theory, and criticism of film and television.
Explore the commerce and aesthetics of film and television across cultures and history.
Critically analyse film and television style, and examine new industry and artistic trends ushered in by digital media.
Graduate opportunities include careers in education, festivals and events, publicity, marketing, film culture, screen corporations and film distributors.
Graduates from this major often find work in areas such as education, events, marketing and PR, film distribution, and digital streaming.
Writing
The craft of writing develops from a desire to connect with a readership, and that's what this major will help you to achieve.
You will work with world-renowned creative practitioners to hone your technique and develop the skills you need to build a portfolio career in the changing publishing landscape. You will master a range of commercial and literary genres including poetry, screen-writing and fiction while building your networks and knowledge of the industry. This major will train you to research effectively and edit judiciously to create compelling, marketable stories that connect with global audiences.
Professional Writing and Communication
Professional writers design and implement innovative communication strategies in a wide range of industries, including government, non-profit, commercial and technical sectors.
In this applied field of study, you will learn principles and practices for compelling, persuasive and ethical communication with diverse audiences. You will develop skills including multimedia production and storytelling, writing for print and digital environments, and editing. The critical and practical communication expertise you develop by studying professional writing will equip you to excel in a variety of disciplines and careers.
“Communication can change the world. Let’s communicate better,” Dr Beck Wise.