2021 Changes for the Bachelor of Arts

How can I view the course lists from previous years, and for 2021?

When viewing the 2020 BA course list on the Programs and Courses website,  you can change which year you are viewing using the dropdown box near the top right of the list to compare the 2021 BA with the pre-2021 program.

My BA plan (Extended Major/Major/Minor) is no longer offered from 2021, can I still complete it?

Yes! If you commenced your plan prior to 2021 in a single or dual program and you stay enrolled in your current program code, then you can complete the plan, guided by the courses included on the pre-2021 course list. Please refer to section 4 to find completion planners for discontinued plans.

If you change into a 2021 BA dual program, you will need to complete plans available in the 2021 program. Please refer to section 2.

My plan (e.g. Studies in Australian Culture, French) now has a new title, how does this affect me?

If you have declared the old plan, you can complete with this title. If you are in the single BA and want to follow the new course list or plan, please declare the new plan in mySI-net.

You will not be able to declare the new plan in your pre-2021 BA dual program code. If you change to a 2021 BA dual program code, you will be required to declare the new plan.

My BA plan course list has changed. Do I follow the old or new course list?  Can new courses fit into my old plan course list?

Providing you are staying in your current program code, you can choose courses from either list but you must ensure you are completing the required compulsory courses and sufficient level 2 and level 3 courses to satisfy the requirements of the program in which you are enrolled. Refer to our advice in section 3. 

If your plan is still offered in your program in 2021, you can fit new courses into your old course list if they are at the appropriate level. For example, if you have space for 2 units of optional level 3 courses, you can choose to take a new level 3 course to fill that requirement. 

If your plan has been discontinued, please see the completion planners in section 4.

My plan is still offered from 2021, but a compulsory course/s in my plan is no longer offered - can I still complete my plan?

Yes! In the Majority of situations we have listed the approved alternative course/s here.  Please check section 3 to see if your plan’s course list has undergone complex changes that need more detailed advice. 

The approved replacement course for my compulsory course does not work in my situation, what do I do now?

If the recommended replacement course/s do not work in your situation (e.g. it won’t be offered again before you are due to graduate, or you are unable to meet the prerequisites), please contact our Student Administration team so we can find an alternative solution for you (such as a variation request). 

What if there are ‘leftover’ courses when I try to fit my old courses in the new course list? 

If a course fits into your old list, we will try to make sure it fits into your new list. If it isn’t clear where a course should be counted, please contact the Student Administration team. 

There is a new course that seems very similar to a discontinued course, why is that?

Some courses that have been discontinued have been redesigned – perhaps to be offered at a different year level than before, or to incorporate content from another discontinued course. If the old and new courses are very similar, they will be marked as ‘incompatible’ meaning you cannot take both. Sometimes the redesigned course is the approved replacement for the discontinued course, sometimes it isn’t – please check the plan-specific Faculty advice further down this webpage to be sure.

My compulsory course is now offered in a different semester and I can’t fit it in before I expect to graduate, what are my options?

Sometimes there is more than one alternative course, including at least one course in each semester. If there is only one alternative course, but taking it would affect your expected graduation semester, please apply for a variation to your program/plan. Refer to section 7 for advice on how to contact the team.  

I was planning to complete a Major and two Minors and that combination of plans is not available in the 2021 program. What do I do?

As a continuing student, you can complete your chosen combination of a Major and two Minors if you remain in your current program of study (program code).

I am a dual degree student taking an Extended Major and I planned to complete the BA component of my program with 8 units of electives. Can I still do that?

Yes, as long as you remain in your current program of study (program code). Students commencing in a dual program in 2021 will need to take a Minor in combination with an Extended Major. Students continuing in a dual program will be able to complete their program with an Extended Major and 8 units of electives.

I am completing a BA Minor in an area where there was no prescribed course list prior to 2021. How do I know what the requirements for my Minor will be?

If you continuing your current program you can complete under the old rules: an approved combination of 8 units from a Major, including a gateway course and a cornerstone course for that Major, with at least 4 units in courses at level 2 or higher OR you can follow the new Minor course list.

If you change to a 2021 program code, you will be required to follow the new Minor course list.

What kind of program design changes have been made?

Some of the changes were made to standardise UQ programs, such as making sure a Major in each program always means 16 units and ensuring students complete at least 8 units of level 3 courses in a 3-year Bachelor program. Please view the Program Design Policy for more detail.

Will any of the discontinued courses/plans ever be offered again? 

Possibly. The popularity of fields of study vary over time. If demand for a particular study area or plan increases, the School that teaches in that area can propose to (re)introduce  plans or courses.