Liberal Arts and Science at the University of Sydney
Our rankings
We're ranked 62nd globally for natural sciences by the 2021 QS University Rankings by Subject.
Our graduates are ranked 1st in Australia and 4th globally for employability by the 2020 QS Graduate Employability Rankings.
In response to COVID-19, the University of Sydney has reviewed the availability of courses to be delivered remotely for students commencing their studies in Semester 1, 2021.
This course will be available to study remotely for students commencing in Semester 1, 2021. Please note that some units of study that are not essential to completing the degree may not be available to be studied remotely.
Note: The University intends to offer as many units of study as possible in a remote as well as face-to-face learning method of delivery in Semester 1, 2021 and subject to ongoing border closures and public health orders impacting attendance on campus, in Semester 2, 2021. However, some units of study and courses require students to study in-person at the relevant University of Sydney campus/es and host locations for placements and will not be available remotely.
About this course
With its flexibility and huge choice of majors, the Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Science provides you with a background in both the humanities and the sciences, and gives you useful skills that will make you highly valued by potential employers in jobs across the market. From writing and presenting to thinking ethically and critically, the BLAS degree is your preparation for life beyond the classroom.
This is a course designed for the student who is fascinated by the world and wants to learn as much about it as they can. With a BLAS degree, you can indulge your interests in both the arts and sciences without restricting yourself to just one specialist area of study.
Over the three-year degree, you choose either an arts or a science major. With over 40 arts majors and 30 science majors, that adds up to almost 80 choices, from Philosophy to Physics to Political Economy. You will then complement your major by choosing subjects from the other area, ensuring you leave with the well-rounded knowledge base that defines graduates of liberal arts degrees.
But the BLAS degree is about much more than what facts and figures you learn. It's about getting skills that can be used in life beyond the classroom. A special Liberal Studies stream has been built into the BLAS degree to boost your communication and analytical skills, which potential employers have told us time and time again are the skills that they look for in recruits.
You have the choice to complete with a major from Science or Arts.
Examples of popular Science majors offered by our academic schools are listed below:
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences majors include:
Depends on your qualification, citizenship status
Every year, we provide hundreds of scholarships, awards and prizes to students of all backgrounds and levels.
Every year, we provide hundreds of scholarships, awards and prizes to students of all backgrounds and levels.
Prospective domestic students apply through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) for a Commonwealth supported place . Refer to the UAC website for key dates. Separate scholarship deadlines apply, visit the scholarships website for details.
For other useful information, visit our How to apply page.
Current University of Sydney students applying to transfer from one bachelor's degree to another apply directly to the University. The exact process will depend on the course you are currently in and the course to which you wish to transfer. For more information visit the Change your course page.
Current students applying to transfer from a diploma to a bachelor's degree must apply through UAC.
Refer to the UAC website Separate Scholarship deadlines apply - visit the Scholarships webpage for details.
Semester 1 (March) and Semester 2 (August)
Visit the How to apply page for detailed information on if you need to apply directly to the University or through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). If you are a direct applicant, when you are ready to apply select the `Apply’ button on this course page.
Current University of Sydney students applying to transfer from one bachelor's degree to another apply directly to the University. The exact process will depend on the course you are currently in and the course to which you wish to transfer. For more information visit the Change your course page.
Direct applicants:
Semester 1 - 31 January of the commencing year.
Semester 2 - 30 June of the commencing year.
We strongly encourage international applicants to apply as early as possible to allow time for visa and travel arrangements. Separate scholarship deadlines apply - visit the scholarships webpage for details.
UAC Applicants: Refer to the UAC website
Semester 1 (March) and Semester 2 (August)
The Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Science may be undertaken three years full-time or six years part-time. In the course, you will complete a major in science or arts.
Full-time students enrol in junior units of study with a maximum 48 credit points (cp) during first year. A typical unit of study has a value of 6cp. If you intend to major in a humanities or social sciences subject area you will enrol in 24cp of junior units of study from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Handbook Table A, and 12cp of junior units of study from the Faculty of Science Handbook Table A. Conversely, if you intend to major in a science subject area you will enrol in 24cp of junior units of study from the Faculty of Science Handbook Table A and 12cp of junior units of study from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Handbook Table A.
In second and third year, you will continue to focus on your chosen major, and complete your studies with 36cp from the designated liberal studies stream, which includes units from the areas of analytical thinking, communication, ethics, scientific enquiry, technological literacy and culture, society and global citizenship.
Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Science
| Year | Sem | Unit of study | |||
| 1 | 1 | Major | Elective | LS: Analytical Thinking | Sequence/minor |
| 2 | Major | Elective | LS: Writing and Rhetoric: Academic Essays | Sequence/minor | |
| 2 | 1 | Major | Elective | LS: Ethics | Sequence/minor |
| 2 | Major | Elective | LS: Elective | Sequence/minor | |
| 3 | 1 | Major | Major | LS: Elective | Sequence/minor |
| 2 | Major | Major | LS: Elective | Sequence/minor | |
Assumed knowledge depends on subject areas chosen. Some units of study assume a level of knowledge of the subject area.
Admission to this course is on the basis of the following criteria:
Admission pathways are open to domestic applicants on the basis of equity or other adjustment factors, including for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants. For details, visit admission pathways.
For more information about the University’s credit policy, please see the Credit for Previous Studies page.
In addition to the amazing things you'll study, you can explore our Science Student Experience pages, and get a taste of the other incredible opportunities, events and activities available to you as a science student, including:
Most majors within the Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Science are recognised by the relevant professional association. For example, if you complete a major in chemistry you are eligible for graduate membership of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI).
You will be well equipped to pursue a range of careers, such as:
Depending on your major, some fields you might find yourself working in areas such as:
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