What can I do with a creative arts degree?

Welcome, future creatives. If you dream of a career in music, in screen media or the visual arts, Charles Darwin University's new Bachelor of Creative Arts is for you. 

Now a separate qualification from the Bachelor of Arts, this course has been specifically designed to develop and nurture your talents and give you the skills to build a sustainable career in the ever-changing creative industries.

It's all about ‘learning by doing’ as you make and present your work, but you’ll also hone the skills needed to thrive in workplaces across the creative industries like critical thinking, research and creative collaboration. 

Your studio practice units are where you can come into your own, elevating and experimenting with your technical skills. Then, in your final year, you can put forward your best work for presentation in a major showcase. 

CDU’s industry connections offer opportunities for work experience, project collaboration and more. You’ll graduate with a professional portfolio of your creative achievements, ready to impress future employers. 

But first, you'll need to pick a major: 

Music

You’ve got the talent, but following a career in music needs more than that.

Studying a degree in music not only lets you work on your skills as a musician, but it also gives you the know-how you’ll need to cut through in a competitive industry. 

Gain a whole toolbox of skills, from the ability to compose, program, produce and record music on your own computer all the way to understanding how to advocate for yourself as an artist and as a business. Don’t forget softer skills like professional communication, networking and commanding an audience—there’s more to a music career than playing an instrument. 

Just as you are unique as a musician, so is this degree. Your course content will be highly tailored to your goals, from the electives you choose to your studio practice units and final project.

For students who know they want to pursue a career in music but don’t have it all figured out yet—that’s okay too! The units you select will help to whittle down your goals to a smaller segment of the industry. 

Remember, becoming a performing musician isn’t the only career outcome after a music degree. There’s plenty of space for non-instrumentalists in the music sector. Arts councils, ARIA, APRA, creative agencies—they all require educated individuals who know their way around a music project. 

Career outcomes: Musician | Composer | Songwriter | Audio engineer | Music producer | Artist manager | Arts administrator | Music promoter/marketer | Music educator

Screen media

As the film, TV and documentary sectors continue to grow rapidly in the Northern Territory, there’s never been a better time to follow your filmmaking dreams. 

The screen media major has been specifically designed in response to the evolving needs of the booming media industry, with course content closely aligned with the region’s influx of film and television productions. 

You’ll be guided in discovering and honing your creative voice, alongside hands-on skills in storytelling, cinematography, editing, and visual and audio communications. Have your unique style nurtured while building practical skills using the latest industry-relevant technology. 

Specialise further within your studio practice units and final showcase presentations, leading to a professional portfolio that can be used to wow employers. The industry growth has created increasing demand for skilled professionals with the skills you'll learn throughout this major, presenting graduates with diverse job opportunities. 

Career outcomes: Video editor | Cinematographer | Sound recordist | Director | Screenwriter | Producer | Production assistant

Visual arts

Artists are the heart of cultural life and the creative industries, shaping experiences, translating the present and visualising futures. 

Our regional context in the Northern Territory offers diverse and rich perspectives and opportunities to connect with artistic practice that has a national and even international reach. 

Our visual arts major is designed to encourage and nurture your creative practice, supporting the development of your unique artistic identity through studio-based investigation and discipline-focused electives. 

Your studio practice units are where you'll stretch your boundaries and venture into different scenes of studio-based production, driven by your own curiosity, imagination and sustainable methods of making. 

After graduating from your Bachelor of Creative Artists as an early career artist, you can increase your profile through making, developing and exhibiting your artwork. 

However, it's important to remember that there are many career paths for visual arts majors that require your in-depth knowledge of the industry and creative practice. You could work as a curatorial assistant at a gallery or museum, as an arts officer or project curator within a community arts organisation, or even contribute to arts development and grants in a government role. 

Career outcomes: Artist | Curator | Creative producer | Illustrator | Printmaker | Textile designer | Community arts worker | Concept artist | Workshop facilitator | Gallerist | Public art program coordinator | Install technician | Arts educator

Study the new Bachelor of Creative Arts at Charles Darwin University and turn your passion into a profession.