Foundation Studies Program (Standard) - Arts (X0F:1) (0100808) + Associate Degree in Arts - Gender and Diversity (R2B) (056426M)

Program Description Foundation Studies Program (Standard) - Arts (X0F:1) (0100808): The Foundation Studies program is a direct academic pathway to first-year undergraduate degree study, or an equivalent. The program acts as a bridging course for international students who wish to study a university undergraduate degree course but who don’t yet meet academic requirements and/or have the English language skills for tertiary study. To successfully complete the program, students must achieve a 50% pass in all units, including English. Upon successful completion of the course, graduates can enter one of the University of Tasmania’s undergraduate degree courses. Associate Degree in Arts - Gender and Diversity (R2B): The Associate Degree in Arts is a two-year course, that provides students with opportunities to interpret human culture and behaviour from different perspectives and periods, to explore today’s big questions and learn how to support the social and economic development of humanity, and/or to be immersed in creativity, performance and innovation. The award is designed to allow students to choose their path: it can be the first two-years of Bachelor of Arts study, or they may like to enroll in this degree to pursue their passion and undertake two of the majors in the BA, or to extend curiosity and try units from a number of disciplines. The Associate Degree in Arts gives students the flexibility to choose from subjects to build knowledge and diversify their skills from a wide range of over twenty possible majors and minors in the Bachelor of Arts as well as many individual elective study options. In Gender & Diversity program, students will be immersed in an interdisciplinary exploration of the meaning and impact of gender, race, and sexuality. Assumptions about sex, gender and race have influenced everything from most fundamental understandings of what it is to be human to ancient poetry to contemporary fashion. They will become familiar with a variety of theoretical approaches to the subject and will be given a range of methodological tools to help them understand those cultural assumptions and practices which have shaped their lived experiences as gendered, racialised beings. The core units in Gender & Diversity examine questions of identity, power and change, including how understandings of human bodies and sexuality have changed over time. Students will analyse the various ways that masculinities and femininities are enacted in the world, and develop a critical awareness of the gendered and racial dynamics which influence these masculinities and femininities. All human beings live within a particular gender order and racial system: to study gender & diversity is to become more aware of the possibilities and constraints of these structures and their effect on their life and the world’s people and processes. Knowledge gained in this major will prepare students for work in all kinds of settings where an appreciation of diversity matters. This includes the community sector, equity and diversity units in businesses and institutions, discrimination law and human resources.