Now it has expanded its degree, with the Bachelor of Arts from 2024 to feature a new history and heritage studies major and a strengthened Indigenous studies major.

History and heritage studies will encompass global and Australian history and look at the importance of regional and local heritage, tourism and Indigenous history.

The Indigenous Studies major will explore identity, history, reconciliation, diversity, human rights, health and visual arts, among other topics.

Last year the university appointed Indigenous Studies Professor Andrew Gunstone as associate deputy vice-chancellor reconciliation, and in March launched a new National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth and Justice at Federation University aims to provide national leadership on Indigenous issues to drive "transformational change" through research, education programs, advocacy work and outreach for community and business.

The Federation University branch of the National Tertiary Education Union, which rallied against the axing of the Bachelor of Arts last year, welcomed the expansion as a "positive first step" to creating a distinctive Bachelor of Arts.

"The NTEU is looking forward to continuing to work collaboratively with FedUni on this exciting new BA, and ensuring the voices of the real experts - staff and students - continue to be heard as further new majors are developed," said NTEU branch president Dr Mathew Abbott.

"As this outcome demonstrates, we get the best results for the entire community by working together."

The renewed course will be taught at Mt Helen and the university's Berwick and Gippsland campuses.

"Arts degrees can open up many different career possibilities and we are thrilled to be able to strengthen our Arts course to suit the modern needs of students and employers," said Federation University Institute of Education, Arts and Community executive dean Professor Claire McLachlan.

"Writing for an audience, critical thinking, digital literacy and data literacy are among the range of skills people can gain when studying the arts and these will only be enhanced by the introduction of the co-op model."

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Professor McLachlan said there were plans to introduce new majors in the future and incorporate the course with the university's co-operative model which will see paid work placements and extensive collaboration with industry embedded in all courses from the end of 2025.

Dr Abbott, a senior lecturer in humanities in FedUni's BA course, said staff were looking forward to working with the university on the new course.

"As a long time BA teacher myself, it is wonderful to see the university stepping up and committing to our program, by appointing new staff and creating new majors. We are looking forward to seeing how the new course develops and to welcoming many new students into it next year and in the years to come," Dr Abbott said.

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