Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Communication - BBus/BComn


General

Course code: 1941
The Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Communication program offers students the opportunity to graduate with two separate degrees, a Bachelor of Business degree and a Bachelor of Communication degree from Monash University. Students are able to cross-credit subjects from one degree to the other, allowing them to complete both courses after four years of full-time study.

Course objectives

Upon completion of the Bachelor of Business students will:

The objectives of the Bachelor of Communication course are to provide students with a knowledge of:

Admission requirements

(a) Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)

Satisfactory completion of the VCE with English, units 3 and 4, and Mathematics, units 1 and 2.

(b) Comparable qualifications

Applicants may also satisfy entrance requirements on the basis of qualifications deemed to be the equivalent of the above VCE. TAFE qualifications (eg the first year of a TAFE associate diploma or a TAFE qualification that satisfies the first year of a TAFE associate diploma) or comparable Year 12 qualifications including International Baccalaureate or approved tertiary-level study completed in Victoria, other states of Australia or overseas may satisfy entry requirements.

(c) Special admission

Students who have not successfully completed VCE or equivalent may satisfy entry requirements by completing at least two Monash non-award single subjects or open learning (OLA) subjects. Further information is contained in the booklet 'Returning to study at Monash' which is available from the Prospective Students Office, telephone 9905 1320.

Fees

The Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) requires contributions to be made by students towards the cost of their higher education studies commenced after 1 January 1989. The amount to be contributed depends on the study load (subjects) undertaken each semester, and is payable whether or not a pass in each subject is achieved. An additional fee will also apply for amenities and library services. More detailed information relating to HECS can be obtained from Student Relations and Inquiries, Monash University, Berwick Campus, Clyde Road, Berwick, Victoria 3806.

Credit for work done elsewhere

Credits and exemptions may be considered for previous tertiary-level study or post-secondary study (including TAFE) in Australia and overseas. Each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. It is essential that subjects submitted for credit and exemption fit the philosophy and principles of this degree course of study. Subjects studied more than ten years ago are regarded as beyond a reasonable time limit and will not be considered for credit/exemption.

Mode of offering

This course is taught on-campus at the Berwick campus.

Professional recognition

Students successfully completing the required subjects in the accounting stream will satisfy the tertiary requirements for admission as an Associate of the Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants (ASCPA). To achieve CPA status, graduates would need to complete the society's CPA program and satisfy an experience requirement.
Students undertaking the management stream should consider application for membership of the Australian Institute of Management.
The Bachelor of Business with a major in marketing will satisfy the requirements for affiliate membership to the Australian Marketing Institute.

Duration

Four years full time.

Course structure

Students must complete thirty-two subjects to satisfy the requirements for the Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Communication double degree; fourteen subjects towards the Bachelor of Business and eighteen subjects towards the Bachelor of Communication.
(a) A candidate must complete the following four core business subjects:

(b) A candidate must complete

(c) A candidate must complete one major study of at least six semester subjects chosen from accounting, economics, management, marketing and tourism management and two submajors of at least four semester subjects chosen from the above disciplines and law; or a candidate must complete two majors of at least six semester subjects each chosen from accounting, economics, management, marketing and tourism management.
(d) A candidate must complete the following five core communication subjects:

plus two of the following

For details of these subjects consult the Arts handbook.
(e) A candidate must complete a five-subject specialisation sequence chosen from advertising, business information technology (offered only if sufficient student demand), information management systems (offered only if sufficient student demand), journalism studies, public relations or tourism.
(f) A candidate must complete a five-subject sequence offered by the Faculty of Arts. Sequences in English/cultural studies, German, history, Japanese, Korean, philosophy and Spanish are offered at Berwick campus. For details of these subjects consult the Arts handbook.
(g) A candidate must complete three elective subjects.

Business teaching areas

Accounting (major)

The course includes an accounting major with a minimum of six subjects. Additional accounting subjects are also provided for students who wish to satisfy the educational requirement for admission to the qualifying studies of the professional accounting bodies.

Objectives

The primary objective of the accounting major is to provide students with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills to competently and professionally contribute to the management, information systems structure and operation, and financial planning of business entities. It aims also to develop skills in information technology, problem solving and communication, and an understanding of the relationships among various disciplines which contribute to a broad based multidisciplinary business education.

Structure

The following accounting subjects are available to students undertaking the Bachelor of Business degree:

To major in accounting the first two subjects are compulsory. Students seeking membership of the professional accounting bodies in Australia must complete the Bachelor of Business degree with the eight accounting subjects specified by the professional bodies marked (*) above.
Successful completion of the required subjects will satisfy the tertiary requirements for admission as an Associate of the Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants (ASCPA). To achieve CPA status, graduates would need to complete the society's CPA program and satisfy an experience requirement.
Graduates who take these required subjects also satisfy the tertiary requirements for admission to The Institute of Chartered Accountants. Membership may be applied for following successful completion of the institute's Professional Year program, and an experience requirement.

Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants

For associate membership:

Economics (major)

Objectives

The economics major aims to provide a rigorous education in the ethics, theories and principles of economics, and their application, developed sequentially over three levels of difficulty, including advanced studies in at least two specialised branches of the discipline. Students will acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute substantially to business and the professions and, given a sufficient level of scholastic achievement, to advance to honours and postgraduate studies. Graduates will also have the ability to view their learning in a multidisciplinary context which takes into account the relationship between economics and other disciplines of business and social sciences.

Structure

Students enrolling in the Bachelor of Business degree may elect to complete a major of six subjects of economics, or may select fewer economics subjects as electives to support their chosen majors. Subjects available are:

Management (major)

Objectives

The primary objective of the management major is to develop, within a multidisciplinary framework, a sound understanding of management theories and practices which reflect high ethical standards and contribute to business and professional success and the optimisation of organisational resource use. Provision is made for students to focus on strategic management and/or employer relations and for those demonstrating high levels of achievement to proceed to honours and postgraduate studies.

Structure

Compulsory subjects:

plus four subjects chosen from:

Students completing a submajor in management are required to complete two compulsory subjects, MGB1302 (Management theory and functions) and MGB1303 (Organisational behaviour), plus two of the other subjects listed above.
Students undertaking the management stream should consider application for membership of the Australian Institute of Management.

Marketing (major)

Objectives

The objectives of the marketing major are, within the framework of the multidisciplinary degree course, to provide students with understandings of the role, scope, principles and concepts of marketing; to develop knowledge and skills in consumer behaviour, marketing research, promotion and sales management; and to cultivate the ability to operate effectively in domestic and international marketing environment. Students demonstrating a high level of scholastic achievement are encouraged to undertake higher level studies.

Structure

To complete the major in marketing a student would be required to satisfy the examiners in the following six subjects or complete a submajor in four of the following subjects:

The Bachelor of Business with a major in marketing will satisfy the requirements for affiliate membership to the Australian Marketing Institute.

Tourism management (major)

Objectives

The primary objective of the tourism management major is to provide an industry-specific focus for students seeking to complement (multidisciplinary) studies in management, economics, marketing and accounting. The sequence of subjects aims to cultivate in students the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes which will, with appropriate experience, equip them to function effectively in management positions in various sectors of the tourism industry, or to proceed to higher level studies in tourism.

Structure

The major in tourism management commences with a broad overview of the industry and progresses to a more detailed examination of tourism business operations management. The advanced level subjects are concerned with destination management and project development. With the compulsory core subjects, and appropriate choices in other major or submajor streams, graduates with a tourism management major will be well prepared to enter a management career path in public or private tourism-related activities, or for successful operation of their own tourism business.
The major stream in tourism management comprises six compulsory subjects as follows:

Law (submajor)

Law is offered as a submajor in the Bachelor of Business degree. All students must complete TBB1201 (Introduction to business law). The following additional subjects should be taken for professional studies in accounting:

Communication specialisation teaching areas

Advertising

This major provides students with a knowledge of the theory and practice of advertising, and the skills to work at an entry level in copywriting, account service, media planning and account planning. Subjects available:

Business information technology

Offered subject to sufficient student demand

This major provides students with the knowledge to understand and implement information technology within a variety of areas, including media work, public relations, marketing, management and journalism. Subjects available:

For details of these subjects consult the Computing and information technology handbook.

Information management systems

Offered subject to sufficient student demand

This major provides students with an understanding of the basic theory of information management and its role in society. Subjects available:

For details of these subjects consult the Computing and information technology handbook.

Journalism studies

This major will equip students with a range of journalism skills and knowledge, appropriate for flexible application in a variety of employment settings. Subjects include:

For details of these subjects consult the Arts handbook.

Public relations

This major provides students with a knowledge of the theory and practice of public relations and the skills to work at an entry level as a public relations practitioner in a PR consultancy, in a government or corporate PR unit. Subjects available:

Tourism

This major includes studies on business aspects of tourism, together with studies in Australian culture and ecotourism. Subjects available:

Progression to further studies

Students whose academic performance is considered of sufficient standard may proceed to honours studies in one of the specialisations of accounting, economics, management, marketing, tourism or mass communication at the Gippsland campus, or advertising or public relations at the Caulfield campus.