Bachelor of Arts (Communication)


General information

Course code: 1708 * Gippsland campus * HECS fees applicable * Attendance optional.

Aims

The Bachelor of Arts (Communication) degree covers an interdisciplinary area which responds to a need for graduates who are knowledgeable about mass communications and who can apply that knowledge in a range of vocational and academic areas. The degree is aimed at satisfying the community and professional needs for graduates who not only have undertaken a major in communications theory in combination with studies in humanities, but who will have detailed knowledge of an area of specialisation which will direct their future career paths.

Entry requirements

All applicants should satisfy Tertiary Entrance Requirements (TER) as outlined in the section on entry requirements in this book.

Special requirements

Work load

All applicants should be willing to undertake a normal initial work load of at least twenty-four points a year by distance education. Distance education students should note that this may have implications regarding eligibility for Austudy or similar schemes. In later years of the course the normal work load may vary between twenty-four and thirty-two points per year, but there is scope to vary this under some circumstances.

Attendance

There are no compulsory attendance requirements in the degree structure, and it is possible to complete the entire course without attending the campus. Classes will be held in most subjects at each weekend school. Normally, this will include lectures and seminars or tutorials. Attendance at weekend school classes is recommended, but not compulsory for the completion of most subjects offered by the School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences.

Course structure

The course of study is normally five years by distance education. In order to complete the Bachelor of Arts (Communication) a student must:
(a) complete appropriate subjects within the course to gain at least 144 but not more than 162 points;
(b) complete subjects equivalent to at least 108 points within the School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences;
(c) complete a minimum of eight and a maximum of ten first-level subjects, including the prescribed humanities and social sciences sequences; (A first-level sequence is a pair of first-level subjects which usually form the first part of a major.)
(d) complete the prescribed sequence in communication (eight subjects equals fifty-eight points), an arts minor sequence (twenty-eight points), and a specialisation sequence of at least thirty-two points; (An arts minor sequence will comprise four subjects, normally a first-level sequence and two subjects at second level, while a specialisation sequence will normally comprise four to six subjects spanning either first and second levels or first, second and third levels.)
(e) undertake additional studies to complete the minimum 144 points needed for the degree.

Course plan

A course plan for the Bachelor of Arts (Communication) may look like the one depicted below:

First semester

Second semester

Year 1

Arts minor sequence (first level); GSC1901 Introduction to communication studies

Arts minor sequence (first level); GSC1402 Media studies

Year 2

Elective subject (first level); specialisation sequence (first level)

GSC1602 Introduction to methods of social research; specialisation sequence (first level)

Year 3

GSC2410 Public relations and mass communication technologies; specialisation sequence

GSC2411 Media, culture, power: theories of mass communication; specialisation sequence

Year 4

GSC3402 Policies, audiences, futures; Arts minor subject

Arts minor subject; arts elective

Year 5

GSC3407 Authorship and writing; Specialisation sequence

GSC3409 Narratives and representations; Specialisation sequence plus one additional eight-point elective depending on the specialisation taken. This elective may be included at any stage within the degree.

Arts minor studies

Specialisation sequences

Students will be required to specify on their application form (under major study area) which specialisation sequence they wish to undertake.

Business computing

Students must complete the following six subjects (note that prerequisites must be met):

Management

Students must complete six of the following subjects (note that prerequisites must be met):

All streams
Employment relations stream
Strategic management stream

Marketing

To complete the sequence in marketing, a student would be required to satisfy the examiners in the five subjects listed in group one and one of the subjects listed in group two:

Group one
Group two

Journalism

Students must complete five of the following subjects:

Tourism

Students must complete the following six subjects (note that prerequisites must be met):

Writing

Students must complete all of the following subjects (each subject worth eight points):

Initial enrolment

Students entering the degree should normally enrol in four subjects in the first year, two in each semester. Normally, these will all be subjects which do not require prerequisites. The following are only suggested first-year enrolment options:

First semester

Second semester

Credits/exemptions

Students with previously completed or partially completed tertiary studies should complete an application for credit transfer to apply for credits and exemptions. The onus is on the student to provide course records and details of course content and duration (including extracts from relevant handbooks). Students in this category are advised to complete a course plan prior to the commencement of study to ensure they will complete the major/s or minor they intend. Students may be granted up to a maximum of ninety-two points of credits/exemptions. As a general rule, credits will not be granted for studies completed more than ten years prior to the date of enrolment in the current course.

Further information

For more detailed information, contact the administrative officers, School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences, telephone (03) 9902 6339 or (03) 512 6339, email HUMASS.info@arts.monash.edu.au.

Completed applications

Completed applications are to be forwarded to the admissions officer, School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences, Monash University Gippsland campus, Churchill, Victoria, 3842, by 24 September 1999 to be considered for a first-round offer.