Bachelor of Arts (Communication)

• General information
• Course structure
  • Communications compulsory sequence
  • Arts minor sequences
  • Specialisation sequences
    • Journalism
    • Business computing
    • Marketing
    • Management
    • Writing

General information

Course code: 1708
The Bachelor of Arts (Communication) degree provides an interdisciplinary core to educate 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 of graduates who not only have undertaken a major in communications theory in combination with studies in humanities, but who will also have detailed knowledge of an area of specialisation which will direct their future career paths.
Mass communications provides students with conceptual tools for describing and analysing mass communications media in a number of different ways: as industries, which employ people and are subject to various forms of regulation; as a series of different textual forms, which audiences receive and make sense of; and as institutions with a central role in the negotiation of social and political relationships, such as those which exist between manufacturers, advertisers, consumers, citizens and governments.

Course structure

A candidate for the degree must fulfil the following requirements to receive the award of Bachelor of Arts (Communication):
(a) complete at least 144 points but not more than 162 points
(b) complete a minimum of 108 points within the School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences
(c) complete a minimum of eight and a maximum of 10 first-level subjects
(d) complete a minimum of 36 points at third-year level, including those completed in the communications sequence
(e) complete the prescribed sequence in communication studies (54 points), an arts minor sequence (24 points) and a specialisation sequence (36 points)
(f) undertake additional subjects to complete the 144 points needed for the degree.

Communications compulsory sequence

• GSC1901 Introduction to communication studies
• GSC1402 Media studies
• GSC1602 Introduction to methods of social research
• GSC2407/GSC3407 Authorship and writing
• GSC2410 Public relations theory and processes
• GSC2411 Media, culture, power: theories of mass communications
• GSC3402 Audiences, media, citizens
• GSC3409 Narratives and representations
• GSC3413 Communication industries and policies (subject to approval)

Arts minor sequences

The arts minor may be chosen from Australian studies, community studies, history-politics, Indonesian, Koorie studies, psychology*, sociology or gender studies (details on each discipline are provided under the entry for School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences).
* DETAILS PROVIDED UNDER THE BA ENTRY.

Specialisation sequences

Please note that the specialisation sequence is not equivalent to a major.

Journalism

To complete the sequence in journalism, a student would be required to complete six of the following subjects:
Compulsory subjects:

• GSC1902 Newsroom practice and theory
• GSC1903 News feature writing

plus four of the following subjects:

• GSC2903 Online journalism
• GSC2905 Radio journalism*
• GSC2906 Television journalism*
• GSC2907 Radio/television journalism
• GSC3901 International journalism
• GSC3903 Media, law and ethics

* ON-CAMPUS ONLY. SUBJECT QUOTAS MAY APPLY.
DISTANCE EDUCATION ONLY.

Business computing

Students will complete the following six subjects:

• GCO1851 Computing systems and applications
• GCO2851 Programming for business applications
• GCO2852 Business systems analysis
• GCO2813 Information systems 2
• GCO3851 Database management systems
• GCO3816 Information systems and management

Marketing

To complete a sequence in marketing, a student would be required to complete six of the following subjects:

• MKX1120 Marketing theory and practice
• MKW2402 Consumer behaviour
• MKW2420 Market research methods
• MKW3440 Marketing strategy
• MKX2460 Integrated marketing communication
• MKW3444 International marketing
• MKW3121 Marketing planning and implementation

Management

To complete a sequence in management, a student would be required to complete six of the following subjects:
Recommended subjects:

• MGW1010 Managing people and organisations
• MGW1100/MGW2100 Managerial communication
• MGW2430 Human resource management
• MGW2130/MGW3130 Change management
• MGW3401 Strategic management

plus one of the following subjects:

• MGW2230 Organisational behaviour
• MGW2351/MGW3351 International business
• MGW2681/MGW3681 International management
• MGW2332 Services management
• MGW2323 Employment relations

Writing

Students must complete all of the following subjects including at least two subjects at second-year level:

• GSC2406 Women's writing
• GSC2405/GSC3405 Contemporary fiction
• GSC2408/GSC3408 Screen theories and techniques
• GSC2506/GSC3506 Researching and writing community history
• GSC3421 Writing 1: techniques
• GSC3422 Writing 2: portfolio

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