3100 - Master of Arts (Communications and Cultural Studies)
This course entry should be read in conjunction with information provided in the Faculty information section of this Handbook by the managing faculty for this course
| Abbreviated title | MA(CommCulturalSt) |
|---|---|
| Managing faculty | Arts |
| Study location and mode | On-campus (Sunway) |
| Total credit points required | 72 |
| Duration (years) | 1.5 years FT, 3 years PT |
| Minimum grade for completion | To graduate with the masters, students must gain a credit (60 C) or above in core units and a minimum credit average overall. |
| Course coordinator | Prof James Chin |
Description
Objectives
On completion of the Master of Arts (Communications and Cultural Studies), students will be able to demonstrate:
- knowledge, skills and attributes necessary for the participation in and management of complex communicative processes in regional, urban, national and international contexts
- theoretical and empirical understanding of the impact of multiple communication systems and practices on culture and society.
- competency at dealing with convergent knowledge sets and the capacity to synthesise and negotiate multiple communications practices
- knowledge, skills, and attributes necessary for independent research
- critical understanding of the social, cultural, political, institutional and economic context in which communicative processes and systems occur
- critical understanding of the role of communication arts and literacies in contemporary organisations, economies, markets and polities
- theoretical knowledge, communicative competency, critical reflection, ethical understanding, and problem-solving capacities relevant to the management of multi-dimensional communicative processes and environments
- substantially enhanced capacity to formulate and research communication issues
- substantially enhanced understanding of public, persuasive and advocacy communications and their ethical limits
- significantly increased intellectual independence and ability to analyse and evaluate arguments
- greater self-reliance in intellectual and professional activity, and greater understanding of the knowledge, skills, and attributes required in management and senior professional roles
- substantially enhanced employment-related generic skills, including high-level computing skills, problem-solving, interpersonal, and collaborative skills, written and oral communication skills, understanding of the nature of organisational work, and the ability to use technology in the workplace effectively
- enhanced understanding of critical, ethical and aesthetic approaches to communications studies and communications practice.
Structure
There are two different modes to complete the degree:
i.) all units by coursework
ii.) those who have achieved Distinction or High Distinction for the first four units may choose to undertake a 24-point research dissertation.
Students must complete a maximum of 48 points at level four (two core units plus two elective units) and minimum of 24 points at level five (two elective units, or the 24 points dissertation):
- full-time students will normally complete two 12-point units per semester
- part-time and off-campus students will normally complete one 12-point unit per semester.
All units except where indicated are worth 12 points.
Requirements
Students complete the following two level four units:
Further two 12 point units at level four are as follows:
- COM4131 Contemporary media and communication theory
- CRT4760 Gender, body and performance*
- CRT4830 Popular culture and ethics*
- AST4000 Contemporary issues in Asia
- COM4302 Media flows
Two 12 point units at level five or 24 point research dissertation:
- AST5000 Contemporary issues in Asia
- COM5302 Media flows
- CRT5760 Gender, body and performance*
- CRT5830 Popular culture and ethics*
- COM5220 Research dissertation (24 points)
* Subject to availability
Alternative exit(s)
Students who have completed studies in the Master of Communication and Cultural Studies to the value of:
- 24 points may apply to exit with a Graduate Certificate of Communication and Cultural Studies
- 48 points may apply to exit with a Graduate Diploma in Communication and Cultural Studies.
Students will also exit the masters with the appropriate award if they do not maintain the required academic level.
Award(s) received on completion *
* Where more than one award is listed, or in the case of double degrees, where more than one award is listed for one or both components of the double degree, the actual award/s conferred may depend on units/majors/streams/specialisations studied, the level of academic merit achieved (eg in the case of 'with honours' programs), or other factors relevant to the individual student's program of study.