The Bachelor of Communication course is aimed at satisfying the community and professional needs for graduates who not only have undertaken a major in communication theory with studies in arts, but who will have a detailed knowledge of an area of professional specialisation which will direct their future career paths.
The objectives of the Bachelor of Communication course are to provide students with
1 A knowledge of:
Applicants should possess the Victorian Certificate of Education (or equivalent) including at least a grade average of C in English. Mature age applicants may be required to undertake the Special Tertiary Admissions Test.
To complete the requirements for the Bachelor of Communication degree, students must:
Individual subjects and specialisation sequences will be offered only if there is sufficient student demand.
The objectives of the advertising sequence are to provide students with a knowledge of:
Arts sequences offered at Berwick include German, English/cultural studies, history, Japanese, Korean, linguistics, philosophy and Spanish. Alternatively, students may select a sequence of arts subjects taught at one of the other campuses of the university. Students who opt for this alternative should note that it may involve travelling to another campus to attend lectures and attention will need to be paid to the lecture timetable.
The business information technology specialisation will provide students with the basis for understanding and implementing information technology within a variety of areas, including media work, public relations, marketing, management and journalism. In addition to learning essentials of a variety of work tools, students will gain some insight into the application of information technology to business aspects of their professional area.
Subjects have been drawn from the same or similar offerings in the Bachelor of Information Management degree, where there is a similar requirement for essential computing skills to facilitate the application of more theoretical skills to the working environment.
The business information techonology specialisation will comprise the following sequence of subjects:
Mass communications is an interdisciplinary major which responds to a need and demand for graduates who are knowledgeable about mass communications and who can apply that knowledge to a range of vocational and academic areas. It is designed to service a variety of career paths, including journalism, education, educational media systems, public relations, organisational management, as well as leading to postgraduate study.
The range of subjects offered is designed to equip students with specialised but flexible skills in describing and analysing the organisation, and the processes, diverse uses and effects of `traditional' and `new' mass communications technologies (print, electronic and film). Students develop an understanding of the practical operation of these media as well as the social and cultural dimensions of mass communications, considering the audiences, producers and policy-makers involved. Students also develop skills in utilising language, image and media delivery systems to communicate effectively.
The communication sequence will comprise the following six subjects:
The Faculty of Computing and Information Technology will offer a three year specialisation in information management systems. The sequence will provide students with a basis for understanding the basic theory and practice of information management and its role in society. Elements of the specialisation support the practical aspects, as well as the theoretical aspects of managing information within a variety of areas, including media work, public relations, marketing, management and journalism.
The subjects have been drawn from the same or similar offerings in the Bachelor of Information Management degree, where there is a similar requirement for essential understanding to enable the application of both theoretical and practical skills to the working environment.
The information management systems specialisation will comprise the following sequence of subjects:
On completion of a sequence in journalism studies, students are expected to have developed literacy skills (writing, verbal, computer, visual, televisual, statistical); knowledge of legal issues (eg defamation and libel, copyright, freedom of the press); understanding of ethics (eg rights to privacy, culturally appropriate media practice); communication and negotiation skills; information management skills.
The journalism studies sequence will equip students with a range of journalism skills and knowledge, appropriate for flexible application in a variety of employment settings.
The skills and knowledges developed are those required by journalists (or those using journalism skills) for the future. Such journalists will possess well-developed literacy skills in a variety of media. Graduates will be able to contribute knowledgeably and in socially responsible and ethical ways to the particular communities they find themselves in, drawing on an informed inter-cultural awareness and an understanding of the professional and ethical codes and responsibilities of journalism. Students will also be equipped to engage knowledgeably and responsibly with the rapid developments in mass communication technologies and their social consequences.
The journalism studies specialisation will comprise the following sequence of subjects:
The objective of the public relations sequence is to provide students with a knowledge of:
The tourism specialisation will comprise the following sequence of subjects: