Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communication) & Bachelor of Commerce
ObjectivesThe Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) has as its objectives that graduates:
* are enabled to develop a comprehensive overview of the media's place in today's society, economy and culture, with an emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region;
* are provided with the fundamental written communication skills required by successful journalists and other media professionals;
* are helped to achieve an understanding of new communication technologies and their impact on the fast-changing global media environment;
* are trained to think across media, a skill we see as increasingly important for the next generation of media professionals and media researchers;
* are helped to appreciate the value of an international and interdisciplinary approach to the study of Media and Communications;
* are offered the opportunity to gain industry experience in the form of internships;
* are offered opportunities to develop research skills and engage in applied analysis of media within different subjects and through the presentation of a final research project.
The Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) and the Bachelor of Commerce (Management) aims at developing powers of critical analysis that can be applied in many fields, and provides professional training for a wide variety of careers.
Academic titleBachelor of Arts (Media and Communication) & Bachelor of Commerce
Course descriptionStudents complete a minimum of 500 points, made up of a minimum of 225 points in subjects in the Faculty of Arts and a minimum of 200 points for the BCom. The same subject cannot count towards both degrees.
Students must complete a minimum of 225 Arts (Media and Communications) points which must include:
For the enriched major stream:
* 50 points of first-year Media and Communications (two compulsory and two optional subjects); and
* 75 points of second-year Media and Communications (three core and three optional subjects); and
* 100 points of third-year Media and Communications (four core and four optional subjects or two core and two optional subjects as well as Media and Communications Internship and Media & Communications Research Project).
For the double major stream:
* 50 points of first-year Media and Communications (two compulsory and two optional subjects); and
* 25 points of first-year arts subjects in the second major, which must be taken from the free points available within the combined degree; and
* 50 points of second-year Media and Communications (two core and two optional subjects); and
* 37.5 points of second-year arts subjects in the second major, 12.5 points of which must be taken from the free points available within the combined degree; and
* 50 points of third-year Media and Communications (two core and two optional subjects); and
* 50 points of third-year arts subjects in the second major.
Students should note that most language streams commenced before 2008 will require 37.5 points at level one.
The remaining 37.5 points may be taken from subjects available to students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Commerce combined degree.
Students must complete a minimum 200 commerce points, which must include:
* between 50 and 125 level 100 commerce points
* at least 50 level 300 commerce points completed at the University of Melbourne
and at least one of:
* 316-206 Quantitative Methods 2 or
* 316-205 Introductory Econometrics or
* 325-210 Managerial Decision Analysis or
* 325-212 Market Research.
* Students who commenced the Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) / Bachelor of Commerce degree prior to 2005 are not required to complete this subject.
First-year Compulsory Media and Communications Subjects
First-year Media and Communications students must undertake the following compulsory subjects:
Subject Semester Credit Points
100-100 Introduction to Media and Communications
This subject offers a broad introduction to the study of Media and Communications and a solid foundation for more advanced study in years two and three. It aims to encourage students to reflect on the relevance and value of studying Media and Communi... Semester 1, Semester 2 12.50
100-101 Professional Writing
This subject aims to enhance students' writing in general by introducing them to the fundamental skills used by professional writers within the Media and Communications industries. Through a workshop format, students will work on their own news ... Semester 1, Semester 2 12.50
Second-year Core Media and Communications Subjects
Second-year Media and Communications students in the enriched major stream must select three of the following core second-year subjects:
Second-year Media and Communications students in the double major stream must select two of the following core second-year subjects:
Subject Semester Credit Points
100-204 Media and Communications Research
Research is a vital activity of media professionals and academics. This subject offers a critical introduction to the fundamental tools for research into media institutions, technologies, texts and audiences. Students will be introduced to the gather... Semester 2 12.50
100-205 Writing Journalism
This subject teaches the craft of writing hard and soft news stories, as well as features, for newspapers and newspaper supplements and magazines. With an emphasis on news writing, students learn what news is and how (and why) news priorities and sto... Semester 1 12.50
100-206 Net Communications
This subject introduces students to techniques in written communication for digital media, with a focus on publishing for the Internet and the world wide web. Students receive workshop instruction in web publishing techniques, with the aim of realisi... Semester 1 12.50
100-207 Asian Public Relations
This subject provides a cultural and political map of forms of public relations practices in a range of countries across the Asia Pacific region. The subject examines the emerging role of professional bodies and regulatory agencies in the ethical pra... Semester 2 12.50
100-220 Marketing Communications
This subject focuses on the development, management and control of Media and Communications marketing both locally and internationally. Topics will include advertising, sales promotion, public relations, and other elements of the communications mix. ... Semester 2 12.50
100-222 Understanding Australian Media
This subject examines Australian media with an emphasis on its political nature and issues of policy, regulation, ownership, governance and local content. Students are encouraged to actively, and critically, examine their own media use. Drawing on th... Semester 2 12.50
Third-year Core Media and Communications Subjects
Third-year media and communications students in the enriched major stream must select four of the following core third-year subjects:
Third-year media and communications students in the double major stream must select two of the following core third-year subjects:
Subject Semester Credit Points
100-310 Media and Communications Internship
In this subject, students will acquire practical experience in one or more media and communications environments, under the guidance of a workplace mentor. Academic supervision and support will be provided in the form of on-campus lecture/workshops a... Semester 1, Semester 2 25
100-311 Media & Communications Research Project
The Media and Communications Research Project provides students with an opportunity to conduct an extensive analysis of any form of media output, theoretical framework, institutional structure, or mode of reception. Students will deploy, and reflect ... Semester 1, Semester 2 25
100-204 Media and Communications Research
Research is a vital activity of media professionals and academics. This subject offers a critical introduction to the fundamental tools for research into media institutions, technologies, texts and audiences. Students will be introduced to the gather... Semester 2 12.50
100-205 Writing Journalism
This subject teaches the craft of writing hard and soft news stories, as well as features, for newspapers and newspaper supplements and magazines. With an emphasis on news writing, students learn what news is and how (and why) news priorities and sto... Semester 1 12.50
100-206 Net Communications
This subject introduces students to techniques in written communication for digital media, with a focus on publishing for the Internet and the world wide web. Students receive workshop instruction in web publishing techniques, with the aim of realisi... Semester 1 12.50
100-207 Asian Public Relations
This subject provides a cultural and political map of forms of public relations practices in a range of countries across the Asia Pacific region. The subject examines the emerging role of professional bodies and regulatory agencies in the ethical pra... Semester 2 12.50
100-220 Marketing Communications
This subject focuses on the development, management and control of Media and Communications marketing both locally and internationally. Topics will include advertising, sales promotion, public relations, and other elements of the communications mix. ... Semester 2 12.50
100-222 Understanding Australian Media
This subject examines Australian media with an emphasis on its political nature and issues of policy, regulation, ownership, governance and local content. Students are encouraged to actively, and critically, examine their own media use. Drawing on th... Semester 2 12.50
100-301 Global Media Cultures
This subject explores global media across different cultures. Students will engage with debates on different aspects of global culture, including national cultural formations, institutional structures, media ownership, and transnational media. This s... Semester 1 12.50
100-302 Politics, Communication, Media
This subject examines the changing relationship between the media and contemporary political institutions and processes. Major topics include the media's role in setting political agendas, the media's function as 'fourth estate', ... Semester 1 12.50
100-303 Media Futures and New Technologies
This subject examines the pressures of technological change on contemporary media institutions and communications practices. Students will be introduced to key debates about media convergence, the relationship between technological change and media p... Semester 2 12.50
100-304 Media Law
This subject introduces students to the main areas of law affecting people working in the media. These include copyright; privacy; laws restricting speech, such as defamation, censorship, and vilification; laws affecting advertisers; freedom of infor... Semester 2 12.50
100-312 Advanced Writing
This subject provides students with the skills to write at an advanced journalistic level. Lectures will present students with techniques that will enhance skills in interviewing, news judgement, narrative technique, researching, framing ideas, devel... Semester 2 12.50