Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies

Overview

The Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies degree is a course that offers students a critical perspective on media industries and practices and a range of flexible and transferable skills that will prepare graduates for informed engagement with professionals in media and communications fields and may provide employment opportunities in Communications, Media, Advertising and journalism fields.

Entry Requirements / Assumed Knowledge

NSW HSC entry through UAC

Students apply through UAC and satisfy the UAI requirement for the year of application.

Assumed Knowledge: Any two units of English.

Other Secondary Qualifications

Students with secondary qualifications outside NSW will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Tertiary Qualifications

Applications will be considered from students with the following tertiary qualifications:

A completed Two-year Diploma or Advanced Diploma from TAFE or another accredited institution;

Not less that one-sixth of a Bachelor degree from an approved University;

Other tertiary courses approved by the University of Wollongong.

Overseas Qualifications

Students with tertiary qualifications obtained overseas will be considered provided that they satisfy University's minimum admission requirements.

Alternative Entry (Domestic applicants)

STAT test

UAP

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander alternative entry program

Advanced Standing

Information about Approved Credit Transfer Arrangements is available at www.uow.edu.au/handbook/advancedstanding/

Course Requirements

1 To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies a student must complete a total of least 144 credit points of subjects by satisfactory completion of all the compulsory (core) subjects in the Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies, consisting of 56 credit points, and the required subjects of one of the specialist studies in that degree;

2 A candidate may take more than one specialist stream offered in the degree or a second major from the major studies offered by the member units of the Faculty of Arts.

3 Of the 144 credit points, not more than 60 credit points shall be for 100-level subjects.

4 A candidate for course code 798 who has registered for two major studies, for which there are common subjects at any level may count one subject twice towards the requirements of the major studies, but may only count the credit points once towards the credit points required by the course.

5 Minor studies listed in the Course structures of the Bachelor of Arts (Course code 702) may also be undertaken.

6 To continue in this degree students must achieve a cumulative average of at least 65% at the end of each academic year.

Course Program

All students enrolled in the degree must complete the following subjects:

Major Studies

Advertising and Marketing

This major will provide students with an understanding of markets, and how these may be reached by manipulating the “marketing mix”, the core elements of marketing practice. A focus on the psychology of consumers as decision-makers provides a foundation for the management of the “marketing communication mix”, the various channels through which goods and services are promoted and advertised in the marketplace. The subjects in the stream cover the theory and practice of marketing in both national and international contexts.

These subjects are taught by the Faculty of Commerce.

Major Study

The Advertising and Marketing major is made up of the 56 credit point core and all the following subjects:

Notes:

(a) Students undertaking the Bachelor of Communication and Media - Bachelor of Commerce who are taking Marketing as their major in the Commerce component of the degree cannot take the Advertising and Marketing specialisation in the BCM component.

(b) *Students undertaking the Bachelor of Communication and Media - Bachelor of Commerce and who find that these subjects are prescribed in the core of their Commerce degree should consult the School of Management and Marketing for appropriate replacement subjects, and have these subjects approved by the Head of the School of Social Sciences, Media and communication in the Faculty of Arts.

Journalism

The Journalism sequence is designed to develop basic journalism skills to complement the conceptual knowledge of media process in the BA Communication and Media Studies program. Instead of looking at journalism from three separate media - print, radio and television -- the sequence focuses on media convergence based on the practical foundation of generic print media techniques. Students take four core journalism subjects. The teaching approach focuses on learning by doing.

Major Study

The Journalism major is made up of the 56 credit point core and all the following subjects:

Screen Studies

Students specialising in Screen Studies will gain experience in media content analysis, and will be introduced to the history of film and television production in Australia and the United States. In addition, they will become familiar with the key policy and theoretical issues raised by the globalisation of broadcast media. This specialisation will offer students a chance to develop advanced skills in research and critical analysis of the screen media.

Major Study

The major in Screen Studies is made up of the 56 credit point core and the following subjects:

Assessment

Assessment in this course varies between subjects and programs, but typically includes a combination of essays, tutorial/seminar presentations and in-class tests and/or exams. Some subjects may have an additional practical component. The assessment requirements of each subject are set out in the individual subject outlines which students receive in the first week of session.

Double Degrees with Communication and Media Studies

The following double degree programs are available to suitably qualified students of the Faculty of Arts. The Faculty of Arts administers the Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies - Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies - Bachelor of Commerce and the Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies - Bachelor of Science.

For information on the second degrees, students should consult the entries of the second faculty.

Last reviewed: 30 January, 2007