Bachelor of Arts(Media and Communications)

The Media and Communications program is an exciting Bachelor of Arts stream designed to provide students with optimal access to the globally expanding world of media and new communication technologies and to future post graduate study and research.

The program is deliberately interdisciplinary in nature and offers a distinctive blend of academic study and media-related practice delivered by internationally recognized scholars and experienced industry professionals. By this means students can determine pathways to a wide range of media-related careers and opportunities and/or prepare a foundation for later postgraduate study and advanced research.

These courses represent the latest thinking and research in the international field of scholarship and students select core and optional subjects from a wide range of related areas according to their own interests and career trajectories. Subjects offered include, amongst many others, Net Communications; Media Futures and New Technologies; Politics; Communication; Marketing and Communications; Professional Writing; Advanced Writing; Writing Journalism; Asian Public Relations; Global Media Cultures; Understanding Australian Media and Media Law.

Hands-on media industry experience and project based research is also available through our popular internships and the final research project. Media and Communications is studied as interrelated global-local processes comprising media institutions and communication technologies, media representations and texts, and the media audiences and processes of reception all situated in relation to social political and cultural contexts, and the historical dynamics of change. Students are encouraged to develop their critical understanding of the changing nature and role(s) of Media and Communications in today's 'mediatised' societies as well as develop practical skills and research aptitudes of use to them in their future careers within today's rapidly changing global media environment.

The 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 of increasing importance 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.

Course Structure:

The BA (Media and Communications) is a three year full time program comprising 100 points at each of first, second, and third year levels, for a total of 300 points.

In the first year students complete two compulsorysubjects (25 points), two subjects from a list of media and communications optional first year subjects (25 points), and 50 points of additional study from the Bachelor of Arts degree. Students in the BA (Media and Communications) are restricted to 100 points at first year level and may not enrol in any further first-year subjects after completing this requirement.

Upon entering second year, students choose between two streams of major study:

Enriched Major Study: a comprehensive program of study in Media and Communications, comprising:

• 50 points of core subjects at second year level, 50 points of optional media and communications subjects at second year level and either:
  • two core subjects at third year level, two optional subjects at third year level, compulsory subject 100-311 Media and Communications Research Project and compulsory subject 100-310 Media and Communications Internship.
  • three core subjects at third year level, three optional subjects at third year level and compulsory subject 100-310 Media and Communications Research Project.

Please note: 100-311 Media and Communications Research Project is compulsory for all students undertaking the Enriched Major stream.

Double Major Stream: a concentrated program of Media and Communications study designed to be taken in conjunction with a major in another arts discipline, comprising:

• 25 points of core and 25 points of optional media and communications subjects at each of second and third year levels;
• 100 points of Bachelor of Arts study to be taken across second and third year including the completion of an arts major. For details on Arts majors, see http://handbook.unimelb.edu.au/view/2008/105-AA

First-year Compulsory Subjects

First-year Media and Communications Elective Subjects

Second/Third-year Core Subjects

Enriched Major Students must complete 4 of the following second-year core subjects:

Students undertaking a Double Major must complete 2 of the following core subjects in combination with a major in another arts discipline:

Third-year Core Subjects

Interdisciplinary Electives (available at either 2nd ,3rd or both year levels)

Australian Indigenous Studies
Note: some optional subjects have specific prerequisites.

Australian Studies

Note: some optional subjects have specific prerequisites.

Cinema Studies

Computer Applications in the Social Sciences and Humanities

Note: Some optional subjects have specific prerequisites.

Creative Writing

Note: Some optional subjects have prerequisites.

Cultural Studies

Note: Some optional subjects have prerequisites

English Literary Studies

Note: Some optional subjects have prerequisites

History

Note: Some optional subjects have specific prerequisites.

History and Philosophy of Science

Indonesian Studies

Note: Some optional subjects have specific prerequisites.

Linguistics and Applied Linguistics

Note: Some optional subjects have specific prerequisites.

Political Science

Note: some optional subjects have specific prerequisites.

Sociology

Note: Some optional subjects have specific prerequisites.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability