Bachelor of Arts (Honours)(Media and Communications)

Course 104-MC (2009)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2009. Search for this in the current handbook

Year and Campus: 2009
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Level: Undergraduate

Coordinator

Dr Umi Manickam-Khattab
umi@unimelb.edu.au

Contact

Enquiries: Arts & Music Student Centre
Rm 104 (Ground Floor) Old Arts Building
Location (PDF, 1027kb)
Tel: +61 3 8344 5235
Fax: +61 3 9347 0424
Search for an answer or send an email via our queries database: http://arts-unimelb.custhelp.com/

Course Overview: The BA (Honours) (Media & Communications) is an advanced and specialised course of study requiring a higher standard of performance than for the pass degree. It enhances your ability to acquire advanced skills of analysis, to develop original ideas, and to apply innovative solutions to complex problems. The Honours program involves one additional year of study at fourth-year level. Commencement of honours must occur within five years of the completion of your degree course.
Objectives: In order to meet the requirements for the BA (Media & Communications)(Honours) degree, you must complete 100 points of study at fourth-year level. Pure honours consists of 62.5 points of coursework and a thesis of 37.5 points. Combined honours usually consists of the thesis and two coursework subjects in one area of study (37.5 + 25 = 62.5 points) and three coursework subjects in the combined area of study (37.5 points). Students intending to complete combined Media & Communications Honours with the thesis in Media & Communication enrol in this course stream. Students intending to complete combined Honours with the thesis in the second area of study enrol in the BA (Honours) course stream (104AA). In most cases, BA (M&C) combined degree students who meet the required academic entry standards can enter the Honours program. However, before you are admitted to fourth-year level studies you must complete your Media & Communications component as well as enough relevant subjects from your combining degree to allow you to take out the pass degree if you were to discontinue your combining degree. You will not be eligible to graduate with the BA (Media & Communications)(Honours) degree until all the requirements of the combining degree or program are met.
Course Structure & Available Subjects:

Students undertaking the pure honours stream complete:

  • three fourth-year level Media and Communications core subjects (37.5 points); and

  • two optional fourth-year level subjects (25 points); and

  • a Media and Communications thesis of 12,000 words (37.5 points).

Double major students may complete one of the following combined honours streams:

  • two fourth-year level Media and Communications core subjects (25 points); and

  • three fourth-year level subjects in the combining discipline (37.5 points); and

  • a Media and Communications thesis of 12,000 words (37.5 points).

or

  • three fourth-year level Media and Communications core subjects (37.5 points); and

  • two fourth year-level subjects in the combining discipline (25 points); and

  • a thesis in the combining discipline (37.5 points).

Please note: students undertaking the second option will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) NOT a Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications Honours).

Subject Options:

Media & Communications thesis subject

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Semester 1, Semester 2
37.500

Media & Communications core honours subjects

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:

Media & Communications optional honours subjects

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Semester 2
12.500
Not offered in 2009
12.500
Not offered in 2009
12.500
Not offered in 2009
12.50
Entry Requirements:

The prerequisites for entry to fourth-year honours in Media and Communications are:

  • completion of all the requirements of the BA (Media and Communications); and

  • completion of a major in Media and Communications; and

  • an average grade of H2B (70%) or higher over the second/third-year Media and Communications subjects.

Entry into combined honours is contingent on completing a second major and meeting the average grade requirements for that major.
Core Participation Requirements: The Bachelor of Arts (Honours) requires a standard level of ability across all disciplines. It will be assumed students are able to access and attend classes on a regular basis, are capable of learning in a University environment and will be able to take responsibility for their own learning. Any ability beyond this threshold will be robustly supported through the curriculum. Any intensive use of IT or technologies will be adequately supported. Certain subjects have more specific requirements and demands, such as fieldwork or travelling, which are clearly outlined in the Handbook’s subject description.

However, the University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. The Faculty Disability Contact Officer works with students, the University Disability Liaison Unit and teaching staff to assist students with their special requirements, with a particular focus on accommodations for in-class and examination assessment tasks. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability.
Further Study: The Media and Communications Program offers a range of postgraduate coursework and research programs: Postgraduate Certificate in Arts (Media and Communications), Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Media and Communications), one and two-year Master of Arts (Global Journalism) and Master of Arts (Global Media Communication), Master of Arts in Media Communication (advanced seminar and shorter thesis), Master of Arts in Media Communication (thesis only) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Details of these programs are available in the Course & Subject Catalogue and from the Media and Communications program.
Graduate Attributes: Students who graduate with Honours in the Bachelor of Arts (Media & Communication) at Melbourne receive a passport to a world of opportunities. The degree provides students with the scope to refine their analytical skills and research techniques while significantly expanding the range of options available after graduation.

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