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 levels one, two and three, for a total of 300 points.

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

Upon entering level two, 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 level two, 50 points of optional media and communications subjects at level two and either:
  • two core subjects at level three, two optional subjects at level three, compulsory subject Media and Communications Research Project and compulsory subject Media and Communications Internship.
  • three core subjects at level three, three optional subjects at level three and compulsory subject Media and Communications Research Project.

Please note: 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 levels two and three (totalling 100 points);
• 100 points of Bachelor of Arts study to be taken across levels two and three including the completion of an arts major. For details on Arts majors, see http://handbook.unimelb.edu.au/view/2009/105-AA

Combined BA (Media and Communication) course structures:

The structure of the combined BA (Media and Communication)/Bachelor of Commerce

Students must complete a minimum of 225 Arts (Media and Communications) points. Students completing the double major stream will complete more than 225 points in Arts. Students must complete 500 points overall to complete both degrees, including a minimum of 200 points of commerce. Students must ensure they meet any other commerce requirements.

For the enriched major stream:

• 50 points of level one Media and Communications (two compulsory and two optional subjects); and
• 75 points of level two Media and Communications (three core and three optional subjects); and
• 100 points of level three 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 level one Media and Communications (two compulsory and two optional subjects); and
• 25 points of level one arts subjects in the combining discipline, which must be taken from the free points available within the combined degree; and
• 50 points of level two Media and Communications (two core and two optional subjects); and
• 37.5 points of level two arts subjects in the combining discipline, 12.5 points of which must be taken from the free points available within the combined degree; and
• 50 points of level three Media and Communications (two core and two optional subjects); and
• 50 points of level three arts subjects in the combining discipline.

The structure of the combined BA (Media and Communications)/Bachelor of Laws

This degree is only available with an enriched major stream, which must include:

• 50 points of level one Media and Communications (two compulsory and two optional subjects); and
• 75 points of level two Media and Communications (three core and three optional subjects); and
• 75 points of level three Media and Communications (three core and three optional subjects or one core and one optional subject as well as Media and Communications Internship and Media & Communications Research Project).

Level One Compulsory Subjects

Level One Media and Communications Elective Subjects

Level Two/Three 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:

Level Three Core Subjects

Interdisciplinary Electives (available at either level two or three, or at both levels)

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

Australian Studies

Note: some optional subjects have specific prerequisites.

Cinema and Cultural Studies

Computer Applications in the Social Sciences and Humanities

Note: Some optional subjects have specific prerequisites.

Creative Writing

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.

www.futurestudents.unimelb.edu.au