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Bachelor of Communication

L06910  063368B



Duration

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Fee*
3 Year/s Lilydale (Semester 1, Semester 2) A$18,550 (annual for 2012) 
*The indicative course fees shown in Course Search apply to international students studying on-campus in Australia for the relevant year only. They are based on a standard study load per year. However, please note that fees are assessed according to a student's study load in each semester, and variation to study load will result in an adjustment to tuition fees. All fees are subject to annual review and may be adjusted.

In this course you will study three distinct but related areas: media studies, public relations and design. You will receive grounding in media and media production, public relations and the impact of design in these specialised areas of communication. You will also have the opportunity to participate in hands-on projects designed to help you become work-ready and able to take on the challenges of the dynamic professional communication sector. You will be required to undertake a professional major in an area of specialisation, and combine it with either a co-major or two minors. There is a range of co-majors and minors available, which add depth or breadth to your degree.

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All organisations need to communicate – but it’s the quality of the communication that counts. Outside the organisation, communications need to reach people who are in a position to influence their success. Inside, they need to make sure employees are well briefed. This is true whether the organisation is a corporation, a non-government body or a government agency. However, the answer is not necessarily more communication. Rather, it's communication tailored to helping the organisation achieve its strategic goals.
 
The Bachelor of Communication aims to equip students with both the knowledge and the practical skills they require to deliver this strategic communication in a complex, dynamic marketplace. The degree recognises that people receive messages visually as well as through words. For that reason, it includes a strong design component to help students build visual as well as other communication skills.
 
Students entering the Bachelor of Communication have the opportunity to graduate with a tagged outcome listed below, depending on the Professional Major selected.

Bachelor of Communication
Bachelor of Communication (Advertising)
Bachelor of Communication (Media Studies)
Bachelor of Communication (Public Relations)
 
Got a question about this course? Ask it here.

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Students who complete the Bachelor of Communication should be able to:
  • Demonstrate skill in designing, managing and evaluating visual, written and event-based elements of a professional communication campaign
  • Competently integrate theory with practice in professional communication projects
  • Create credible briefs to communication designers, researchers and other professional colleagues
  • Demonstrate innovative, yet practical thinking in approaching unfamiliar communication problems in new contexts
  • Approach communication projects in collaborative ways that acknowledge the importance of both individual initiative and effective teamwork

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There are course restrictions and rules that must be considered when selecting units and specialisations. It is recommended that you familiarise yourself with these rules before selecting specialisations.

All programs consist of a total of 24 units (300 credit points). Each unit normally carries 12.5 credit points. In each year, eight (8) units normally constitute a full-time load and four (4) units normally constitute a part-time load.

Capstone Units
Capstone Units utilise real-world, authentic activities in the form of project-based learning. Projects may be externally sourced industry and community projects, competitions, research-based projects or internally developed project briefs.

Careers in the Curriculum (CIC)
In addition to the above, all Swinburne undergraduate students must complete a compulsory unit of study, Careers in the Curriculum. CIC is an innovative unit designed to assist Swinburne students to enhance their employability and career prospects.

CIC has been developed by Swinburne Careers and Employment who provide advice and feedback on completing job applications and undergoing interviews, directed at obtaining graduate employment. It is a one semester compulsory unit usually undertaken in second year.

Students will not incur a HECS or fee debt as the cost will be met by the university as part of an initiative to enhance students' employability skills.

Student Workload
The Bachelor of Communication programs operate under a student workload model based on eight (8) units of study for a full-time academic year. Total student contact hours per unit, including lectures, classes, tutorials and computer laboratory sessions, will normally be approximately 12 hours per week during the academic semester (Winter and Summer Term have the same number of contact hours but compressed in time).

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HDC001 20th Century Design (Delivered on the Prahran campus)
HDC002 Methods of Investigation (Delivered on the Prahran campus)
HDC003 Design Studio (Delivered on the Prahran campus)
HDC004 Digital Design (Delivered on the Prahran campus)

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Students have the option to choose one of their Minors from those offered by the Faculty of Design, as this will complement their Communication Professional Major. Students who choose a minor from the Faculty of Design have the option of applying for entry to the Faculty of Design and completing an additional eight units to be eligible for a second award of either:
  • Bachelor of Design (Communication Design) or
  • Bachelor of Design (Multimedia Design)
Professional Major (16 units) in the Bachelor of Communication:
Communication

Co-Majors (8 units)

Students may choose a co-major from any of those offered by the Faculty of Higher Education, Lilydale; from the Business, Communication and Social Science programs or from any discipline across the university, timetable permitting. See the Swinburne co-majors page for more information.

Communication Co-Majors (8 units):
 
Social Science Co-Majors (8 units):
Media Studies
Public Relations and Society
Social Science Advertising
Sociology

Other Co-Majors (8 units):
External Studies

Minors (4 units)

Students may choose a minor from any of those offered by the Faculty of Higher Education, Lilydale, from the Business, Communication and Social Science programs or from any discipline across the university, timetable permitting. See the Swinburne minors page for more information.

Communication Minors (4 units):
Communication Advertising
Media Communication
Public Relations
 
Business Minors (4 units):

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Industry-Based Learning is an optional program in which students are placed in paid, supervised employment relevant to their studies as part of their degree. Industry-Based Learning gives students practical experience to add to their academic studies, and is a proven advantage in the graduate job market. All Industry-Based Learning placements are subject to availability of places. For further information visit: www.swinburne.edu.au/spl/ibl

The optional year of Industry-Based Learning in Australia is currently not available to international students. However international students may be able to participate in IBL in another country, subject to the approval of the relevant Swinburne IBL manager and appropriate immigration approval.

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Swinburne Abroad provides students with an international learning experience as part of their degree. Students can receive credit for their overseas studies by undertaking an external studies co-major or minor allowing students to study up to one year full time overseas and not extend the time to complete their Swinburne program.

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Employment can be found in areas including advertising, public relations, journalism, radio, film and television and communications research.

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Swinburne College English for Academic Purposes Advanced level certificate at the undergraduate level (EAP 5: UG-65% ); OR, Obtaining a minimum IELTS overall band of 6.0 (Academic Module) with no individual band below 6.0; OR, a TOEFL (Paper-based) minimum score of 550 (with Test of Written English (TWE) score of 5); OR, a TOEFL (Computer-based) minimum score of 213 (with Written Writing score of 5); OR, a TOEFL (Internet-based) minimum score of 80 with no band less than 20.

Refer to the English Language Requirements website for further information.

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To assess eligibility for entry to Swinburne, visit the Academic Entry Requirements page.

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Phone: +613 8676 7002 (outside Australia)
Freecall 1800 897 973 (within Australia)

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Visit our Meet Us page to see when we are visiting your home country (or here in Australia)

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A range of scholarships are available to international students, visit our Scholarship Page for details.

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