QTAC code (Australian and New Zealand applicants): Toowoomba campus: 909881; Online: 909885; Springfield campus: 929881

CRICOS code (International applicants): 093872D

Notes

In 2023 the program follows the Semester calendar. The Academic Calendar and Important Dates webpage will allow you to view and download a copy of the important dates for the Semester calendar.

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Contact us

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Program aims

This program produces graduates with a versatile range of contemporary communication skills that can be immediately applied in your career. A diverse set of majors is available that applies digital technology skillsets highly sought after by industry. Study areas are available in advertising, data analytics, digital media, journalism, public relations, marketing, and professional photography. You can also widen your employment opportunities by choosing a secondary major (or minor/s) from outside the program. In your final year, you will be required to undertake authentic learning in a workplace or community project with an option of a work placement or internship.

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Program objectives

On successful completion of the program students should be able to:

• Communicate with high degree of clarity and coherence focusing on specific recipients using professional or technical language.

• Identify and evaluate the communication processes in a range of industry settings using oral, written, and digital channels.

• Solve problems using critical and reflective approaches informed by communication theory, ethical and social responsibilities.

• Select and apply industry relevant communication practices in authentic settings that are collaborative, innovative, and future-focused.

• Value cultural awareness and diversity and advocate within teams, communities, and workplace settings.

• Critically examine and describe the theoretical issues, problems and methodologies used within the communication professions.

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Australian Qualifications Framework

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is a single national, comprehensive system of qualifications offered by higher education institutions (including universities), vocational education and training institutions and secondary schools. Each AQF qualification has a set of descriptors which define the type and complexity of knowledge, skills and application of knowledge and skills that a graduate who has been awarded that qualification has attained, and the typical volume of learning associated with that qualification type.

This program is at AQF Qualification Level 07. Graduates at this level will have broad and coherent knowledge and skills for professional work and/or further learning.

The full set of levels criteria and qualification type descriptors can be found by visiting www.aqf.edu.au.

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Program Information Set

View UniSQ’s admission criteria, student profiles and a summary of all offers made under Course Admission Information Set via the QTAC website.

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Admission requirements

To be eligible for admission, applicants must satisfy the following requirements:

• Have achieved a minimum Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 65, or equivalent qualification.^

• English Language Proficiency requirements for Category 2.

Applicants are advised to also address the following:

• Assumed knowledge expectations: English (Units 3 & 4, C).

All students are required to satisfy the applicable English language requirements.

If students do not meet the English language requirements they may apply to study a University-approved English language program. On successful completion of the English language program, students may be admitted to an award program.

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Program fees

Commonwealth supported place

A Commonwealth supported place is where the Australian Government makes a contribution towards the cost of a students' higher education and students pay a student contribution amount, which varies depending on the courses undertaken. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Schedules.

Commonwealth Supported students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called HECS-HELP.

Domestic full fee paying place

Domestic full fee paying places are funded entirely through the full fees paid by the student. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Schedule

Domestic full fee paying students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called FEE-HELP provided they meet the residency and citizenship requirements.

Australian citizens, Permanent Humanitarian Visa holders, Permanent Resident visa holders and New Zealand citizens who will be resident outside Australia for the duration of their program pay full tuition fees and are not eligible for FEE-Help.

International full fee paying place

International students pay full fees. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken and whether they are studied on-campus, external or online. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Schedules.

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Program structure

The Bachelor of Communication and Media is comprised of 24 single-unit courses as indicated in the table below. Students are not permitted to complete more than ten Level 1 courses as part of this program. Students must be aware of this requirement as they chose their electives including SEED (Skills, Experience, Employability, Discovery) electives. Students are also required to complete a minimum of four (4) level 3 courses as part of this program.

Foundation Year

It is recommended that students take ONE SEED course in each of their first 2 semesters of study. SEED electives work with first-year core courses to create a foundation year. By exploring the contributions different disciplines make to problem-solving, students will be able to make more informed study choices in program design and their emergent career journeys.

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Required time limits

Students have a maximum of 9 years to complete this program.

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Core courses

All students must take the core courses:

• CMS1000 Communication and Scholarship (final offer Semester 1, 2023) OR HAC1000 The Skilful Communicator^£ (first offer Semester 2, 2023)

• HAC1001 The Professional Self: Building Career Identity (first offer Semester 2, 2023) (must be taken in first year of study)

• HAC2000 (first offer Semester 1, 2024)

• HAC3001 (first offer Semester 2, 2024)

The recommended pattern for enrolment in core courses by full-time on-campus students is:

This pattern should only be varied with the permission of the Program Director.

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Major studies

8-unit majors:

• Advertising

• Digital Media

• Documentary Production

• Journalism

• Public Relations

• Marketing

• Professional Photography

• Software Application Development

Majors from outside the program

Students may select one major from the list above and a second major from another UniSQ undergraduate program subject to meeting prerequisite requirements and with the approval of the Program Director.

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Minor Studies

Students may take one minor from those listed in the Minor studies.. Students should take courses to the value of at least four units in the selected Minor Study. Choice of a minor will depend on the availability of the subject area, timetabling constraints, quotas and other restrictions such as auditions and interviews in certain areas of the Arts, as well as the approval of the Program Director.

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Practical experience

In many majors within this program, on-campus and external students will be required to work on practical, real world projects and in some cases, will be required to work in teams.

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IT requirements

For information technology requirements please refer to the minimum computing standards.

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Exit points

Students may exit with the DART Diploma of Arts if they have completed 8 courses as follows:

• CMS1000 Communication and Scholarship (final offer Semester 1, 2023) OR HAC1000 The Skilful Communicator^£ (first offer Semester 2, 2023)

• 7 other courses from the Bachelor of Communication and Media.

Students may exit with the DAPC Diploma of Professional Communication if they have completed 8 courses as follows:

• CMS1000 Communication and Scholarship (final offer Semester 1, 2023) OR HAC1000 The Skilful Communicator^£ (first offer Semester 2, 2023)

• HAC1001 The Professional Self: Building Career Identity

• 6 other courses as specified by the DAPC Diploma of Professional Communication handbook.

Students may exit with the DAPP Diploma of Professional Photography if they have completed 8 courses as follows:

• CMS1000 Communication and Scholarship (final offer Semester 1, 2023) OR HAC1000 The Skilful Communicator^£ (first offer Semester 2, 2023)

• HAC1001 The Professional Self: Building Career Identity

• 6 other courses as specified by the DAPP Diploma of Professional Photography handbook.

Students may exit with the Associate Degree of Communication and Media if they have completed 16 courses as follows:

• 2 core units from the Bachelor of Communication and Media

• 14 other units, with no more than 10 level one units Bachelor of Communication and Media.

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Credit

Candidates for admission to the Bachelor of Communication and Media may be eligible for up to 16 units of credit on the basis of successful completion of relevant, equivalent undergraduate study from a recognised university or institution offering equivalent study. Credit approved in this program will not automatically apply to other programs offered by UniSQ.

Claims for credit for previous study should be submitted prior to or at the time of enrolment. Each claim will be assessed on individual merit in line with UniSQ policy.

Note: Where credit is granted, maximum and minimum duration will be adjusted in the same proportion as credit, for example, where eight units of credit is granted, maximum time will be six years and minimum time will be four semesters.

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Enrolment

Given the program structure information, students should plan their enrolment making sure that they have fulfilled all core, major and minor requirements (depending on their choice of enrolment pattern). Enrolment requirements must be satisfied before enrolling in a course.
As a guide, full-time students should plan to undertake 8 courses per year and online students, who are in employment, a maximum of 6 courses per year, with a minimum of 4 courses per year. This is exclusive of any semester 3 enrolments.
Courses are normally offered on-campus and externally in the same semester. If a course is offered twice in one year, the second offering will normally be on an external basis only.

Recommended enrolment patterns

In this section:

• Advertising (8-unit major)
• Digital Media (8-unit major)
• Documentary Production (8-unit major)
• Journalism (8-unit major)
• Marketing (8-unit major)
• Professional Photography (8-unit major)
• Public Relations (8-unit major)
• Software Application Development (8-unit major)

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Advertising (8-unit major)

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Digital Media (8-unit major)

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Documentary Production (8-unit major)

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Journalism (8-unit major)

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Marketing (8-unit major)

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Professional Photography (8-unit major)

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Public Relations (8-unit major)

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Software Application Development (8-unit major)