The Bachelor of Communication and Professional Writing requires three years of full-time study, or the equivalent part-time.  The course is offered by the Faculty of Education, Humanities and Law.

Admission requirements

The minimum requirements for consideration for entry to all undergraduate courses are specified in detail in the University Entry Requirements.

Course aims

This course aims to provide students with:

  • the knowledge and skills to be able to research, write, design and produce communication content for a range of media platforms;
  • communication skills and the ability to present information in a variety of disciplines and collaborative situations;
  • research, analytical and problem solving skills;
  • the ability to work both independently and collaboratively;
  • the skills and knowledge to connect across geographical, disciplinary, social and cultural boundaries;
  • an understanding of the value of ethical behaviour.

Learning outcomes 

Upon graduating, students will:

  • have developed knowledge and skills to research, write, design and publish in different media;
  • be able to initiate, plan, design and deliver effective communication in a range of different media;
  • be able to evaluate critically the role of communication and media in contemporary society, analyse the social effects and consequences; and use these to inform their own work;
  • have developed a knowledge of communication and communication practices, and the skills and ability to apply critical, analytical, research and problem solving skills; and
  • have developed knowledge of international and intercultural contexts within communication. 

Program of study

To qualify for the Bachelor of Communication and Professional Writing a student must complete 108 units, with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the following program of study.

Core - Year 1 topics

27 units comprising

COMS1001  Academic and Professional Communication (4.5 units)
COMS1003  Visual Communication (4.5 units)
BUSN1022  Marketing Principles (4.5 units)
PROF1001  Professional Writing 1:  Writing for Digital Environments (4.5 units)
SCME1002  Convergence Cultures (4.5 units)
SCME1003  Essential Multimedia (4.5 units)

Option - Year 1 topics

Select 9 units from:

BUSN1011  Accounting for Managers (4.5 units)
BUSN1012  Management, People and Organisations (4.5 units)
BUSN1019  Law for Business (4.5 units)
BUSN1021  Organisational Behaviour (4.5 units)
ENGL1101  Approaches to Literature (4.5 units)
ENGL1102  Literary Interpretations (4.5 units)
LANG1002  Language and Languages (4.5 units)
LING1501  How Language works (4.5 units)
PHIL1060  Critical Reasoning (4.5 units)
SCME1000  Film Form and Analysis (4.5 units)
SCME1001  Media Histories (4.5 units)
SOCI1010  Sociology of Everyday Life (4.5 units)

Core - Year 2 topics

31.5 units comprising  

BUSN2048  Social Media Marketing (4.5 units)
COMS2000  Practicum/Project in Communication 1 (4.5 units)
PROF2002  Professional Writing 2 (4.5 units)
PROF2003  Professional Writing 3 (4.5 units)
SCME2004  Introduction to Digital Graphic Design (4.5 units)  
SCME2100  Media Policy (4.5 units)
SCME2108  Multimedia Production 1 (4.5 units

Option - Year 2 topics

Select 4.5 units from:

BUSN2020  Consumer Behaviour (4.5 units)
BUSN2033  Marketing Communications (4.5 units)
ENGL2131  Twenty-First Century Literature: Texts and Contexts (4.5 units)
ENGL2141  Life Writing (4.5 units)
LEGL2114  Regulating Small Business (4.5 units)
LING2103  Language, Culture and Communication (4.5 units)
PHIL2601  Ethics for Professionals (4.5 units)
SCME2101  Australian/Indigenous Media (4.5 units)
SCME2201  Interaction Design (4.5 units)
WMST2014  Media and Cultural Identities: Gender, Race and Sexuality (4.5 units)

Core - Year 3 topics

27 units comprising  

COMS3000  Practicum/Project in Communication 2 (4.5 units)
ENGL2134  Publishing and Editing (4.5 units)
LEGL3112  Regulating Technology (4.5 units)
PROF3004  Professional Writing 4 (4.5 units)
PROF3005  Professional Writing 5 (4.5 units)
SCME2005  Media Audiences (4.5 units)

Option - Year 3 topics

Select 9 units from:

BUSN3027  E-Business (4.5 units)
BUSN3030  Marketing Applications (4.5 units)
BUSN3041  Services Marketing (4.5 units)
BUSN3042  Strategic Marketing (4.5 units)
BUSN3043  Governance, Sustainability and Ethics (4.5 units)
LING3105  Intercultural Communication in Everyday Life (4.5 units)
POLI3103  Politics and the Internet (4.5 units)
SCME3007  Kids’ Media Cultures (4.5 units)
SCME3051  Introduction to Script Writing (4.5 units)
SOCI3052  Sociology of Arts, Media and Culture (4.5 units)

Not all option topics are necessarily available in a given year.