A2002 Bachelor of Media Communication

The course is structured in  four parts: Part A. Core studies, Part B. Foundation studies, Part C. Specialist studies and Part D. Free elective studies.

Part A. Core studies

These units build your competence in: 

• analysing and understanding the current state and past developments in media communication locally and globally;
• understanding impacts of media and communication transformation, and media power; and
• creating future scenarios and media communication visions by developing your preparedness and adaptability for future media communication change and creativity.

Part B. Foundation studies

These units involve developing your competencies across a range of specified media areas and linking knowledge and media practice in professional contexts, such as conceptual and implementation skills, project and content management skills, hands-on experience in putting knowledge into practice, and thereby testing and creatively experimenting with (strategic) knowledge about media transitions and transformations. It also involves developing your competency in ethical and legal aspects of media communication.

Part C. Specialist studies

These units involve further developing specialised competencies necessary for you to work in different knowledge communities and media communication professional settings. It includes competence in engaging with stakeholders, working in teams, media literacy, and participatory research and media making in collaboration with experts from academia, industry, government, and the community. It also includes competency in social and cross-cultural awareness.

Part D. Free elective studies

Free elective units enable you to further your knowledge of media communication more broadly, or to select units from across the faculty or University in which you are eligible to enrol. If you are in a double degree course, some units required for the other degree can also be credited as electives towards the media communication specialist degree. You can also use your free electives for study tours, field trips, internships, exchange opportunities or explore the Arts enrichment and Monash Intercultural Lab  for other available options.

Bachelor + Masters accelerated pathway

If you satisfy the below requirements, you may be invited to join the master's accelerated pathway program:

• have achieved a minimum Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 65%; and 
• have completed a minimum of 96 credit points in your bachelor degree, including 24 credit points towards your Arts specialisation.

Please note that you should also have a minimum of 24 credit points of free electives available.

On joining the accelerated pathway your 24 credit points of free elective units will be replaced with specified units from your destination masters degree. As long as you attain a minimum WAM of 60% at the end of your bachelor studies, you will be eligible to continue your chosen masters studies the following year.

Course progression map

The course progression map provides guidance on unit enrolment for each semester of study.

The course comprises 144 credit points, of which 96 points are media communication studies and 48 points are free electives.

To satisfy the requirements of the Bachelor of Media Communication you must complete 144 credit points as specified in the course requirements, including:

• a maximum of 60 credit points at level 1; and 
• a minimum of 30 credit points at level 3, of which at least 18 credit points must be from the specialisation.

Note 1. Units are 6 credit points unless otherwise stated.
Note 2. The level of the unit is indicated by the first number in the unit code.
Note 3. You must choose gateway units (24 credit points) from two specialisations in the first year of study. You are required to nominate your chosen specialisation(s) at the end of your first year of study.
Note 4. If you choose to complete two specialisations, you are required to complete a minimum of 36 credit points in each specialisation.

A unit cannot be counted towards two specialisations. If you choose to complete the following specialisation combinations, you must complete the alternative capstone units as specified in the specialisation requirements.

Public Relations and Media specialisations:

ATS3992 is listed as a capstone in both the Public relations and Media specialisations. This unit cannot be counted as meeting capstone requirements for both specialisations.

Journalism and Public Relations specialisations:

ATS3645 is listed as a capstone in both the Journalism and Public relations specialisations. This unit cannot be counted as meeting capstone requirements for both specialisations.

Part A. Core studies (36 credit points)

You must complete 36 credit points from the following list, comprising:

- ATS1119 and ATS1206,

- 12 credit points of level 2 units; and

- 12 credit points of level 3 units.

• ATS1119 Communicating in the digital era
• ATS1206 Media challenges
• ATS2186 Audio lab
• ATS2187 Video lab
• ATS2188 Social media lab
• ATS2834 Visual communications lab
• ATS3129 Arts internship (12 points) 
• ATS3130 Arts international internship (12 points)
• ATS3191 Media impact lab 
• ATS3192 Media entrepreneurship lab 
• ATS3337 Media professions lab
• ATS3555 Advanced media portfolio

• ATS3949 Extended realities (XR) lab

Part B. Foundation studies (24 credit points)

You must complete 2 units (12 credit points) from two of the following listed specialisations, to total 24 credit points.

Note: The units from this component of the course will be credited to your chosen specialisation in Part C as they represent the foundation knowledge for your specialist studies.

Journalism - Foundation studies

• ATS1089 Fundamentals of journalism
• ATS1090 Practice of journalism

Media - Foundation studies

• ATS1279 Media and culture
• ATS1280 Understanding the media

Public relations - Foundation studies

• ATS1060 Celebrities, influencers and promotion
• ATS1125 Public relations foundations

Screen - Foundation studies

• ATS1304 Introduction to television studies
• ATS1305 Introduction to film studies

Part C. Specialist studies (36 credit points)

You must complete the units (36 credit points) in your chosen specialisation.

Note 1. It is recommended that you complete level 1 unit sequences first as these lay the foundations for level 2 and level 3 specialisation units.

Note 2. If you are undertaking a single degree, you may complete two specialisations by replacing 36 credit points from Part D. with the required Specialist units. Consultation with the Course Director is advised.

• Journalism
• Media 
• Public relations 
• Screen

Part D. Free elective studies (48 points)

You must complete 48 credit points of free elective study. 

Units not completed in Part B. and Part C. are recommended as they enable you to further your discipline knowledge more broadly. Free elective units may be chosen from the faculty or across the University as long as you have the prerequisites and there are no restrictions on admission to the units. The units may be at any level ensuring that the course rules are satisfied for the Bachelor of Media and Communication. 

You can enrich your degree by using some of your free electives to take a study tour, field trip or exchange opportunity. You can also use this space to hone your academic and professional skills with an internship or a range of practical units. See Arts enrichment and Monash Intercultural Lab list of units to discover the breadth of options available. 

The level of the unit is indicated by the first number in the unit code; undergraduate units are those that commence with the numbers 1-3. You may need permission from the owning faculty to enrol in some units taught by other faculties.

If you are in a double degree course, some units required for the other degree are credited as electives towards the media communications specialist degree.