Bachelor of Media and Communication

The bachelor of media and communication program help students develop key skills in professional communication and media content creation. With strong industry connections, the program links theoretical knowledge with practical, experiential learning relevant to the ever growing areas of media and communication.

Students will also benefit from Swinburne’s partnership with Adobe which gives you free access to the Adobe Creative Cloud while studying.

Course structure

For the completion of the Bachelor of Media and Communication, students are required to complete a total of 24 units (300 credit points) consisting of:

• Four (4) Core units (50 credit points)
• Eight (8) Social Media Major (100 credit points)
• Twelve (12)Component units (150 credit points) comprising of a/an co-major, advanced minor, minor/s and/or electives 

Core units
COM10007 Professional Communication Practice

• This unit introduces students to the vital part communication plays in professional life. In covering ideas and skills fundamental to professional communication success, it aims to build not only competence but also students’ confidence in functioning as ethical communicators, able to use a range of techniques to achieve desired communication outcomes.

MDA10008 Global Media Industries

• This unit explores worldwide trends in a range of media industries and provides students with the skills and knowledge to work internationally in fields such as design, marketing, media regulation, content creation and management, telecommunications and journalism.

JOU10007 Media Content Creation

• This unit introduces students to digital non-fiction story development skills for professional media purposes and social media dissemination across a range of platforms. Students will establish and develop an online portfolio and learn how to establish a related professional social media identity in order to promote their work.

MDA10001 Introduction to Media Studies

• This unit introduces students to the fundamentals of media studies, with a focus on texts, contexts, and the history of media and media studies. This enables students to understand the significant contribution that the media make to the formation of society and culture.

Social Media Major

MDA100006 Innovation Cultures: Perspectives on Science and Technology

• This unit examines the relationship between science, technology and culture with a particular emphasis on communications and screen-based technology. Students will learn about key theoretical paradigms such as disruptive innovation, Actor Network Theory, and participatory media etc.

MDA20009 Digital Communities

• This unit examines the growing dominance of social media as a factor of our social, political, financial and cultural life. Students will develop a critical approach to social media by exploring a range of platforms and contexts, uses and practices. Students will use this knowledge and critical understanding to explore strategic, creative and productive use of social media tools.

MDA20025 National Media in a Globalised World

• This unit will analyse a selection of local media industry sectors and current and long-standing media public policy issues, including ownership and control; censorship and classification; measurement of media use; and public and community media institutions.

MDA20003 Networked Selves

• This unit focuses on how people use social media to construct their individual identity. It explores key issues relating to networked media technologies and how they shape identity and personal experiences. The unit looks at how the self is increasingly performed, through a range of media platforms, in ways that blur the boundaries between public and private.

MDA20011 Sports / Advertising / Media

• This unit explores the nexus between sports, advertising and media. Students will gain an understanding of how sport and advertising function, how they operate in the broader context of television and social media, and the ways in which they impact on ideas of race, nation, audience and merchandising.

MDA30017 Media Analytics and Visualisation

• This unit focuses on the strategic and business value of media analytics and visualisation. Students will learn about evidence-based decision making, data analytics and visualisation, and tools and techniques required to collect, clean, analyse and visualise qualitative, quantitative and social network data, and will have the opportunity to apply their learning in real world settings.

MDA30007 Media and Communication Project B

• Students undertaking a media project are supervised in both the design and implementation of a product of their choice or can choose to undertake work experience. This unit is designed to extend the skills acquired by students in their major studies and to provide an opportunity for students to gain experience in the workplace and to work independently as freelance practitioners.

MDA30012 Researching Social Media Publics

• Social media applications and platforms are increasingly defining the way we communicate. This unit introduces research methodologies for analysing such sites of social media practice. It is part of the social media major and minor and also works as a pathway to postgraduate study.

Social Media Minor Units

• MDA100006 Innovation Cultures: Perspectives on Science and Technology
• MDA20009 Digital Communities
• MDA20003 Networked Selves
• MDA30012 Researching Social Media Publics

Component units

• Students are required to undertake 12 components units from Communication Design, Motion Design, Marketing, Management, International Business, Entrepreneurship and Digital Marketing.

Career opportunities

• Graduates may seek employment in a wide range of positions such as content creator, creative industry professional, social media analyst, brand manager/strategist/consultant, communication manager, public relations manager and marketing executive. In line with our vision of creating future ready learners, we provide students with internship opportunities to work with a number of well established companies in Sarawak. This offers students the necessary experience and exposure, supporting them in their future careers.