Communication and Media Studies
Contents
Communication and Media can be studied in flexible ways at UNE, on-campus or off-campus, full-time or part-time.
This page outlines choices for studying communication and media, at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Why Study Communication and Media at UNE?
For internal students, UNE has maintained traditions such as small-group classes as well as lectures, constructive interaction with staff and fellow students, great on-campus accommodation, a vibrant campus life, sporting facilities, and more.
If you choose to study by distance, you will find that we have an outstanding external study program, which is evident in the fact that most of our student body studies externally. The units for external study are provided online, with comprehensive materials and support from staff who are skilled and experienced in distance teaching.
Communication and Media is an exciting academic field that is relevant to many employment areas and personal interests in media and communications.
In this field, you can explore:
- Digital media
- Interactive entertainment and gaming
- Internet studies
- Advertising and news
- Television programming and industry
- National cinemas, including Australian feature film
- Documentary in film and on television and the web
- Rhetoric and public affairs
- Film, gender and popular culture
- Children’s media, animation, film and television
- Convergences of print, audiovisual and electronic media
- Professional and creative writing
- Publishing and editing
- Writing for the web
Students may also take an internship – through the UNE ‘Workready’ unit – in a relevant field and have it count towards their qualification.
Undergraduate
If you wish to specialise in this field, the logical choice is the Bachelor of Media and Communications.
- In the Bachelor of Media and Communications, you can do a major in either ‘Media and Culture’ or ‘Writing and Publishing’.
- There is some common ground between these two majors. Media and Culture focuses more on film studies, television studies, and digital media; while Writing and Publishing includes more units on creative, media-based and professional writing.
- Completing one of these majors constitutes just over half the total number of units in your degree.
- For the rest of your program, you may choose further units from within the Media and Communications area, and/or take units from other discipline areas that complement your major and suit your personal or career interests.
- These other discipline areas include those within the School of Arts – English, Theatre Studies, Languages and Music – and subjects such as History, Political Studies, Psychology, Marketing, Sociology and more, which are offered by other Schools.
Alternatively, you may include media and communications as part of another degree, such as the Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of International Studies.
- For example, you could choose from majors in ‘Film Studies’, ‘Media Studies’ or ‘Writing’ in the BA.
- Or in the Bachelor of International Studies, the relevant major is ‘Media and Information Studies’.
As well, units in media and communications can simply be taken as electives within many other degrees, according to their course rules.
Students who have completed a Diploma or Advanced Diploma in Screen at the New England Institute of TAFE, Armidale may articulate with advanced standing to the Bachelor of Media and Communications, majoring in Film and Television Production.
Postgraduate Coursework
The media and communications field is part of several UNE postgraduate coursework programs.
Units in this field contribute to the Graduate Certificate in Arts and the Graduate Diploma in Humanities.
For information on the Graduate Certificate in Writing, please go to the Writing subject area on the School of Arts web site, or enter this Graduate Certificate title in the Course and Unit Catalogue.
In the coursework Master of Arts, there is a major in Media and Communications, and units in this area may also be taken as electives if you study a different major.
Higher Degree Research
Higher degree research may be undertaken in Media and Communications at UNE, either by traditional thesis or in ‘Creative Practice’, in the Master of Arts (Honours) and PhD programs. See the School's postgraduate information pages for more details.
Courses
Bachelor of Media and Communication (Media and Culture)
Bachelor of Media and Communication (Writing and Publishing)
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts (Film Studies)
Bachelor of Arts (Media Studies)
Bachelor of Arts (Writing)
Bachelor of International Studies
Bachelor of International Studies (Advanced)
Graduate Certificate in Writing
Master of Arts (Communication Studies)
Master of Arts (Writing)
Units
(Some new or amended units pending approval)
The following is a general list of the units from the School of Arts that contribute to the media and communications area. Please note that more specific information about the unit requirements for particular courses and majors is available on the Course and Unit Catalogue.
Introductory level units
These units are offered every year:
COMM 120 Media Studies: An Introduction
COMM 121 Internet Studies
ENCO 100 Communication Skills: Composition
ENCO 102 Introduction to Writing in Genres
Advanced level units
Undergraduate units here are at the 300 level; postgraduate units are at the 500 level.
Normally, each unit on this list is offered once every two years. This arrangement allows us to offer a wider range of units overall.
COMM 315/COMM 415 Children's Film and Television
COMM 321/COMM 421 Mass Communication: Advertising and Information
COMM 323/COMM 423 New Media
COMM 325/COMM 425 Popular Television Genres
COMM 327/COMM 427 Reading Popular Culture
COMM 332/COMM 532 News: Content and Practice
COMM 380 Film: Style and Story
COMM 381/COMM 581 Documentary: Australian and International
COMM 383/COMM 483 Film Genre
COMM 385/COMM 485 Australian Film
COMM 388/COMM 488 Visual Pleasures: Feminism Goes to the Movies
ECT 303/ECT 403 Research in Writing
ENCO 306/ENCO 406 Writing for Work: Styles and Contexts
ENCO 309/ENCO 509 Writing Non-Fiction: Interpreting the Truth
ENCO 310/ENCO 410 Children's Literature: Picture Books and Fantasy
ENCO 329/ENCO 529 Publishing and Editing
ENGL 304/ENGL 404 Critical and Creative Writing Through Literature
Project-based units that may count towards media and communications, with staff approval
ARTS 301 Research and Professional Practice
ARTS 302
ARTS 502 Dissertation Unit
WORK 300/500 Professional Skills Development
Careers
Advertising and communication strategist, administrator, announcer, broadcasting producer, broadcasting sales, corporate writer, editorial assistant, film critic, journalist, market research analyst, media analyst, media programmer, news writer/editor, office manager, policy analyst, presenter, promotions manager, public relations assistant, public relations officer, publisher, reporter, research worker, sales manager, speech writer, technical writer.
Partnerships, Networks and Industry Links
New England Institute of TAFE, Armidale
Australian and New Zealand Communication Association
Contacts
Dr Jennifer McDonell
Convenor of English, Communication and Media
Telephone (02) 6773 2517
email: jmcdonel@une.edu.au