Bachelor of Communication (Journalism)

2016 Deakin University Handbook

Course sub-headings

• Course overview
• Course rules
• Course structure

Course overview

Learn how Journalism at Deakin builds your news writing, broadcast and multimedia skills for exciting careers in media.

You’re looking for an exciting career in journalism or the media industries. Deakin’s Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) will equip you with the specialist knowledge and skills you need to pursue your goals. From day one, you’ll have the opportunity to research, write, edit and publish news and feature stories. In year three of your degree you undertake a program of intensive news production in a digital newsroom. This means, when you graduate you’ll have a portfolio of work that showcases your knowledge and skills as a journalist. Along the way you’ll be taught by our expert team of journalism and media practitioners with extensive experience across all the key media platforms: print, television, radio and online.

Most importantly, you’ll complete a journalism internship. This experience provides the opportunity to build industry contacts and in addition to your journalism portfolio, you’ll gain that important entry on your resume: industry experience.

A good journalist has broad interests. The Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) has been designed so that you can choose electives from a wide range of subjects, or you can choose a specific sequence of units in an allied field of study or in a subject that is of interest to you.  The degree runs for three years of full-time study with the possibility of continuing on to the professionally oriented one-year Communication Honours degree. This pathway is an attractive option if you’re interested in pursuing a specific project, or want to enhance your research skills.

The news and media industries are dynamic, providing new opportunities for graduates with high level journalism skills and knowledge.  The Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) will prepare you for employment in the communications industries, across all media platforms, whether working for large news organisations, allied media businesses, or freelancing.

Course rules

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) a student must complete 24 credit points including:

• 15 credit points of compulsory core units
• 9 credit points of elective units (from any discipline area)
• no more than 10 credit points at level 1
• at least 14 credit points at level 2 and above
• no more than 8 credit points taken outside the Faculty of Arts and Education

Course structure

Core Units

Course Map

Level 1

4 Electives

Level 2

3 Electives

Level 3

2 Electives, or

1 Elective and ALJ321Unit description is currently unavailable

Course structure

Electives

Students are advised to undertake electives in related communications disciplines such as Professional and Creative Writing, Public Relations and Media, or production disciplines such as Film and Television, Photography, Visual Communication Design. Students should also consider undertaking electives in history, politics, and other humanities and social science disciplines to provide foundation knowledge of society and culture.

In first year students are recommended to use their four electives to complete at least two of ALC104, ALC105, ALR103, ALR104, ALW101, ACM112, ACI102, AIH108 or AIP107.