Graduate Diploma of Journalism

2025 Deakin University Handbook

Year	2025 course information
Award granted	Graduate Diploma of Journalism
Deakin course code	A649
Faculty	Faculty of Arts and Education
Campus	Offered at Burwood (Melbourne)
Online	Yes
Duration	1 year full-time or part-time equivalent
Course Map - enrolment planning tool	This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2025. Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
CRICOS course code	046736B Burwood (Melbourne)
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Build specialised and multidisciplinary skills to thrive in an evolving industry with the Graduate Diploma of Journalism. Hone your craft in professional standard newsrooms, connect with leading journalists from day one and graduate with an impressive portfolio of work.

Want to be a multi-skilled communicator and content creator, capable of reporting stories with impact across multiple platforms?

Journalism is in a state of change. Emerging media platforms, the rise of fake news and a dynamic 24/7 news landscape have increased the demand for accurate, versatile and adaptable journalists. A changing industry creates opportunities for those with future-focused skills in critical thinking and analysis, research and investigation, interviewing, writing and reporting and the ability to innovate and connect with diverse audiences across a range of media. Deakin’s Graduate Diploma of Journalism trains you in these very skills, preparing you for success no matter where your career takes you.

The course’s focus on cross-platform content creation ensures you graduate as a multi-skilled communicator. Develop skills in:

multimedia journalism
investigative journalism
feature writing
news practice and analysis, and more.

By building experience across different platforms and styles of journalism, you can confidently navigate the diverse challenges of your future career and move seamlessly between different roles as your interests change. Elective units add another layer of flexibility to your degree and give you the chance to study units from any other postgraduate course in Deakin’s School of Communication and Creative Arts. Enhance your repertoire by studying complementary units in digital media, design, creative writing, public relations or television production.

On top of technical skills, you will learn about the ethical demands of the modern journalist, and discover what it takes to report accurately and with integrity in an age of misinformation.

You’ll get hands-on, early and often, with access to industry-standard facilities like our professional television studio with green screens and live streaming capabilities, editing suites, media resource centre and state-of-the-art newsroom, streaming news from around the world. In addition, you can pitch and produce stories for our very own student publication, DScribe, and secure an industry placement, giving you the chance to produce content alongside established professionals, work to deadlines and build valuable industry connections.

While there are many exciting career pathways for graduates, there are also opportunities for further study upon successful completion of the course. If you’re interested in deepening your journalism expertise and building even more industry experience, you might like to articulate into Deakin’s Master of Communication.

Career opportunities

The Graduate Diploma of Journalism is designed for people looking to break into journalism and the media and communications industries, as well as current journalists who want to upskill, network and progress to more advanced or diversified roles.

The course recognises that media professionals of the future require versatile skills that allow them to adapt to the changing needs of the industry. Whether you want to work in newspapers, digital media, radio, television, specialist publishing or corporate communications, the course provides you with the multidisciplinary skills and knowledge needed to develop engaging stories and content across all platforms, including traditional and emerging media.

Graduates are prepared to pursue work across a wide range of industry sectors, including:

multimedia businesses
sports media
government departments and not-for-profit organisations

You'll also have the freedom to work as an employee or as a freelancer. You can explore roles as a:

news reporter
mobile journalist
producer
editor or sub-editor
blogger
copywriter
corporate communicator or media advisor.

For more information go to DeakinTALENT.

Participation requirements

Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.

Mandatory student checks

Any unit which contains work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, Working with Children Check or other check.

Pathways

This course can be a pathway to:

Master of Communication (A743)

Alternative exits

Graduate Certificate of Communication (A539)

Course Learning Outcomes

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities	Use specialised knowledge and skills to identify, research, plan and produce newsworthy stories suitable for print, broadcast, and online media, and to analyse theoretical issues raised by news stories and the social role of journalism, both nationally and internationally.
Communication	Apply advanced communication skills in professional and scholarly contexts, including the specialised ability to interview, write, produce and present stories for print, broadcast and online media in a style appropriate for the specific publication and audience.
Digital literacy	Conduct academic and news related research and critically analyse, synthesise, and disseminate this information using a range of technologies, including social media, for a variety of local and global audiences.
Critical thinking	Select, critically analyse, and evaluate information relating both to scholarly contexts and to the construction of news stories whilst evidencing knowledge of different publication styles and media audiences in Australia and internationally.
Problem solving	Critically analyse the unpredictable and complex problems and situations that arise in journalism, and generate pragmatic and creative solutions in professional and scholarly contexts.
Self-management	Act with autonomy, initiative, and resourcefulness when sourcing and following-up news stories, especially under time pressure, evidencing an ongoing commitment to reflective learning about journalism and journalistic practice.
Teamwork	Apply a developed knowledge of how to work collaboratively with journalistic colleagues, other professionals, and community members, and build personal contacts and networks.
Global citizenship	Apply specialised legal, ethical, and cultural knowledge when engaging in journalistic practice in a range of diverse cultural, social and political environments both locally and globally.

Approved at Faculty Board November 2022

Course rules

To complete the Graduate Diploma of Journalism students must pass 8 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:

DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period
6 credit points of core units
2 credit points of course electives

Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements. See the enrolment codes and terminology to help make sense of the University’s vocabulary.

Course structure

Core Units

At least six credit points chosen from the list below:

ACC717

Media Law and Ethics

ALJ721

Global Journalism

ALJ722

Investigative and Narrative Journalism

ALJ714

Journalism for Social Change

ALJ715

Multimedia Storytelling

ALJ716

Writing the News

ACC700

Communication and Creative Arts Internship

Electives

Electives may be chosen from the remaining units above or from any other postgraduate course in the School of Communication and Creative Arts. Students who intend to move from the Graduate Diploma into the Master of Communication are strongly advised to take ACX701 Communication Concepts for their two elective credit points.

Work experience

Elective units may provide the opportunity for Work Integrated Learning experiences.

Course duration

Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing placements.

Further information

Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.

Contact Student Central

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, and their study discipline or your study load.

Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.

Estimate your fees

For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.