Bachelor of International Studies/Bachelor of Commerce

2025 Deakin University Handbook

Year	2025 course information
Award granted	Bachelor of International Studies / Bachelor of Commerce
Deakin course code	D338
Course version	4
Faculty	Faculty of Arts and Education
Course Information	For students who commenced from 2022 onwards
Campus	Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong), Online
Duration	4 years full-time or part-time equivalent
Course Map - enrolment planning tool	This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2025. This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 2 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 code	075376C Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong)
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7
Note: Students enrolled at Geelong in this combined course will be required to undertake units of study at both Waurn Ponds (Geelong) and Waterfront (Geelong).

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Gain a competitive business foundation with global application at a university ranked in the top 1% globally for Business and Management studies. Studying Deakin's Bachelor of International Studies/Bachelor of Commerce, means you will develop your understanding of the international forces shaping government, business and communities, and gain skills to analyse and interpret these forces.

Take your business ideas to the world stage – develop knowledge and capabilities and gain insights through valuable international experiences.

You will commit to an exciting international learning program, either as a student at one of our university exchange partners or in an approved internship. Additionally, you will get the exposure necessary to develop your understanding of foreign governments, businesses and communities on the ground, and immerse yourself in the culture while you are there.

Want to take your business ideas global?

This course will equip you with a solid foundation in business, and the international context you need to live and work anywhere in the world.

Choose a major commerce sequence that reflects your specialised passion:

accounting
economics
finance
financial planning
human resources management
management
management information systems
marketing.

This combined course is led by academics who are experts in their field, so you will always be learning the latest concepts, ideas and approaches from inside the industry. Plus, you will benefit from networking with and learning from their real-world connections.

Professional recognition

Deakin Business School holds the prestigious and globally recognised AACSB and EQUIS accreditations, which attest to quality, academic and professional excellence, ongoing improvement, innovation and graduate employability.

Deakin's accounting major enables students to apply for the:
The marketing major provides a one-year credit towards the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI) five-year Certified Practicing Marketer and Chartered Marketer certification.
Students who complete the finance major are recognised through the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program.
The financial planning major satisfies the Financial Adviser Standards (FAS) education standards, meaning students can provide financial advice in Australia and are eligible for financial planning certification programs including:
- the Financial Adviser Association of Australia (FAAA) CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®.
The human resource management major enables students to apply for the Australian HR Institute (AHRI) membership.

Students should consult with a course adviser to identify any additional requirements for membership for each professional body, and also consult with the professional body.

Career opportunities

As a Bachelor of International Studies/Bachelor of Commerce graduate, your skills will be in demand in a range of careers, including:

diplomat
foreign affairs officer
foreign exchange analyst
import/export manager
international management consultant
NGO policy officer
politician
trade delegate.

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.

Alternative exits

Bachelor of Commerce (M300)
Bachelor of International Studies (A326)

Articulated courses

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (A400)

Course learning outcomes

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes Bachelor of International Studies A326	Course Learning Outcomes Bachelor of Commerce M300
Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities	Review, analyse and apply key concepts in International Studies relating to international politics and society, globalisation and development, intercultural competency, global citizenship and professional development with reference to one or more Social Science disciplinary perspectives and appropriate theories and technical knowledge.	Apply a broad and coherent theoretical and technical knowledge of commerce and its applications.
Communication	Apply learnings from personal and professional development in diverse organizational contexts to effectively communicate cross-cultural ideas, arguments and analyses to diverse audiences using a range of different mediums.	Communicate commerce concepts and information effectively including in oral, written and visual forms in a cohesive and understandable manner to academic audiences, business professionals and laypersons.
Digital literacy	Employ a range of digital technologies and platforms to conduct research, engage in discussion and debate, document personal and professional skills and attributes, communicate effectively with and deliver reports and presentations to a diverse range of audiences within and outside the field of International Studies.	Use technologies to identify, locate, evaluate, synthesise and disseminate and communicate information in the field of commerce.
Critical thinking	Analyse and critically evaluate conceptual and theoretical approaches to issues of international politics and society, intercultural competency, global citizenship, and professional development in the context of an increasingly complex globalised world that requires appreciation of local, national, regional and international dynamics and their interactions.	Evaluate and critically analyse academic, professional and business information and values.
Problem solving	Employ initiative and creativity in conjunction with appropriate Social Science methods of research and analysis to systematically investigate and generate context-sensitive and pragmatic solutions to complex real-world problems.	Identify solutions to a diverse range of authentic problems in commerce.
Self-management	Exercise autonomy, responsibility, accountability and a sustained and ongoing commitment to learning and skill development in International Studies contexts including but not limited to communities of practice and scholarship.	Take personal responsibility for actions, self-reflect and critique own performance and identify and plan future professional development.
Teamwork	Work and learn collaboratively and productively with others in the field of International Studies and with stakeholders from other disciplines and backgrounds to achieve shared goals.	Interact and collaborate with others from a range of disciplines and backgrounds.
Global citizenship	Analyse and respond appropriately to issues of cultural, social and political inequity; the transferability of knowledge and skills in different geographic, knowledge and organisational contexts as a reflective scholar and practitioner, taking into consideration cultural and socio-economic diversity, social and environmental responsibility and adherence to professional and academic ethical standards.	Engage effectively in different environments and contexts reflecting social, sustainable, ethical, economic, and global perspectives in the field of commerce.

Approved by Faculty Board November 2020

Course rules

To complete the Bachelor of International Studies/Bachelor of Commerce students must pass 32 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
16 credit points from the Bachelor of International Studies
- 6 credit points of core units
- 1 international studies major (8 credit points)
- an approved international experience (2 credit points minimum)^
16 credit points from the Bachelor of Commerce
- 8 credit points of core units
- 1 commerce major (8 credit points)
- a minimum of 4 credit points at level 3 of commerce coded units
A maximum of 12 credit points at level 1
A minimum of 10 credit points at level 3
course requirements for both the Bachelor of International Studies (A326) and Bachelor of Commerce (M300) must be satisfied

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.

Note:

It is envisaged that students will complete the international experience in the third or fourth year of their course.

^(i) Students enrolled in D338 or D323 are not able to accommodate AIS331 International Internship B (4 credit points) within the 16 credit points allocated to the Bachelor of International Studies. However, AIS330 International Internship A (2 credit point) placements can be for up to 12-weeks if desired. Please contact the Unit Chair for further information.

^(ii) It is envisaged that students would complete the international experience in the third or fourth year of their course.

Course structure

Bachelor of International Studies units

Core units

AIS101

Intercultural Communication

AIS102

Working in International Contexts

AIR200

Global Capitalism and Power

AIS204

Gender, Globalisation and Development

AIS303

International Studies Capstone Portfolio

AIS304

International Futures

Bachelor of International Studies Majors

Refer to the details of each major sequence for availability.

International Relations

Middle East Studies

Politics and Policy Studies

Spanish

~ The Indigenous Studies major sequence is offered in the online mode only. International on-campus students must first seek approval from Student Central with a course map plan to ensure they do not exceed one-third (or equivalent) of their course completed online and meet all other course and enrolment rules.

Bachelor of Commerce units

Core units

MAA103

Accounting for Decision Making

MAE101

Economic Principles

MAF101

Fundamentals of Finance

MMK101

Marketing Fundamentals

Law for Commerce

Professional Insight

Business Analytics

Management

Bachelor of Commerce Majors

Refer to the details of each major sequence for availability.
All students in the Bachelor of Commerce are required to complete at least one major sequence chosen from the following:

^ These majors are the recommended pathway to qualify for membership of professional organisations.

*Offer offered to continuing students only

Work experience

This course includes completion of least 2 credit points of international experience, selected from one or more of the following:

Trimester of study at an overseas university exchange partner
International internship (AIS330 or AIS331^) *in-country language program (in Chinese, Indonesian or Arabic)
Approved study abroad program or approved study tour (AIS203 or other)
Approved onshore internship with an international organisation (available for AIS330 only).
2 credit points of consecutive language units other than an in-country language program can be taken to achieve one credit point of the international experience requirement

^Note:

(i) Students enrolled in D338 or D323 are not able to accommodate AIS331 International Internship B (4 credit points) within the 16 credit points allocated to the Bachelor of International Studies. However, AIS330 International Internship A (2 credit point) placements can be for up to 12-weeks if desired. Please contact the Unit Chair for further information.

Further details can be found at Work Integrated Learning.

Course duration

You may be able to study available units in the optional third trimester to fast-track your degree, however your course duration may be extended if there are delays in meeting course requirements, such as completing a placement.

Further information

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

Contact Student Central

Research and research-related study

Independent research components are embedded across a number of units.

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.