Graduate Diploma in Communication | UniSC | University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

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Graduate Diploma in Communication

  • Enhance your writing and communication skills
  • Discover the nuances of journalistic reporting
  • Create a portfolio of published works

Program summary

Program title: Graduate Diploma in Communication
Award abbreviation:
GDComn
Degree type: coursework
Study mode: on campus
Duration: 1 year minimum full-time, 4 years maximum part-time.
Commence: Semester 1 or Semester 2
Fee type 2013: postgraduate coursework places, international fee-paying places
Total courses: 8
USC program code: AR641
CRICOS code: 058564G

Develop your writing proficiency and improve your job prospects.

The Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma in Communication offers you an opportunity to develop skills in contemporary communication. The programs will be attractive to professionals in the corporate or government sectors looking to upgrade their qualifications and expertise in a short time, and gain a qualification that has relevance, currency and credibility. The ability to write and communicate well is becoming increasingly important. Employers are looking for people with the ability to write and communicate in an effective, efficient and lucid fashion. These programs impart knowledge and skills for both professional and business writing, and written communication in general.

The coursework-based Master of Communication is for those who want to develop or enrich their expertise in the rapidly expanding field of professional communication. It is ideal if you have studied in another discipline and wish to make a transition to journalism, professional writing, editing or public relations. Many media organisations place a premium on recruiting staff with degrees in fields such as science, law and business that also have postgraduate qualifications in relevant fields of communication.

You have the opportunity to specialise in the broad area of Communication Studies or the specific fields of Journalism, Public Relations or Creative Writing. Overall, you undertake the equivalent of 12 courses. After completing eight courses, five of which are electives, you complete a research project in which you choose to either research for and write a thesis of 16,000 to 20,000 words, or complete an industry-based research project. The research component involves individualised research relevant to your key area/s of interest as a professional communicator. It is equivalent in value to four courses.

You attend lectures and tutorials with undergraduate students but learning and assessment tasks are commensurate with a postgraduate standing. Because of this standing, you will be exempt from many course prerequisites although you must complete compulsory courses in your selected areas of specialisation. Research components of the program must be approved by the Program Leader, and are based on the availability of supervisory staff with relevant expertise.

Admission requirements

Candidates for this award are normally required to hold a Bachelor’s degree or a relevant Graduate Certificate. To be eligible to undertake this award, students must not have undertaken a previous undergraduate degree or a major or minor in communication studies. Students cannot undertake any course in this degree that they have completed previously at an undergraduate level. Entry by non-graduates who have extensive relevant industry experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

Program objectives

On completion of this program students should be able to:

  • demonstrate proficiency in areas of professional writing
  • identify and evaluate a particular audience, and develop the styles of written communication and modes of delivery accordingly
  • identify the generic conventions of different forms of written communication
  • analyse written and oral communications in order to identify and implement proper drafting, revising, and editing techniques.
  • graduate and pursue further vocational studies and apply theoretically advanced approaches to communication studies
Enquiries

Faculty of Arts and Business
Tel: +61 7 5430 1259

Program Leader
Dr Rod McCulloch
Tel: +61 7 5459 4867
Email: rmcullo@usc.edu.au

Study Plan

This Study Plan is valid from Study Period 1, 2011.

For students who commenced study in this program prior to Study Period 1, 2011:

  • Find the Student Handbook for the semester in which you commenced.
  • Select the program in which you are enrolled.
  • Scroll down to your relevant Program Structure.
Program requirements and notes
  • Students are required to seek approval from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences prior to enrolling into CMN574
  • Completing this program within the specified (full-time) duration is based on studying 48 unit points per semester (normally 4 courses).
  • The Graduate Diploma articulates into the Master of Communication. Students who undertake courses in the Graduate Diploma can apply for up to 8 courses advanced standing into the coursework components only of the Master of Communication.
  • Only a full-time study option is available to international students on a Student Visa.
Required courses: (2)
CourseSemester of offerUnitsRequisites
CMN102 Masters Research Project
CMN574 Masters Research Thesis

PLUS select 1 course from:

CourseSemester of offerUnitsRequisites
CMN116 Communication Theory and Practice
CMN120 Research Design: Methodology and Literature Review
CMN130 Introduction to Creative Writing
CMN140 Public Relations: Contemporary Perspectives

PLUS select 5 courses from:

CourseSemester of offerUnitsRequisites
CMN213 Introduction to Journalism
CMN214 Introduction to Creative Advertising
CMN216 Editing for the Communications Professional
CMN218 Computer-Assisted Reporting
CMN222 Crisis and Issues Management
CMN224 Media and Community Relations
CMN226 Multimedia Advertising
CMN227 Advertising Campaigns
CMN228 Advertising: Copy and Image
CMN229 News Rounds
CMN231 The Writer and the Law
CMN235 Media and Promotion: Tourism and Hospitality
CMN237 Communication Campaign Planning
CMN238 News Writing: Print and Broadcast
CMN240 Online Journalism
CMN243 Creative Writing D: Paperback Hero
CMN246 Feature Writing
CMN247 Public Relations Events Project
CMN248 Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults
CMN249 Creative Writing for the Illustrated Book
CMN251 Creative Advertising
CMN256 Advanced News Reporting
CMN260 International Communication
CMN266 Research into Journalism
CMN267 Creative Writing B: Novel Ideas
EGL201 Creativity and Literature: Chaucer to Romantics
EGL285 Creativity and Literature: Victorians to Moderns
ENP240 Reality Bites: An Exploration of Non-Fiction
INT270 Wonderworlds: An Exploration of English Literature

TOTAL UNITS 96

# Students are required to seek approval from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences prior to enrolling in this course.


 

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