Program summary
Program title: Graduate Diploma in Communication
Award abbreviation: GDComn
Degree type: coursework
Mode of study: on campus
Duration: 1 year minimum full-time, 4 years maximum part-time.
Commence: Semester 1 or Semester 2
Fee type 2010: postgraduate coursework places, international fee-paying places
Total courses: 8
USC program code: AR641
CRICOS code: 058564G
Highlights
- Enhance your writing and communication skills
- Discover the nuances of journalistic reporting
- Create a portfolio of published works
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
Program structure
2 required courses:
CMN102 Communication Theory and Practice
CMN574 Research Design: Methodology and Literature Review #
Plus select 1 course from:
CMN116 Introduction to Creative Writing
CMN120 Public Relations Strategies and Tactics
CMN130 Introduction to Journalism
CMN140 Introduction to Creative Advertising
Plus select 5 courses from: (provided prerequisite equivalency has been approved by the course coordinator)
CMN213 Editing for the Communications Professional
CMN214 Computer-Assisted Reporting
CMN216 Crisis and Issues Management
CMN218 Media and Community Relations
CMN222 Multimedia Advertising
CMN224 Advertising Campaigns
CMN226 Advertising: Copy and Image
CMN227 News Rounds
CMN228 The Writer and the Law
CMN229 Media and Promotion: Tourism and Hospitality
CMN231 Communication Campaign Planning
CMN235 News Writing: Print and Broadcast
CMN237 Online Journalism
CMN238 Creative Writing D: Paperback Hero
CMN240 Digital Photojournalism and Feature Writing
CMN243 Public Relations Events Project #
CMN246 Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults
CMN247 Creative Writing for the Illustrated Book
CMN248 Creative Advertising
CMN249 Advanced News Reporting
CMN251 International Communication
CMN256 Research into Journalism
CMN260 Creative Writing B: Novel Ideas
CMN266 Creativity and Literature: Chaucer to Romantics
CMN267 Creativity and Literature: Victorians to Moderns
EGL201 Reality Bites: An Exploration of Non-Fiction
EGL285 Wonderworlds: An Exploration of English Literature
ENP240 Environment, Heritage and Tourism
INT270 Politics and the Media
Requirements and notes
- The Graduate Diploma in Communication is a 96-unit program.
- The courses that constitute the Graduate Diploma in Communication will be existing undergraduate courses but will be assessed at a postgraduate level.
- 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.
- Refer to related policies, rules, plans and procedures.
- International students need to refer to the University's English language proficiency requirements.
- Only a full-time study option is available to international students on a Student Visa.
Enquiries
How to apply
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Tel: +61 7 5430 1259
Program Leader
Anna Potter
Tel: +61 7 5430 2846
Email: apotter@usc.edu.au