Find your place in the dynamic and expanding creative industries
Creative Industries is one of the fastest growing, most dynamic and diverse employment sectors. This program allows you to tailor your studies to suit your interests and talents, providing you with a range of skills and employment choices in the expanding creative industries sector and beyond.
- Only a full-time option is available to international students on a Student visa. Online programs are not available to Student visa holders.
- * Estimated tuition fees are based on 2025 rates. Refer to international fees for more information.
- Not all majors/minors and elective options are available at every campus. You should refer to the What Can I Study tab, and the proposed study sequence for your chosen campus and intake for further information.
- Campus note: Only the first-year of the program is offered at Caboolture, the remainder of the program must be completed at Sippy Downs Campus
- Campus note: Only the first-year of the program is offered at Caboolture, the remainder of the program must be completed at Sippy Downs Campus
Creative Industries is one of the fastest growing, most dynamic and diverse employment sectors. This program allows you to tailor your studies to suit your interests and talents, providing you with a range of skills and employment choices in the expanding creative industries sector and beyond.
Upon completion, you’ll have strong creative and technical skills, an entrepreneurial mindset, and a professional portfolio that showcases your diverse talents.
In this program you will:
- Develop specialist creative and technical skills in design, media, arts, and communication as well as entrepreneurial nous.
- Choose from and combine a wide range of study areas, including theatre and performance, creative writing and publishing, screen media, music, fashion studies, creative advertising, social media, game design, public relations, and graphic design.
- Gain practical experience and develop your network of professional contacts.
- Undertake industry and research projects that will help you refine and showcase your knowledge and skills in the creative industries.
Choose to study abroad at one of USC’s 70+ partner institutions worldwide through our Study Overseas program.
Career opportunities:
- Performance creator
- Screen media professional
- Writer/publisher
- Creative director
- Musician
- Graphic, 3D and/or e-media designer
- Marketing coordinator
- Advertising executive
Program structure
Introductory courses (3) 36 units
CMN102 Qualitative Research: Approaches and Practice
CMN103 Quantitative Research Methods
COR109 Special Project: Evaluating Practice Knowledge
Developing and Graduate course (13) 156 units
Select 1 course (12 units) from:
CMN303 Special Project: Translating Knowledge into Practice
ENT311 Research Project A
PLUS select 12 courses (144 units) to complete 1 major and 1 minor from:
Major courses
Creative Advertising
Creative Writing
Drama
Graphic Design
3D Design
e-Media Design
Marketing
Music
Screen and Media Studies
Serious Games Design
Minor courses
Creative Advertising
Creative Writing
Drama
Graphic Design
3D Design
e-Media Design
Marketing
Music
Screen and Media Studies
Serious Games Design
Digital Photographic Practice
Events Management
Entrepreneurship
Fashion
Social Media
Interactive Narrative
Elective courses (8) 96 units
Select 8 elective* courses (96 units) from either the Faculty of Arts, Business and Law or the Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering. Students are strongly encouraged to use their electives to complete an additional major or minor in the available Creative Industries disciplines.
*The number of elective courses may vary depending on the major/minor combinations chosen
Note: Program structures are subject to change. Not all USC courses are available on every USC campus.
Total units: 288
Program requirements and notes
Program requirements
In order to graduate you must:
- Successfully complete 288 units as outlined in the Program Structure
- You must select and register your compulsory major(s)/minor(s) as soon as possible
Program notes
- Important: Some major/major and major/minor combinations may need to be commenced in the first semester of study to complete in the minimum duration.
- Completing this program within the specified (full-time) duration is based on studying 48 unit points per semester (normally 4 courses) and following the recommended study sequence
- The unit value of all courses is 12 units unless otherwise specified
- It is each students responsibility to enrol correctly according to your course requisites, program rules and requirements and be aware of the academic calendar dates.
- Register your selected major(s) and/or minor(s)
- Refer to the Managing your progression page for help in understanding your program structure, reviewing your progress and planning remaining courses.
- Courses within this program are assessed using a variety of assessment methods including essays, seminar presentations, reports, in-class tests and examinations. Not all courses will necessarily include all methods
- Some required introductory courses may count towards some minors
- As part of your USC program, you may apply to Study Overseas to undertake courses with an overseas higher education provider
- Only a full-time study option is available to international students on a Student Visa
- Only the first-year of the program is offered at Caboolture, the remainder of the program must be completed at Sippy Downs
Majors
Music — New in 2017
What would life be without music? USC’s Music major is for music lovers, performers and producers who want to understand the modern music industry and hone their performance skills. You’ll study songwriting and composing, music production and sound engineering, and explore a range of performance techniques and styles, including voice performance.
You'll study under internationally acclaimed musicians, including Artistic Director Sean O'Boyle AM and Director of Vocal Arts Suzanne Kompass.
Learn how to manage the recording process and build an audience through live performances and online. Then, put what you’ve learned into practice through a major music industry project, where you’ll make, produce and release your own recording. Most Music courses do not have prerequisites and can be studied as electives.
Career opportunities
Recording artist, performer, voice performer, producer, songwriter, composer, music industry professional.
Drama
The Drama major integrates theory and practice to develop performance makers and educators who can successfully navigate the live performance industry. Studies in acting, directing, devising, theatre history and leadership will give you a strong foundation on which to build your performance-making skills and understandings.
Electives provide options to work with a professional director, explore physical theatre, develop your scriptwriting, and/or undertake an industry placement, where you’ll develop practical skills and valuable industry networks.
The Drama major also builds valuable skills in communication, creative problem solving, critical analysis, teamwork, time management and leadership.
Career opportunities
Director, actor, playwright, producer, educator, performer, community arts worker.
Photo by Lisa Marree Williams.
Screen and Media
The Screen and Media major develops the knowledge and skills you will need to work in the screen and media industries, with a strong focus on combining theory with practical experience.
Study the media and communications sectors, screen aesthetics, and the social impacts of screen media, as well as screen media's history and future.
You'll also engage with experienced industry mentors and guest lecturers and gain practical skills in screen production, screen editing and screenwriting.
Your study will culminate with a capstone industry project, where you will work in a small group to produce a short film.
Career opportunities
Screen producer, media manager, screen editor, film and television critic, screenwriter, cinematographer, media policy advisor, filmmaker.
Creative Advertising
The Creative Advertising major prepares you for creative and strategic roles in the dynamic advertising industry. You’ll study communication and advertising theories and develop your practical skills through industry projects for real clients.
You’ll also learn about copywriting, new media advertising, advertising planning and design.
This major develops your professional skills in communication, creative problem solving, teamwork, time management and leadership – transferable skills that are valuable in any career.
Career opportunities
Account executive, copywriter, creative director, account planner, art direction, advertising designer
Marketing
In the Marketing major, you’ll learn how marketing connects organisations to their consumers, and how to develop and implement competitive marketing strategies.
At the heart of marketing is understanding people: who, how and why they buy and consume goods and services. You’ll learn how to critically evaluate and address a broad range of practical marketing scenarios, including commercial contexts and social issues. You’ll also discover how to gather, analyse and interpret relevant data to inform innovative marketing solutions.
Career opportunities
Marketing coordinator, brand manager, product developer, fundraising specialist, communications officer, content manager, media adviser, event promoter.
Creative Writing
The Creative Writing major gives you hands-on experience in writing, editing and publishing.
Taught by award-winning published authors and illustrators, you’ll study the fundamentals of creative writing craft, explore your own writing style and learn the tools of the publishing industry.
With a choice of electives, you can specialise in writing for youth, writing for the illustrated book, or online publication.
You'll also develop professional skills in written communication, critical analysis, teamwork and leadership.
Career opportunities
Author, editor, publisher, educator, professional writer, journalist.
Serious Games
The rapidly growing Serious Games industry focuses on solving real-world problems using the universal appeal of play. In this major, you'll learn how to design and deliver game experiences to drive positive change in education, healthcare, marketing and more.
In the Serious Games major you will study game-based learning, puzzle design and game production, and use these skills to create emotionally rich and challenging experiences within your own games and simulations, including experiences for PC, mobile and virtual reality.
You can take your newfound knowledge and skills into the many companies that are now growing around the games industry.
Career opportunities
Job opportunities include embedded roles in government agencies and not-for-profits, as well as video games publishing, marketing, production and management.
e-Media Design
In the e-Media major you will engage in the online design and development of a professional website portfolio, in addition to either undertaking an industry placement or engaging in the design and development of a substantial website project.
The major integrates the development of front-end coding skills and website interface design, and includes capabilities in website and graphic design, wireframing, responsive layout design, accessibility and usability.
You will also develop skills in visual and written communication for the Internet, creative problem solving, creative and analytical thinking strategies, time management and project management.
Career opportunities
Front-end website designer and / or developer, user interface designer and / or developer, website project manager.
Graphic Design
The Graphic Design major prepares you to work as an independent designer or industry employed practitioner, with an understanding of the cultural, conceptual and technological perspectives and attributes required for reflective professional practice and a commitment to ongoing problem solving through visual communication.
The major integrates the technical, creative and conceptual skills to create design outcomes that meet client requirements, whilst engaging with industry networks and sources. A framework of design theory and practice and the ability to analyse and synthesise information from a range of sources to generate design solutions underpins this.
Choose to intern at a studio or agency or complete a professional client project, including a graduate portfolio exhibition.
Career opportunities
Art director, creative director, advertising executive, publishing, book layout design, magazine layout, illustration. Leisure and tourism industries, product design, photographic editing, community services.
3D Design
Do you love to create your own stories, worlds, props and characters, and bringing these to life? Do you want to learn how to visualise complex information and concepts in a way that fosters efficient and effective understanding of it?
The 3D Design major will provide you with theory, skills and hands-on experiences you need to take on a career in 3D design or animation for interactive media, visualisation, film, TV, games, advertising and information/education.
You will learn 3D-modeling processes using industry standard software. Project based learning will enable you to gain an understanding of approaches to storyboarding, object modelling, character design, rigging, texturing and rendering.
You will learn about animation post-production and composition using a match-moving software, composition software and a special effects software that brings together 2D and 3D renders, green-screen video footage, photographs, text, vector artwork, and sound and music to make it all come alive.
You will also have the chance to complement your specialisation by taking elective subjects in Graphic Design, Electronic Media Design or Screen and Media, and Communication Design.
Career opportunities
2D and 3D animator, concept artist, 2D and 3D generalist, visualisation artist, visual effects (VFX) designer, character designer, environment designer, compositor.