C09093v2 Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
Award(s): Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) (BComm)Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (LLB(Hons))
Commonwealth supported place?: Yes
Load credit points: 240
Course EFTSL: 5
Location: City campus
Notes
This is an exit-only course. There is no direct admission to it. Current UTS students may be able to submit an Internal Course Transfer (Graduating) application to exit with this course. Check with your faculty's student centre.
Overview
Career options
Course intended learning outcomes
Assumed knowledge
Course duration and attendance
Course structure
Course completion requirements
Course diagram
Course program
Levels of award
Honours
Professional recognition
Other information
Overview
This course is offered jointly by UTS: Law and UTS: Communication. It aims to produce journalists with the knowledge and analytical skills of lawyers, and lawyers with the communication skills of professional journalists. It develops a broad range of professional skills and knowledge for either legal or media practice.
Honours relates to the law component only and students must successfully complete both of the research subjects: 76090 Research Methodology and 76040 Research Thesis. Strong research skills are valued highly in contemporary professional practice.
For those wishing to specialise after graduation, the course offers a number of possibilities including media and communications legal practice, policy and research work, specialist legal and crime reporting and publishing for print, internet, radio or television, and legal communications or publishing in the private sector.
Students have the opportunity to engage in deeper study of the law by studying 76090 Research Methodology and undertaking 76040 Research Thesis. This course can be a pathway to higher degree research programs.
Career options
Career options include journalist with professional skills in one or more of the print, radio, television or internet media; lawyer in the media and communication industry or legal policy adviser in a government department such as the Australian Broadcasting Authority.
Course intended learning outcomes
| 1.1 | A coherent understanding of fundamental areas of legal knowledge including: the Australian legal system, international and comparative contexts, theoretical and technical knowledge; the broader contexts within which legal issues arise and the law operates including cultural awareness, social justice and policy; and the principles and values of justice and ethical practices in lawyers' roles. |
| 2.1 | A capacity to value and promote honesty, integrity, accountability, public service and ethical standards including: an understanding of approaches to ethical decision making and professional responsibility; and an ability to recognise, reflect upon and respond to ethical issues likely to arise in professional contexts in ways that evidence professional judgment, promote justice and serve the community. |
| 3.1 | A capacity to think critically, strategically and creatively, including the ability to: identify and articulate legal issues in context; apply reasoning and research to generate appropriate responses; engage in critical analysis and make a reasoned choice amongst alternatives; and think creatively in approaching legal issues and generating appropriate responses. |
| 4.1 | Well-developed cognitive and practical skills necessary to identify, research, evaluate and synthesise relevant factual, legal and policy issues. |
| 5.1 | Effective and appropriate communication skills including: highly effective use of the English language to convey legal ideas and views to different audiences and environments; an ability to communicate to inform, analyse, report and persuade; an ability to strategically select an appropriate medium and message; an ability to assess how messages are received and alter communication strategies accordingly; an ability to be responsive and adaptive to the perspectives of collaborators, clients, counter parties and others; and an ability to generate a sustained and logical argument. |
| 6.1 | The ability to implement appropriate self-management and lifelong learning strategies including: an ability to undertake and initiate self-directed work and learning; well developed judgment and responsibility as a legal professional in a broader social context; the ability to support personal and professional development by: reflecting on and assessing their own capabilities, wellbeing and performance; making use of feedback as appropriate; identifying and accessing appropriate resources and assistance; and making use of resources and support in developing resilience; a capacity to adapt to and embrace change and a commitment to ongoing learning. |
| COM.1.1 | Possess a well-developed awareness of professional practice in the context of the communication industries |
| COM.1.2 | Apply theoretically-informed understanding of the communication industries in independent and collaborative projects across a range of media |
| COM.2.1 | Possess information literacy skills to locate, gather, organise and synthesise information across diverse platforms to inform the understanding of the communication industries |
| COM.2.2 | Be reflexive critical thinkers and creative practitioners who are intellectually curious, imaginative and innovative; with an ability to evaluate their own and others' work |
| COM.3.1 | Demonstrate an awareness and knowledge of global contexts and openness to cultural exchange |
| COM.3.2 | Employ professional skills responsibly and respectfully in a global environment |
| COM.4.1 | Possess a critical understanding of the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within contemporary Australian politics, history and culture |
| COM.4.2 | Integrate knowledge of Indigenous issues in professional practices and engage responsibly in communicating with and about Indigenous people and communities |
| COM.5.1 | Possess the awareness of ethical practice in the personal, political and professional contexts of civil society |
| COM.5.2 | Possess the skills to behave ethically in personal and professional contexts |
| COM.6.1 | Possess well-developed skills and proficiencies to communicate and respond effectively and appropriately across different contexts |
| COM.6.2 | Demonstrate digital literacy and production skills across a range of media and media texts |
Key
COM = Communication course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
Assumed knowledge
Proficiency in English and computer literacy.
Course duration and attendance
The course is offered on a five-year, full-time basis. Students are required to attend approximately 17 hours of seminars and lectures a week. Timetable constraints may require attendance at daytime and evening classes for the law component.
Course structure
The course comprises 240 credit points. The study components for course completion are as follows.
The law component of 144 credit points is made up of:
- 108 credit points of compulsory core law subjects
- a 6-credit-point legal theory option
- a 30-credit-point law option, which includes either:
- 18 credit points of law options, a 6-credit-point research methodology subject, a 6-credit-point research thesis subject, or
- a 6-credit-point technology law, policy and ethics (Capstone 1) subject, a 6-credit-point applied project in law, innovation and technology (Capstone 2) subject, a 6-credit-point research methodology subject, a 6-credit-point research thesis subject, and either: a disruptive technologies and the law subject, or a local internship.
The communication component of 96 credit points is made up of:
- 24 credit points of compulsory subjects
- 48 credit points of subjects from the Journalism major, and
- 24 credit points of electives from cross-disciplinary subjects.
For a current listing of subjects in each course refer to the study package directory.
Industrial training/professional practice
To practise as a lawyer in NSW, students need to successfully complete an accredited legal academic qualification (e.g. Bachelor of Laws) and an accredited course of practical legal training (PLT), which UTS offers through its PLT program.
Students enrolled in this course may complete their practical legal training by undertaking a postgraduate course in PLT, such as the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice (C11232).
Course completion requirements
| STM91104 Communication core | 24cp | |
| MAJ10046 Journalism | 48cp | |
| STM90691 Law stream | 144cp | |
| CBK91115 Cross-disciplinary electives | 24cp | |
| Total | 240cp |
Course diagram
Course program
The standard program shown is for a full-time student with law options.
All options shown are law options and are to be drawn from those on offer in CBK91100.
Students wishing to study the new major MAJ09444 Legal Futures and Technology need to study 76106 Technology Law, Policy and Ethics (Capstone 1) in the Autumn session of their final year and 76107 Applied Project in Law, Innovation and Technology (Capstone 2) in their final Spring session.
| Year 1 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 54000 Citizenship and Communication | 8cp | |
| 54020 Stories from the Streets: Local Journalism, Social Media | 8cp | |
| 70102 Foundations of Law | 8cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 54001 Digital Literacies | 8cp | |
| 54021 Live Action: Multiplatform Journalism | 8cp | |
| 70103 Ethics Law and Justice | 6cp | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 54002 Communicating Difference | 8cp | |
| 54022 Digging Deeper: Current Affairs and Longer-form Journalism | 8cp | |
| 70114 Criminal Law and Procedure | 8cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 70211 Contracts | 8cp | |
| 54023 From Dirty Data to Vivid Visualisation | 8cp | |
| 70311 Torts | 8cp | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 70616 Australian Constitutional Law | 8cp | |
| 54024 The Hive: Collaborative Journalism | 8cp | |
| 70104 Civil Practice | 6cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 70327 Commercial Law | 6cp | |
| 54025 Industry Portfolio | 8cp | |
| 70317 Real Property | 8cp | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 71116 Remedies | 6cp | |
| 70109 Evidence | 6cp | |
| Select 8 credit points from the following: | 8cp | |
| CBK91115 Cross-disciplinary electives | 24cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| CBK91100 Options (Honours) | 18cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 70617 Administrative Law | 8cp | |
| 70517 Equity and Trusts | 8cp | |
| Select 8 credit points from the following: | 8cp | |
| CBK91115 Cross-disciplinary electives | 24cp | |
| Year 5 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 70417 Corporate Law | 8cp | |
| 70108 Public International Law | 6cp | |
| 76090 Research Methodology | 6cp | |
| Select 8 credit points from the following: | 8cp | |
| CBK91115 Cross-disciplinary electives | 24cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 76040 Research Thesis | 6cp | |
| Select 12 credit points from the following: | 12cp | |
| CBK91100 Options (Honours) | 18cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| 76008 Jurisprudence | 6cp | |
| 76033 Animal Law and Policy in Australia | 6cp | |
| 76057 Judgment and the Rule of Law | 6cp | |
| 76081 Gender and Law | 6cp | |
| 78039 Wickedness and Vice | 6cp | |
| 76902 Law and Literature | 6cp | |
| 76012 Criminology | 6cp | |
| 76092 Advanced Property | 6cp | |
| 76068 Indigenous Peoples and the Law | 6cp | |
Levels of award
The Bachelor of Laws (Honours) may be awarded with first or second class honours, which does not require an additional honours year. Honours candidates must complete 76090 Research Methodology and 76040 Research Thesis within the course. The rules concerning the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) can be found in undergraduate course information.
Honours
The Bachelor of Communication (Honours) (C09047) is offered on a one-year, full-time basis.
Professional recognition
This course satisfies the requirements for admission to the Supreme Court of NSW as a lawyer, provided students complete a practical legal training program, such as the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice (C11232).
Other information
Further information is available from:
UTS Student Centre
telephone 1300 ask UTS (1300 275 887)
or +61 2 9514 1222
Ask UTS
