C09091v5 Bachelor of Communication (Digital and Social Media) Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
Award(s): Bachelor of Communication (Digital and Social Media) (BComm)Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (LLB(Hons))
CRICOS code: 116583H
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. See the Course transfer page for further details.
Overview
Career options
Course intended learning outcomes
Inherent requirements
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 aims to develop digital communications practitioners or lawyers who can produce high-quality outcomes in complex collaborative digital environments, especially social media contexts. It examines a communications environment where diverse media converge, and mobile and social platforms are ubiquitous, and success for individuals and organisations depends largely on their capacity to creatively adapt to the challenges of continuous transformation.
The course provides full-time study for students wishing to obtain a professional legal qualification that satisfies the academic requirements for admission as a lawyer together with the study of creative writing as a professional 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.
The course develops a broad range of capabilities for professional practice in information and law. It is particularly relevant for imaginative, synthetic and analytical thinking and communication, as well as practical skills in digital communication across diverse technological platforms and environments. Students learn to be technologically literate, culturally sophisticated, innovative and resourceful leaders with legal knowledge and skills for the rapidly evolving digital communications industries.
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 specialist social media lawyer, media lawyer, intellectual property lawyer, solicitor, social media manager, barrister, digital and social media coordinator, digital consultant, communications officer, digital channels strategist, marketing technologist, legal adviser within a government department, lawyer in corporate and commercial sector, librarian, media researcher, project manager, web designer, and other diverse roles particularly in legal and business contexts.
Course intended learning outcomes
| COM.1.1 | Act in a professional manner appropriate to communication industries. |
| COM.1.2 | Apply theoretically informed understandings of communication industries to independent and collaborative projects across a range of media. |
| COM.2.1 | Employ appropriate research and inquiry skills to independently gather, organise and analyse information across diverse platforms. |
| COM.2.2 | Act as reflexive critical thinkers and innovative creative practitioners who evaluate their own and others' work. |
| COM.3.1 | Demonstrate a strong awareness, knowledge of, and sensitivity to, diversity, equity and global contexts. |
| COM.4.1 | Apply knowledge of Indigenous issues in professional practices and engage responsibly in communicating with and about Indigenous people and communities. |
| COM.5.1 | Analyse and act ethically in the personal, political and professional contexts of civil society. |
| COM.6.1 | Exemplify effective and appropriate communication in different communication industry contexts. |
| COM.6.2 | Utilise digital literacy and production skills across a range of media. |
| LAW.1.1 | A coherent and advanced understanding of fundamental areas of legal knowledge including:
a. The Australian colonial and post-colonial legal system, international and comparative contexts, theoretical and technical knowledge; b. The broader contexts within which legal issues arise and the law operates including cultural awareness, social justice and policy; c. The impact of Anglo-Australian laws on Indigenous peoples, including their historical origins in the process of colonisation and ongoing impact; d. The principles and values of justice and ethical practices in lawyers' roles; e. Advanced theoretical and technical knowledge of underlying legal principles and concepts in one or more areas of practice or inquiry. |
| LAW.2.1 | A capacity to value and promote honesty, integrity, accountability, public service and ethical standards including: a. An understanding of approaches to ethical decision making and professional responsibility; b. 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; and c. An ability to reflect on and engage constructively with diversity in practice. |
| LAW.3.1 | An advanced capacity to think critically, strategically and creatively, including the ability to: a. Identify and articulate legal issues in context, including the skill of critical reading and writing; b. Apply reasoning and research to generate appropriate responses to sometimes complex legal problems; c. Engage in critical analysis and make a reasoned choice amongst alternatives; and d. Think creatively in approaching legal issues and generating appropriate responses. |
| LAW.4.1 | Well-developed cognitive and practical skills necessary to identify, research, evaluate and synthesise relevant factual, legal and policy issues; advanced knowledge of legal research principles and different methodologies, and technical and planning skills to design and apply research to a significant scholarly piece of work. |
| LAW.5.1 | Effective and appropriate communication skills including: a. Highly effective use of the English language to convey legal ideas and views to different and diverse audiences and environments; b. An ability to communicate to inform, analyse, report and persuade; c. An ability to strategically select an appropriate medium and message; d. An ability to assess how messages are received and alter communication strategies accordingly; e. An ability to be responsive and adaptive to the perspectives of collaborators, clients, counter parties and others; and f. An ability to communicate a clear and coherent exposition of legal research and scholarship orally and in writing. |
| LAW.6.1 | Effective and appropriate collaboration skills in working together to achieve a common goal in a group learning environment or the workplace including: a. An ability to give and receive feedback; b. Appropriate professional and interpersonal skills in working collaboratively; c. A capacity to develop strategies to successfully negotiate group challenges; and d. An ability to be responsive and adaptive to the perspectives of collaborators, clients, counter parties and others. |
| LAW.7.1 | Bachelor of Laws (Honours) graduates will: a. Apply knowledge and skills to develop professional capabilities to work effectively with and for Indigenous peoples and communities across the law profession; and b. Critically reflect on ethical Indigenous research practices to work with and for Indigenous peoples across the legal community sectors. |
| LAW.8.1 | The ability to implement appropriate self-management and lifelong learning strategies including: a. An ability to undertake and initiate self-directed work and learning, including authorship of a significant piece of work; b. Well-developed judgment and responsibility as a legal professional in a broader social context; c. The ability to support personal and professional development by: I. Reflecting on and assessing their own capabilities, wellbeing and performance; II. Making use of feedback as appropriate; III. Identifying and accessing appropriate resources and assistance; IV. Making use of resources and support in developing resilience; and d. A capacity to adapt to and embrace change and a commitment to ongoing learning. |
Key
LAW = Law course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
COM = Communication course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
Inherent requirements
Inherent requirements are academic and non-academic requirements that are essential to the successful completion of a course. For more information about inherent requirements and where prospective and current students can get assistance and advice regarding these, see the UTS Inherent requirements page.
Prospective and current students should carefully read the Inherent Requirements Statement below and consider whether they might experience challenges in successfully completing this course.
UTS will make reasonable adjustments to teaching and learning, assessment, professional experiences, course related work experience and other course activities to facilitate maximum participation by students with disabilities, carer responsibilities, and religious or cultural obligations in their courses.
For course specific information see the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Communication Inherent (Essential) Requirements Statement and the Faculty of Law Inherent (Essential) Requirements Statement.
Assumed knowledge
HSC 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, and may be required to attend evening classes for the law component.
Course structure
The course comprises 240 credit points and allows students to graduate with the separate degrees of Bachelor of Communication (Digital and Social Media) and Bachelor of Laws. 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 Digital and Social Media 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 | |
| MAJ09479 Digital and Social Media | 48cp | |
| STM91052 Law stream (Honours) | 144cp | |
| CBK92067 Electives (8cp subjects) | 24cp | |
| Total | 240cp |
Course diagram
Course program
Please follow recommended course progression of C10379 Bachelor of Communication (Digital and Social Media) Bachelor of Laws
To qualify for honours, a student must complete subjects 76090 Research Methodology in their penultimate session and 76040 Research Thesis in their final session, as option subjects within the degree.
Students wishing to study the 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.
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 in their penultimate session and 76040 Research Thesis in their final session 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