C10364v2 Bachelor of Communication (Social and Political Sciences)
Award(s): Bachelor of Communication (Social and Political Sciences) (BComm)UAC code: 600028 (Autumn session, Spring session, Spring session)
CRICOS code: 087736G
Commonwealth supported place?: Yes
Load credit points: 144
Course EFTSL: 3
Location: City campus
Notes
Students who commenced the Bachelor of Communication (Social and Political Sciences) before 2022 can view their revised program of study here.
Overview
Career options
Innovation and Transdisciplinary program
Course intended learning outcomes
Admission requirements
Inherent requirements
External articulation
Course duration and attendance
Course structure
Course completion requirements
Course diagram
Course program
Honours
Other information
Overview
The Bachelor of Communication (Social and Political Sciences) at UTS is designed for those passionate about influencing key areas of public policy like climate change, human rights or issues facing Indigenous Australians and migrants. In the course, students explore current social issues, investigate society and analyse the implications of change in Australian and global communities. In this practice-led course, students work with experienced practitioners to develop their skills as researchers, analysts, critical thinkers, effective communicators and advocates, and bring key policy issues to life with their interpersonal and public communication skills.
The Bachelor of Communication (Social and Political Sciences) will provide students with a theoretical framework rooted in historical and philosophical perspectives on how societies function, bolstering this with applied learning in qualitative and quantitative research methods. Students learn how to tackle key social issues and make a real difference through research and communication, contributing to new and ongoing debates. They graduate with a multifaceted skillset to bring to diverse organisations striving for social change.
Career options
To increase career flexibility, students can add a second major from five of the other majors offered in the Bachelor of Communication, and build further skills and portfolios that equip them for a range of work options in media and communication. These courses give students practical and transferrable skills for the expanding media industries.
Career options include research in think tanks and academia, policy research, analysis and program management in government and private organisations, management of social services and welfare organisations, and advocacy in a variety of fields, such as environmental, Indigenous affairs, human rights, overseas development, and trade unions.
Innovation and Transdisciplinary program
Transdisciplinarity and Innovation at UTSAll UTS students have the opportunity to develop distinctive capabilities around transdisciplinary thinking and innovation through the TD School. Transdisciplinary education at UTS brings together great minds from different disciplines to explore ideas that improve the way we live and work in the world. These offerings are unique to UTS and directly translate to many existing and emerging roles and careers.
Diploma in InnovationThe Diploma in Innovation (C20060) teaches innovation, supports personal transformation and provides the hard skills needed to support the inventors and inventions of the future. Students come out of the Diploma in Innovation, with the hard skills to create and support sectoral and societal transformation. Graduates are able to fluently integrate ideas, across professional disciplines and are inventors of the future.
All UTS undergraduate students (with the exception of students concurrently enrolled in the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation) can apply for the Diploma in Innovation upon admission in their chosen undergraduate degree. It is a complete degree program that runs in parallel to any undergraduate degree. The course is offered on a three-year, part-time basis, with subjects running in 3-week long intensive blocks in July, December and February sessions. More information including a link to apply is available at https://dipinn.uts.edu.au.
Transdisciplinary electives programTransdisciplinary electives broaden students' horizons and supercharge their problem-solving skills, helping them to learn outside, beyond and across their degrees. Students enrolled in an undergraduate course that includes electives can choose to take a transdisciplinary subject (with the exception of students concurrently enrolled in the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation). More information about the TD Electives program is available here.
Course intended learning outcomes
This course engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:
| 1.1 | Act in a professional manner appropriate to communication industries |
| 1.2 | Apply theoretically informed understandings of communication industries to independent and collaborative projects across a range of media |
| 2.1 | Employ appropriate research and inquiry skills to independently gather, organise and analyse information across diverse platforms |
| 2.2 | Act as reflexive critical thinkers and innovative creative practitioners who evaluate their own and others' work |
| 3.1 | Demonstrate a strong awareness, knowledge of, and sensitivity to, diversity, equity and global contexts |
| 4.1 | Apply knowledge of Indigenous issues in professional practices and engage responsibly in communicating with and about Indigenous people and communities |
| 5.1 | Analyse and act ethically in the personal, political and professional contexts of civil society |
| 6.1 | Exemplify effective and appropriate communication in different communication industry contexts |
| 6.2 | Utilise digital literacy and production skills across a range of media |
Admission requirements
Applicants must have completed an Australian Year 12 qualification, Australian Qualifications Framework Diploma, or equivalent Australian or overseas qualification at the required level.
The English proficiency requirement for international students or local applicants with international qualifications is: IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall with a writing score of 6.0; or TOEFL iBT: 79-93 overall with a writing score of 21; or AE5: Pass; or PTE: 58-64 with a writing score of 50; or C1A/C2P: 176-184 with a writing score of 169.
Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.
International students
Visa requirement: To obtain a student visa to study in Australia, international students must enrol full time and on campus. Australian student visa regulations also require international students studying on student visas to complete the course within the standard full-time duration. Students can extend their courses only in exceptional circumstances.
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 Communication Inherent (Essential) Requirements Statement.
External articulation
The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences has established credit recognition packages with the following institutions:
- UTS College: Diploma of Communication
- Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore
- Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore
- Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore
Course duration and attendance
The course is offered on a three-year, full-time basis.
Course structure
Students must complete 144 credit points consisting of 24 credit points of core subjects, a 48-credit-point major, a potential 48-credit-point second major, and 24 credit points of electives.
Industrial training/professional practice
All subjects provide students with practical research skills that are applied in real-world settings. The final three subjects are project-based, allowing students to work on topical issues and be placed with a community, corporate or government organisation, or within NSW Parliament.
Students can also elect to undertake a professional internship in industry.
Course completion requirements
| STM91104 Communication core | 24cp | |
| MAJ09476 Social and Political Sciences | 48cp | |
| CBK92062 Elective Choice | 24cp | |
| CBK92061 Second Major/ Electives | 48cp | |
| Total | 144cp |
Course diagram
Course program
Typical course programs are shown below for students commencing in either Autumn or Spring session who are completing 8 credit point elective subjects. Students also have the option to complete 6 credit point elective subjects under CBK92062 Elective Choice instead.
All students choose a second major stream when enrolling in their first session. This 18 credit point stream consists of three major subjects from another major (excluding Media Arts and Production).
Students who choose not to continue with their second major choice can continue in their course by choosing 30 credit points of electives (i.e., five 6 credit point subjects) - this should be requested via eRequest.
| Autumn commencing | ||
| Year 1 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 54000 Citizenship and Communication | 8cp | |
| 52670 Self and Society | 6cp | |
| 52671 Histories of the Present | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| CBK92065 Stream choice | 18cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 54001 Digital Literacies | 8cp | |
| 52672 Comparing Indigenous Histories and Politics | 6cp | |
| Select 12 credit points from the following: | 12cp | |
| CBK92065 Stream choice | 18cp | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 54002 Communicating Difference | 8cp | |
| 52673 Political Ideas and Change | 6cp | |
| 52674 Global Economies | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| CBK92063 Second Major Choice | 48cp | |
| CBK92066 Electives | 30cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 52675 Investigating Urban Change | 6cp | |
| Select 8 credit points from the following: | 8cp | |
| CBK92062 Elective Choice | 24cp | |
| Select 12 credit points from the following: | 12cp | |
| CBK92063 Second Major Choice | 48cp | |
| CBK92066 Electives | 30cp | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 52676 Policy and Advocacy | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| CBK92063 Second Major Choice | 48cp | |
| CBK92066 Electives | 30cp | |
| Select 8 credit points from the following: | 8cp | |
| CBK92062 Elective Choice | 24cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 52677 Professional Placement | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| CBK92063 Second Major Choice | 48cp | |
| CBK92066 Electives | 30cp | |
| Select 8 credit points from the following: | 8cp | |
| CBK92062 Elective Choice | 24cp | |
| Spring commencing | ||
| Year 1 | ||
| Spring session | ||
| 54001 Digital Literacies | 8cp | |
| 52671 Histories of the Present | 6cp | |
| 52672 Comparing Indigenous Histories and Politics | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| CBK92065 Stream choice | 18cp | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 54000 Citizenship and Communication | 8cp | |
| 52670 Self and Society | 6cp | |
| Select 12 credit points from the following: | 12cp | |
| CBK92065 Stream choice | 18cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 52674 Global Economies | 6cp | |
| 52675 Investigating Urban Change | 6cp | |
| Select 12 credit points from the following: | 12cp | |
| CBK92063 Second Major Choice | 48cp | |
| CBK92066 Electives | 30cp | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 52673 Political Ideas and Change | 6cp | |
| 52676 Policy and Advocacy | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| CBK92063 Second Major Choice | 48cp | |
| CBK92066 Electives | 30cp | |
| Select 8 credit points from the following: | 8cp | |
| CBK92062 Elective Choice | 24cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 52677 Professional Placement | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| CBK92063 Second Major Choice | 48cp | |
| CBK92066 Electives | 30cp | |
| Select 8 credit points from the following: | 8cp | |
| CBK92062 Elective Choice | 24cp | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 54002 Communicating Difference | 8cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| CBK92063 Second Major Choice | 48cp | |
| CBK92066 Electives | 30cp | |
| Select 8 credit points from the following: | 8cp | |
| CBK92062 Elective Choice | 24cp | |
Honours
The Bachelor of Communication (Honours) (C09047) is available with an additional year of full-time study for eligible students.
Other information
Further information is available from the UTS Student Centre on:
telephone 1300 ask UTS (1300 275 887)
or +61 2 9514 1222
Ask UTS