Bachelor of Journalism and Professional Writing, Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing and Literature)

Entry Requirements

Applicants are required to meet one of the following criteria with a competitive result, and demonstrate that they fulfil any prerequisite requirements and essential requirements for admission:

Recent secondary education:

Meet any prerequisite requirements with a minimum grade of C- or equivalent and

Complete secondary qualifications equivalent to SACE, or

Complete the International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum score of 24 points

or

Higher education study

Complete or partly complete a recognized higher education program at a recognized higher education institution

or

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Complete an award from a registered training organization at Certificate IV or above

or

Work and life experience

Hold completed secondary qualifications equivalent to SACE obtained more than 2 years in the past

English language requirements:

IELTS score of 6.0; TOEFL iBT score of 60 with Reading and Writing not less than 18; TOEFL paper-based test (PBT) score of 550 with TWE of 4.5; Cambridge CAE/CPE score of 169; Pearson's test of English (Academic) (PTE) score of 50 with Reading and Writing communicative scores not less than 50; CELUSA score of AE4.

Course Details

This double degree ensures you have the advanced writing and production skills needed for a career in the news industry, as well as the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed for a career in creative, professional and technical writing.

You will explore historical and contemporary fiction, non-fiction, poetry, autobiographies, essays and plays, as well as news and feature writing, broadcast, print and online journalism. Our on-campus facilities, which include a TV and radio studio, will ensure you graduate career-ready and offer you the opportunity to practise recording news broadcasts, producing, and filming with industry-standard technology.

You will then get the chance to practice these skills in a real-world environment when you complete an internship or industry project during your final year. This is a great opportunity for you to develop your skills and build important industry networks. If you finish your degree with a credit or higher grade point average (GPA) you could also be eligible for the one-year Bachelor of Arts (Honours).

What you'll learn

This degree will provide you with the skills and knowledge needed to work as a journalist and writer in mainstream media and communication fields. The emphasis on professional writing opens doors to a wide variety of allied professions such as technical writing, tender presentations, and marketing and communication.

You will study historical and contemporary fiction, non-fiction, poetry, autobiographies, essays and plays. As you begin to create your own great classics, you will also learn how different oral and written texts have impacted on cultures around the world. A final year industry internship will further extend your knowledge and training. Under the guidance of skilled academics and researchers, you will:

develop creative writing skills
explore how different oral and written texts have impacted on the cultures of the world
learn how to author and edit written and visual texts within news and non-news environments
develop the production skills required by news and online media, including filming and editing, problem solving and decision-making
learn how to use industry-standard hardware and software
develop analytical and research skills

Your career

This degree prepares you to work as a journalist in print, broadcast, online or for multimedia organisations. You will also be qualified to embark on a career within the creative industries, advertising, and publishing fields as an author, editor or researcher. Careers to consider:

journalist: research, write, edit, proofread and file news stories for use on television, radio or for publication in newspapers, magazines, journals or online
copywriter: develop advertising concepts; often work alongside an art director
editor: prepare, write and edit copy; editors also plan and coordinate the selection of material for publication and may be required to supervise other staff
TV/radio presenter: the public face or voice of programs broadcast on television, radio and the internet
publisher: responsible for overseeing the production of a book, magazine or newspaper, ensuring the style and content is to brief
writer: produce articles, reports, literature and other texts