Undergraduate
Communication and Media Studies
Contact us
Address
Student Central
The University of Western Australia (M355), 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, Western Australia 6009
Telephone
131 UWA (131 892)
International
(+61 8) 6488 1000
Hours
Frequently asked questions
Events you may be interested in
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Careers and further study
This course opens up a world of future study pathways and career options.
Career Pathways
Graduates are highly sought-after in areas such as content creation, journalism, advertising, marketing, public relations, multimedia production, public administration, UX design, analysis, government and education. Our recent graduates have gone on to succeed in government, corporate and political communication roles, journalism, film production, media research, marketing, public relations, strategic communication, public service, teaching, event management and promotions, information management, campaign management, web design, game design, professional photography and a wide range of other rewarding careers.
Further Study
Master of Strategic Communication
Fees and scholarships
Domestic Student Fees
Eligible Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) students can use the HECS-HELP loan program to pay their tuition fees. For Full-Fee Paying (FFP) places, students are charged an annual course fee.
Find out more information about tuition fees, or visit the fee calculator for a more accurate cost.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area.
Cost of living
International Student Fees
Find out more about tuition fees or visit the fee calculator for the estimated total course fee.
Note, tuition fees are reviewed annually and are subject to increase up to 7.5 per cent per annum.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area.
Cost of living
Admission requirements
The University of Western Australia welcomes applications from international and domestic school-leavers. If you’re interested in studying this major, find out the admission details below.
Minimum entry requirements
- 3.6
- 75.5
- 254
- 324
- 14.5
- 280
- 61
- 1130
- 56
- 75
Admission requirements
English competency
English is the language of instruction and assessment at UWA and you will need to meet the English language requirements of the University to be eligible for a place.
Minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5, with no band less than 6.0.
How to apply
Ready for the next step?
Find out how to apply through our simple online application process.
We'll guide you through our entry requirements, admission pathways available to you and application deadlines for your chosen course.
We can’t wait for you to join us!
Course details
About the course
Quick details
- Available
- Perth (Crawley campus)
- Full-time
- Part-time
- On-campus
- February, July
- 12-15 contact hours, plus your own study time
- Undergraduate
- MJD-CMMST
- 3 years (BA); 4 years (BPhil [Hons])
Top 6 skills you will gain through this major
- Creative expression
- Persuasion
- Team work
- Collaboration
- Analytical reasoning
- Media production
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Management A day in the life of a communications student
Spend a day in the shoes of Jack - an artist, photographer and filmmaker pursuing a Master of Strategic Communication.
Student Exchange & Study Abroad
Put theory into practice
Current UWA students are eligible to take one of our professional experience units. These units bridge the gap between university and the workplace by providing opportunities to gain hands-on, practical experience. You can master new skills, make connections and network, get a taste of the opportunities in the workforce and add experience to your resume, all before graduating.
Find out more about Work Integrated Learning.
Course Structure
Our undergraduate degrees offer you a broad range of options allowing you to combine subjects in a way that matches your career goals and personal interests.
Popular combinations
Why study this course?
- Gain sought-after skills in creativity, problem solving, teamwork, project management and persuasion
- Learn to use the latest digital and multimedia tools
- Become a versatile, creative and responsible communicator
Andrew Wong
Andrew Wong
UWA Bachelor of Arts alumni, Andrew Wong, graduated in December 2018 with a major in Communication and Media Studies. A Singaporean national, Andrew returned home post-graduation and shortly after, joined a local media production company as an Associate Producer of documentaries broadcasted on networks such as Channel NewsAsia and National Geographic. Andrew is passionate about sports, movies and photography and is an avid traveller whose adrenaline runs on looking for new sights and hidden trails to capture that one “epic” photo.
“The visual language of film and photography is my passion amongst many others. The idea of creating content that engages with the audience, with stories from the various reaches of the world, is an exciting one. This was one of the reasons why I really enjoyed my time at UWA as it gave me new experiences and road trips around the best sunsets WA can offer.”
One of Andrew’s career goals is to be involved in a major international film, one that has a strong and meaningful message that will break boundaries and influence audiences around the world. He hopes that his work will one day bring him back to the best sunsets in the west coast of Australia, before retiring in Albany.
Work integrated learning
- COMM3002 Media Production Project: Students undertake supervised, collaborative, studio-based work, creating a project to be delivered at a public showcase and ultimately become part of their portfolio.
- COMM3003: Designing Interactive Media: Students are tasked to design a play experience, generally a board game, to a professional standard.
- COMM3004: Journalism and Strategic Communication: Students develop portfolios of journalistic and professional strategic writing.
- COMM3901 TV and Video Production: This unit offers students an intensive three-week study in video production and television studio work, using state-of-the-art facilities at Temasek Polytechnic in Singapore. Students learn the finer points of studio editing and production in a working television studio.
- Students are strongly encouraged to take WILG2201 – which encompasses a professional placement in a workplace for university credit.
A day in the life of a communications student
Seeking a career in sports media? Katrina chose to pair her Commerce degree with a Master of Strategic Communication. Read more in A day in the life of a communications student.
Why take a second major
- Expand your skills - Taking a second major either in a complementary area or in something like Economics or Business Law will show you have developed transferable skills such as, teamwork, critical thinking, digital literacy and presentation skills – which are highly sought after in the workforce.
- Add it to your resume – Employers are looking for graduates who have skills in a variety of areas. Two majors will expand your career prospects and help you stand out amongst the crowd.
UWA is ranked 1st in WA for full-time employment for undergraduates in Communication, Media & Journalism (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2020)
Your degree options
This major is offered as a degree-specific, or first, major for these degrees. It is also offered as a second major in our other bachelor's degrees.
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Philosophy
You'll learn to
- engage in creative, critical and reflective thinking, and be able to express yourself eloquently and effectively
- use a range of production tools
- work collaboratively to manage complicated tasks and produce media content to professional standards
- develop a critical understanding of cultural and ethical implications associated with media and communication
Aaron D'Cruz
Aaron D'Cruz
Designing products the world has never seen before is beyond fulfilling. The process of exploration, ideation, designing and deploying is fun every step of the way, and allows me to experiment with different tools and ideas. It’s the most interesting part of my career so far, and I’d like to continue creating bigger and bolder tools for the rest of my life."
Hear about our major
Film funding for alumni
Two UWA Communication and Media Studies graduates, Hannah Ngo and Mason Fleming, successfully applied for $80,000 in production funding in the 2019 SBS/Screenwest Scripted Short-Form Content Initiative. Their 16-minute short film titled ‘TRIBUNAL’ will premiere on SBS On Demand.
Taylah Jones
Taylah Jones
Communication and Media Studies student Taylah Jones made a big impact on women’s refuge Zonta House during her recent McCusker Centre for Citizenship internship.
Read the full story of Taylah’s Communication and Media Studies internship here.
Do you want an internship with a difference? Apply online with the McCusker Centre for Citizenship.
