Graduate Diploma in Communication | UniSC | University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

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Graduate Diploma in Communication

Program summary

Program title: Graduate Diploma in Communication
Award abbreviation:
GDComn
Degree type: coursework
Mode of study: on campus
Duration: 1 year minimum full-time, 4 years maximum part-time.
Commence: Semester 1 or Semester 2
Fee type 2010: postgraduate coursework places, international fee-paying places
Total courses: 8
USC program code: AR641
CRICOS code: 058564G

Program overview

The Graduate Diploma in Communication offers students an opportunity to develop skills and conceptual understandings in contemporary communication. It will provide an attractive opportunity to gain a qualification that has relevance, currency and credibility. The Diploma will be attractive to professionals within the corporate and government sectors who wish to upgrade their qualifications and expertise within a short time frame. In many of these job markets the ability to write and communicate well is becoming increasingly important. Employers are looking for people with the ability to write and communicate in an effective, efficient and lucid fashion. The program does not just impart knowledge and skills pertinent to professional and business writing, but also ones pertinent to written communication more generally.

Admission requirements

Candidates for this award are normally required to hold a Bachelor’s degree or a relevant Graduate Certificate. To be eligible to undertake this award, students must not have undertaken a previous undergraduate degree or a major or minor in communication studies. Students cannot undertake any course in this degree that they have completed previously at an undergraduate level. Entry by non-graduates who have extensive relevant industry experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

Program objectives

On completion of this program students should be able to:

  • demonstrate proficiency in areas of professional writing
  • identify and evaluate a particular audience, and develop the styles of written communication and modes of delivery accordingly
  • identify the generic conventions of different forms of written communication
  • analyse written and oral communications in order to identify and implement proper drafting, revising, and editing techniques.
  • graduate and pursue further vocational studies and apply theoretically advanced approaches to communication studies

Program structure

2 required courses:
CMN102 Health, Society and Culture
CMN574 Understanding Cultural Diversity #
Plus select 1 course from:
CMN116 Communication Theory and Practice
CMN120 Research Design: Methodology and Literature Review
CMN130 Introduction to Creative Writing
CMN140 Public Relations Strategies and Tactics
Plus select 5 courses from: (provided prerequisite equivalency has been approved by the course coordinator)
CMN213 Introduction to Journalism
CMN214 Introduction to Creative Advertising
CMN216 Editing for the Communications Professional
CMN218 Computer-Assisted Reporting
CMN224 Crisis and Issues Management
CMN226 Media and Community Relations
CMN227 Advertising Campaigns
CMN228 Advertising: Copy and Image
CMN229 News Rounds
CMN231 The Writer and the Law
CMN235 Media and Promotion: Tourism and Hospitality
CMN237 Communication Campaign Planning
CMN238 News Writing: Print and Broadcast
CMN240 Online Journalism
CMN243 Paperback Hero #
CMN246 Feature Writing
CMN247 Community Engagement Events
CMN248 Writing for Children and Young Adults
CMN249 Creative Writing for the Illustrated Book
CMN251 Creative Advertising
CMN256 Television & Video Journalism
CMN260 International Communication
CMN266 Research into Journalism
CMN267 Writing the Short Story
EGL201 Writing Poetry
EGL285 Creativity and Literature: Victorians to Moderns
ENP240 Reality Bites: An Exploration of Non-Fiction
INT270 Wonderworlds: An Exploration of English Literature

Requirements and notes

  1. The Graduate Diploma in Communication is a 96-unit program.
  2. The courses that constitute the Graduate Diploma in Communication will be existing undergraduate courses but will be assessed at a postgraduate level.
  3. The Graduate Diploma articulates into the Master of Communication. Students who undertake courses in the Graduate Diploma can apply for up to 8 courses advanced standing into the coursework components only of the Master of Communication.
  4. Refer to the Academic Rules.
  5. International students need to refer to the University's English language proficiency requirements.
  6. Only a full-time study option is available to international students on a Student Visa.

Enquiries 

How to apply

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Tel: +61 7 5430 1259

Program Leader
Anna Potter
Tel: +61 7 5430 2846
Email: apotter@usc.edu.au

# Students are required to seek approval from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences prior to enrolling in this course.

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