Media Practice
Coursework
The Master of Media Practice degree teaches the critical thinking and practical skills that contemporary media employers look for in graduates. It builds and nurtures each student’s capacity for professional excellence and leadership in digital media work. The curriculum combines core media units with diverse multi-disciplinary electives; the industry internship capstone unit offers an opportunity to gain valuable work experience before graduation. The four key areas of study are news writing, media law and ethics, international media practice, and social media communication.
Our pedagogy is student-centred and culturally inclusive. Teaching and learning activities integrate disciplinary knowledge acquisition with professional skills training. High-end computer labs and audio-visual equipment support development of the technical know-how needed for digital content creation across all platforms. Electives include audio design, interviewing, online journalism, podcasting, and video production.
Assessment tasks typically test conceptual media production skills and/or disciplinary expertise and understanding, using written, spoken and visual communication. Fresh, thoughtful student journalism is published online, via the Salience blog, providing compelling evidence of students’ wide-ranging interests and innovative, culturally competent, media-savvy, and socially inclusive media work.
At the master’s level, career readiness is offered for positions in multiplatform journalism, content editing, social media, podcasting and audio design, television and video production as well as freelancing. The graduate diploma and graduate certificate courses provide shorter avenues to explore new career directions or to update and extend your professional skills.
See also: Digital Communication and Cultures, Health Communication, Publishing, Strategic Public Relations.
Awards and requirements
Please refer to the course rules in this handbook for information on the specific admission requirements for different coursework award courses.
Master of Media Practice
Candidates for the Master of Media Practice are required to complete 72 credit points including:
- a minimum of 24 credit points of core units of study
- a maximum of 42 credit points from elective units of study
- at least 6 credit points of capstone units of study
Graduate Diploma in Media Practice
Candidates for the Graduate Diploma in Media Practice are required to complete 48 credit points including:
- a minimum of 24 credit points of core units of study
- a maximum 24 credit points from elective units of study
Graduate Certificate in Media Practice
Candidates for the Graduate Certificate in Media Practice are required to complete 24 credit points including:
- a minimum of 12 credit points of core units of study
- a maximum of 12 credit points from elective units of study.
Learning outcomes
At the completion of the Master of Media Practice, a student will be able to:
| No. | Learning outcome |
|---|---|
| 1 | Understand and demonstrate the core skills of news gathering, research, interviewing and writing. |
| 2 | Demonstrate media production skills for producing original content across a range of platforms, including print, broadcast, radio and online, while identifying the specificity of different audiences. |
| 3 | Develop an ability to think independently and analytically about legal and ethical issues related to media production. |
| 4 | Apply knowledge and skills with creativity and initiative to new situations in the rapidly changing communications landscape. |
| 5 | Demonstrate the ability to reflect critically on theoretical knowledge and critically evaluate the cources, validity and currency of information in both journalistic and academic contexts. |
| 6 | Plan and execute a research-based project, internship experience and/or piece of scholarship. |
Reduced volume of learning (RVL)
Candidates who have completed previous study in a relevant discipline may be eligible for a reduction in the requirements in accordance with the table below.
| Level of prior learning | Full-time duration | Credit points to complete |
|---|---|---|
| AQF Level 7 eg. a bachelor's degree in the Humanities, Social Sciences or Law | 1.5 years | 72 |
| Relevant professional experience equivalent to a Graduate Certificate | 1 year | 48 |
| AQF Level 8 eg. Honours in a relevant discipline | 1 year | 48 |
Contacts and further information
Contact details can be found on these websites:
Department of Media and Communications
School of Literature, Art and Media