Bachelor of Communication Studies - AUT University

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The media, communications and creative industries reach into every corner of society. Careers in this fast-growing field offer huge potential for graduates with the right training. The AUTUniversity Bachelor of Communication Studies (BCS) is New Zealand’s most sought after professional communications qualification. This degree gives students theoretical and practical experience over a wide range of communication fields.

When you study for your BCS you can prepare for your area of interest by specialising in one major area in year three. Alternatively, you can keep some of your options open by studying a major and a minor. Whatever you choose, you’ll enjoy the benefits of small, focussed classes and tutors with in-depth knowledge and a passion for their subject.

MAJORS

• Advertising Creativity
• Creative Industries
• Digital Media
• Journalism
• Public Relations
• Radio
• Television

Programme Code: AK3303
Level: 7
Points: 360
Duration: Three years full time
Venue: City Campus
Starting date: 3 March 2008
Application deadline: 30 September 2007

AUT encourages early application.
Late applications will be accepted if the programme is not full.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

• University Entrance
• Preference will be given to students who have completed Year 13 with:
  • NCEA: 60 Level 3 credits over four subjects, including at least three from the approved subject list, including: 18 credits and a grade average of 60 in any one of English, History, Geography, Classical Studies, History of Art or Media Studies
  • CIE: 150 points on UCAS over 3-5 subjects; minimum grade C at AS Level in one of the following subjects: English, History, Geography, Classical Studies, History of Art or Media Studies.

Note: Entrance to university does not guarantee admission to a specific programme of study.

SPECIAL ADMISSION

Applicants over 20 years of age who do not hold a university entrance qualification (such as NCEA or CIE above) may qualify for university entrance via Special Admission.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Applicants for whom English or Māori is not their first language are required to provide proof of an acceptable pass/grade gained in an accepted English language test. 

WHAT WE LOOK FOR IN AN APPLICANT

Approximately 300 places are available for first year students.

We look for the ability to think creatively, laterally and independently. The programme demands motivation, energy and an inquiring mind. Other qualities taken into account include:

• Involvement and experience in communication areas
• Involvement in non-academic areas such as community groups, drama, or sporting activities.

It is desirable to have students and graduates who reflect the multicultural nature of New Zealand society.

Some applicants may be required to attend an interview. You will be advised of the outcome of your interview by the end of November. The closing date for applications is 30 September.

SCHOOL LEAVER APPLICANTS

Applicants should ideally be completing year 13, performing strongly in humanities subjects and should submit:*

• Application for Enrolment Form
• NZQA Level 2 interim results notification (or equivalent CIE OR IB documents from year 12)
• Curriculum Vitae
• Latest school report
• A letter of application explaining why you are applying for the programme, relevant experience and qualifications.

Conditional offers of place will be made by the end of November but a confirmation depends on final examination results.

* Please note that if you intend to enrol on line you must also submit these documents.

NON SCHOOL-LEAVER APPLICANTS

Applications are accepted from applicants aged 20 or older who do not have these school qualifications. Life and work experience will be taken into account, but the ability to meet academic standards will be important.

Students from other tertiary institutions can also apply for entry. Contact the School of Communication Studies to discuss your particular case.

Applicants should submit:*

• Application for Enrolment Form
• Curriculum Vitae
• Letter of application explaining why you are applying for the programme, relevant experience, qualifications, etc.
• Highest academic results achieved

* Please note that if you intend to enrol on line you must also submit these documents.

THE KEY SKILLS YOU WILL ACQUIRE

The Bachelor of Communication Studies offers a wide range of communication and media skills. This provides the opportunity to develop professional capabilities in your chosen area, while building an understanding of the way all parts of the communication process link together. On completing their study, graduates are fully equipped to enter their chosen media profession or area of higher study.

FURTHER STUDIES

Graduates from the Bachelor of Communication Studies may continue with their professional development by undertaking postgraduate studies within the Faculty. Postgraduate programmes available include:

• Bachelor of Communication Studies (Honours)
• Master of Communication Studies
• Master of Creative Writing (subject to approval)
• Doctor of Philosophy

MAJORS

Advertising Creativity

Everybody’s talking new media and new technology but however much things change, one thing remains constant; the value of a great idea. Students who choose the advertising creativity major learn how to focus their ideas and, as a copywriter or art director, put together a portfolio of work that can lead to a career in an ad agency’s creative department.

The advertising creativity major consists mainly of practical papers. Students have the chance to work on live briefs, to write and design real ads for real products. There may also be the opportunity for some students’ work to be published in the media.

Core papers include copywriting, creative strategy, creative principles and practice, and campaigns. There are workshops with the advertising industry, and guest speakers from leading advertising agencies feature regularly throughout the year. The programme has the support of CAANZ (Communication Agencies Association of New Zealand) and is New Zealand’s only member of the international D&AD University Network, the most highly regarded design and advertising industry body in the world.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Most graduates go for jobs in the creative departments of advertising agencies but, as the industry changes, opportunities in non-traditional communication companies are opening up more avenues of employment.

Creative Industries

The Creative Industries are economically and culturally important to national development, and the sector needs skilled people able to drive projects and work towards bringing creative ideas to the market place. This major, Creative Industries, is about becoming a manager in the creative sector, organising creative personnel and creative projects and working with teams on the production of cultural goods and services.

The papers in the major build up a picture of work relationships in the creative sectors. The different papers examine key issues in understanding the operation of the creative sector in New Zealand and overseas. There is a strong focus on the behavioural side of management, the skills and art of project management, and also on the dynamic area of cultural policy analysis.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

• Project management within creative industries
• Arts event management
• Cultural policy analysis

Digital Media

Digital Media is the convergence of a broad range of creative and technical disciplines – the combination of text, still image, sound, animation and video in a digital context to produce diverse new media forms, from corporate websites to special effects movies.

Digital media plays a key role within homes, schools and businesses. The gateways and content of this new media industry require multiskilled producers with a mix of technical competencies and creative flair. To achieve this balance requires an understanding of what makes truly compelling digital media, and how this can be achieved under budgetary and copyright restraint.

The combination of technical ability and a critical understanding of different communication modes produces graduates who can make a valuable contribution wherever they choose to work. The digital media major takes communication as the common strand underlying the many challenges that await the digital media practitioner and provides the foundation and focus required to succeed in this exciting new field.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

• Digital media project managers
• Web administrators/designers
• Freelance/self-employed web designers
• Interactive media producers/consultants
• 2D/3D animators/compositors
• Motion graphics designers
• Digital video specialists
• Digital publishing producers/consultants
• Production assistants
• Instructional digital media designers
• Post production special effects designers

Journalism

The journalism major gives graduates the broad base of skills needed to cope with today’s rapidly changing media environment. The strength of the major is in its professional focus. Students write stories for real publications, often beating the professionals to the punch.

The core papers include news reporting, different writing specialisations, bi-cultural reporting, media law and ethics. Public affairs reporting examines court and local government systems and students learn how to take notes in shorthand. Options include broadcast journalism, magazine journalism, photo journalism, new media journalism, editing and design and news production.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

• News reporting
• Specialist writing
• Employment on daily and community newspapers, magazines and on line media
• Television and radio journalists

Though most journalism graduates are employed on newspapers and magazines, many now work for television and radio. Others have found jobs in new media.

Public Relations

Today professional communicators manage the relationships of nations, governments, cities, corporations, charities and communities. That’s much more than ‘Public Relations’. Communication managers work within and among the similar disciplines of marketing, human resources, politics, journalism and general management. Their knowledge and skills span these fields, plus the other media occupations found in the Bachelor of Communication Studies.

Cornerstone papers cover the subjects of reputation management, human resources, communication strategy and marketing communication. Students work with industry mentors to analyse a live communication project. Later they research and present seminars.

The major culminates in practical papers. For 10 to 12 weeks, students manage projects for ‘not-for-profit’ clients. They interpret a project brief, develop a strategy, and execute a plan on time and on budget. Students are responsible for running events, producing brochures, organising news media stories and commissioning videos or digital media presentations.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Typically graduates find careers in the following types of organisations:

• Public relations consultancy
• Marketing services
• Corporate reputation building
• Employee relations
• Financial
• Government
• A wide range of not-for-profit organisations

Radio

To work in radio, graduates need to be talented, motivated and have a range of skills – vocal, technical, creative and managerial. The radio major places equal emphasis on creativity and theory, teaching performance skills, radio station operations and management, as well as the critical thinking and understanding required to place those skills within the broader context of the medium.

During the final year students run their own FM radio station. Students are engaged in a range of professional tasks; announcing, writing and selling commercials, writing features, recording and producing items for broadcast, researching and presenting documentaries and organising station and client promotions. Students are also trained in broadcast journalism techniques and use these skills to compile and present on-air news and current affairs.

Students also learn about the music industry, the technology associated with it, the significance of music as a cultural force and the relationships between music and the media. Students also interact with top industry representatives from organisations such as APRA, NZ on Air and the New Zealand Music Industry Commission. These experts bring insights and real-life experience to the study of the music business as a political, cultural and economic phenomena.

Alongside the practical papers, students analyse and critique the medium, with input from industry leaders and some of New Zealand’s top media communication specialists. The technical facilities are state-of-the-art, featuring a purpose-built radio station and digital audio production suites. Students that show particular application and promise are offered internships in the radio industry on completion of the course.

It’s a fun but challenging major because it teaches students to be multi-skilled, adaptable and able to think on their feet. Above all, students will be creative broadcasters.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

• Announcer
• Copywriter
• Music director
• Producer
• Production engineer
• Promotions manager
• Radio journalist

Successful graduates are multi-skilled and land highly sought-after jobs in all areas of the media. While many have become radio show hosts, producers, engineers, promotions managers, studio engineers and copywriters, others are working as television presenters, record company representatives and journalists.

Television

In 2007, AUT’s Bachelor of Communication Studies (Television) was one of seven recipients in the first group of ScreenMark awards, the Screen Council’s industry accreditation scheme for high quality, relevant, successful, practical tertiary level courses in the screen industry. Papers in the television major teach students the theoretical and practical skills needed to achieve professional industry standards. Students research, write, direct, production manage, and edit their own work as well as assisting other students through presentation, camera operation and sound recording.

Students develop their practical production skills by making a five to ten minute corporate or community video for a specific client. Clients have included Starship Hospital. The Epilepsy Association and North Harbour Referees Association. In the television writing papers, students research and write the shooting script for a video production, and write a half-hour drama script. Students also write and produce television studio programmes.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Since graduating, a number of television students have been employed at TVNZ, TV3, Channels 7 and 9 (Sydney), Sky and with independent production companies in New Zealand and overseas. Graduates are now found in such television areas as publicity, promotions, programming and sales, and work as directors, producers, reporters, researchers, presenters, camera operators, production managers and editors.