Bachelor of Media and Communication, Bachelor of Criminology

This is a four-year double degree that pairs media and communication with criminology. You graduate with two bachelor qualifications, which means you study the full core of both fields rather than a major and a minor.

On the media side you look at how news, advertising, public relations and digital platforms actually work, who makes content, who owns the outlets, how audiences behave, and how laws and ethics shape what gets published. On the criminology side you study crime, criminal justice and the institutions that respond to it: police, courts, corrections and community programs. You look at why people offend, how crime is measured, and how policy gets made. Where the two meet is the interesting part: how crime is reported, how media shapes public fear and political response, how police and agencies communicate, and how digital platforms change both offending and coverage.

Like most Australian bachelor degrees, this runs on semesters. You enrol in units of study each semester, each worth a set number of credit points, and you accumulate credit points until you meet the requirements for both awards. Expect a mix of lectures, tutorials, workshops and practical production or research tasks. Assessment is usually a blend of essays, reports, presentations, exams and project work. Many media and communication degrees include a work-integrated learning unit or internship, and criminology degrees often offer a placement or research project in the later years, confirm the exact structure, core units and any capstone on the official course page.

Skills you build: writing for different audiences and formats, research and evidence handling, critical analysis of data and policy, interviewing, production and editing basics, and the ability to explain complex material clearly. Those travel well. The degree suits someone who is curious about both sides of the crime story, the justice system and the media that covers it, and who wants a qualification that opens more than one door. It also suits school leavers and mature-age students who want breadth before specialising. English proficiency is required for international applicants; IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the common undergraduate standard, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the university's own English programmes accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 117945A. International students on a Student visa can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while studying, and graduates may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Check the official page for current details.

• Journalist or digital producer, newsrooms, online publishers, radio and television, community media.
• Communications and media officer, police services, government departments, courts, emergency services, non-profits.
• Public relations or corporate affairs adviser, agencies, corporates, advocacy organisations.
• Crime and justice policy officer, state and federal agencies, justice departments, law reform bodies.
• Community corrections or justice support worker, corrections services, youth justice, community legal centres.
• Intelligence or analyst roles, law enforcement, regulatory bodies, research organisations.
• Content and social media strategist, media companies, agencies, in-house teams.
• Researcher or campaigner, advocacy groups, unions, think tanks, universities.