Bachelor of Media and Communication, Bachelor of Sociology

This double degree pairs a Bachelor of Media and Communication with a Bachelor of Sociology, so you graduate with two qualifications in four years of full-time study. The media side looks at how news, advertising, public relations and digital platforms work, who makes content, how it spreads, and what it does to audiences. Sociology asks the bigger question underneath all of that: how societies hold together, how power and inequality shape everyday life, and why groups of people behave the way they do. Put the two together and you get a degree that explains both the message and the society receiving it.

How the degree is structured

As an Australian bachelor degree, this sits at Level 7 of the Australian Qualifications Framework. Four years of full-time study, usually split into semesters, with each unit of study carrying a set number of credit points. You need to pass a set number of credit points to graduate, and the double degree means you complete the core requirements of both programs rather than picking one and dropping the other. Expect a mix of lectures, tutorials and workshops, with assessment through essays, reports, group projects, presentations and exams. Most students take four units a semester. If you need to slow down, part-time study is usually possible, but it stretches the timeline out.

What you actually study

Media and communication units cover media writing, digital production, media law and ethics, audience research and communication theory. Sociology units cover social theory, research methods, class and inequality, race and ethnicity, gender, and the sociology of media and culture. Methods training matters here, you learn to design surveys, run interviews, analyse data and read statistics critically, which is the skill set employers actually pay for. Many degrees of this kind include a capstone project or research thesis in the final year, where you investigate a question of your own choosing. Some also offer an internship or industry placement, often with media organisations, community groups, government departments or research centres. Check the official course page for the exact units, placement options and capstone requirements.

Skills you build

You learn to write clearly and quickly for different audiences, produce content across platforms, research a question properly, and argue a case with evidence. You also learn to look at a social problem and ask what is really going on, who benefits, who is left out, and what the data actually shows. That combination of communication skill and social analysis is useful in a lot of jobs.

Who this suits

It suits someone who wants to work with ideas and people, not just numbers. If you are curious about why the news looks the way it does, or how social media changes public debate, or how class and culture shape opportunity, this degree gives you the tools to dig in. It also suits students who want flexibility, you are not locked into one career path at 18. English language requirements for international applicants are set out on the official page; the common undergraduate standard is IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall, with higher scores for teaching, nursing, medicine, law and social work. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the university's own English programs are accepted as equivalents, and 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 117946M. International students on a Student visa can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while studying, and may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream after graduating. Confirm all details on the official course page before applying.

• Media and communications roles: journalist, content producer, social media manager, public relations officer, communications adviser, copywriter, editor, digital marketing coordinator.
• Sociology and social research roles: social researcher, policy analyst, data analyst, community development officer, program evaluator, human resources adviser.
• Government and public sector: policy officer, communications officer, research officer in local, state and federal agencies.
• Non-profit and community organisations: advocacy officer, campaign coordinator, community engagement officer, grant writer.
• Corporate and industry: market research analyst, stakeholder engagement adviser, corporate communications officer, consumer insights analyst.
• Australian industries that hire: media and broadcasting, advertising and marketing, government and public administration, health and community services, education, technology, and research organisations.