Bachelor of Communication/Bachelor of Creative Industries

This double degree at Western Sydney University combines a Bachelor of Communication with a Bachelor of Creative Industries. You graduate with two qualifications, which means you can work across media, marketing, content production and creative projects, or move between them as your career shifts. The communication side gives you the reporting, writing and media analysis skills that newsrooms, PR teams and communications offices rely on. The creative industries side covers how creative work gets made, funded and brought to an audience, whether that's music, screen, games, publishing or live events.

How the degree is structured

It's a four-year full-time degree, longer than a standard three-year bachelor because you're completing the requirements of two awards. Teaching runs across semesters, and you accumulate credit points by passing units of study. You'll split your time between core communication units, core creative industries units, and electives that let you specialise or broaden out. Check the official course page for the current unit list and credit point totals, since these are updated from time to time.

Work-integrated learning is a normal part of communication and creative industries degrees in Australia. That usually means an internship or industry project where you work with a real organisation, a media outlet, a production company, an arts organisation, a council communications team, and get academic credit for it. Many students also build a portfolio through studio-based units, which is what employers actually ask to see. Confirm the placement requirements on the official page before you enrol.

What you'll learn

You'll learn to research and write for different audiences and formats, produce content across digital platforms, and understand how media industries operate commercially and culturally. On the creative side, you'll work on projects from concept through to delivery, often in teams, which mirrors how creative work is actually made. You'll also develop the analytical skills to critique media, understand audiences and pitch ideas convincingly. Those are the skills that transfer across journalism, public relations, advertising, screen production, arts administration and digital content roles.

Who this suits

This degree suits someone who wants to make things and also wants to understand the business and cultural context around them. If you're torn between a media degree and a creative degree, this lets you do both without choosing. It also suits people who want flexibility, graduates move between communications roles and creative roles, and the double qualification gives you more options when the job market shifts.

Western Sydney University is based in one of the fastest-growing regions of Sydney, with strong links to the media, arts and cultural organisations across the area. As an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and after graduating you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. English proficiency is required; 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. Always confirm current entry requirements, unit lists and fees on the official course page.

• Journalist or reporter in newsrooms, online publications and broadcast media
• Public relations officer or communications coordinator in government, health, education and corporate settings
• Content producer or social media manager for brands, agencies and media companies
• Marketing and advertising coordinator working on campaigns and audience research
• Screen, music or games production assistant, coordinator or producer
• Arts administrator or events coordinator in galleries, festivals, theatres and cultural organisations
• Copywriter, editor or publishing assistant
• Digital media strategist or audience engagement officer

Typical employers include media organisations, advertising and PR agencies, local and state government communications teams, arts and cultural institutions, production companies, and the marketing departments of large organisations. The double degree also opens up roles that sit between communications and creative production, such as content lead or creative producer.