Course overview

Description

This course prepares students for careers as Communication Professionals in a wide range of government, not-for-profit, community and corporate organisations. Today's global communication and media environment demands practitioners with a nuanced understanding of strategic communication and strong analytical, organisational planning and relationship building skills. The competition to reach audiences, shape issues, and achieve organisational outcomes also requires an understanding of narratives, images and analytics in a variety of contexts.

The Master of Strategic Communication is designed so that typically a full time student can complete the degree in three semesters.

Course title
Master of Strategic Communication (coursework or coursework and dissertation)
Award abbreviation
MStratComm
Course code
12540
Course type
Master's degree by coursework or by coursework and dissertation
Status
Current / 2024
Administered by
Social Sciences
CRICOS code
083878C

Course details

Intake periods
Beginning of year and mid-year
Attendance type
Full- or part-time (Student visa holders should read Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 for more information.)
Credit points required
96
A standard full-time load is 24 points per semester.
Standard course duration
13 months full-time (or equivalent part-time) comprising 72 points of taught units and 24 points of admission credit, as recognised and granted by the School
Maximum course duration
2 years full-time (or equivalent part-time) comprising up to 96 points of taught study (see Rule 5 for further information)
Time limit
5 years
Delivery mode
Multi-mode
Locations offered
UWA (Perth)
Domestic fee type
Commonwealth supported and/or HECS-HELP
Available to international students
Yes. For information on international student fees see 'Student Procedures: Fees'. (Enquiries: https://www.uwa.edu.au/askuwa)
Course Coordinator(s)
Dr Katja Lee
Fees
Visit the fees calculator.

Prospective students should see the Future Students website for details on admission requirements, intake periods, fees, availability to international students, careers information etc.

Course structure

Key to availability of units:
S1
Semester 1
S2
Semester 2
NS
non-standard teaching period

All units have a value of six points unless otherwise stated.

Students who have not completed a Bachelor's degree with a relevant major as recognised by the University, must complete relevant conversion unit(s) up to the value of 24 points, as advised by the University.

Take all units (24 points):

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S2COMM5104Public Communication
Incompatibility
COMM7484 Honours Seminar 4 (Communication Studies).
COMM4104 Public Communication
NSCOMM5701Strategic Communications in a Digital EraNoneup to 24 hours
NSCOMM5702Digital Media: Theory and PracticeNonelectures: up to 1 hr per week. seminars: 2 hours per week for 6 weeks
NSCOMM5704Global Media and Cross-cultural CommunicationNone24–36 hours

For students enrolled in a course by coursework, take a minimum 4 units (24 points) from Group A and take the remaining units (up to 4 units/24 points) from Group B. For students in course by coursework and dissertation, take 4 units from Group A (24 points) and 4 units from Group C (24 points):

Group A
AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
NSCOMM5200Digital Advocacy
Incompatibility
SOCS5200 Digital Advocacy (ID 6812)
up to 3 hours per teaching week
NSCOMM5604Media GovernanceNoneup to 24 hours
NSCOMM5605Issues in Contemporary Global JournalismNoneUp to 24 hours
S1COMM5706Accountability and Responsibility in the MediaNoneseminars: 2 hours per week

Take units as per sequence notes in Group A.

Group B
AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S1ASIA5001Key Debates in the Asian RegionNoneseminars at least 20 hours over 12 weeks
S1, S2BUSN5003Data Storytelling
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
42630 Master of Business Analytics
or 41690 Master of Marketing
or 62530 Master of Data Science
or 42270 Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics
Up to three hours per week.
S1, S2BUSN5100Applied Professional Business Communications
Incompatibility
WACE/TEE English or equivalent
or BUSN4003 Applied Business Communication
or MGMT5610 Applied Professional Business Communications
lectures/seminars/workshops: up to 3 hours per week
S1HRMT5530Career Development and EmployabilityNonelectures/seminars/workshops: up to 3 hours per week
S1MKTG5501Integrated Marketing CommunicationsNone1 hour lectures, 2 hour tutorials
S1MKTG5502Social Media MarketingNone1 hour lectures, 2 hour tutorials
S2POLS5503Public AdministrationNoneSeminars: delivered intensively
NS, S1, S2WILG5001Work Integrated Learning Internship Program
Prerequisites
Completion of 24 points of post graduate units and approval from the unit coordinator.
Industry experience: 100 hours Online sessions with Unit Coordinator: 1-2 hours
NS, S1, S2WILG5002Work Integrated Learning Internship Program
Prerequisites
Master of Strategic Communications students: completion of 24 points of post graduate units and approval from the unit coordinator.
All other postgraduate students:completion of 36 points of post graduate units and approval from the unit coordinator
Industry experience: 100 hours Online sessions with Unit Coordinator: 1-2 hours
NS, S1, S2WILG5003Work Integrated Learning Internship Program (12 points)
Prerequisites
WILG5001 Professional Development Practicum A
and WILG5002 Professional Development Practicum B
Industry experience: 200 hours Online sessions with Unit Coordinator: 1-2 hours

Take units as per sequence notes in Group A.

Group C
AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
NSSOCS4100Social Sciences Research Skills
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
any Honours Programme
or a Masters dissertation project.
Incompatibility
COMM4101 Concepts in Communication, COMM7481 Honours Seminar 1 (Communication Studies)
seminars: 4 hours per week
S1, S2SOCS5551Master's Dissertation Part 1
Prerequisites
Students must have achieved 70 per cent
or above in SOCS4100 Social Sciences Research Skills and approval of the course coordinator to undertake this unit
contact varies but up to 1 hour a week in a one-to-one meeting with a supervisor or in a small teaching and discussion group
S1, S2SOCS5552Master's Dissertation Part 2
Prerequisites
Students must have achieved 70 per cent
or above in SOCS4100 Social Sciences Research Skills and approval of the course coordinator to undertake this unit
contact varies but up to 1 hour a week in a one-to-one meeting with a supervisor or in a small teaching and discussion group
S1, S2SOCS5553Master's Dissertation Part 3
Prerequisites
Students must have achieved 70 per cent
or above in SOCS4100 Social Sciences Research Skills and approval of the course coordinator to undertake this unit
contact varies but up to 1 hour a week in a one-to-one meeting with a supervisor or in a small teaching and discussion group

See also the rules for the course and the Student Rules.

Rules

Applicability of the Student Rules, policies and procedures

1.(1) The Student Rules apply to students in this course.

(2) The policy, policy statements and guidance documents and student procedures apply, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.

Academic Conduct Essentials and Communication and Research Skills modules

2.(1) Except as stated in (2), a student who enrols in this course for the first time irrespective of whether they have previously been enrolled in another course of the University, must undertake the Academic Conduct Essentials module (the ACE module) and the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module).

(2) A student who has previously achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the CARS module is not required to repeat the module.

(3) A student must successfully complete the ACE module within the first teaching period of their enrolment. Failure to complete the module within this timeframe will result in the student's unit results from this teaching period being withheld. These results will continue to be withheld until students avail themselves of a subsequent opportunity to achieve a passing grade in the ACE module. In the event that students complete units in subsequent teaching periods without completing the ACE module, these results will similarly be withheld. Students will not be permitted to submit late review or appeal applications regarding results which have been withheld for this reason and which they were unable to access in the normally permitted review period.

English Language competency requirements

3. To be considered eligible for consideration for admission to this course an applicant must satisfy the University's English language competence requirement as set out in the University Policy on Admission: Coursework.

Admission requirements

4.(1) To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—

(a) a Bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA;

and

(b) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 50 per cent; or

(2) completed a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma in Strategic Communication at UWA.

Admission ranking and selection

5. Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on the relevant requirements.

Articulations and exit awards

6.(1) The following courses form part of an articulated sequence:

  • 12240 Graduate Certificate in Strategic Communication (24 points)
  • 12340 Graduate Diploma in Strategic Communication (48 points)
  • 12540 Master of Strategic Communication (96 points)

(2) A student who withdraws from the Master of Strategic Communication course before completing it, but after fulfilling the requirements of a lesser award in the above sequence, may apply for the relevant award.

Course structure

7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 96 points (maximum value) which include conversion units to a value of 24 points.

(2) Units must be selected in accordance with the course structure, as set out in these rules.

(3) Students who have completed a Bachelor's degree with a relevant major as recognised by the University are granted credit for conversion units up to a value of 24 points.

Satisfactory progress

8. To make satisfactory progress a student must pass units to a point value greater than half the total value of units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty.

9. A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module) when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress even if they have met the other requirements for satisfactory progress in Rule 8.

Progress status

10.(1) A student who makes satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 8 is assigned the status of 'Good Standing'.

(2) Unless the relevant board determines otherwise because of exceptional circumstances—

(a) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the first time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'On Probation';

(b) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the second time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Suspended';

(c) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the third time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Excluded'.

11. A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 9 is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation', unless they have been assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' or 'Excluded' for failure to meet other satisfactory progress requirements in Rule 8.

Award with distinction

12. To be awarded the degree with distinction a student must achieve a course weighted average mark (WAM) of at least 80 per cent which is calculated based on—

(a) all units above Level 3 attempted as part of the course that are awarded a final percentage mark;

(b) all relevant units above Level 3 undertaken in articulating courses of this University that are awarded a final percentage mark;

and

(c) all units above Level 3 completed at this University that are credited to the master's degree course.

Deferrals

13. Applicants awarded admission to the course are entitled to a deferral of up to 12 months, as per the University Policy on: Admissions (Coursework).

Additional rules
Credit

14. The University may grant credit towards the course for units up to a total value of 24 points in the case of students who have completed an honours degree in a cognate discipline as recognised by the University