Master of Strategic Communication (coursework or coursework and dissertation)
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 overview
- 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 / 2020
- Administered by
- Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Education
- 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 Faculty
- 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
- Postgraduate fee-paying/FEE-HELP
- Course Coordinator(s)
- Dr Katarina Damjanov
- 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; SS = summer teaching period; N/A = not available in 2020; NS = non-standard teaching period |
All units have a value of six points unless otherwise stated.
Note: Units that are indicated as N/A may be available in 2021 or 2022.
Students who have not completed a bachelor's degree with a relevant major as recognised by the Faculty, must complete relevant conversion unit(s) up to the value of 24 points, as advised by the Faculty.
Take all units (24 points):
| Availability | Unitcode | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NS | COMM5303 | Communication Strategies for Change |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; tutorials/practicals: 1 hour per week |
| NS | COMM5701 | Strategic Communications in a Digital Era | up to 24 hours | |
| S1 | COMM5702 | Digital Media: Theory and Practice | up to 24 hours | |
| NS | COMM5703 | Communication, Innovation and Project Management | up to 24 hours |
For students in course by coursework only, take 48 points from Group A, B or C. Take no more than 18 points from Group B and no more than 12 points from Group C. For students in course by coursework and dissertation, take 24 points from Group A, B or C and 24 points from Group D.
Group A
| Availability | Unitcode | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1, S2 | BUSN5100 | Applied Professional Business Communications | lectures/seminars/workshops: up to 3 hours per week | |
| N/A | COMM4102 | Media, Representation, Culture |
| |
| S1 | COMM4105 | Research Methods in Media and Communication | seminars: up to 3 hrs per week for 11 weeks | |
| S2 | COMM4106 | Advanced Topics in Media and Communication |
| seminars: 2 hours per week for up to 10 weeks |
| S2 | COMM5104 | Public Communication |
| |
| N/A | COMM5602 | Online Journalism | 24 hours | |
| S1 | COMM5604 | Media Governance | up to 24 hours | |
| NS | COMM5605 | Issues in Contemporary Global Journalism | 24 hours | |
| N/A | COMM5704 | Global Media and Cross-cultural Communication | 24–36 hours | |
| N/A | COMM5705 | Representation and Promotion | 24–36 hours | |
| S1 | COMM5706 | Accountability and Responsibility in the Media | seminars: 2 hours per week | |
| NS | SOCS5003 | Research Design |
| up to 30 hours |
| SS | SOCS5200 | Digital Advocacy | 1 week (30 hours) intensive split between lectures (15 hours) and practical training (15 hours); project workshops: 4 x 1 hour; final workshop: 8 hours. Summer: delivered intensively. | |
| NS, S1, S2 | WILG5001 | Professional Development Practicum A |
| 150 hours for pre-placement, placement and post-placement activities |
| NS, S1, S2 | WILG5002 | Professional Development Practicum B |
| 150 hours for pre-placement, placement and post-placement activities |
| NS, S1, S2 | WILG5003 | Professional Development Practicum C (12 points) |
| 300 hours total: pre-placement, placement and post-placement activities |
Take units as per sequence notes in Group A.
Group B
| Availability | Unitcode | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | ASIA5002 | Critical Cultural Engagement with Asia | seminars: 18 hours | |
| S2, SS | BUSN5001 | Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies in Business | Standard Semester: lectures/tutorials/seminars/workshops: up to 3 hours per week Summer School: delivered intensively, up to 18 hours per week | |
| S1, S2 | MKTG5501 | Integrated Marketing Communications | lectures/seminars/workshops: up to 3 hours per week | |
| NS, S2 | MKTG5502 | Digital Marketing | Semester 2: Online seminars, 3 hours per week over 12 weeks. Non-standard: Face-to-face seminars, 36 hours in one week. | |
| S1 | MKTG5505 | Marketing and Society | lectures/seminars/workshops: up to 3 hours per week | |
| NS | POLS5503 | Public Administration | Seminars: delivered intensively | |
| NS | SOCS5501 | Evaluation | Taught intensively over 6 weeks (second half of S1), |
Take units as per sequence notes in Group A.
Group C
| Availability | Unitcode | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | CHIN5001 | Chinese for Professionals 1 |
| language seminars: 2 hours per week over 6 weeks; online learning; Saturday block seminars (refer to the unit outline for further details) |
| N/A | CHIN5002 | Chinese for Professionals 2 |
| language seminars: 2 hours per week over 6 weeks; online learning; Saturday block seminars (refer to the unit outline for further details) |
| N/A | INDO5001 | Indonesian for Professionals 1 |
| language seminars: 2 hours per week over 6 weeks; self-directed learning; Saturday teaching blocks (refer to the unit outline for further details) |
| N/A | INDO5002 | Indonesian for Professionals 2 |
| language seminars: 2 hours per week over 6 weeks; self-directed learning; some Saturday block seminars (refer to the unit outline for further details) |
| N/A | JAPN5001 | Japanese for Professionals 1 |
| language seminars: 2 hours per week over 6 weeks; self-directed learning; Saturday block seminars (refer to the unit outline for further details) |
| N/A | JAPN5002 | Japanese for Professionals 2 |
| language seminars: 2 hours per week over 6 weeks; self-directed learning; Saturday block seminars (refer to the unit outline for further details) |
| N/A | KORE5001 | Korean for Professionals 1 |
| language seminars: 4 hours per week over 6 weeks; online learning; Saturday block seminar (refer to the unit outline for further details) |
| N/A | KORE5002 | Korean for Professionals 2 |
| language seminars: 4 hours per week over 6 weeks; online learning; Saturday block seminar (refer to the unit outline for further details) |
Take units as per sequence notes in Group A.
Note: Students must achieve 70% or above in SOCS5003 Research Design to be eligible to enrol in the Master's dissertation units.
Group D
| Availability | Unitcode | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NS | SOCS5003 | Research Design |
| up to 30 hours |
| S1, S2 | SOCS5551 | Master's Dissertation 1 |
| 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, S2 | SOCS5552 | Master's Dissertation 2 |
| 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, S2 | SOCS5553 | Master's Dissertation 3 |
| 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 http://handbooks.uwa.edu.au/postgraduate/student-procedures'>student procedures apply, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.
Academic Conduct Essentials module
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).
(2) A student who has previously achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the ACE module is not required to repeat the module.
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. To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—
(a) (i) a relevant bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA; and
(ii) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 65 per cent in the Level 3 units of a relevant major;
or
(b) (i) a Graduate Certificate in Strategic Communication or Graduate Diploma in Strategic Communication, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA; and
(ii) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 65 per cent.
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 bachelors degree with a relevant major as recognised by the Faculty are granted credit for conversion units up to a value of 24 points.
Satisfactory progress
8. To make satisfactory progress in a calendar year a student must pass units to a value of at least 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 ACE 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 fails to make satisfactory progress under Rule 8 after being enrolled at the University for one or two semesters only is assigned a progress status of 'On Probation' by the Faculty.
(2) Unless the Faculty determines otherwise in exceptional circumstances a student who fails to make satisfactory progress under Rule 8 and has been enrolled at the University for more than two semesters is assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' by the Faculty.
(3) Unless the Faculty determines otherwise in exceptional circumstances a student who has previously been allocated a progress status of 'Suspended' and fails again to make satisfactory progress under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Excluded' by the Faculty.
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.
Additional rules
Credit
13. The Faculty 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 Faculty