Bachelor of Creative Industries

The Bachelor of Creative Industries is one of Australia’s most industry-connected degrees.

This innovative, hands-on degree allows you to tailor your studies to your interests and career objectives.

You'll be engaged with industry from day one, which will culminate in a final year industry placement/project or mentoring to help you launch your own creative venture.

Industry Majors include:

Animation and Visual Effects (with Rising Sun Pictures) Comicbook Creation (with Writers SA) Communication and Media (with the Government of South Australia Department for Innovation and Skills) Contemporary Art Studies (with Guildhouse) Creative Writing and Literature (with Writers SA) Digital Media (with Opinion Media) Festivals (with Festivals Adelaide) Film and Television (with Channel 44) Games Design and Production (with Mighty Kingdom) Performing Arts Screen Studies (with Adelaide Film Festival).

Social Media (with KOJO) You can tailor your degree by pairing your Industry Major with a second Major OR two Minors, allowing you to study areas directly focused towards your career pathway, as you develop crucial professional, business and enterprise skills.

By studying the Bachelor of Creative Industries, you’ll become professional, adaptable and creatively focused with multidisciplinary skills, allowing you to work in commercial contexts and settings, freelance as an independent artist or launch creative start-ups in your chosen field.

Entry requirements

Admission criteria

The admission criteria have been grouped to assist you to easily find the information most relevant to your circumstances. However, you may fit into more than one and the university will consider applicants against each of the relevant criteria.

Certain conditions apply. For more information refer to Appendix 4 of the University's Selection and Entry policy.

Applicants are required to meet one of the following criteria with a competitive result, and demonstrate that they fulfil any prerequisite requirements and essential requirements for admission:

Recent secondary education

• Qualify for the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE), and achieved a competitive Selection Rank (ATAR), or
• Complete secondary qualifications equivalent to SACE, or
• Complete the International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum score of 24 points

Applicants must meet any prerequisite requirements with a minimum grade of C-. For some programs, applicants who have not achieved the Selection Rank required for automatic selection may be selected for any remaining places based on grades for their year 12 subjects.

Recent secondary education ATAR profile

OR Higher education study

• Complete or partly complete a recognised higher education program at a recognised higher education institution, or
• Complete at least four Open Universities Australia (OUA) courses at undergraduate level or above

OR Vocational Education and Training (VET)

• Complete an award from a registered training organisation at Certificate IV or above

OR

Work and life experience

• Qualify for Special Entry, or
• Complete a UniSA Foundation Studies program, or
• Hold completed secondary qualifications equivalent to SACE obtained more than 2 years in the past

Essential requirements for admission

Prerequisites

Assumed Knowledge

Deferment

This degree is available for deferment. This option is made available by responding to your offer during the application process via the SATAC website. Applicants who receive an offer into a midyear degree are eligible to defer for six months.

The Bachelor of Creative Industries provides you with the flexibility to pursue two or four areas of interest that will help you meet your career goals.

You will study six core courses in the Creative Industries, including courses in business practice and entrepreneurship relevant to the Creative Industries sector. You will select your primary Industry Major, with the choice of selecting a second Major or two Minors.

Industry Majors:

Animation and Visual Effects (with Rising Sun Pictures) Explore a range of animation forms and techniques, including pixilation, 3D modelling and animation, character design and performance, and experimental storytelling. Gain an in-depth understanding of the core disciplines within visual effects, including compositing, tracking, dynamic effects and lighting. You will also have the opportunity to learn first-hand from VFX professionals at world-renowned Rising Sun Pictures, who have creative visual effects for blockbusters including Game of Thrones, Gravity, X-Men, Days of Future Past, The Great Gatsby, and the Harry Potter series.

Comicbook Creation (with Writers SA) Learn how to create and analyse storytelling techniques in oral, textual and visual forms as you develop an in-depth understanding of the historical, theoretical and cultural nature of comics, graphic narratives and cartoons. Tell your own stories as you participate in illustration animation studio courses, and develop your skills in idea generation, design methodology, sequential storytelling skills and image-making to create your own graphic novel.

Communication and Media (with the Department for Innovation and Skills) Build your knowledge and skills in media relations, social media management, communication, media technologies, public relations and professional writing. Learn how to apply these principles to develop strategic and integrated communication plans.

Contemporary Art Studies (with Guildhouse) Explore the foundational concepts of art theory and practice. Expand your knowledge and skills in contemporary art disciplines such as ceramics, drawing, glass, jewellery and metal, new media arts, painting, printmaking, sculpture, textiles, and contemporary art history and theory. Learn in custom-built studios and workshops on-campus and be taught by practicing artists, highly skilled teachers and academics.

Creative Writing and Literature (with Writers SA) Examine creative writing techniques across fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, autobiographies, essays, and plays. Discover the interplay between writers, readers and texts, and how literature both informs and challenges social constructs through the notions of narrative, genre and canon. Produce your own creative and analytical literature under the guidance of professional writers and poets.

Digital Media (with Opinion Media) Develop your knowledge of design principles, using industry-standard software to analyse, design and create a variety of digital media across print, video, web and mobile platforms. Develop essential skills in graphic and web design, video and audio production, and digital storytelling.

Festivals (with Festivals Adelaide) Gain industry-specific skills for festivals management including devising budgets, effective programming, management systems and software, artist and volunteer management, and audience development. Develop an understanding of festival genres and their history, along with the importance of curation and sustainability for seasonal growth. Learn about the cultural and economic impacts of festivals locally and globally, and participate in an immersive placement experience during your studies.

Film and Television (with Channel 44) Immerse yourself in the theory and practice of film and television and explore its communicative and creative possibilities. Ranging from documentary and narrative film through to experimental work, develop storytelling skills, production values and the creative use of formal elements and techniques to engage and entertain an audience. From conceptualisation to post-production, gain hands-on experience and insight into the production cycle and learn what it takes to develop content for the screen.

Games Design and Production (with Mighty Kingdom) Build your expertise in games and interactive media design, along with skills in project management for game development, storytelling, and user experience and user interface design. Complete an internship in your final year of study, working alongside professional game producers.

Performing Arts Create live music and drama performance and produce aural and visual media using the latest digital technologies and production facilities. Develop your own creative practice within a global context and in a collaborative environment guided by industry practitioners.

Screen Studies (iwith the Adelaide Film Festival) Explore the different creative contexts that shape film-making and contemporary screen cultures. Engage directly with the world of screen curatorship and film festival programming. Learn about Hollywood and the global diversity of film and media. Study contemporary world cinemas, screen media authorships, popular genres, experimental media and the age of digital convergence.

Social Media (with KOJO) Study South Australia’s only social media major. Learn how to develop social media campaigns and online content, and understand how to manage and interpret social media data, optimisations and metrics. Develop your digital writing skills, ability to align social media platforms to target audiences, and knowledge of how to grow and manage online communities.

In addition to your Industry Major, you will select a second Major OR two Minors.

You can select a second industry major from the list above, or one of the following options, which will make up eight courses of your degree:

• Cultural Studies
• Design Studies
• English Language
• Event Management
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Journalism
• Marketing
• Sports Management
• Tourism Management

The following are the Minor options. Each make up four courses of your degree:

• Aboriginal Cultures
• Animation and Visual Effects
• Commercialisation and Law
• Communication and Media
• Contemporary Art Studies
• Cultural Studies
• Digital Media
• Film and Television
• Human Resource Management
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Journalism
• Legal Studies
• Management
• Social Media.

Note: Students wishing to select two of the following Majors: ‘Film and Television’, ‘Screen Studies’ and/or ‘Animation and Effects’ should also consider the Bachelor of Film and Television.

For each course you study, you will need to allocate time for various classes such as lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars and practicals. Plus you will need additional hours to study in your own time to complete assignments, readings and projects and contribute to online discussion forums (independent study). So as a general rule, if you are studying full-time you would need to allocate 12 – 26 hours of study when at university and 14 – 28 hours of independent study per week.

Enrich your studies and your life – make overseas study part of your qualification. Australian and international students may have the option to do an exchange, short-term program or study tour overseas. We have links with universities worldwide. You can choose short-term or semester-long study from a range of universities and countries depending on your area of study and cultural interests.

You will be connected with industry from day one, and be learning from and networking with your potential future employer! This unprecedented access and exposure will put you ahead of the rest and set you up for your career in your field of choice.

You will have opportunities for industry experience through internships, placements and overseas exchanges, and you will learn how to apply your knowledge to real-world situations.

UniSA offers an extensive range of career-related events and workshops online, on campus and around Adelaide to develop your skills and increase your knowledge.

Your career

Career destinations for graduates will depend on the industry-majors and discipline areas selected.

Careers include: Animation and Visual Effects Visual effects generalist, animator or visual storyteller

Comicbook Creation Storyboard developer, comic artist, comic designer, film storyboard artist or illustrator

Communication and Media Communication officer, content creator and writer, media advisor, public relations coordinator, marketing and communication officer or strategic communication manager

Contemporary Art Studies Artist, art administrator, art critic, curator or exhibitions manager

Creative Writing and Literature Creative writer, author, editor, publisher, literary critic or commentator, content creator or teacher (with further study)

Digital Media Digital/web designer, graphic designer, online editor, digital marketing officer, videographer, or digital project manager and producer

Festivals Festival manager, festival director, event programmer, curator, cultural liaison officer, event coordinator or creative lead

Games Design and Production Game designer, game programmer, app designer, digital project manager, production manager or multimedia specialist

Performing Arts Actor, performance artist, musician, playwright, director, producer, arts administrator, arts coordinator, stage technician, stage designer or teacher (with further study)

Screen Studies Film critic, festival programmer, publicist, funding assistant, arts administrator, film researcher, film distributor, events manager, curator, museums programmer, journalist or teacher (with further study)

Social Media Content creator and writer, digital and social media manager, marketing and communication officer, online editor, social media liaison officer or strategic communication manager

Applying to study with us:

• go to the top of this page and make note of the SATAC code, then click Apply
• you will be redirected through to the SATAC website to continue your application

Our campuses have fantastic facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, workshops, laboratories, and areas that simulate real work environments. But you’ll also discover that your journey at UniSA is about social experiences, healthy living and getting involved. You’ll find student sports and fitness facilities, community clinics, tech zones and chill-out spaces. There are campus sport activities to keep you active, and if you are keen to explore the social side of university life, there are movies, cooking demonstrations, parties and loads more.

Adelaide has a variety of accommodation options to suit different requirements and budgets. Options include dedicated student accommodation or private rentals. See our long-term accommodation pages for plenty of options. If you need somewhere to live, our new student accommodation by urbanest is on Bank Street in Adelaide’s lively cultural precinct, an ideal perfect location for students. It is within easy reach of UniSA’s city and metropolitan campuses, Rundle Mall shopping, the Central Market, Chinatown, and the West End’s vibrant nightlife. It is also across the road from the Adelaide train station, and on bus and tram routes.

Our student support services will make your life at university easier. We want you to be successful, and if you need help, we're here to assist. We provide a full range of support services, including:

• academic counselling
• personal counselling
• social support services, including family support and nearby childcare

We have six campuses in metropolitan and regional areas, each with advanced facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, laboratories, and areas that simulate real work environments.

Depending on your choice of courses, you will have access to the different study spaces across City West and Magill:

• Editing suites
• Television Studio
• Radio Studio
• Sound Studio
• Hartley Playhouse Theatre
• Design Workshops
• Labs and creative incubator spaces
• Match Studio
• Animation Studios