Bachelor of Marketing and Communication

Combine the business of marketing with the social sciences of communication to help organisations meet their corporate objectives.

As you develop the practical skills needed to become a marketing and communications expert, you will explore consumer psychology and the scientific laws of brand growth.

Your lecturers will be the experts who advise brands like Procter & Gamble, CBS and Nestlé.

Your studies will also cover specialised courses such as business management, communication, advertising, and public relations.

For high achieving students, there are also vacation research scholarships available providing valuable experience while you study.

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 Meet any prerequisite requirements with a minimum grade of C- or equivalent AND

• 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 who have not achieved the Selection Rank required for automatic selection may be selected for any remaining places based on the grades of 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 equivalent, 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.

This degree offers an equal mix of marketing and communication subjects, and over the course of your studies you will also gain a solid grounding in general business principles. In your first year you will be introduced to consumer behaviour, marketing principles, communication and public relations.

This degree will teach you to think critically, manage projects and work as part of a team. You will also develop first-rate expertise in professional marketing and communication practice through the integration, planning and management of key communication projects in an organisational context.

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.

Your studies at UniSA will incorporate both practical, professionally-focused and research-based learning, so assessment types will vary. You can expect them to include:

The Marketing Practicum is an exciting industry placement where you can conduct a research project with another student in an organisation for one day a week over 12 weeks. Organisations students have been partnered with previously include Balfours, National Pharmacies, Australian Prawn Farmers Association, Robern Menz, Wokinabox and Westfield.

In addition to learning from teachers with professional experience as part of your studies, we offer opportunities for you to connect with industry outside the classroom:

• Complete an internship or industry project
• Become a global citizen with our overseas exchange program – we have more than 60 partner universities worldwide, and study options that range from two weeks to one year

Your career

As the No.1 university in South Australia for graduate careers in Business and Management1, our quality teaching and experiences beyond the classroom will ensure you graduate career-ready.

Careers to consider:

• Advertising account manager: managing client relationships; preparing creative briefs; managing the production of advertisements; managing internal and external communications
• Advertising executive: supervising the production of advertising campaigns; developing plans to increase sales for clients; acting as a liaison between their agency and its clients
• Brand manager: responsible for driving the growth of a brand; ensuring all aspects of a brand’s marketing and manufacturing match; creating a brand strategy and ensuring all aspects of a product or an activity align with the brand
• Copywriter: using creative writing to captivate readers or motivate them to take action; creating copy for advertising in various forms such as billboards, catalogues and on the web
• Corporate communications adviser: building and maintaining brand; generating media coverage and message placement; public speaking; partner and relationship building; writing and editing
• Digital marketer: driving sales and conversions; optimising website usability; implementing digital and email marketing campaigns; analysing and reporting on website performance and other digital channel initiatives
• Market researcher: coordinating research projects; investigating market activity; analysing published data and statistics; evaluating past performance and assessing future trends; commissioning surveys
• Marketing and communications officer: working across any (or all) communications channels such as media and publications, social media and digital, internal communications or brand
• Marketing assistant: supporting marketing managers and teams to drive advertising campaigns, create content and operationalise communications plans; assisting with promotional events and website updates; undertaking marketing administrative tasks
• Media buyer: understanding audience demographics of various media; purchasing advertising airtime that aligns with the target market objectives of client or company marketing campaigns
• Media planner/Campaign manager: combining creative thinking with factual analysis to target marketing campaigns at audiences; identifying the best mediums for building brand awareness and sales
• Public relations officer: planning publicity strategies and campaigns; writing and producing press releases; managing enquiries from the public, press and related organisations; building and sustaining a positive brand image
• Social media manager: directing the social media presence of a brand, product, individual or organisation; overseeing social media marketing and advertising; developing strategies to increase effectiveness; measuring performance; managing and creating content
• Sponsorship officer: managing and procuring sponsors for events and brand awareness activity; developing strategies to leverage sponsorships; executing sponsorship marketing including communications, branding and event planning

1ComparED (QILT): Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017-19 – Full-time Employment Indicator (Undergraduate). Public SA-founded universities only.

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.

The Business Student Hub is a convenient, central support service for business students, from first year through to graduation. The team provides expert advice on study options, elective choices and any academic difficulties. It also helps with referrals to support services across the University. The Business Student Hub is there to facilitate your life at university, so you get the most out of your UniSA experience.

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:

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.