Bachelor of Journalism and Professional Writing

Graduates of this degree (the only one of its kind in South Australia) are qualified to work as journalists and writers in mainstream media and communication fields.

An emphasis on professional writing also opens doors to a wide variety of allied professions, such as technical writing, tender presentations, and marketing and communication.

Our on-campus facilities, which include a TV studio, radio studio and editing suites, will ensure you graduate career-ready and offer you the opportunity to practise recording news broadcasts, producing, and filming with industry-standard technology.

You will then get the chance to practice these skills in a real-world environment when you complete an internship or industry project during your final year.

This is a great opportunity for you to develop your skills and build important industry networks.

Students who obtain a credit level or higher grade point average (GPA) may be accepted into the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree and, depending on results, may be eligible to proceed to postgraduate research degree 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 will provide you with the skills and knowledge needed to work as a journalist and writer in mainstream media and communication fields. An emphasis on professional writing also opens doors to a wide variety of allied professions, such as technical writing, tender presentations, marketing and communication. You will:

• learn how to author and edit written and visual texts within news and non-news environments
• develop the production skills required by news and online media, including filming and editing, problem solving and decision-making
• learn how to use industry-standard equipment and software
• develop analytical and research skills

A final year internship at a news or production organisation will further extend your knowledge and training.

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 practical, professionally focused and research-based learning, so assessment types will vary. You can expect them to include:

Many of our lecturers have extensive news industry experience, which means you will be well-informed of major issues facing working journalists today. You will also benefit from the University’s excellent industry connections – these connections will assist you as you begin to create and build a professional network. In your final year, you will have the opportunity to complete an internship at a news or production organisation. 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

This degree prepares you to work as a journalist in print, broadcast, online or for multimedia organisations. Social media is enabling more people to say what they think and share what they see every day, so the role of informed, knowledgeable, well-trained reporters and writers in presenting objective, factual information is more important than ever. Careers to consider:

• communication specialist: create and deliver internal and external communications
• copywriter: develop advertising concepts; often work alongside an art director
• editor: prepare, write and edit copy; editors also plan and coordinate the selection of material for publication, and may be required to supervise other staff
• journalist: research, write, edit, proofread and file news stories for use on television, radio or for publication in newspapers, magazines or journals
• reporter: deliver updates on news stories; reporters often cover breaking stories
• scriptwriter: create characters and storylines for movie or television scripts
• tv presenter: the public face or voice of programs broadcast on television, radio and the internet

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.

As a journalism and professional writing student you will have access to:

• our industry-standard television studio and radio studios
• one of South Australia’s largest green screens
• industry-standard editing suites