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Bachelor of Arts (Public Relations)

Course summary for current students

Award granted Bachelor of Arts (Public Relations)
CampusOffered at Melbourne Burwood Campus, Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus, Off campus
Duration3 years full-time or part-time equivalent
CRICOS course code022247F
Deakin course codeA325

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Deakin’s Bachelor of Arts (Public Relations) will provide you with a solid grounding in the principles and practice of public relations and communications theory, together with a broader general education in the social sciences and liberal arts.  

 

You will be exposed to a range of models, skills and techniques necessary for the management of public relations in a wide variety of private and public organisations. You will study the social and behavioural sciences providing an understanding of human and societal behaviour. The course also examines communication research techniques, organisational planning, problem analysis, strategy development for effective communication within and between organisations and their associates, the counselling of management on trends in issues affecting communication policy, and the production of messages, their transmission and the evaluation of their effectiveness.  

 

You will have the opportunity to establish links with professionals in the industry through the Public Relations Institute of Australia Young Practitioners' program.

Professional recognition

The Bachelor of Arts (Public Relations) is accredited by the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA).

Pathways

This course has pathways from more than 20 Institutes of TAFE and universities in Melbourne and regional Victoria. Credit transfer and recognition is normally available from TAFE and university diplomas and advanced diplomas in arts, business, management, and humanities disciplines.  Students with graded advanced diplomas from TAFE or equivalent will be eligible for up to 12 credit points of electives.  Students with graded diplomas or equivalent from TAFE or equivalent will be eligible for up to 8 credit points of electives.  There is also a pathway from Deakin University's Associate Degree of Arts, Business and Sciences to this course with up to 16 credit points depending on units taken.

On completion of this course you may choose to apply for an Honours degree or postgraduate study. These studies normally provide professional qualifications directed to a particular career.  Students must have completed a major in the discipline or interdisciplinary area in which they wish to specialise in the honours course. Entry is based on a number of factors, including an average grade of Distinction or High Distinction in the Bachelor of Arts particularly in the discipline in which they want to study Honours and the availability of supervision.  Further honours information.

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Transition to University study
The faculty offers two units ASC160 Introduction to University Study and ALW117 Writing for Professional Practice which are specifically designed to ease the transition into university study. New students are encouraged to enrol in one or both of these units in their first year.

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Fees and charges

Unit fees can be viewed within individual unit descriptions. You can search for a unit using the Unit Search.

 

Please be aware:

  • Fees are calculated on a per unit basis
  • Fees charged will depend on the individual units chosen
  • Fees per unit/credit point may increase annually due to rises in the cost of course delivery and services

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Course rules

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Arts (Public Relations), a student must complete 24 credit points including:

  • 17 credit points of compulsory core units;
  • 7 credit points of electives;
  • no more than 10 credit points at level 1;
  • at least 14 credit points at level 2 or above

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Course structure

 

Level 1

Trimester 1

ALC101 Contemporary Communication: Making Sense of Text, Image and Meaning (B, G, S, X)  **

ALJ111 Contemporary Journalism A (B, G, W, X)  

ALR103 Introduction to Public Relations (B, G, W, X)  

1 Elective

Trimester 2
ALC102 Contemporary Communication: Making Sense of New Media (B, G, X)  

ALJ112 Contemporary Journalism B (B, G, W, X)  

1 Elective

 

Trimester 1 or trimester 2 or trimester 3

ALW117 Writing for Professional Practice (B, G, W, X)  


Level 2

Trimester 1 and Trimester 3

ALR207 Media Relations (B, G, W, X)  

 

Trimester 1

ALR276 Ethical Communication and Citizenship (B, G, W, X)  

2 Electives

Trimester 2
ALR206 Web Media Public Relations (B, G, W, X)  

ALR279 Public Relations Practice and Event Management (B, G, W, X)   ( 2 credit points)

1 Elective

 

Trimester 3

ALR311 Public Relations Study Tour (B, G, W, X)  ***

 

Level 3

Trimester 1

ALR383 Government Relations and Issues Management (B, G, W, X)  *

ALR382 Internship (B, G, X)  (2 credit points)

1 Elective  


Trimester 2

ALR300 Public Relations Campaigns and Practice (B, G, W, X)  ( 2 credit points)

ALR310 Marketing Communication (B, G, W, X)  

1 Elective

 

* ALR383 is offered in the wholly online teaching mode only- there will be no face-to face teaching.

** ALC101 offered trimester 3 - off campus only.

*** ALR311 may be taken as an elective only and is not a core unit in the degree.





 

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8th June 2007