School of Communication and Creative Arts

Our expertise

SCCA is home to world-leading academics across many domains, has a strong ethic of critical and creative inquiry, balanced by a deep appreciation of the power of practice and professional application. Whether you come to be a student, or a new colleague or partner in our work, the school welcomes you, and asks you to add your rich abilities and inspirations to our community.

You will find a home to nurture your talent, challenge you to be better, and the opportunity to make life-long connections with fellow students who share your passion and energy. Come and join SCCA, where we strive, make and tell stories that change the world.

Our focus areas

SCCA covers all of the key disciplines, professions and creative practices you need to be successful in the creative and communicative future.

Art and performance focuses on dance, drama, photography and visual arts, with a commitment to social change through public art practices and interventions. Your art, your performance is powered by internationally known artists and performers.

Find out more about art and performance

Communication includes advertising, digital and social media, journalism and public relations, taught by researchers and industry experts and focused on the way your future careers cover all these areas of expertise.

Find out more about communication

Screen and design offers advanced and professionally recognised studies in film, television, animation, and design (both visual and technological) and offer many different opportunities to suit your special talents.

Find out more about screen and design

Writing and literature combines the study of literature, for all ages, with the practice of creative writing; you also can choose to focus on the key questions of gender and sexuality. Your passion for literature, and the power of words to change the world find their natural home with us.

Find out more about writing and literature

Study what matters to you

You have the passion and the ability: we have the courses for you. When you study in SCCA you get a deep exposure to the essential skills and knowledge you need, and support to become a graduate ready for success in the world beyond the university.

Students in our courses discover creative programs in the visual and performing arts, communication, film and digital media, journalism and public relations, media, writing and literature that synthesise industry experience, research and innovation.

Our key undergraduate course areas are:

Bachelor of Communication
(specialisations in advertising, digital media, journalism or public relations)
Bachelor of Creative Arts
(specialisations in drama, photography, or visual arts [dance from 2020])
Bachelor of Creative Writing

Bachelor of Design
(specialisations in 3-D animation, digital technologies or visual communication)
Bachelor of Film, Television, and Animation.

The flexible and dynamic Bachelor of Arts enables students to focus on children’s literature, gender and sexuality studies, literary studies or media studies, as well as our professional and creative disciplines.

We have highly regarded postgraduate courses in communication (including TV and design), creative arts, and writing and literature.

Learn more about our courses

Specialised courses in design, photograph, and visual arts require students to submit portfolios as part of their applications, so as to give you the best chance of entry into your chosen course.

Our disciplines

With 15 specialised teaching disciplines, you'll be able to specialise in your chosen area, express your individuality and create without limitations.

Cutting-edge facilities

Students and researchers in SCCA have access to state-of-the-art equipment and resources backed by a dedicated team of technical staff.

We have advanced digital imaging facilities, darkrooms, film and TV production and edit suites, a newsroom, performance studios and dedicated computer labs, as well as Deakin's advanced motion capture facility.

We also have a large array of industry-leading equipment and all the software you'll need.

Learn more about the facilities associated with the school

Our research and creative innovation

SCCA has a strong research program that asks how media, communication, art, literature, writing and performance make our world, through stories and action. We reflect on the role of contemporary publics in making, receiving and sharing culture, and ask how we create publics through our critical and creative engagement.

Key research innovations include:

The Public Art Commission: making public art that makes public space better
Creative Applications Network: interdisciplinary computing, engineering and design
Gender and Sexuality Studies Research Network.

Learn more about our research

Related News

Graduate profile

Emma Pyers, multi-award winning practitioner and National Disability Insurance Agency director of transition communications, is a Deakin public relations graduate. She says studying PR at Deakin was one of the best decisions she's ever made.

The creative environment, paired with access to inspirational lecturers, provided a learning experience that went beyond the theory.

Emma Pyers

Public relations graduate