#1 Victorian university for business undergraduate employment
#2 business school in Victoria for career impact
#1 Victorian university for communications course overall satisfaction
Why choose business and communication at Deakin
Combine business with professional communication skills and graduate with a versatile skill set valued across industries. Study at the #1 university in the state of Victoria for graduate business employment while building knowledge in business and communication before tailoring your degree through majors, minors and electives.
Choose to major in advertising, public relations, journalism or digital and social media. Get hands-on experience, explore new mediums and craft impactful content in our world-class facilities.
Pair your communication major with a business major in marketing management, human resource management, project management, entrepreneurship and innovation, business management or AI and business information systems. Gain practical experience through 80+ hours of work-integrated learning, including internships, consulting projects and study tours, and graduate ready for careers across business, media, government and the community sector.
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Proven employability
Study with Deakin Business School, ranked #2 in Victoria for career impact, and build sought-after communication skills.
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Practical learning for every student
Gain at least 80 hours of work-integrated learning through internships, consulting projects and study tours.
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Degrees shaped by employers
Apply your learning to real business and media challenges in Deakin's world-class facilities.
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Combine business and communication
Pair a business major with advertising, public relations, journalism or digital and social media.
Connected to industry
Deakin’s strong industry connections help shape your learning. Build practical experience in real workplace contexts through work-integrated learning, mentoring and networking opportunities. Industry advisory boards also help shape our degrees, which means what you study is current, relevant and aligned to what your future employers need.
Deakin puts employability first
Career outcomes
Develop business acumen alongside strong communication and strategic skills, opening pathways into management, marketing and communications roles across industries.
Project manager
Plan, coordinate and deliver projects by managing people, budgets, timelines and resources, helping organisations achieve strategic goals across a wide range of industries.
- $150k
Typical Australian annual salary
- 9.3%
Projected job growth in 5 years
- 4.1/5
Job satisfaction
Marketing and communications manager
Lead marketing and communications strategies that build brand awareness and engagement, combining commercial insight with strong storytelling and audience understanding.
- $115k
Typical Australian annual salary
- 9.4%
Projected job growth in 5 years
- 4.5/5
Job satisfaction
Other jobs
- Business manager
- Digital communications manager
- Business development manager
- Human resource manager
- Marketing manager
- Small business owner
Key dates
Direct applications
Trimester 1 2027 applications close 7 February 2027
VTAC
FAQs
Yes – every Deakin student can access work-integrated learning (WIL) in their degree. Each year, more than 30,000+ students complete a placement or internship with partners including Microsoft, KPMG, EY and the National Australia Bank. You can access WIL through placements, industry projects, field-based experiences, simulations and global programs, helping you apply your skills and graduate with the experience and confidence employers value.
DeakinTALENT is Deakin's award-winning career service, and you can access it for life – not just while you're studying. From personalised career coaching sessions and AI-enhanced resume support to a jobs and internships board with employment opportunities, it’s designed to give you the career management skills and connections you need to stand out. Every Deakin degree is built with input from employers, so your course is designed around real workplace needs, now and into the future.
Entry requirements and the minimum ATAR vary by degree and are detailed on the degree page, but if your ATAR is below the cut-off, you still have options. Use the pathway finder tool to find the opportunities available to you, including associate degrees and Deakin Guaranteed ATAR, which offers eligible students a guaranteed entry score that's on average 10 points below the lowest selection rank. If you don't have an ATAR, Deakin Uni Ready is a free, supported program designed to build your skills and confidence and open doors to degrees in arts, health, science and business. Access programs and equity schemes are also available.
At Deakin, employability isn't an add-on – it's built in. Our degrees are designed with industry input, so your skills are aligned to what employers actually need. Every Deakin student can access work-integrated learning through opportunities such as placements, internships and industry projects, helping you build your professional network and practical experience before you even graduate. It's an approach that works: nine out of 10 Deakin graduates get a job within four to six months of finishing their degree.
Yes. Most eligible undergraduate students are offered a Commonwealth Supported Place meaning the government subsidises part of your tuition fees. If eligible, you can pay your student contribution using a HECS-HELP loan that you only start repaying once your income is above the repayment threshold. Deakin has scholarships that cater to our diverse student community, ranging from $5,000 per year for high ATAR achievers to $10,000 per year for students facing financial or personal hardship. The University also offers support services including financial counselling, budgeting help and access to short-term, interest-free loans to help you stay on track.
Deakin is the #1 Victorian university for student support and that starts the moment you accept your offer. Orientation is designed to help you feel welcome and get to know your community of classmates and teachers from day one. Across all campuses, there's a vibrant student community with clubs, events and opportunities to build real friendships. Deakin offers a range of services to help students stay healthy and safe, including sport and fitness facilities, free counselling, on-campus medical services and around-the-clock security.
Yes, and it's straightforward. You can transfer to Deakin in a few steps and apply for credit through recognition of prior learning (RPL), so you won't necessarily repeat subjects you've already completed. If you're coming from a TAFE partner, you may get guaranteed entry into second year with guaranteed RPL. Deakin's three-trimester system also means you may be able to start mid-year rather than waiting until March.
Most Deakin courses run across three trimesters per year instead of the traditional two semesters. Trimester 1 begins around March, Trimester 2 around July and Trimester 3 around November, each with roughly 12 weeks of teaching followed by an exam period. This means you can usually start your degree at three different points in the year and have more flexibility to manage your study load. Check the intakes by location section on the course page for details.
*Deakin references data from a range of government, higher education and reputable media sources. Learn more about our achievements on our University rankings page, or explore our sources page for supporting references.
What will I study in the Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Communication?
This double degree pairs sharp business thinking with professional communication skills, producing a graduate who can lead, create and connect across virtually any industry. Over four years, you will build expertise in both disciplines through an integrated program designed for the versatile careers of the future.
Foundations in business and communication
Establish your business grounding
Engage with foundational concepts in financial literacy, management, marketing innovation and economics.
Enter the world of communication
Begin exploring how communication operates professionally, from content creation to audience engagement and storytelling.
Develop your professional identity
Build early career-readiness through structured employability learning woven into your first-year program.
Choosing your path through both degrees
Progress toward your majors
Start advancing through the major sequences in both the business and communication components of your degree.
Build practical communication skills
Develop hands-on capabilities in your chosen communication discipline, working with real content, tools and platforms.
Connect learning to industry
Engage with work-integrated learning that gives you early professional experience and valuable networks.
Applied expertise and integration
Advance through your major sequences
Move into upper-level study in both your business and communication majors, developing the depth and sophistication employers look for.
Work on real-world challenges
Tackle applied projects that draw on both degrees simultaneously, reflecting the integrated nature of modern professional roles.
Expand your elective choices
Use arts and education elective units to add further breadth and personal interest to your program.
Capstone and professional readiness
Complete both major sequences
Finalise advanced study across your business and communication majors, graduating with a genuinely dual qualification.
Fulfil work-integrated learning
Complete the 80+ hours of WIL embedded in the degree through internships, consulting projects or study tours.
Graduate ready for a wide range of roles
Step into careers across business, media, government and the community sector with a skill set that few single degrees can match.
Course structure
To complete the Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Communication you must pass 32 credit points.
Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.
Are you a current student? For course information that applies to the year you started your degree, visit the handbook.
All students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements
Units
Students must complete 8 credit points from the Bachelor of Business
Students must complete 1 credit point of core from the Bachelor of Communication
*To be completed in first trimester of study.
Refer to the details of each major sequence for availability.
Students must complete 1 Bachelor of Business major sequence chosen from the below list. Refer to the details of each major sequence for availability:
Refer to the details of each major sequence for availability.
Students must complete 1 major sequence from the Bachelor of Communication:
Students must complete a 1 credit point Work Integrated Learning unit.
Recommended business WIL units:
Employability Sequence
Plus 1 credit point from:
Plus 1 credit point from:
Professional recognition
Deakin Business School holds the prestigious and globally recognised AACSB and EQUIS accreditations, which attest to quality, academic and professional excellence, ongoing improvement, innovation and graduate employability.
Bachelor of Communication component graduates who complete the Advertising major will be eligible to apply for the following professional accreditation:
What to expect while studying
You may be able to study available units in the optional third trimester to fast-track your degree, however your course duration may be extended if there are delays in meeting course requirements, such as completing a placement.
Any unit which contains work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, Working with Children Check or other check.
This course provides students the opportunity to complete one or more work integrated learning units.
Explore Business and Law WIL opportunities.
International Students:
This course includes Work Integrated Learning (WIL) formally registered as part of the course on the CRICOS register. The total work integrated learning hours will differ depending on the WIL unit you choose. For more information about WIL hours, please check the unit information in the handbook or the unit guide.
For information about how WIL units may impact student visa holder work rights, please visit Home Affairs. See 8105 Work limitation.
At Deakin, we're committed to ensuring an inclusive environment that supports all students to belong, thrive and succeed. We work closely with students, where needed, to identify potential barriers to participation and where possible, provide tailored support so students can engage with learning and assessment activities.
If you are neurodivergent, have a disability, health condition or mental health condition that may impact your study or participation in university life, and want to know how Deakin could support you, contact our Domestic students (opens in a new window) or International students (opens in a new window) or Disability Resource Centre (opens email client) teams for a collaborative and confidential discussion. This discussion is to support you to make plans for your studies and future career and will not have any bearing on your application to the course.
When can I start?
When you study depends on your course, location and available intakes. Check the table to see when you can start and how study is offered throughout the year.
Note: Students enrolled at Waterfront (Geelong) campus in this combined course will be required to undertake units of study at both Waurn Ponds (Geelong) and Waterfront (Geelong).
Your course learning outcomes describe the knowledge, skills and capabilities you’ll develop and be able to demonstrate by the time you graduate. Built into your course through your units and assessments, they provide a clear picture of what you’ll be equipped to know, understand and do – preparing you to apply your learning with confidence beyond university.
| Course Learning Outcomes Bachelor of Business (M325) | Course Learning Outcomes Bachelor of Communication (A318) |
|---|---|
| Evaluate and apply knowledge of media and communication theories, frameworks, ecosystems, and creative practices to provide solutions to real-world contexts. | Evaluate and apply knowledge of media and communication theories, frameworks, ecosystems, and creative practices to provide solutions to real-world contexts. |
| Work creatively, and professionally in written, oral, and multimedia formats to communicate with stakeholders, to achieve defined outcomes and to engage target media audiences. | Work creatively, and professionally in written, oral, and multimedia formats to communicate with stakeholders, to achieve defined outcomes and to engage target media audiences. |
| Locate, gather, synthesise, produce, and publish information using industry-standard software across a range of media forms and platforms to inform and engage diverse audiences. | Locate, gather, synthesise, produce, and publish information using industry-standard software across a range of media forms and platforms to inform and engage diverse audiences. |
| Exercise intellectual curiosity, reflexive self-awareness, and ethical judgement to critically analyse and evaluate data and information to inform decisions about communication and media industry practices | Exercise intellectual curiosity, reflexive self-awareness, and ethical judgement to critically analyse and evaluate data and information to inform decisions about communication and media industry practices. |
| Respond to complex and unpredictable challenges and situations that arise in a professional context and devise pragmatic and creative media and communication solutions that are strategic, legal, and ethical. | Respond to complex and unpredictable challenges and situations that arise in a professional context and devise pragmatic and creative media and communication solutions that are strategic, legal, and ethical. |
| Recognise and exhibit actions consistent with principles of autonomy, responsibility and accountability required to work effectively as a communication professional in a range of contexts. | Recognise and exhibit actions consistent with principles of autonomy, responsibility and accountability required to work effectively as a communication professional in a range of contexts. |
| Collaborate respectfully and effectively in a timely way with people from different backgrounds and disciplines to foster successful relationships and achieve shared goals. | Collaborate respectfully and effectively in a timely way with people from different backgrounds and disciplines to foster successful relationships and achieve shared goals. |
| Apply relevant industry frameworks to inform ethical decision making that is respectful and inclusive of Indigenous voices and diverse cultures and demonstrates an awareness of civic and social responsibility. | Apply relevant industry frameworks to inform ethical decision making that is respectful and inclusive of Indigenous voices and diverse cultures, and demonstrates an awareness of civic and social responsibility. |
- Award granted
- Bachelor of Business / Bachelor of Communication
- Year
2027 course information
- VTAC code
- 1400412321 - Waterfront (Geelong), Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
1400512321 - Burwood (Melbourne), Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
1400612321 - Online, Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) - Deakin code
- D3100
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition
The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7
Fees
Estimated tuition fee
$18,025
for 1 yr full-time - Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
The estimated tuition (student contribution) fee above is based on a typical first-year full-time enrolment of 8 credit points and is provided as a guide only. Your student contribution is determined by the units you enrol in and will vary depending on the units you choose, your study load, the course duration, and any approved recognition of prior learning. You may also be eligible for a HECS-HELP loan to defer payment of all or part of your student contribution.
Check your eligibility or learn more about CSP or HECS-HELP.
Scholarships
We want to help you excel at Deakin. Our scholarships recognise your dedication and achievements, providing financial support that can ease the cost of living and studying. With less pressure, you'll have more freedom to focus on what matters most – your education and future success.
Applications for 2027 are open
Ready to take the next step? Apply now to start your journey at Deakin and get ready for what’s next.
Key dates
Direct applications
Trimester 1 2027 applications close 7 February 2027
VTAC
Apply now
Apply direct
Simply create an account in the Deakin Application Portal, enter your personal and educational details, upload your supporting documents and submit your application.
Apply through VTAC
Applications are open. Apply through VTAC if you're:
- currently in Year 12 and applying for Trimester 1 or Semester 1
- applying for multiple undergraduate courses
Need help? Follow our step-by-step undergraduate guide to prepare and submit your application.
Recognition of prior learning
We value your previous study and experience. Recognition of prior learning enables you to get credit for what you've already achieved. When you apply, we'll consider your previous study and experience for recognition of prior learning.
Not sure if you'll meet entry requirements?
Deakin offers a range of pathways into the Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Communication to suit your background and goals. Explore the pathways finder to see how previous study, diplomas or alternative qualifications can lead you into the course.