Why Study / Key Benefits

The Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Media and Communication is a 4.5-year double degree combining legal education with media, communication and digital-content skills. It is particularly relevant to students interested in the intersection of law, intellectual property, technology, media and communications. Swinburne specifically highlights areas such as trademarks, patents and designs, copyright, misleading or deceptive conduct, competition law and the commercial environment in which media and technology operate.

The combination can be useful for students who want to understand both the legal and communication dimensions of creative and technology-driven industries. Students develop skills in Australian law, legal analysis, persuasive communication, media content creation, communication for influence and impact, and critical and analytical thinking.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The Law component contains 20 core units covering fundamental Australian legal areas. The current handbook lists:

• Introduction to Australian Law and Statutory Interpretation
• Torts 1
• Criminal Law and Procedure
• Torts 2
• Legal Writing
• Contract Law 1
• Contract Law 2
• Evidence
• Administrative Law
• Trade Marks and Related Rights
• Federal and State Constitutional Law
• Property Law
• Land Law
• Legal Technology and Innovation
• Copyright
• Patents and Designs
• Equity and Trusts
• Company Law
• Legal Practice and Professional Conduct
• Civil Procedure and Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Professional Experience in Law 1
• Professional Experience in Law 2
• Professional Experience in Law 3.

The Media and Communication component contains four core units:

• Introduction to Media Studies
• Global Media Industries
• Communicating with Data
• Content Creator Lab.

Law electives account for another 50 credit points, with students selecting four specialised Law elective units. Available subjects include:

• International Commercial Law
• Law and the Media
• Taxation Law
• Public and Private International Law
• Competition Law and Policy
• Privacy in Law and Society
• Law Study Tour
• Advanced Criminal Law and Sentencing
• Advanced Intellectual Property Law
• Commercial Law
• Legal Research Project
• Advanced Legal Research Project 1
• Advanced Legal Research Project 2.

Disciplines / Specialisations

The Media and Communication component currently offers seven majors:

• Advertising
• Cinema and Screen Studies
• Creative Writing and Publishing
• Immersive Media
• Journalism
• Public Relations
• Social Media.

Examples of subjects within the majors include:

Advertising:

• Principles of Advertising
• Digital Advertising
• Advertising Issues and Impact
• Search, Social Media and Video Marketing
• Creativity and Ideation
• Emerging Advertising Technologies
• Digital Advertising Media Strategy
• Advertising Campaigns Project.

Cinema and Screen Studies:

• Screen Studies: Movies, Television and Ourselves
• Genre and the Moving Image
• The Australian Screen
• Screen Franchising and Innovation
• Popular Culture of the Asia Pacific
• Screen Technology and Culture
• Screen Sounds and Music
• Global Screen Studies: Beyond Hollywood.

Creative Writing and Publishing:

• Writing Fiction
• Editing for Writers
• Writing and Publishing Studio
• Diversity in Australian Writing
• Prose Poetics
• Sudden Writing
• Pitch, Edit, Publish
• Literary Industry Practice.

Immersive Media:

• Experiencing Immersive Media: AR, VR and Mixed Reality
• Mobile Media Futures
• Immersive Screen Narratives
• Writing for Interactive Narratives
• Immersive Media Design and Production
• Screen Technology and Culture
• Emerging Media Industry Project
• Virtual Reality Storytelling.

Journalism:

• Transforming Journalism in the Digital Era
• The Journalist's Toolkit
• Media, Law and Ethics
• Interactive Storytelling
• Media Analytics and Visualisation
• Radio, Audio and Podcasting
• Video Documentary Project
• Live Journalism Lab.

Public Relations:

• Introduction to Public Relations Theory and Practice
• Professional Communication Practice
• Public Relations Writing
• Global Public Relations Practice
• Issues, Crisis and Risk Communication
• Events Management
• Media and Communications Industry Project
• PR Campaign Planning and Management.

Social Media:

• Social Media Cultures
• Social Media Strategy
• Media Analytics and Visualisation
• Business of Media and Entrepreneurship
• Interactive Storytelling
• Researching Social Media Publics
• Emerging Media Industry Project
• Social Media, Social Impact

Programme Highlights

Important course-specific highlights include:

• Combined legal and media/communication education
• Focus on intellectual property and commercial law relevant to creative and technology industries
• 450 hours of professional legal experience
• Moot court and advocacy exercises
• Professionally focused Media and Communications Project
• Seven Media and Communication majors
• Specialised Law electives
• Legal Technology and Innovation as a core Law subject
• Copyright and Patents and Designs as core subjects
• Opportunities to study Law and the Media and Privacy in Law and Society as Law electives.

Career Outcomes

The combined qualification can support careers that require both legal knowledge and media/communication capability.

Swinburne identifies career opportunities including:

• Solicitor
• Legal counsel
• Lawyer
• Communications strategist
• Marketing communications specialist
• Content marketing manager.

Other potential career directions supported by the combined curriculum include:

• intellectual property law
• commercial law
• legal and regulatory advisory roles
• media law
• corporate communications
• public relations
• journalism
• content and digital media
• advertising
• communications strategy
• privacy and technology-related policy
• media and entertainment organisations.

International Student Visa Requirements

The relevant visa for an international student undertaking this on-campus CRICOS-registered degree in Australia is the Student visa, Subclass 500.

The course has CRICOS code 119095M.

Key requirements include:

• enrolment in the eligible course
• Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), unless an exemption applies
• satisfying the Genuine Student requirement
• satisfying applicable English-language requirements
• meeting health and character requirements
• demonstrating financial capacity where required
• complying with Student visa study and work conditions.