Admission and Unit Information - Master of Convergent Media
Admission
Applicants must have successfully completed an undergraduate degree in any discipline
or
A Masters degree in any discipline
or
A Graduate Certificate in Convergent Media or Professional Communication
or
Have a minimum of five years full-time equivalent work experience in one of the following areas: journalism, public relations, advertising, marketing, communication, media, design, visual communication, creative arts or multi-media.
Applicants seeking admission on the basis of work experience MUST support their application with a Statement of Service for all work experience listed on the application.
Applications from Australian and New Zealand citizens and holders of permanent resident visas must be made via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).
Applicants who have undertaken studies overseas may have to provide proof of proficiency in English. Local and International applicants who are applying through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) will find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on the UAC website. Local applicants applying directly to UWS should also use the information provided on the UAC website.
International applicants must apply directly to the University of Western Sydney via UWS International.
International students applying to UWS through UWS International can find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on the UWS International website.
http://www.uws.edu.au/international
Overseas qualifications must be deemed by the Australian Education International - National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) to be equivalent to Australian qualifications in order to be considered by UAC and UWS.
Course Structure
Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 80 credit points including the units listed in the recommended sequence below.
Recommended Sequence
Full-time
Semester 1
Local and international industry trends show that strategic communications, particularly including agendas of innovation and ethics, are a growing force in the convergent landscape. This unit introduces students to both the science and art of strategic communication. It is grounded in an advanced understanding of the complexity of human communication processes and driven by a conviction that systematic research and analysis is required to inform strategic communication responses. This unit is based around a series of assessments that require students to address a real-world business challenge or a social issue in ways that take advantage of convergent media environments.
This unit offers each student the opportunity to develop a detailed media project proposal to the proof of concept/pilot stage in response to a chosen set "live" brief. Projects may be for television, online delivery or cross platform delivery. The project proposal will cover background research, precedent and case studies, specification/treatment, pilot and pitch to industry professionals. The objective is to provide a detailed specification for the major media project production unit that follows.
The proliferation of the mobile device and the evolution of mobile networks has profoundly changed the social and interpersonal sphere and the global media landscape. This unit combines both theory and practice to engage with Mobile Communications and Society: the cultural, family and interpersonal consequences of mobile communication and its effect on every day life, social cohesion, political and economic activities, social development and change, and Mobile Media: current media production and distribution platforms, practices and trends. This unit includes the production of content for distribution via mobile devices.
Note: Completion of the 20 credit point unit 101423 Media Project Proposal is a pre-requisite for enrolment in the 20 credit point unit 101745 Media Project Production. These units cannot be taken out of sequence.
Semester 2
The contemporary media landscape is characterised by the breakdown of traditional media silos and the transformation of media production and consumption practices. Media, marketing and creative professionals are now required to understand and connect with their audiences across multiple media platforms. The aim of this unit is to provide students with an historical, geopolitical and theoretical introduction to convergent media theory and practice/s. Using current media theory, design theories, and research methodologies, students will select, analyse and contextualise case studies. The case studies and topics covered vary from semester to semester and can include iTV, digital games, community media, digital arts, activist networks, social media and cross platform projects.
This unit offers an individual, or group of, student(s) the opportunity to develop, produce and evaluate a Media Project developed in the Media Project Proposal Unit. The project production will cover implementation and evaluation issues relevant to media products. The final product is intended to be a significant new media project prototype. Individual students can negotiate the project of their choice, but this should be based on the Media Project Proposal (or equivalent) developed in the Spring Semester, or first half of semester if you are a full time student. A 5,000 word report forms part of the assessment.
This professionally oriented internship consists of two components - work internship placement with Television Sydney (TVS) or a corporate media or community communications division of an organization. The focus on the internship is to research audience/community liaison and the cross media marketing plans of the organisation. During the placement students will develop a practical audience-oriented research project based on a specific agency or community group. The project could form the research stage of a project to be developed in other units of the course. These agencies may include UWS research centres, and educational and community and cultural agencies within Sydney, corporate organisations or off-shore, as agreed. Students research and develop a multiplatform project concept specifically targeted at a selected audience, with an understanding of television media markets.
