Bachelor of Business in Public Relations

at University of Wollongong - Wollongong Campus Australia

Public Relations (PR) is about managing information between organisations and stakeholders, individuals and the public, or a combination of these. The key is effective communication and the strategic way this information is planned and executed. Public Relations can create goodwill and a favourable public image that helps shape and maintain the reputation of an organisation, event or person.

This degree
You will undertake a foundation year that covers all core disciplines of business, giving you a solid understanding of issues facing organisations today. From your second year, you will begin your major in Public Relations. If you enjoy writing and communications then the PR major may be right for you with roles such as media relations executive, digital communication consultant, public relations manager, communications manager, events coordinator, social media manager or corporate communications specialist.

You will gain real experience, with real clients to develop the skills that are required in the PR workforce. During your degree you will execute a PR campaign with your peers for a not-for-profit organisation; past organisations include St John Ambulance NSW and In2Uni.

You will also undertake a final-year capstone subject that lets you apply everything you have learned in collaboration with students from other disciplines. Plus, you have the option of applying for an internship to gain valuable experience whilst receiving credit towards your degree.

What you will study
The degree covers a variety of subjects, including business communication, PR concepts, PR writing, advertising and creative strategies, digital marketing, corporate identity and branding, marketing communications, and creative PR campaigns. You will learn how to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders using a range of media. You will also learn how to evaluate the cultural and organisational contexts, key trends and ethical issues influencing contemporary PR, and be able to critically evaluate the role of PR in society and organisations. Working with some of Australia's largest public relations companies, you will be able to see firsthand where your career could take you.

A double degree in a Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Information Technology gives you skills to work across all areas of business with the added advantage of being able to utilise technology to improve products and business processes.

The Bachelor of Business Administration offers a broad education across all key aspects of the business environment. In addition to studying the essential core disciplines of accounting, economics, finance, management and marketing, and allows students to focus on their interests by choosing electives from a particular Business discipline.

The Bachelor of Information Technology offers graduates key skills required for any IT professional such as: organisational areas in IT; database management; programming; information systems analysis and design; communications and networks; security; project management; and web-based technology.

Throughout this degree you will have the opportunity to gain practical, real-world experience and make professional connections, including the opportunity to participate in the Business Internship program.

The Master of Engineering (Mechanical) is designed to strengthen and extend your understanding of specific knowledge and technical skills in advanced mechanical engineering. With a focus on design, you will have access to knowledge of design and engineering sciences through courses such as heat transfer and thermodynamics, dynamics and control, aerodynamics, structural design and solid mechanics as well as a range of advanced technical coursework.

This degree

The Master of Engineering delivers expert skills and applied competencies required for the professional engineer. It is designed to train and enhance professional practice, advance technical and specialist skills, and provide an opportunity to put theory into practice with applied projects and research. The degree also delivers communication, strategic and project management skills essential to the practising engineer.

What you will study

You will complete the core subjects in Professional Communications and Engineering Workplace Practice, Advanced Manufacturing Processes, Innovation and Design, Research Methods, Project Management, and Engineering Computing.

For the Mechanical major you will study subjects in Finite Element Techniques in Mechanical Engineering, Strategic Management for Engineers and Technologists, Integrated Manufacturing Systems, plus electives selected from Mechanical or Engineering subjects. You will also complete an advanced project.

Psychologists help us to understand who we are and how we think, feel, act and change through scientific study of the human mind and its functions, and how they influence behaviour. Psychological research seeks to identify mechanisms that explain behaviour in various contexts. Clinical psychologists work directly with clients to help them improve their wellbeing and psychological health using evidence-based psychological treatments. Their clients include children, adults, couples, families and organisations, and they can work in a wide range of settings, from private practices to the hospital system.

This degree
The Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) is a four-year undergraduate Honours degree which provides comprehensive training in the scientific study of human behaviour and experience, the physiological, sensory and cognitive processes that underlie it, and how the profession applies this knowledge to practical problems.

The Bachelor of Psychology is a route to Postgraduate coursework or research degrees in Psychology. It is also a partial qualification for provisional registration as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia.

What you will study
This course is for the highly motivated. The Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) program contains a significant research thesis along with coursework. You will learn how the science and practice of psychology is influenced by social, historical, professional and cultural contexts, and knowledge of ethical behaviour. Continuation in the degree will be dependent upon achieving a cumulative average of at least 75% in the Psychology subjects approved for the degree.

Studying engineering and arts will teach you to create solutions for everyday life, from the large scale to the nano-level. You will gain knowledge in many traditional areas of study including history, literature, languages and philosophy and the disciplines of social sciences; cultural studies, sociology and politics.

Engineering is vital to solving the world’s big challenges: supporting communities by designing and building livable sustainable cities; creating transport and housing systems; and designing and building telecommunications networks, the internet and computers.

Engineers design systems to ensure ample clean water for the world’s population, to find non-polluting energy sources, to create ways to assist healthy living and ageing and to advance medical and health technologies.

Engineers are team players and many become CEOs and entrepreneurs; engineering graduates run over 30 percent of the world’s biggest international companies, nearly double the next largest discipline. Learn the fundamentals of engineering, both the technical and interpersonal skills, and apply your knowledge in real situations to prepare you for engineering the future with an internationally accredited UOW engineering degree.

This degree

The Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) - Bachelor of Arts combines professional engineering skills, including management, teamwork and problem solving, with the critical and creative thinking skills learned from studying the arts and humanities. It will teach you a diverse skill set required for high achievement in a range of careers.

The Bachelor of Information Technology (Dean's Scholar) offers a challenging and enriched educational experience for high-achieving students who want to perform above the level normally expected. As a Dean's Scholar student, you will also be encouraged to continue your studies through the completion of Honours and research programs. You will complete the normal course requirements for the degree, and receive special privileges as you study, such as accelerated learning and academic mentoring.

You can major in:

• Network Design and Management
• Web Design and Development

This degree
The Bachelor of Information Technology provides foundation knowledge of organisational areas in IT, including:

• Database management
• Programming
• Human computer interaction
• Principles of eBusiness
• IT project management
• Management Information Systems
• Knowledge and Information Engineering

Places are limited each year. Current students who have achieved a weighted average mark (WAM) of 80 at the end of one year of full-time study in a relevant degree may apply to transfer to the Dean's Scholar degree.

What you will study
You will be able to choose your major in your second year after studying a common core of subjects that links our computer science, IT and information systems degrees. Find your strengths and interests as you study the fundamentals of computer science and IT: programming, problem solving, network and communications, web technology, data management, system analysis, human–computer interaction, and project management. You’ll also complete a final-year capstone team project.

Environment and Heritage Management investigates issues of global significance, especially the human impact on the Earth, the management of valuable landscapes, and the planning of cities and regions.

This degree
The Bachelor of Science (Environment and Heritage Management) program at UOW includes the opportunity to undertake practicals and fieldwork, taking advantage of the local Illawarra environment including urban and heritage landscapes, coastal landscapes, rainforest escarpment and freshwater ecosystems.

What you will study
As a Science student, you will learn skills in logical and critical thinking, creative problem-solving, practical research, organisation and project management, numeracy, statistical literacy, computer applications (including geographic information systems) and strong communication. This specialist program combines Physical and Human Geography with relevant subjects to provide the skills and knowledge required for employment or research on both cultural and natural heritage issues.

This degree is for high achieving students who have completed a three-year Bachelor's degree with a major or specialisation in either Human Geography or Environment and Heritage Management, and achieved the required academic standard. This Honours year is an added year of study at the end of the general Bachelor degree, and involves a year of research training.

This degree
This one-year Honours program provides you with the opportunity to undertake research on a topic of interest. An Honours degree may be used as a gateway to higher research degrees, a research-focused career, or for professions requiring advanced analytical and investigative skills.

What you will study
The UOW Bachelor of Science (Honours) majoring in Human Geography, or Environment and Heritage Management investigates issues of global significance, especially the human impact on the Earth, the management of landscapes, and the planning of cities and regions. During your Honours year you will conceptualise, plan, undertake and report on an independent geographical research project. You will construct an evidence-based approach to identify and develop your leadership potential as a geographer in the changing world.

The Visual Communication Design major allows you to develop skills in graphic design for both traditional and new media.

You will learn graphic design principles and practices, while working on client-driven design projects for print, online, mobile and emerging platforms.

You will graduate with flexible visual design skills, ready for new career opportunities that focus on communicating messages visually across a broad spectrum of contexts and media.

The Bachelor of Communication and Media enables you to expand your career options by combining the Visual Communication Design major with one of four other majors in the degree: Digital and Social Media; Journalism; Screen Media Production; or Marketing Communication and Advertising. This is an ideal degree if you are interested in more than one area of media and communications and want a flexible future career path.

What you will study
You will learn about typography, layout, photography, design thinking, vector-based imaging, animation and design for both online and mobile platforms. You will also learn the professional skills involved in working with clients, responding to briefs and developing visual strategy. Alongside these practical skills and experiences, you will study the ways in which emerging digital platforms are changing the context for visual communication design, both in Australia and internationally.

Engage, explore and appreciate diverse pasts when you study History at UOW, and learn from the past to inform your future. History enriches your understanding of the world by offering knowledge and skills to comprehend the broad scope of human experiences - from our everyday lives, to global processes. You will learn to research information, critically evaluate debates, and express your arguments and beliefs clearly and effectively.

UOW's History degree focuses on themes that link Australian and international history, ancient and modern. You will discover what it is to be a Historian, through subjects that help you develop a sophisticated and critical appreciation of contemporary approaches to historical theories, methods, interpretation, arguments, and uses of evidence.

What you will study
Our core subjects will teach you broad histories of specific Australian, Asian and European societies. In second and third year you will be able to specialise and study topics in greater depth, including histories of empires, the political and social impacts of wars, and the development of the State.

In addition to the History major you will choose a minor or a second major from the Bachelor of Arts offerings.