Bachelor of Communication / Bachelor of International Studies in Public Affairs (Dual Degree)

at Western Sydney University - Parramatta South Campus Australia

In the Bachelor of Communication, through classwork, independent study and engagement with the multicultural nature of our communities, students develop an understanding of the local and international relevance of their chosen studies, with opportunities to develop and produce a range of media outcomes as applied research and professional projects throughout their studies.

Through self-directed, team-based and problem-based learning strategies requiring active participation in the community and professional contexts, graduates learn to reflect and value ethical and intellectual conduct as well as respect for diversity and social justice principles.

The Bachelor of Laws (Honours) program satisfies the academic degree requirements for admission to practice as an Australian lawyer. Students will engage in collaborative face-to-face problem and case-based learning, will be supported by online learning materials, and will participate in authentic assessment to develop knowledge and skills.

The program provides students with a broad progressive legal education with a strong practical orientation to the law. Students develop skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, research, communication, collaboration, self-management, and ethical and professional awareness and judgement. Students will have the opportunity to develop skills in legal advocacy, negotiation, and legal technology and extend their professional and learning experiences through work integrated learning, clinical placement and international exchange engagements.

Advertising

The Advertising major gives students a thorough grounding in general principles of communication as well as practical skills in advertising.

The major offers a balance of advertising theory and practice and focuses on real, project-based outcomes.

Areas of study include advertising strategy, advertising creative and art direction, client and account management, digital and social media contexts, advertising campaigns.

This program is designed for high achieving law students in the Bachelor of Science/ Bachelor of Laws program who wish to undertake an extended level of study and research in Law.

In the Bachelor of Science, students will learn core concepts and skills investigating the natural world, proposing and testing ideas by experimentation and observation, quantifying and modelling processes, communicating findings, and thinking independently and critically. Students can enrol in this degree and select from a range of scientific disciplines with the option of expanding learning into other areas outside of science.

The Bachelor of Laws (Honours) program satisfies the academic degree requirements for admission to practice as an Australian lawyer. Students will engage in collaborative face-to-face problem and case-based learning, will be supported by online learning materials, and will participate in authentic assessment to develop knowledge and skills. The program provides students with a broad progressive legal education with a strong practical orientation to the law. Students develop skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, research, communication, collaboration, self-management, and ethical and professional awareness and judgement. Students will have the opportunity to develop skills in legal advocacy, negotiation, and legal technology and extend their professional and learning experiences through work integrated learning, clinical placement and international exchange engagements.

Biology

This major provides students with a broad knowledge base of biology from the molecular world to global ecosystem science with a focus on the sustainability of the natural world. The major allows students to use the learning beside a range of other diverse majors and is especially applicable to students who are considering teaching as a career. Students will have the opportunity to develop discipline knowledge alongside scientific laboratory and inquiry based skills. The major also includes developing strong communication and critical thinking skills, essential for the future role of biology graduates.

The business component of the double degree will allow you to gain knowledge in one of three core Business areas: Money, Markets or Management. The Money area encompasses majors in Applied Finance and Economics, while Markets centre around majors in Hospitality, Sport Management, International Business and Marketing. Finally the Management area includes majors in Human Resources and Management.

Your  knowledge is augmented with study in the Information Systems domain including, but not limited to, system analysis and design, information systems, programing, database design and development, networking, system deployment and management, web and mobile development and social computing.

Economics

The Economics major provides a broad pluralist perspective on fundamental aspects of relationships between individuals, firms, institutions and countries.

Students will learn how economies function and how public policy and the way organisations behave affect diverse social, economic and environmental problems. Students are introduced to a wide array of competing economic theories, so that they are critically informed about the ways in which they can transform the world.

The Master of Nursing prepares Registered Nurses for advanced practice, aligning with a range of professional pathways. You will learn to apply advanced nursing concepts in your chosen major through theoretical knowledge and critical thinking skills.

The focus of the Master of Nursing is to provide the necessary skills for Registered Nurses to meet their professional goals in a clinical or research setting. This includes studying cultural and social diversity in health care, evidence based health care and leadership in clinical practice. Our students are provided the option to choose a major in either clinical leadership, clinical teaching, aged care, primary health care or research studies, preparing you for career progression in your chosen field.

Opportunities are provided for students in their final sessions of study to apply these advanced nursing concepts learnt through a specific project or research experience relevant to your professional goals.This program can be completed through either full time or part time study, as well as distance or on campus, allowing you the flexibility to integrate it into your current workplace requirements.

Research Studies

The Research Studies major provides students with foundation level research training that will support them to increase their involvement in research within the clinical setting or seek admission to a research higher degree. Graduates who complete the Research Studies major will be prepared to function as an active member of a research team or seek admission to a higher degree research program.

This double degree program is designed for students whose interests span the Arts and Sciences. Our graduates work across a range of academic and professional disciplines, including the opportunity to develop global perspectives.

Heritage and Tourism

In a highly mobile world (migration, tourism, media and communications, travel and transport) and in contemporary life where the preservation of historical and natural environments present as one of the major challenges facing all societies, heritage has become a touchstone for social and cultural identity, our understanding of modernity, peace and development, our senses of citizenship, custodianship and community.

At the same time heritage places have become significant tourist destinations and so in a world of flows and networks, the heritage-tourism relationship is a critical one. In the 21st century it is impossible to disentangle the two.

This major introduces contemporary heritage issues and provides an in-depth understanding of tourism as a social phenomenon.

If you’re creative, passionate and a problem solver, our enhanced Arts degree could be for you.

Choose a study plan that aligns with your own interests. Find your passion and select from 27 majors. Discover opportunities for internships and overseas study.

Indonesian

Language majors will enable you to develop an appropriate level of proficiency in a second language, which may be used for professional purposes such as teaching, interpreting and translation, business or international relations.

If you are undertaking a language major in Indonesian, you will be able to use the language in question according to its grammatical and pragmatic principles, communicate with native speakers appropriately in the spoken as well as the written mode, and demonstrate an understanding of the cultures and societies associated with the language.

This double degree program is designed for students whose interests span the Arts and Sciences. Our graduates work across a range of academic and professional disciplines, including the opportunity to develop global perspectives.

AgriFood

Opportunities are rapidly emerging for you to lead a new AgriFood future. Immersed in an approach that integrates social, economic and environmental values, students will view plant and animal production from consumer contexts to explore personal and community perceptions about food sustainability. This innovative degree merges topics of agriculture, food and health to empower you to design solutions for international development, community education and the urban–rural interface. The WSU AgriFood major is a hands-on experience, developing confidence and giving graduates an excellent foundation for careers in teaching, research, biotechnology and industry.

The flexibility of the major also enables students to combine their interest with other disciplines including animal science, ecology, zoology, innovative foods, heath and business. Throughout study, engagement with industry and community will inspire you to take action towards a regenerative and more environmentally sustainable AgriFood future.

Western offers a specialist Computer Science degrees to equip you with the skills you need to be career-ready by specialising in different applications of computer science and computer systems.

 Cyber Security

The Cyber Security major aims to develop graduates with sound skills in the discipline of information systems security. Today, the widespread use of networked systems means protecting these systems from various attacks is more important than ever. Cyber Security is an essential aspect of today’s information systems.

This major covers fundamental information security knowledge and security protocols from basic cryptography algorithms to their applications in computer systems and networked systems. Students will learn fundamental security concepts, practical implementation of the security application programs as well as ethical hacking techniques to protect cyber security.

This double degree is designed for students whose interests span the Arts and Business.

Study in the Bachelor of Arts component is designed to develop communication and personal skills, creativity and a capacity for independent thought, adaptability to new situations and problem-solving skills, attributes increasingly demanded by employers.

Philosophy

Philosophy has always asked the 'big questions' about our lives. These are questions, for example, about the limits of our knowledge, the best way that humans can live together, how we understand the world around us, and what is the good life.

A philosophy major will enable students to develop particular skills and attributes - such as clear thinking, capacities to assess arguments and values, sound understanding of important philosophical views that have always been essential to university scholarship, and which continue to be valuable for graduates in both public and private life.

This degree opens doors to entrepreneurship, start-up companies and new innovations that require business knowledge and cutting-edge information systems and technology skills.

Today, to implement technology, practising professionals need to not only have knowledge and skills in information and communications technology, but they also need to understand the context in which computer technology can best be selected, applied and implemented.

The business component of the double degree will allow students to gain knowledge in one of three core Business areas: Money, Markets or Management. 

Management

The Management major equips you with the expert skills to create a career as a management specialist. You will be prepared to succeed in a range of roles in contemporary private, public, and not-for-profit organisations in Australia and abroad. 

In this major you will develop strategic management knowledge to enable effective organisational decision making. The units in this major focus on organisational learning and development and behaviour, operations management, leadership and entrepreneurship, change and innovation, and policy.