Doctor of Communication

What is this course about?

CSU's Doctor of Communication is a research degree providing the opportunity for advanced critical reflection on professional practice in the disciplines of Journalism, Public Relations and Organisational Communication, Advertising, Cultural Performance and other closely related fields.

The Doctor of Communication taught subjects are student-centred and project-driven. They are designed to encourage experienced practitioners in a range of communications fields to consider their practice from a societal, cultural and technological perspective as well as examine practice in detail. Over this period, the student will develop their research proposal which is presented to Faculty and peers before the start of the independent research project(s).

Course objectives

The objectives of the Doctor of Communication are to:

• provide a research grounding for reflective practitioner research and practice-based research in the disciplines that constitute the field of communication
• extend the student's knowledge of the disciplines of communication and closely related fields
• develop the attributes required of the candidate to successfully identify, investigate and resolve problems confronting these fields
• enable candidates to carry out a program of independent research into current problems confronting communication and present the findings of the research in a thesis or portfolio of research
• provide graduates with a competitive advantage in achieving high-level success in their profession.

International Higher Degree by Research students can commence study on campus no sooner than six weeks before the session start date and no later than the census date.

Academic expectations

For each 8 point subject at CSU, students should normally expect to spend between 140-160 hours engaged in the specified learning and assessment activities (such as attending lectures or residential schools, assigned readings, tutorial assistance, individual or group research/study, forum activity, workplace learning, assignments or examinations). The student workload for some subjects may vary from these norms as a result of approved course design.

Students will be assessed on the basis of completed assignments, examinations, workplace learning, or other methods as outlined in specific subject outlines.

Where applicable, students are responsible for travel and accommodation costs involved in workplace learning experiences, or attending residential schools (distance education students).

Expectations relating to academic, workplace learning, time and cost requirements for specific subjects are provided in the subject abstracts and in course materials.

Admission requirements

Applicants will:

• hold a Class 1 or Class 2 (Division 1) Bachelor (Honours) degree, or
• a Master degree by coursework (attained at a course Grade point average of 5.00 or better), or a Master degree by research. Variation to admission requirements based on alternative academic qualifications will be assessed by the Course Coordinator in consultation with the Sub-Dean Research and The Board of Graduate Studies.
• have at least five years of full-time (or equivalent) practice in the communication field or in a cognate area, a significant amount of which should be at industry professional level, and some of which must be current meet the University's English language proficiency requirements
• have access to an appropriate organisation during the period of enrolment to carry out their empirical research work, so that the practical requirements of the program can be met

Internet access

CSU places great emphasis on services to its students. It is a leader in the provision of online services and, in particular, the use of the internet in the support of teaching, administration and communications with students.

The online environment is so integrated into all aspects of student life and the learning experience at CSU that the University now assumes that all on campus and distance education students at CSU will have ongoing access to an internet connected computer capable of communicating with CSU online systems.

Students enrolled in Information Technology subjects (i.e. with an ITC subject code) may be required to have additional hardware and/or software that is deemed essential for the completion of the learning activities in that subject.

English proficiency

Applicants will be deemed to have sufficient English proficiency if they

1. have undertaken an academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with an average score of 7.0, and with no score lower than 6.5, within the last 12 months;  or
2. undertaken a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a score of 577 (or computerised TOEFL score of 233), with a Test for Written English Score (where reported) of at least 5.0 or an Internet-based score of 90 with a written score of 24 within the last 12 months; or
3. undertaken other equivalent examinations, as determined by the Board of Graduate Studies;  or
4. completed a university degree where the language of assessment is in English;

The Presiding Officer of the Board of Graduate Studies may, in special circumstances, on behalf of the Board waive the above proficiency requirements after consulting the relevant Dean, Sub-Dean and nominated Supervisor.

NOTE: A Faculty may require a higher standard of proficiency than that specified above for programs deemed to be linguistically demanding.

fee-paying
international-distance

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This course is available to commence study in

Session 1; Session 2