Section 8 - Faculty of Arts

Master of Arts (Communication - Organisational Communication)
MA(Comm-OrgComm)

Graduate Certificate in Organisational Communication
GradCertOrgComm

Fees apply

The Master degree is designed for communication practitioners working in public relations, organisational communication or communication related areas of business, education and government. It focuses on strategies and methods that can be applied to communication problem-solving in a variety of contexts.

The Graduate Certificate in Communication (Organisational Communication) has been designed primarily for practitioners in communication and related fields. The course exposes students to a variety of communication and social theories, and to research methodologies, which can be applied to careers in public relations, organisational communication, business communication or communication related areas of business, education and government. The Graduate Certificate comrpises the first four subjects in the Master program.

Enrolment through

Bathurst Campus

Study mode

Distance education

Normal course duration

Master degree: Part-time 2_3 years (4_6 sessions)*
Graduate Certificate: Part-time 1 year (2 sessions)

* The Master degree may be completed in less than three years depending upon progress in the coursework and dissertation components of the course.

Articulation

The Graduate Certificate articulates with the Master degree and full credit is given in the Master degree for subjects completed in the Graduate Certificate.

Graduation requirements

To graduate from the Master degree, students must satisfactorily complete 96 points, taken as the equivalent of eight 8-point subjects and a dissertation of 32 points or twelve 8-point subjects. To graduate with the Graduate Certificate, students must satisfactorily complete 32 points (4 subjects).

Course structure

The course structure for the Master degree is designed for students completing the program in the distance education part-time mode. It is possible for students to complete graduation requirements in less than three years by distance education full-time study or a combination of distance education full-time and part-time study.

All students must complete:

• two theory subjects which provide a foundation for later, specialised subject materials in organisational communication theory and research;
• two research design and methods subjects taken in conjunction with the foundation theory subjects, which provide a basis from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives;
• three specialist subjects which are designed to apply contemporary perspectives and methods to communication problem-solving. Selected students may also be given the option of one directed study subject in an area of their choice, provided that the material to be covered is not directly related to their proposed dissertation research;
• a seminar in organisational communication which involves searching strategies and related secondary research techniques, and preparation and presentation of a detailed research proposal;
  and
• a dissertation of thirty-two points which will examine a specific aspect of organisational communication theory and research and be a significant contribution to the field;
  or
• a special area of study in any postgraduate area and related analytical projects.

Enrolment pattern

Graduate Certificate

Session 1 (Autumn)

• COM510 Foundations of Communication Theory
• COM505 Individual Communication Management

Session 2 (Spring)

• COM511 Applied Communication Research
• COM506 Communication in Organisations

Master degree

Sessions 1-2 as above

Session 3 (Autumn)

• COM507 Communication, Technology and Culture
• COM512 External Communication: Issues and Strategies
  or
• COM508 Directed Readings

Session 4 (Spring)

• COM513 Crisis and Issues Management
• COM509 Seminar in Organisational Communication
  or
• [ ] Elective 1
  or
• COM516 Project in External Communication Issues and Strategies

Session 5 (Autumn)

• COM500 Dissertation (32 points)(commenced)
  or
• COM514 Project in Crisis and Issues Management
• [ ] Elective 2

Session 6 (Spring)

• COM500 Dissertation (completed)
  or
• COM515 Communication Project in Elective Stream

Restricted electives

These can be taken from postgraduate programs in approved areas of health management, government, human resources, media issues, business, cultural studies, politics or marketing.

Residential schools

Residential schools for the course are held on campus each year in addition to off campus workshops and telephone conferences. Students will be advised of these events in the preceding session.

Inquiries

Course Coordinator
Annabelle Warren
School of Communication
Telephone: (02) 6338 4031
Facsimile: (02) 6338 4409
Email: awarren@csu.edu.au