Bachelor of Communication (Advertising)
Student type:
Quick facts
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Entry score
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Duration
Full-time 3 years
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Location
Melbourne city campus
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Fees
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Next intake
February, July
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Entry score
IELTS 6.5
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Duration
Full-time 3 years
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Location
Melbourne city campus
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Fees
AU$28,800 (2018 annual)
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Next intake
February, July
Program brochure
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Overview
This degree provides professional preparation for a stimulating career in the highly competitive and constantly changing global advertising industry.
The program has three distinct focuses: Art Direction, Copywriting and Strategy Planning/Account Management. There is a strong focus on critical and conceptual thinking and you will learn how to use these skills to solve marketing problems, generate attention for brands and products and build an emotional bond between a brand and consumers.
This program offers you a creative advertising degree that combines theoretical and industry knowledge with hands-on professional skills including copywriting, art direction and strategy planning. It provides an overview of the role and value of advertising within broader marketing and communication practice, as well as in depth study of advertising media, strategic and creative disciplines. You will experience a variety of interactive learning and teaching approaches, both face to face and online, with a strong emphasis on industry relevance and creative outcomes.
Our graduates go on to work both locally and internationally in a variety of roles, from art direction and copy writing, to media planning and client management.
This program is ranked number five in the world and number one in Australia (Young Guns). It is one of the few creative advertising degrees which teach business and creative strategy.
Details
Industry focussed work is conducted through lectures, tutorials and studios. You will learn the application of the theory of advertising while understanding the creative elements that help to connect with your audience.
Throughout this program you'll develop problem-solving and analytical skills and be challenged to seek new and innovative solutions to advertising challenges. Working individually and in teams, you will initiate, plan and produce effective advertising campaigns that generate attention for brands and products and build an emotional bond with consumers. Importantly, you'll also develop the skills and knowledge to critically appraise these activities.
Students are assessed through presentations, group work, folio submission, peer and self- assessment.
All programs are delivered in English. You will have access online and digital resources through the myRMIT student portal. Additional assistance is available from the RMIT Study and Learning Centre.
This program maintains strong industry links and many opportunities exist for students to work with industry professionals. One such example is the annual ’Pitch Night’ event where third year students present their work to industry representatives in a ’speed dating’ environment.
Internship opportunities may also be available to third year students in a range of advertising, media and digital organisations.
At the completion of your studies you will be an industry-ready graduate with an impressive portfolio of work, which is why so many of our graduates are employed soon after graduation.
RMIT University is committed to providing you with an education that strongly links formal learning with professional or vocational practice.
The Advertising program offers an exchange with students from the Danish School of Media and Journalism (DMJX) in Copenhagen, which a number of RMIT and Danish students undertake each year. RMIT’s Education Abroad Office (EAO) supports students to undertake an exchange or short term mobility activity with over 165 partner universities worldwide. For details see the EAO website.
The skills you learn in the program are of a global standard, enabling you to apply your knowledge in the Australian and international advertising landscape.
The Bachelor of Communication (Advertising) combines study of professional subjects with a contextual studies specialisation and a choice of electives taken from a range of School and University-wide options. The program is designed so that you will develop critical and analytical skills, theoretical knowledge and research expertise with which to better understand and evaluate your own and others’ work.
Professional studies
The professional courses are where you will specialise in your chosen field.
The main topics covered in the professional strand include:
- art direction
- copywriting
- campaign strategy planning
- client management
- digital design and production
- creative concept development
- media planning
- advertising industry practice
Contextual studies
You will study one of five contextual strands as part of your degree program. The five contextual strands are: Asian Media and Culture; Cinema Studies; Politics Economies Communication; Literary Studies; Approaches to Popular Culture.
Electives
Throughout your degree, you will also have the chance to select a number of courses from a wide range of School and University electives depending on your particular career and personal interests.
Choose a program structure
| Title | Location | Duration | Plan code | CRICOS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Communication (Advertising) | City Campus |
3 Years Full Time
|
3 Years Full Time
|
BP219P9 | 064394C |
Choose a program structure
Program code: BP219
Career
Graduates become innovative advertising strategists, copywriters and art directors. You can work strategically and creatively, locally and globally, and move seamlessly across disciplines and organisations that use advertising.
Typically, graduates work in:
- agencies specialising in advertising, digital media, direct-response and sales promotion
- media (TV and radio stations, newspapers and magazines) and suppliers (TV production, radio, print and new media)
- business, government and non-profit organisations with in-house advertising facilities
- advertising and management consultancies.
Demand is high for top graduates in major centres and long-term employment prospects are strong globally, with notable growth in the Asia-Pacific.
The program will prepare you for roles such as:
- strategic planner
- media planner/ buyer
- account executive
- art director
- copywriter.
Admissions
Successful completion of an Australian Year 12 senior secondary certificate of education or equivalent.
RMIT is committed to admissions transparency. View the 2018 ATAR distribution information for our degrees and information about how admissions work at RMIT:
You must have successfully completed an Australian Year 12 (or equivalent senior secondary school qualification) with a minimum 65% average.
Equivalent qualifications may also include completion of the RMIT Foundation Studies program or a recognised post-secondary diploma in the relevant discipline with the required grades.
Meeting the minimum academic requirements does not guarantee entry. Your application will still need to be assessed and accepted.
Entry requirements
You must:
- complete a creative exercise. You will be contacted via email after submitting your application with details of how to complete the creative exercise.
- attend a folio presentation (some applicants). If you are required to attend we will contact you via email with details.
Folio: You must supply evidence of your creativity in the form of a folio that contains a variety of your personal work in art, design or media relevant to the program/s you are applying for. The folio should demonstrate your interests and creative thinking as well as your conceptual, design, problem solving and technical skills. You should include evidence of how ideas were developed as well as finished works.
Examples of work to include in your folio are drawings, paintings, graphic designs, photographs, digital images, models, sculpture, video, scripting, short stories, and/or 2D and 3D Flash animation.
We recommend you explain each work to help the Selection Officer understand the purpose and background of that work.
Folios should be submitted electronically on a CD with files in PDF, JPEG, SWF, DCR or QuickTime format suitable to be read on Mac OSX or later, unless otherwise specified. Each electronic file should be no larger than 10MB. You must present your folio at an assessment session (if you are living outside Melbourne, this can be conducted via email, phone or Skype).
To study this program you will need to complete one of the following English proficiency tests:
- IELTS (Academic): minimum overall band of 6.5 (with no individual band below 6.0)
- TOEFL (Paper Based Test): minimum score of 580 (TWE 4.5)
- TOEFL (Internet Based Test - IBT): minimum overall score of 92 (with minimum of 20 in all sections)
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) (PTE (A)): minimum score of 58 (with no communication band less than 50)
- Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE): minimum of 176 with no less than 169 in any component.
For detailed information on English language requirements and other proficiency tests recognised by RMIT, visit English language requirements and equivalency information.
Don't meet the English language test scores? Complete an Advanced Plus Certificate at RMIT English Worldwide.
Pathways
Fees
All undergraduate and honours degrees have Commonwealth supported places (CSP) available.
In a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP), your tuition fees are subsidised by the Australian Government. Your share of the fee (student contribution) is set each year by the government and is determined by the discipline areas (bands) of your individual enrolled courses, not the overall program.
As a CSP student, you may be eligible to apply for a HECS-HELP loan, which allows you to defer payment of up to 100% of your student contribution.
Learn more about fees for undergraduate study.
How much can I expect to pay for my Commonwealth supported place?
Courses (subjects) fall into one of three bands. The band determines the student contribution amount for the course.
Amounts listed in the table below are based on a standard, full-time study load (96 credit points per year) with all courses in the same band. A proportionate fee applies for more or less than the full-time study load or for enrolment in courses (subjects) from a combination of bands.
You can learn how to calculate your exact tuition fees for units from different bands at Fees for Commonwealth supported students.
Maximum student contribution amount for Commonwealth supported places in 2018
| Student contribution band by course (subject) | Maximum annual student contribution amount in 2018 |
|---|---|
| Band 1: humanities, behavioural science, social studies, clinical psychology, foreign languages, visual and performing arts, education, nursing | $6,444 per standard year $805 per standard (12 credit point) course |
| Band 2: mathematics, statistics, computing, built environment, other health, allied health, science, engineering, surveying, agriculture | $9,185 per standard year $1,148 per standard (12 credit point) course |
Band 3: law, accounting, administration, economics, commerce, dentistry, medicine, veterinary science |
$10,754 per standard year $1,344 per standard (12 credit point) course |
HECS-HELP
The Australian Government provides financial assistance via the HECS-HELP loan scheme, which allows eligible students (such as Australian citizens or holders of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa) to defer payment of up to 100% of their student contribution.
How does a HELP loan work?
If your HECS-HELP and/or SA-HELP loan application is successful, the Australian Government will pay RMIT, on your behalf, up to 100% of your fees. This amount will become part of your accumulated HELP debt.
You will only start repaying your accumulated HELP debt to the Australian Government once you earn above the minimum income threshold for repayment, which is set each year by the Australian Government (this also applies if you are still studying).
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will calculate your compulsory repayment for the year and include this on your income tax notice.
For more information about loan repayment options see Commonwealth assistance (HELP loans) or Study Assist.
In addition to tuition fees, you will be charged an annual student services and amenities fee (SSAF), which is used to maintain and enhance services and amenities that improve your experience as an RMIT student.
The SSAF is calculated based on your enrolment load and the maximum fee for 2018 is $298.
You may be eligible to apply to defer payment of the SSAF through the SA-HELP loan scheme. If you use SA‑HELP, the amount will be added to your accumulated HELP debt.
For more information about calculating your actual SSAF see Paying SSAF.
You may also be required to purchase other items related to your program, including field trips, textbooks and equipment. These additional fees and expenses vary from program to program.
The total indicative tuition fee for 2018 commencement is AU$91,200.
In addition to tuition fees you also need to pay for:
- Student services and amenities fee (SSAF) in each calendar year.
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) - Student visa holders must have cover for the total duration of their visa.
- Some programs incur additional expenses.
You also need to account for your living expenses. Estimate the cost of living in Melbourne.