Bachelor of Communication (Public Relations)
Student type:
Quick facts
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Entry score
ATAR 80.45
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Duration
Full-time 3 years
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Location
Melbourne City
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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
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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
Public Relations is a career for people with enquiring minds. Advising organisations on how to enhance their working relationships and reputation is at the heart of modern PR.
A PR degree at RMIT prepares you for the increasingly globalised, technology-driven world of public relations within corporate, government, not-for-profit and consultancy environments.
Our students:
- want to know more about how organisations interact with people and the world around them
- can investigate the core of an issue to find out why it is important to an organisation and the people it deals with, and
- can use that knowledge to work out how an organisation can achieve its objectives.
This program includes courses in communications and theory, principles and research, and contextual studies that promote analytical and research skills and provide a broader learning experience. You will gain professional skills in writing techniques, media and stakeholder relations, strategy and research, with an emphasis on problem solving, creativity, project and relationship management.
You'll build your skills and knowledge on campus and in a variety of work-integrated learning environments. You will be exposed to other fields of applied communication practice and how they converge with PR.
Details
Classes are taught in lectures, workshops and tutorials. Staff members have industry experience and are active in PR organisations, ensuring they are up-to-date with the latest global directions.
You will be assessed individually and in groups through presentations and assignments. In your final year, you will undertake an internship at the company of your choice in Australia or globally.
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 has been developed in close association with experienced public relations practitioners. Their ongoing commitment as Program Advisory Committee members, staff members and guest lecturers contributes to the program’s reputation.
Year 1
You’ll participate in structured projects based on real-world client scenarios requiring public relations solutions.
Year 2
You’ll complete a project commissioned by an organisation and build complementary workplace skills with the guidance of industry practitioners.
Year 3
You’ll plan and implement a public relations campaign, working on a real project. You will also complete an internship in a supervised placement in a not-for-profit, corporate or government organisation or in a PR consultancy.
RMIT University is committed to providing you with an education that strongly links formal learning with professional or vocational practice.
Students may take study tours, or study abroad with exchange partners including RMIT Vietnam.
Throughout the program, local and overseas professionals appear as guest lecturers.
Part of the program also focuses on international PR and globalisation, looking at different cultures and PR regulations. Skills taught in the program can be applied both in Australia and overseas.
RMIT’s Education Abroad Office (EAO) supports students to undertake an exchange or short term mobility activity with over 165 partner universities worldwide.
The Bachelor of Communication (PR) combines studying a professional subject with a contextual studies specialisation and a choice of subjects taken from a range of School and University-wide electives. 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
You'll find out why and how organisations use PR and learn about professional protocols and ethics. Along the way, you’ll learn basic communication models, drawn from the social sciences and cultural studies, as well as research methods. You will build written and verbal communication skills using a variety of communication media, and hone your analytical skills to prepare you for leadership roles in the industry.
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 (Public Relations) | City Campus |
3 years full time
|
3 years full time
|
BP223 | 048666F |
Choose a program structure
Program code: BP223
Career
PR is now a main focus in many organisations, which has helped to improve its profile in business. Changes in technology have helped the PR process evolve to keep pace in fast-paced environments that need to cut through to fragmented audiences. There is a strong employment rate upon graduation as the program prepares students to problem-solve and construct communication materials effective in all sectors of PR, making our graduates adaptable to the ever-changing business environment.
Public relations graduates work in many areas including:
- corporate communication
- change management
- internal communication
- issues and crisis management
- public affairs and lobbying
- media relations and publicity
- event management
- fundraising and sponsorship
- strategic communication
- brand management.
Many PR graduates also start their own business.
Admissions
Semester 2 2018
Mid-year applications are only open to applicants who have potential for entry into second year, based on credits for previous tertiary level studies or equivalents.
Ideally you will have:
- successfully completed the Advanced Diploma of Business (Public Relations) with a GPA of 3.0 (out of 4.0) OR
- successfully completed the Associate Degree in Professional Writing and Editing
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
Semester 2, 2018
You must include a personal statement (350-500 words) as part of your application which details:
- your reasons for wanting to study public relations
- your awareness of the current media environment
- the importance of developing skills across the industry sectors of Journalism, Media Production and Public Relations
If you have successfully completed the Associate Degree in Professional Writing and Editing with a GPA of at least 3.0 (out of 4.0) AND successfully completed two of the courses below you are guaranteed entry and are therefore not required to complete the above selection task.
- COMM2462 Freelance Writing for Media
- COMM2734 Advanced Professional Writing – Text, Design and Strategy
- OR COMM2467 Magazine Writing and Editing
If you are not certain of your final GPA you are advised to complete the selection task for consideration.
Statement: If you are not currently studying year 12, you must submit a personal statement with your application outlining:
- your reasons for wanting to study this program
- your intended career path
- the personal strengths and attributes relevant to the program
- details of any related work or voluntary experience
Interview: You may be interviewed, either in person or via phone/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
Graduates of the following programs who successfully gain entry to this program may be eligible to apply for exemptions. The following pathways are only available to domestic students.
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.