Develop your writing proficiency and improve your job prospects.
The Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma in Communication offers you an opportunity to develop skills in contemporary communication. The programs will be attractive to professionals in the corporate or government sectors looking to upgrade their qualifications and expertise in a short time, and gain a qualification that has relevance, currency and credibility. The ability to write and communicate well is becoming increasingly important. Employers are looking for people with the ability to write and communicate in an effective, efficient and lucid fashion. These programs impart knowledge and skills for both professional and business writing, and written communication in general.
Suspended intake
- Only a full-time option is available to international students on a Student visa. Online programs are not available to Student visa holders.
- * Estimated tuition fees are based on 2025 rates. Refer to international fees for more information.
- Not all majors/minors and elective options are available at every campus. You should refer to the What Can I Study tab, and the proposed study sequence for your chosen campus and intake for further information.
The Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma in Communication offers you an opportunity to develop skills in contemporary communication. The programs will be attractive to professionals in the corporate or government sectors looking to upgrade their qualifications and expertise in a short time, and gain a qualification that has relevance, currency and credibility. The ability to write and communicate well is becoming increasingly important. Employers are looking for people with the ability to write and communicate in an effective, efficient and lucid fashion. These programs impart knowledge and skills for both professional and business writing, and written communication in general.
You have the opportunity to specialise in the broad area of Communication Studies or the specific fields of Journalism, Public Relations or Creative Writing.
You attend lectures and tutorials with undergraduate students but learning and assessment tasks are commensurate with a postgraduate standing. Because of this standing, you will be exempt from many course prerequisites although you must complete compulsory courses in your selected areas of specialisation.
Admission requirements
A student entering the Graduate Certificate program will normally be required to hold an undergraduate degree, or equivalent, from a recognised higher education institution. Entry by non-graduates who have extensive relevant industry experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Executive Dean, Faculty of Arts and Business.
Program objectives
On completion of this program students should be able to:
- demonstrate proficiency in areas of professional writing
- identify and evaluate a particular audience, and develop the styles of written communication and modes of delivery accordingly
- identify the generic conventions of different forms of written communication
- analyse written and oral communications in order to identify and implement proper drafting, revising, and editing techniques.
- graduate and pursue further vocational studies and apply theoretically advanced approaches to communication studies
Program structure
Program structure
Program requirements and notes
- Students are required to successfully complete the 4 required courses as listed below.
- Completing this program within the specified (full-time) duration is based on studying 48 unit points per semester (normally 4 courses).
- Only a full-time study option is available to international students on a Student visa.
- When enrolling, refer to the Study Plan
Introductory courses
Select 1 introductory course from:
CMN102 Property Development and Project Management Processes
CMN116 Statutory and Specialist Valuation
CMN120 Communication Theory and Practice
CMN130 Introduction to Creative Writing
CMN140 Public Relations: Contemporary Perspectives
Advanced courses
Select 3 advanced courses from:
CMN213 Introduction to Journalism
CMN214 Introduction to Creative Advertising
CMN216 Editing for the Communications Professional
CMN224 Investigative and Data Journalism
CMN226 Crisis and Issues Management
CMN227 Advertising Campaigns
CMN228 Advertising: Copy and Image
CMN231 News Rounds
CMN235 The Writer and the Law
CMN237 Communication Campaign Planning
CMN238 News Writing and Reporting
CMN240 Online Journalism
CMN243 Paperback Hero
CMN246 Feature Writing
CMN247 Community Engagement Events
CMN248 Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults
CMN249 Creative Writing for the Illustrated Book
CMN251 Creative Advertising
CMN256 Advanced News Reporting
CMN260 International Communication
CMN266 Research into Journalism
CMN267 Novel Ideas
EGL201 Creativity and Literature
EGL285 Creativity and Literature: Victorians to Moderns
ENP240 Reality Bites: An Exploration of Non-Fiction
TOTAL UNITS 48