Journalism operates within a complex set of ethical and legal boundaries. Understanding the law and how it impacts professional journalistic practice is essential to both journalism and media-specific legal careers.
This degree provides students with the knowledge and the practical skills required to become highly effective practitioners in either professional discipline, and meets the academic requirements for admission to practice law in NSW.
Course content combines the intellectual, ethical and political foundations of journalism with the study of Australian legal theory and practice. Students learn to produce multi-platform journalism stories and build exceptional communication skills that are also applicable in the legal profession, including in research, writing and analysis.
Elective choices include media-specific law subjects, cross-disciplinary communication subjects, or the Legal Futures and Technology major.
Graduates can pursue careers in media and communications legal practice, policy and research work; specialist legal and crime reporting and publishing for print, internet, radio or television; and legal communications or publishing in the private sector.
Course structure
The course comprises 240 credit points.
Careers
Career options include journalist with professional skills in one or more of the print, radio, television or internet media; lawyer in the media and communication industry or legal policy adviser in a government department such as the Australian Broadcasting Authority.
