Bachelor of Media with the degree of Bachelor of Laws
MELA19V1
Minimum number of credit points for the degree | 120 |
Of your 120 credit points, complete a maximum of 42 credit points at 100 level | |
Minimum number of credit points at 200 level or above | 78 |
Minimum number of credit points at 300 level or above | 48 |
Minimum number of credit points from units with a LAW, LAWS or EXLW prefix | 72 |
Minimum number of credit points from units without a LAW, LAWS or EXLW prefix | 42 |
Completion of a designated PACE unit with a LAWS prefix | |
Completion of a qualifying major for the Bachelor of Media | |
Completion of other specific minimum requirements as set out below |
In order to graduate students must ensure that they have satisfied all of the general requirements of the award.
Foundation Units
Credit points
100 level
200 level
300 level
500 level
Additional
General Coursework Rule 10(7) stipulates that if a student fails a required unit twice in an undergraduate professional program listed in Schedule 2, they may be permanently excluded from further enrolment in that program.
Students completing a double degree will be able to continue with their other degree program provided they meet the academic progression requirements of the Academic Progression Policy.
Students completing the single Law degree are advised to seek academic advice.
Qualifying Majors for the Bachelor of Media
AQF Level | Level 7 Bachelor Degree |
CRICOS Code | 092007J |
Overview and Aims of the Program | The Bachelor of Media is an undergraduate degree focused on the analysis, critique and production of media. The extent to which media permeates aspects of everyday life is almost overwhelming. The internet has released a tsunami of content reflecting diverse voices and creative urges which has prompted reappraisal of what we previously understood about media. In the bigger picture of course, the internet is a relatively recent phenomenon and the media forms and practices that preceded it still exist. The Bachelor of Laws allows students to undertake the interdisciplinary study of law, which fosters a sound understanding of legal doctrine as well as an awareness of the role of law in society and a developed sense of social responsibility. |
Graduate Capabilities | The Graduate Capabilities Framework articulates the fundamentals that underpin all of Macquarie’s academic programs. It expresses these as follows: Interpersonal or social capabilities |
Program Learning Outcomes | By the end of the Bachelor of Media, it is anticipated you should be able to: KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING 1. identify and demonstrate disciplinary knowledge of the practices, theories, histories, technologies and techniques in media and creative practice (K,L) 2. examine and evaluate concepts and arguments underpinning media and creative practice (T, P, J) 3. engage with communities in socially, ethically and environmentally responsible ways (A) SKILLS AND CAPABILITIES 4. apply disciplinary knowledge to develop and produce various works and forms of creative expression (I) 5. interpret and communicate various ideas, problems and disciplinary debates to various audiences in a range of media forms (C) 6. prepare work independently and collaboratively in response to project demands (K) 7. analyse the social, cultural, political and ethical issues and debates in the field and reflect on their implications (K, T, E) APPLICATION 8. recognise and apply local and international perspectives to media and creative practice (K, E, J). By the end of the Bachelor of Laws, it is anticipated that you should be able to: 9. explain fundamental areas of legal knowledge prescribed for accreditation as a legal practitioner in Australia (K) 10. apply and integrate fundamental areas of legal knowledge and skills to analyse and evaluate socio-legal problems and policy challenges in diverse contexts, including from broader international, comparative and interdisciplinary contexts within which socio-legal issues arise (T) 11. identify, research, evaluate and synthesise relevant factual, legal and policy issues to solve legal problems, and apply reasoning and research skills to generate appropriate responses (P) 12. advocate alternative strategies and approaches to solving problems, resolving disputes and pursuing remedies that are responsive to the interdisciplinary and global realities of professional life (I) 13. communicate in oral and written form in ways that are professional, effective, appropriate and persuasive for legal and non-legal audiences (C) 14. recognise, reflect upon and apply approaches to ethical decision-making to addressing issues of disadvantage and social justice, and the impact of globalisation on legal and professional practice in Australia (E) 15. collaborate and reflect upon their professional responsibilities in service to the community and in promoting a just and a sustainable global society through participation in advocacy, social innovation and socio-legal reform (A) 16. exercise sound judgement and to respond proactively to challenges they will face in professional and personal life (J) 17. reflect on and assess their capabilities and performance and work independently to support ongoing personal and professional development (L). |
Learning and Teaching Methods | Bachelor of Media The Bachelor of Media uses a range of learning and teaching methods to enable students to achieve the program level outcomes. Unit learning outcomes are constructively aligned with the program level outcomes and graduate capabilities. The Bachelor of Media employs a range of learning and teaching methods through which students meet outcomes: • Lectures: while many lectures are delivered in traditional face-to-face format, the Bachelor of Media also utilises the Echo 360 lecture recording system and pre-recorded video lectures. The array of formats in which lectures are available ensures that students have access to the lecture materials at any point during the semester. • Tutorials: tutorials provide an opportunity for students to critically engage with the selected topic(s). Tutorials provide three key markers: First, they provide forums for resolving uncertainties within and questions about the set materials and topics. Second, tutorial participation generates knowledge. Through tutor-led and peer-assisted direction, students generate knowledge of the subject. Third, tutorials enable students to put generated knowledge into practice through activities such as discussion, debate, group tasks and presentations. Additionally, the knowledge generated in tutorials underpins assessment structures and tasks. • Workshops: production units within the Bachelor of Media utilise workshops in which students develop production skills such as genre writing, video editing or coding with a JavaScript framework. Guided workshops enable students to generate knowledge and apply it to an individual or group production such as a piece of music journalism or trans-media project spanning radio, screen production and web design offerings. Student learning is supported by teaching and technical staff with industry-grade knowledge and skills. • Teaching materials: the Bachelor of Media uses a range of teaching materials to support and direct student learning: a. lectures (face-to-face and recorded) b. traditional paper-based and electronic readings c. text books d. audiovisual material e. group task handouts/worksheets f. online workshop manuals g. industry speakers h. student conference. • Program structure: the Bachelor of Media program (incorporating a qualifying major) is weaved through 100, 200 and 300 level offerings. 100 level units facilitate comprehension, understanding and application. At 200 level students develop critical and sophisticated analytical and production skills in addition to acquiring further knowledge. The 300 level units build on students’ development through 100 and 200 level and encourage evaluation: students graduate with an impressive skill set and knowledge that embeds critical reflection. The media ecology is ever changing and to work within it mandates a commitment to life-long learning. At 300 level, students become reflective practitioners poised to critically evaluate their own practices and experiences. This is especially pronounced in the capstone unit. MAS316 prepares students for employment. Through a range of invited industry speakers (many leaders in their field), students benefit from a range of insights into the applicability of the Bachelor of Media. All Bachelor of Media students are required to satisfy the People, Planet and Participation requirement of the program. Students are encouraged to experience other disciplines to benefit from a broader knowledge. Participation units enhance the student experience through community engagement. The program hosts two designated Participation units – MAS350 Media Internship and MAS390 Public Relations Practice. The Bachelor of Media program constitutes 45 out of the 69 credit points required for a single undergraduate degree. This leaves students 24 credit points or eight units of electives that can be undertaken across the university. The Bachelor of Media provides students with the opportunity to develop core academic and media specific skills but offers flexibility with a generous number of electives that can be used to pursue wider learning activities. LLB Successful completion of the LLB degree enables a student to progress towards admission as a lawyer in New South Wales. Being a qualification accredited as meeting the academic requirements of admission, the degree’s program is built around a series of compulsory units which together cover the substantial body of doctrinal content prescribed by the profession. In addition to these core units, all students must complete one of seven qualifying majors, each of which examines law in the context of various policy challenges. Students also choose from a selection of elective units, enabling them to pursue their particular interests. Besides equipping students with the doctrinal knowledge needed to practise law, the LLB seeks to develop skills and personal attributes required to succeed not only in legal practice but in other areas of professional life, as well as further academic study. These include communication and problem-solving skills, as well as analytical and critical thinking, plus qualities such as empathy and integrity. Macquarie Law School approaches the study of law as more than mere vocational training, viewing it as a rigorous intellectual endeavour in its own right. Hallmarks of the Macquarie LLB include its interdisciplinary nature and global focus, thus enabling students to appraise law and seek out innovative solutions in the broadest possible contexts. Most units are taught by a combination of live or recorded lectures, set readings and various assessments designed to test and advance your learning. Increasingly, teaching is supported by innovative online technologies which deliver not only lecture content but an array of material, activities and potentials for interaction intended to develop your skills and understanding. While online learning permits students some flexibility in relation to when they study, internal students are generally expected to also attend a weekly tutorial for each unit, while external students normally come to the campus for a compulsory two-day intensive session, usually held during the mid-session break. Classroom-based activities provide you with the opportunity to consolidate your learning through interaction with teaching staff and fellow students. In designing the program care has been taken to ensure that each stage of the student’s learning is adequately supported by what the student has already covered. As you advance through your degree you will be expected to become increasingly self-reliant in your studies. In order to succeed you will need to look far beyond lectures and set readings. You should be proactive in developing your own pathways to learning, suitably supported by the research skills you will be taught. Besides independent study you will at times be required to work collaboratively with other students, engaging in such activities as group discussions, projects and presentations. The emphasis is on learning through doing, as opposed to passively absorbing material. An important feature of the program is the PACE (Professional and Community Engagement), during which students learn through a combination of practical experience and personal reflection. |
Assessment | Bachelor of Media The Bachelor of Media provides a blend of critical theory and media production resulting in a diverse assessment schema: o Essays: essays range from 500 to 2500 words. Essays are used to assess a range of outcomes from demonstrating comprehension of a particular issue to synthesizing multiple sources to evaluating a case study. Essays are frequently used in production units which require students to critically articulate applied theory. o Projects: Bachelor of Media students create numerous projects throughout the program depending on their chosen production path. Projects include: a. documentaries, features and dramas b. scripts, storyboards and screenplays c. websites d. interactive media e. podcasts, audio features, live radio broadcasts f. public relations campaigns g. photo essays h. student conference i. video games j. Pecha Kucha Presentations k. trans-media productions l. creative non-fiction and journalistic writing m. digital music production. o Quizzes: used to periodically assess understanding and comprehension., quizzes also motivate students to participate in a culture of learning by engaging with teaching materials. Quizzes may be in-class or take-home and paper-based or conducted electronically via the learning management system. o Presentations: Bachelor of Media students develop the ability to articulate information in a number of forms. In addition to the above, presentations assess students' abilities to meaningfully articulate information. In addition to their peers, students may deliver presentations to staff (in simulated client scenarios) or industry guests. o Participation: students are assessed on their meaningful contributions to a culture of learning. Participation is assessed through engagement with discussions, debates, tasks through learning teaching methods including lectures, tutorials, workshops and online tasks. Through participation students engage with a commitment to learning and develop reflective practices. o Other: other assessments include blogs, reflective journals, production diaries and minutes of group meetings. Learning and teaching innovation is a strong feature of the Bachelor of Media and alternative assessment methods are frequently trialled. LLB Each student graduating with the degree will receive a Grade Point Average calculated on the basis of that student's performance across all core units, as well as those other units undertaken by the student to meet the program requirements. A student's success in an individual unit is measured on the basis of at least three assessment tasks undertaken during the course of the academic session. Assessment tasks are designed to test students' acquirement of skills, attributes and knowledge, as well as to support and promote their ongoing learning and development. Generally, assessment is on the basis of how well a student has completed a piece of written work. These may form part of a timed take-home examination, although some units require students to attend a formal sit-down exam. Written assignments can take many different forms, ranging from an essay, a research paper, an advice to an imaginary client in relation to a hypothetical problem, a reflective journal, a contribution to a discussion blog and so on. Through a combination of collective and individual feedback, as well as the mark awarded to the student's work, these assignments enable students to gauge their academic progress in individual units and in the degree program as a whole. At times students will be marked on how well they are proceeding with a piece of work, thus enabling them to complete it to a higher standard. In some units a student's grade will partly reflect that student's participation in classroom discussions or the quality of an oral presentation. Students are assessed in relation to a unit on the basis of how well they meet its learning outcomes, which are set out in the unit guide at the beginning of each academic session. Rubrics are also provided to students in order to indicate what level of performance is needed in order to achieve each grade band. Students do not compete with each other for good marks. Indeed, marks may be awarded on the basis of group work. Mostly, however, a student's grade will be determined on the basis of that student's individual work or individual contribution to a collaborative project. While it is vital that all students graduating with an LLB degree demonstrate a broad and coherent knowledge of legal doctrine as required by the profession, the units of study that they undertake will cumulatively assess the student's performance in relation to the entire range of skills and attributes referred to in the program's learning outcomes. For instance, in the early years of the program emphasis is placed on basic skills such as finding relevant sources of knowledge, while in later years the focus shifts more to the student's competence in evaluating those sources and employing them to generate appropriate responses to real-world problems. |
Recognition of Prior Learning | Macquarie University may recognise prior formal, informal and non-formal learning for the purpose of granting credit towards, or admission into, a program. The recognition of these forms of learning is enabled by the University’s Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Policy (see www.mq.edu.au/policy) and its associated Procedures and Guidelines. The RPL pages contain information on how to apply, links to registers, and the approval processes for recognising prior learning for entry or credit. Information can be found at: https://mq.edu.au/rpl |
Support for Learning | Macquarie University aspires to be an inclusive and supportive community of learners where all students are given the opportunity to meet their academic and personal goals. The University offers a comprehensive range of free and accessible student support services which include academic advice, counselling and psychological services, advocacy services and welfare advice, careers and employment, disability services and academic skills workshops amongst others. There is also a bulk billing medical service located on campus. |
Program Standards and Quality | The program is subject to an ongoing comprehensive process of quality review in accordance with a pre-determined schedule that complies with the Higher Education Standards Framework. The review is overseen by Macquarie University's peak academic governance body, the Academic Senate and takes into account feedback received from students, staff and external stakeholders. |
Graduate Destinations and Employability | Graduates of the Bachelor of Media are prepared for employment and further study through the disciplinary knowledge accumulated during the program as well as transferable skills in research, problem-solving and production. The program’s capstone – MAS316 – engages a number of guest speakers to address imminent graduates; students hear from industry speakers (many of whom are leaders in their field) as well as academics on the topic of further studies and research. The internship and participation opportunities further allow community engagement which helps shape students’ future directions. Bachelor of Media graduates find employment within the broad media ecology, including: • SBS (television and radio) • The Australian • Nine Entertainment • ABC • Val Morgan • Loves Data • Nova 96.1 • Universal Publications • Nestlé • Optus. While many graduates seek employment at the conclusion of their undergraduate studies, some want to undertake further studies in the form of either a professional postgraduate award or a high research degree. The department currently offers professional postgraduate awards such as the MA Creative Media and MA Future Journalism. The Bachelor of Media is designed to feed into these programs for students seeking practice-led further studies. For those considering a research pathway, the department offers the M.Res. and Ph.D. programs. The Bachelor of Media scaffolds learning with an emphasis on critical enquiry and analysis giving students the opportunity to develop core academic and research skills. Bachelor of Law graduates will pursue careers as either barristers or solicitors. However, a broad range of rewarding careers are open to Macquarie Law School graduates. Employment can be found in a wide variety of organisations, including: • community legal centres • diplomatic service • education • financial institutions • health services • in-house counsel • legal practice • media organisations • NGO advocacy bodies • public service • trade unions. |
Assessment Regulations | This program is subject to Macquarie University regulations, including but not limited to those specified in the Assessment Policy, Academic Honesty Policy, the Final Examination Policy and relevant University Rules. For all approved University policies, procedures, guidelines and schedules visit www.mq.edu.au/policy. |
Accreditation | This is an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) accredited qualification. The Bachelor of Laws program is accredited by the LPAB (Legal Practice Admission Board) of NSW. The Macquarie Bachelor of Laws is accredited with professional bodies regulating the admission of law graduates to legal practice and provides appropriate qualification for admission to practice as a lawyer throughout Australia. In addition to completing a law program at an accredited institution, the profession requires all law graduates to complete a period of practical legal training including further study,continuing professional development units and supervised experience in a legal practice, before being admitted to practice as a barrister or solicitor. To be qualified as an Australian Legal Practitioner in New South Wales, a solicitor or barrister also requires a Practising Certificate issued by the Councils of the Law Society of New South Wales or the New South Wales Bar Association respectively. |
Inherent requirements are the essential components of a course or program necessary for a student to successfully achieve the core learning outcomes of a course or program. Students must meet the inherent requirements to complete their Macquarie University course or program.
Inherent requirements for Macquarie University programs fall under the following categories:
Physical: The physical inherent requirement is to have the physical capabilities to safely and effectively perform the activities necessary to undertake the learning activities and achieve the learning outcomes of an award.
Cognition: The inherent requirement for cognition is possessing the intellectual, conceptual, integrative and quantitative capabilities to undertake the learning activities and achieve the learning outcomes of an award.
Communication: The inherent requirement for communication is the capacity to communicate information, thoughts and ideas through a variety of mediums and with a range of audiences.
Behavioural: The behavioural inherent requirement is the capacity to sustain appropriate behaviour over the duration of units of study to engage in activities necessary to undertake the learning activities and achieve the learning outcomes of an award.
For more information see https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/inherent-requirements