Why study media?

Media shapes the world around us, influencing our thoughts, feelings and actions.

Whether it’s the news we watch and read or the billboards we see, to the content we scroll through on social media, we’re constantly exposed to different kinds of media. Encompassing everything from journalism and communications to advertising to screen production, media’s a varied, creative field, full of career opportunities.

What is media?

“From news reports about the worldwide events  to TikTok sparking fashion trends to chatGPT and generative AI, media is crucial to how we know the world around us and how we communicate with each other,” says Associate Professor of Media Michael Richardson, co-director UNSW’s Media Futures Hub and Autonomous Media Lab. “If you look hard enough, you’ll see media in the middle of everything.”

When you study a Bachelor of Media at UNSW, you'll gain an in-depth understanding of media, and the critical thinking and creative skills to apply what you've learned in a range of contexts – setting you up for success both within the media industry and beyond.

“Before I was an academic, I was a political speechwriter. That taught me a huge amount about communicating with different audiences, and about the importance of practice, expert mentoring, and deep knowledge of the field,” says Michael.

What does a career in media involve?

Studying media can take you anywhere. During your degree, you’ll gain theoretical and practical skills that you can apply in a diverse range of industries and sectors – now and in the future. This includes roles in industries and sectors you might not think of as “media”: tech, banking, healthcare, education, working in businesses, government or not-for-profits. 

What your day-to-day looks like will depend on what direction you take your career. In media and journalism, you’ll learn how to find and tell powerful stories for magazines, newspapers, online publications, radio and television, and even through emerging technology like VR.

Careers in public relations and advertising use your communication skills to persuade their audiences, whether that's to sell products and services, handle media communications during a crisis, run a political campaign or extract insights from social media for marketing campaigns.

In screen production and cinema, there are careers in front of and behind the camera, including directing and producing, screenwriting, cinematography, editing, sound production, and distribution. 

There’s a lot of crossover in media careers and industries, too – you’ll find public relations specialists working to promote films; journalists in advertising; social media managers in brand management; sound producers working in advertising in news.

What will you study in a Bachelor of Media?

At UNSW, your media studies are aligned with industry so you have the in-depth knowledge and hands-on, transferable skills to succeed as the industry evolves. 

During your degree, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about the role of media in activism and advocacy; running film festivals; making virtual reality documentaries; corporate communications; and the role of technology in performance.

“The Bachelor of Media at UNSW is about teaching you the skills and knowledge you need to be a changemaker in the future. If you’re interested in studying with us, we want to see you pursuing your passions – and knowing those can change over time,” says Michael. 

“One of the great things about our degree is that you can start in one place – like Public Relations & Advertising – but learn that what you really want to do is focus on the critical perspectives in Media Studies. With our degree, you can easily change your specialisation as you learn more about the world of media. If you’re keen to develop expertise in two areas, you can also do a Media Minor to complement your specialisation.”

Jacob Cannataci, who is currently studying a Bachelor of Media in PR & Advertising at UNSW, shares his experience in tailoring his studies around different interests and specialisations:

Jobs in media

Wondering what other jobs you can get with a Bachelor of Media? The job opportunities in the media sector are endless. Here are just a few of the jobs you could get with a Bachelor of Media:

Louise Reily is a graduate of UNSW's Bachelor of Media. Since graduating, she's worked as a theatre technician at the Sydney Fringe, a post-coordinator for shows on channels like Amazon Prime, ABC, and Channel 7, and was a photographer for the UNSW "Return and Earn" campaign, which won the Global 2019 Edurank Social Media Award for "Best Campaign Supporting Sustainability".

She’s currently a Senior Producer at Shootsta, working with brands like Samsung and Optus, and a freelance photographer and narrative film producer. 

Salaries in media

Given the diversity of careers and industries you could work in with a degree in media, salaries also vary job-to-job and field-to-field. Here are examples of the average salaries in some media roles:

• Journalist – $60,000 to $70,000
• Public relations manager – $95,000 to $115,000
• Social media manager – $70,000 to $90,000
• Television producer – $75,000 to $95,000
• Animator – $70,000 to $90,000*

^{*Seek, 2024.}

Why study a Bachelor of Media at UNSW?

UNSW is ranked 4th for Arts & Humanities in Australia*. At our School of the Arts & Media, you’ll join a diverse community of thinkers and creators and gain in-depth understanding of the past and present media landscape.

Our school has links with leading agencies and companies in the public relations, advertising, journalism, and media production industries and Bachelor of Media graduates have worked for  Channel 10, SBS Radio, Sydney Writers’ Festival, Oxfam Australia, and the ABC. 

You can take advantage of immersive internship opportunities, so you can gain hands-on experience and develop a portfolio during your degree. Plus, you’ll be able to hone your technical skills, with access to industry-standard studio spaces and technologies and an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription, from your first day until you complete your degree.

Jacob shares some of the professional experiences he's had while studying at UNSW:

“I've been able to intern at top public relations agencies and even at small start-ups, volunteer among societies at the university, and have deep conversations with my professors. Doors have been opened for me that I never thought were possible.”

^{*QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2024}