Bachelor of Communication

Waikato's Bachelor of Communication offers a choice of five subject majors in Applied Digital Communication, Creative Media, Public Relations, Marketing, and Media Production.

Learn how to create engaging multimedia content that helps people and organisations tell powerful stories in new ways, connect and engage with people, and communicate with purpose in the digital era.

This degree is an ideal choice if you're a creative thinker who enjoys expressing ideas and talking to people, you're interested in the latest social trends and digital technology, and you want to produce content that blends writing, film, images, sound and websites.

Our graduates will be equipped with the versatile communication skills needed to launch exciting careers in a wide range of creative and media industries - marketing agencies, public relations, film and TV studios, web design, social media, gaming and virtual reality (VR), podcasting and mobile applications, and so much more. These kind of roles are available in private firms, central and local government, as well as not-for-profit community organisations.

In this degree, students will learn how to create digital communications that have the power to shape people's beliefs and behaviours; or seek to bring about meaningful social change.

For example, you could be asked by a client to run a publicity campaign around mental health services, spark wider discussion around government legislation, attract new customers to buy a company's new products/services, or help an organisation build trust and credibility. Which creative media tools should you harness to achieve this?

For this degree, you will gain expertise in one or more major subjects:

• Applied Digital Communication
• Creative Media
• Marketing
• Media Production
• Public Relations

In first year, the core papers of this degree will introduce you to the fundamentals of communication, marketing, public relations and the creative industries.

You'll also learn how to build and maintain positive relationships with key stakeholders, and consider different perspectives when communicating across cultures.

In later years, you'll take more advanced papers focused on your major subject/s. For example, you could study web development, user experience design, transmedia storytelling, digital marketing, strategic brand management, film production, podcasting, interactive media design, events management, or PR campaigns.

In third year, all BC students will complete a work-integrated learning paper called COMMS300 Communication Consulting Project. This is a great opportunity to gain practical industry experience by working on a real communication project for a host organisation.

As part of this degree, you can opt to take a second major or 1-2 minors in almost any undergraduate subject offered at the University of Waikato, such as Creative Writing, Digital Business, or Political Science. See below the degree planner for more suggestions.

Waikato is ranked in the world's top 250 universities for Communication and Media Studies (QS World University Subject Rankings 2023).

Our Bachelor of Communication is the only communication degree in New Zealand - and one of only five outside the United States - certified by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). This is your guarantee of a world-class learning experience, as the PRSA sets the gold standard for PR education.

Our graduates are highly regarded by employers - their creative ideas can help small or large organisations to stand out in a crowded marketplace. You'll be following in the footsteps of prestigious Bachelor of Communication alumni such as former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Briar Thompson at Boston Consulting Group, Kym Bradbury at IKEA Group, and TVNZ journalist Lucas de Jong.