Media and Communications

[Sah123]

So...

My indecisiveness is causing me issues once again. I am currently studying my BA  and I am thinking about majoring in Media and Communications. However, I don't know if it's better for me to transfer and do either Journalism or Professional Communications at RMIT.
To be honest, I am not completely certain of my future career path, my options have always been either law or journalism. I just don't know which track at university would be most beneficial for me right now.

If anyone has any relevant advice, I would appreciate it

[simpak]

Hello!

Have you liked your first year subjects in journalism?  Let me just start out by saying that journalism is not a very good field to narrow down to right now - the job prospects are relatively dismal and the chances of you getting a steady well paying job for quite a while after you graduate are slim.  To be eligible for secure jobs rather than freelance work, you typically need to have a great deal of freelance and voluntary work behind you to back up your CV.  So basically, you'll be earning a low income for quite some time.  This may not bother you!  But since law is the other field you're targeting and that has much more secure and better pay I thought I would point this out.

The Melbourne course is designed to be very theoretical and nonspecific - you can take journalism or PR subjects, as I'm sure you know but you don't really get much practical experience like you would at RMIT.  That's a much more hands on course.  Additionally, the new major in the Arts course doesn't allow you to do an internship like my course did (even though I was going to take the option) which can put you a little behind straight journalism courses like those offered at RMIT.

Journalism at RMIT is a course for those who are sure they want to do journalism.  You take few electives and your course is truly preparing you for a job in the media.  There's no reason you couldn't do postgraduate law after doing a Bachelor of Journalism, though.

The attractive thing about sticking with Arts is the manner in which you are able to undertake a double degree and keep more options open by studying more broadly.  When I was still in Arts that (for me) was going to be Psychology and Media Comm so I had two doors open at the end (and even more because I would have undertaken postgraduate study).

So, here's what I would do if I were you: stay at Melbourne.  A lot of people move into straight journalism from Arts and decide that it's not for them.  Then they have to transfer all over again or look for new options.  When you're not sure what it is you want, it's best not to narrow down.  Keep as many pathways open as possible - especially in this day and age.  These days, everyone is a journalist.  You don't need a degree, you just need an internet connection and a blog.  If you're truly passionate about written communications, there's no reason that you shouldn't be able to do this upon graduating...but narrowing down your course when you're still not completely certain is always dangerous.

Maybe put in a VTAC application now (when it's considerably cheaper) and think about it for a while, and decide about whether you're certain you want to do Journalism.  If you're not sure by the end of the summer, then you probably should stay where you are...but who am I to talk.  I tossed up between two VTAC offers fifty times in twenty minutes at the beginning of this year and chose one 3 minutes before the offers lapsed.  I DON'T RECOMMEND THAT PATHWAY, that's for sure!

Best of luck!

PS:  if you're wondering why I'm not doing Media/Comm anymore, it's nothing to do with the Melbourne course.  I just changed my mind about where I want to go after uni last year.

[Sah123]

Thanks for the reply, mavis

I haven't done any subjects directly related to journalism per se (more indirectly related to media), but I have written articles for blogs/Farrago etc., plus my prior interest in the area has led me to this point. I was actually considering it last year when I graduated high school, but again the fact that I am not completely certain made me change my mind. I do understand that the journalism industry is drying up which does genuinely worry me, however, if that's what I ultimately decide to do I think RMIT may be my best bet.

I have taken your advice, I have actually applied for Professional Communications at RMIT so I am not restricted to just journalism, there is also the opportunity for PR, integrated media, etc. Hopefully, time will tell whether that is the road I want to take. I do agree though that Arts may in fact be better for me at this point in my life, especially since it'll leave all doors open. I was going to major in Media+Comm/History plus a dip-lang so maybe I should stick to it. I still don't know but you have definitely given me food for thought

thanks again!

[simpak]

That's okay I hope you make the right decision!  If you do truly decide you want to be a journalist, the RMIT course is great with a brilliant reputation so a transfer would be a good pathway.  But even if you stay at UoM with every intention of journalism, you will still have a variety of great opportunities open to you.  A win-win!  Just as an extra aside (and if you do decide to transfer) a transfer to RMIT journalism shouldn't be very difficult for a non-school leaver (despite the high ATAR cut-off).  I have seen it achieved by those with mediocre first year marks and ATARs originally below the cut-off.

PROBABLY BEST that you're not taking the ridiculous first year semester two journalism subject that put me off my course.  Stay awayyyy.  It kills passion and a love of writing almost immediately.

Anyway your double major + diplang plan is a good idea - one of the good things about Melbourne is that Media/Comm are grouped together which makes it easier to explore within the media field itself (as you have also pointed out with Professional Comm).  I have known some to begin a straight journalism course and find themselves much more interested in PR and other communication based areas who then attempt to transfer.  And the fields are so similar!  It's almost not worth the transfer at all (except for the fact that you would want a degree as related as possible to the career you seek).  So yeah, broad is better than narrow in most cases when it comes to media and personal uncertainty!