Master of Digital Communication
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About this unit

Throughout history communication has always been about telling compelling stories. The technology has changed but this essential truth remains. In this micro unit students will learn concepts, frameworks and techniques for effective storytelling that engages target audiences across various social media platforms. Key issues in the use of social media will be explored, including cross-cultural storytelling as well as the ethical issues of privacy, protection of personal identity and professional branding through social media.

About this unit

Digital technologies have had a tremendous impact on our lives as individuals and members of larger societies. The debates surrounding these new and powerful technologies are often multi-faceted in their complexity. In this micro unit students will learn to critically examine and contribute to these debates, drawing on scholarly research to evaluate opposing perspectives and become critically informed digital communication professionals.

About this unit

Knowing how to make sense of data for diverse audiences, through appropriate visual representation, is a key skill for contemporary digital communication professionals. This is especially true at a time when there is a growing demand across communication and media industries for communication specialists who can interpret and effectively communicate datasets to non-specialist audiences and those in leadership positions.

The focus of this micro unit is on understanding the principles of visual communication and data analytics within a broader digital communication context. Specifically, students will engage with common types of data representation, from simple histograms, scatter plots and treemaps to complex networks and Sankey diagrams. Industry-standard software applications will be used to create interactive data visualisations.

About this unit

The evolution of digital technology has had a disruptive and ultimately transformative effect on communication and media industries. Students studying this micro unit will learn about how exactly the communication and media landscape has changed with the advent of digital technologies, including the radical shift in industry business models and the conditions of media content creation and distribution itself. Students will assess specific platforms and gain an understanding of the user cultures that have developed around them.

About this unit

This micro unit introduces students to the role data analytics play in the delivery of effective social media communication. The history, theory and methodology of social media data analytics frame the unit’s overall aim of teaching how data analytics can be used to improve engagement with online audiences and communities through social media platforms.

About this unit

Digital technologies provide professional communicators new ways to craft, deliver and evaluate the impact of communication. This micro unit integrates a theoretical understanding of how computational technologies transform the world of communication, along with the hands-on skills to use and create programs within Python to collect, manage, process and analyse the digital traces of online communication.

About this unit

Digital technologies have transformed the way communication professionals engage with and analyse diverse media audiences. This unit teaches students methods and metric frameworks for identifying and measuring audiences and audience behaviours. Students will learn about established and emerging methods for analysing audience characteristics and behaviours, including experiments, dynamic network analysis, issue mapping, focus groups and surveys. The ethical and legal aspects related to analysis of online audience behaviour will also be a central focus.

About this unit

This unit frames itself around an investigation into the digital creative economy: what it is, how it is continuing to evolve, and how communication and media industries are responding to the ongoing technological disruption. For digital communication professionals, it is vital to understand the specific implications as relevant industries continue to change. In this unit students will grasp the complexities of how the digital creative economy operates – including the emerging trends that characterise the digital economy, and how to thrive in this environment as a digital communication professional.

About this unit

With the emergence of AI and automation technology, it is increasingly important for digital communication professionals to understand how these technological developments are transforming communication, as well as the ethical issues surrounding how these technologies are used for improving audience reach and engagement. Recent scholarly research is a focus of this unit, as the issues remain at the forefront of change within digital communication industries. Students will develop a future-focused orientation to change in the industry, engaging with embryotic and emerging technologies in both theory and practice, examining the ways these technologies are likely to disrupt the ways in which we communicate. More broadly, algorithmic culture and communication will be a core area of enquiry.

About this unit

Digital communication professionals are often called upon to undertake independent research projects that generate innovative solutions to complex problems. This unit exposes students to communication-specific academic and professional research methods, both traditional and emerging. These methods – which include creative problem solving, project design and planning – will prepare students continuing on to a masters qualification, setting them up for success in the CCN301 Digital Communication Project 1 or CCN302 Digital Communication Project 2. In a practical sense students will develop a project proposal, seek ethics clearance and plan for the capstone project.

About this unit

Understanding and engaging with ever-growing quantities of data in meaningful ways is a challenge for both organisations and individuals. One method of doing so is to focus on data driven storytelling. In this unit students will extend their understanding of data visualisation and communication to include principles for effective information design – in particular how to visually display complex data, events and phenomena to provide concise explanations, new insights and even new discoveries for specialist and non-specialist audiences.

About this unit

Bots and other technologies in the field of artificial intelligence are changing the way communication is planned and executed and how stories are told and evolve across social media platforms. In this unit students will examine the impact of such technologies on best practice communication planning and implementation. Students will develop their own bots that will algorithmically communicate on their behalf via social media platforms.

About this unit

The Social Media Strategy Project is a Work Integrated Learning Unit, in which you will work with a real client facing a social media challenge. This will be an excellent opportunity to synthesise and apply the skills and knowledge acquired studying the earlier micro units in the program. You will interpret your client’s brief and delivering a client pitch. Your task will involve planning a project using Agile methodology, using design thinking in accordance with a coherent social media strategy to meet the requirements of the client brief.

The Social Media Strategy Project is worth 12 credit points, equivalent to a standard unit.

About this unit

Digital Communication Project 1 is a capstone unit that allows you to integrate and apply advanced knowledge of digital communication theory, methods, principles and skills in the context of a significant digital communication project. Your project can take various forms including research and/or an industry-related partner project. As a 24 credit point project, you will complete it across two units (CCQ301-1 and CCQ301-2) and two teaching periods.

About this unit

Digital Communication Project 2 is studied as the second stage of your capstone unit which is completed across two units (CCQ301-1 and CCQ301-2) and two teaching periods. In this unit you will complete your digital communication project, in scholarly research or a professional context, and demonstrate your capacity to apply the advanced knowledge and skills in digital communication developed throughout your course. You will prepare and present a final project report.