Course details

Summary

AUT communications students and graduates are internationally recognised, having won the Sally Logan-Milne Young Practitioner of the Year award, CAANZ AXIS award, ORCA awards, Cannes International Advertising award and NZ Student Marketer of the Year award.

Study communications at AUT and you have access to industry standard facilities and equipment, including a media centre, radio studio and fully equipped TV studio, journalism training newspaper Te Waha Nui, student radio station Static 88.1 fm and student-run PR agency Outside the Square. You also gain invaluable workplace experience before you graduate.

Develop the skills for a journalism career in today's rapidly changing media environment. Learn in AUT's industry standard media facilities and get experience in different news outlets.

The internet has transformed the content and delivery of news as blogging and vidblogs have changed the space that was traditionally the domain of professional journalists. But journalistic skills including quality writing, the ability to verify user-generated material, and a talent for interviewing are still needed to cut through the noise.

At AUT you gain experience in news reporting, different writing and production specialisations, bicultural reporting, cross-cultural reporting, news photography, media law and ethics. You learn on the job in our full-time newsroom, and are encouraged to participate in live reporting exercises. Many of our students also complete internships at leading news organisations and publications.

Career opportunities

News reporter for newspapers, magazines, television, radio or online media
Data journalist
Freelance journalist
Specialist writer
Production journalist
Web editor
Communications professional

Entry criteria

Applicants must be 18 years old and hold a qualification equivalent to New Zealand Year 13.

Preferred entry

Preference will be given to applicants who have completed Year 13 with:

NCEA: A rank score of 180 or higher, with 14 credits in each of two subjects from Classical Studies, Drama, English, Geography, Health Education, History, History of Art, Media Studies, Social Studies, Te Reo 毛利 or Te Reo Rangatira
CIE: A rank score of 150 or higher including a minimum AS level grade of C in at least one of the subjects listed above, or equivalent
IB: A minimum of 28 points including a minimum grade 5 in one of the subjects listed above, or equivalent.

Other documentation may be requested.

English Language requirements:

IELTS (Academic) 6.5 overall with all bands 6.0 or higher; or equivalent; TOEFL iBT score of 80; Computer-based: Total score of 213 with a minimum essay rating of 4.0; Certificate in English for Academic Study (CertEAS) with B/B+ grade; GIE with B grade; CAE minimum overall score of 169; PTE minimum overall score of 50.