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Bachelor of Communication and Media (Professional Photography)
UndergraduateUSQ-CPP-DEG2025
Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
Capture a career in professional photography
Develop the skills of a professional photographer and get ready to work in media. You’ll build industry awareness and work on your portfolio. Explore approaches to sports, fashion, nature, and fine art photography. Get technical with drones and time lapse.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 3 years full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 24
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
- CSP available
- Yes
Bachelor of Communication and Media (Professional Photography)
About this degree
On successful completion of the program, students should be able to:
- Evidence professional knowledge and skills in one or more disciplines which will equip students to be competitive in the regional and global workforce.
- Use creative and critical thinking processes to evaluate multiple sources of evidence, explore new ideas and possibilities, formulate arguments, and apply reasoning and reflection to develop solutions to complex real-world problems.
- Engage independently and collaboratively in informed debates, discussion, and activities to extend and advance effective communication skills in a range of oral, written and digital modes.
- Act as responsible, ethical professionals and global citizens by applying awareness of social responsibility and professional integrity to interactions with other professionals and the wider community.
- Show evidence of skills and capabilities, as well as initiative and resourcefulness, necessary to make a valuable contribution to the professional workplace, and respond to changing industry needs.
- Recognise and apply cultural awareness and tolerance for diversity within team, community and workplace settings.
- This major is designed for students who wish to learn how to produce quality photographic work for the communications and media industries. At UniSQ you will learn skills for a career in photography, and develop your knowledge of action and events coverage; sports photography; fashion and street photography; scientific and forensic photography; aerial and drone photography; landscape and nature; time lapse photography; portraiture; and fine art photography. You will develop a professional portfolio of images to showcase your skills to future employers, and our internships in third-year courses provide opportunities for professional practice in industry.
Recommended study pattern
Year 1
HAC1000 The Skilful Communicator
PHT1000 Foundations of Photography 1
HAC1001 The Professional Self: Building Career Identity
PHT1001 Foundations of Photography 2
4 x Electives
Year 2
PHT2000 Professional Photographic Genres and Styles
PHT2002 Advanced Digital Imaging and Adaptation
PHT2001 Photographic Studio and Fieldwork
HAC2000 Digital Worlds: Human Futures
4 x Electives
Year 3
PHT3000 Photographic Concept and Design
PHT3001 Advanced DSLR Skills
PHT3002 Business of Photography
HAC3001 The Emerging Professional
4 x Electives
Award requirements
Completion of 24 units as outlined in the Recommended Study Pattern section.Exit points
Associate Degree of Communication and Media, Diploma of Professional Photography, Diploma of Professional Communication, Diploma of Arts.
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative first year fee
$16,323
Indicative total fee $48,969
The amounts shown here are indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.
Fees may vary depending on:
- the subjects you choose
- credit from previous work experience
- your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.
To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.
As Australia’s #1 university for graduate starting salary (Good Universities Guide, 2022), University of Southern Queensland is the right place to make real progress. Regardless of your education history, your age or your aspirations, at UniSQ you’ll be inspired by quality learning experiences matched with top resources and research. Having delivered distance and online learning for over 40+ years, UniSQ supports you to learn at your own pace—exactly how it suits you.
Learn more about USQ.
Explore USQ courses.
- QS Ranking 2024:
- 24
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 24
Entry requirements
- ATAR - 63.00 or equivalent; proof of meeting the English Language Proficiency requirements is also required.
- Completed VET qualifications can be used to derive an ATAR score or Selection Rank which may be used to meet the Entry Requirements for the program. We encourage you to reach out to the UniSQ team to discuss your options further.
- Work and Life experience may be used to derive an ATAR score or Selection Rank which may be used to meet the Entry Requirements for the program. We encourage you to reach out to the UniSQ team to discuss your options further.
- Exemptions/credit will be assessed based on the UniSQ Credit and Exemption Procedure. Claims for credit for previous study should be submitted prior to or at the time of enrolment. Each claim will be assessed on individual merit in line with UniSQ policy.
Career opportunities
Australian job snapshots
Data sourced from Australian Jobs 2023.
Role | Earnings | Employment change |
|---|---|---|
Photographers | N/A^ | Down 2.1% |
Photographer's Assistants | N/A^ | N/A^ |
Photographic Developers and Printers | N/A^ | N/A^ |
^ There is no data available