Get Creative with Western Sydney University

Do you consider yourself a creative person? A jack of all artistic trades, perhaps? Then the upcoming Bachelor of Creative Industries degree programme at the School of Humanities and Communication Arts at Western Sydney University is perfect for you!

We creative folk are told all our lives that we should follow our dreams and study in a field we’re passionate about. But we’re also made to believe that the careers we want aren’t valuable. If you’re thinking of getting your degree in the Arts, you’re probably familiar some of the arguments against it: “But there are no jobs in the arts!” or, “You won’t make any money with an arts degree!” or, my personal favourite, “Are you going to teach?”

Luckily, Western Sydney University has figured out a way to solve this problem by offering a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Industries. This interdisciplinary programme incorporates a number of subjects under one degree. These include design, creative writing, journalism, literature, and media production, to name a few.

But wait, there’s more! This degree programme also offers courses that teach students about the legal and business side of a career in the arts. Some of the key concepts you’ll learn about include advertising, law in the creative sector, innovation in enterprise, and digital cultures. The knowledge and skills taught in these courses are vital for anyone who hopes to pursue a career in the artistic or creative fields, and maximise their lifetime earnings at the same time.  The program prepares creative entrepreneurs, who might be as likely to start their own businesses as to be employed in existing firms.

Let’s take a look at some of the unique opportunities the Creative Industries programme will give you:

  • Collaboration with Creative Industry

You can’t expect to learn about creative industries in the “real world” unless you have the opportunity to gain some practical experience with them. WSU certainly agrees. That’s why part of their BA in Creative Industries takes the educational experience a step further, and allows students to collaborate with new and established creative industries throughout Greater Western Sydney. You’ll be able to do real work in a real firm, while also getting an up-close and personal look at how law and business blend with the creative arts.

  • Invaluable Skills

You’ve probably been told that you might make more money if you’d gone into business or law instead of the arts. But, while that might be true statistically, this programme provides you with a unique combination of all three fields that will give you a truly unique skill set. After all, many creative jobs these days go hand in hand with business and legal features like  advertising, social media, and ethics. Learning the ins and outs of these aspects of the job will give you a unique advantage when you’re finally ready to pursue your career after graduation. You’ll become an irreplaceable asset to both the creative and economical worlds!

 

  • Become a Part of the Creative Revolution

You can’t argue with the numbers – research commissioned by WSU predicts a surge in employment in the creative sector. Even so, students are often discouraged from pursuing jobs in this sector, particularly because there tends to be fewer jobs available compared to technological, scientific, and business fields. This revolutionary degree programme hopes to set a precedent for similar degree programmes at universities around the world. WSU intends to monitor the success of the programme from its inception and conduct research into this emerging field. As a world leader in creative industry education, WSU seeks to open up more opportunities for collaboration within creative industry, particularly in Greater Western Sydney, following the programme’s official establishment.

As you can see, WSU’s got some pretty cool stuff planned for this programme. But you’re probably wondering just what this degree entails, so let’s talk about what you’ll study. As part of the programme, you can choose a major, or a specific area of focus. The majors of the BA in Creative Industries include:

  • Advertising
  • Creative Writing
  • Cultural and Social Analysis
  • Digital Cultures
  • English
  • Enterprise Innovation
  • Graphic Design
  • Journalism
  • Law and the Creative Industries
  • Media Arts Production
  • Music
  • Public Relations

Throughout your three years at WSU, you’ll be able to choose courses from these major units. However, you’ll also be required to take some set courses from the Creative Industries course list, including: Writing Ecologies; Data, Mediation, Power; Media Law and Ethics; and Financing Enterprises. For a full list of courses, click here. (Please note that some of the courses listed are still subject to approval by the university.)

This programme, which is set to launch as early as next year, is the first of its kind. The Bachelor of Creative Industries degree will allow students to flex the logical left and creative right sides of their brains at the same time. Why choose one when you can follow your passion, make money, and impact the business and economic sectors all at the same time?

Want to find out more? Get in touch via email at study@westernsydney.edu.au.

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Images courtesy of Western Sydney University

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