MECO6928: Semester 1, 2024

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Units MECO6928 Semester 1 2024 [Professional practice]

Unit of study_

MECO6928: Media and Communication Internship

Semester 1, 2024 [Professional practice] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

This Department of Media and Communications (MECO) capstone unit of study offers Master degree students a placement with a host organisation, for 20 days (140 hours), in roles related to their degree. Internships provide work-integrated learning opportunities to enhance employability. Typical placement tasks include multi-media content creation, social media communication, digital media design and engagement, public relations and client-facing media, editing and publishing, health promotion and marketing.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	MECO6928
Academic unit	Media and Communications
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	MECO6904 or MECO6905 or MECO6932 or MECO6935 or MECO6947
Prerequisites ?	48 credit points including 18 credit points of core units from Digital Communication and Culture or Media Practice or Health Communication or Strategic Public Relations or Publishing degree tables
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Penny O'Donnell, penny.odonnell@sydney.edu.au
Ms(s)	Lauren Castino, lauren.castino@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Reflective journal Reflective journal completed after placement.	40%	Ongoing	1500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Industry research report Report completed after placement, with advice from Degree Director.	40%	Ongoing	1500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Social media participation Conceptual media production to be created after placement.	20%	Ongoing	1500 words equivalent
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Demonstrates the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard.
Distinction	75 - 84	Demonstrates the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard.
Credit	65 - 74	Demonstrates the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard.
Pass	50 - 64	Demonstrates the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity	Learning outcomes
Week 02	Orientation	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 12	Academic assignments workshop	Workshop (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: Prior to commencing a placement, students enrolled in MECO6928 must attend a 2 hour orientation seminar, held prior to commencement of the internship. Otherwise, there are no weekly classes in this unit of study.
Preparation: Students need to complete their three assignments by reference to academic and industry source materials. Therefore, they should commit to spend approximately three – six hours preparation time for each assignment (reading, studying, assignment completion, etc.).

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Readings to support assessment

Media and communications professionals:

Carah, N., & Louw, E. (2015). Media and society: production, content and participation. Sage.

Work-integrated learning:

Mumme, B., & Cameron, R. (2019). The Future of Work in Australia: Preparing Graduates for Changing Work Patterns that Require New Skill Sets. In The Transition from Graduation to Work (pp. 65-84). Springer, Singapore.

Bowen, T. (2020). Work-Integrated Learning Placements and Remote Working: Experiential Learning Online. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, 21(4), 377-386.

Graduate employability:

Bridgstock, R. (2009). The graduate attributes we’ve overlooked: Enhancing graduate employability through career management skills. Higher Education Research & Development, 28(1), 31-44.

Brown, P., Hesketh, A., & Wiliams, S. (2003). Employability in a knowledge-driven economy. Journal of education and work, 16(2), 107- 126.

Clarke, M. (2018). Rethinking graduate employability: The role of capital, individual attributes and context. Studies in Higher Education, 43(11), 1923-1937.

Jackson, D. (2016). Re-conceptualising graduate employability: the importance of pre-professional identity. Higher Education Research & Development, 35(5), 925-939.

Employment precarity:

O'Donnell, P. (2017). Beyond newsrooms: Younger journalists talk about job loss and re-employment in Australian journalism. Australian Journalism Review, 39(2), 163.

O’Donnell, P., & Zion, L. (2019). Precarity in Media Work. In M. Deuze & M. Prenger (Eds.). Making Media: production, Practices, and Professions (pp. 223-234). Amsterdam University Press.

Soft skills:

Remedios, R. (2012). The role of soft skills in employability. International Journal of Management Research and Reviews, 2(7), 1285.

Intercultural communication:

Yusof, N., Kaur, A., & Cheah Lynn-Sze, J. (2019). Post graduate students insights into understanding intercultural communication in global workplaces. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 56(1), 77-87.

Social media:

Alexander, E. C., Mader, D. R., & Mader, F. H. (2019). Using social media during the hiring process: A comparison between recruiters and job seekers. Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science, 29(1), 78-87.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Apply knowledge and skills developed in the degree program to complete scheduled tasks in specific organisational settings, and be able to explain the concept of work-integrated learning.
LO2. Critically reflect and comment on the process of integrating degree and workplace learning, and evaluate its impact on your employability.
LO3. Research and write an industry report exploring the employment outlooks for digital, media, and communication professionals, and evaluate one or more current issues and/or challenges in your specific industry sector.
LO4. Create conceptual media production that supports professional practice, networking and/or job-seeking, scrutinise, and evaluate the challenges of maintaining a professional online presence.
LO5. Be familiar with the ethical issues and professional relationships encountered in media and communications industry settings, and be able to explain their importance.
LO6. Present information clearly and succinctly in written, oral, and visual forms.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

The Academic and Placement Coordinators in this unit work closely with students to ensure they are placed in interesting and career-relevant internships, and are appropriately assessed on their work-integrated learning experience, and ancillary knowledge and skills. Each year, UoS survey results are carefully reviewed to identify students' suggestions for improving the curriculum content, assessment, and delivery of MECO6928. In 2024, following student survey feedback, we will offer a two-hour workshop in Week 12 that introduces and discusses how to complete the three academic tasks. This workshop is optional. Individual consultations are also available. Be aware that informal feedback from students is welcome at any time.

Additional information

Be aware that to meet host organisation expectations around skill-sets, we look for successful completion of at least three core units of your degree, with strong Credit marks (70+). We also look for a Pass grade on the Diagnostic Skills Test, which checks workplace readiness.

Work, health and safety

The University and our Placement partners have legal responsibilities to ensure the safety, health and well-being of students who are undertaking a student placement. These are explained to students, and discussed, during the Orientation Session.

For more information, please visit the WH&S pages at http://sydney.edu.au/whs

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Readings to support assessment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

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