Bachelor of Screen Media (Arts and Production)

At Western, we’re pioneering a curriculum that prepares graduates to become the visual communicators of the future. Using our world-class facilities, you will learn to write, produce, direct and edit your own original content whilst also serving as collaborators on your classmates’ productions. You’ll work on campus in our TV studio, fully fitted with multi-cameras, green-screen and professional lighting. We’ll show you how to shape your content in the edit suites, and enhance your productions in the large Mac labs. You can also borrow equipment from the loan store to shoot content on location.

In your first year you’ll gain a strong foundation in different approaches and genres, and get hands-on experience creating short pieces. You’ll learn best-practice filmmaking, camera, editing, sound, be introduced to animation and visual effects, and build an understanding of the business of the industry. As you progress through the degree, you will develop skills in digital storytelling, and explore virtual, augmented and mixed reality. From Day 1, you will start building your portfolio with content created in class, so that by the time you graduate, you will have a rock-solid showcase of your work to impress potential employers.

In your second and third years, you’ll have the opportunity to  choose complementary subjects in either Journalism or Design, depending on your area of interest. If you’d like a future career creating short or long-form documentaries – insightful exposés of ex-world leaders or ‘tiger kings’, or highlighting the impact of climate change: choose the Journalism stream. Or if you’re more interested in creating interactive online experiences, apps and game design – choose the Design stream. Both streams complement the skills and knowledge you develop in your screen media subjects, further enhancing career opportunities.

Our program structure is outlined in our handbook. Here you can view all of the subjects you will be studying.

At Western, we’ve built a network of industry partners who not only contribute to program content, but also provide opportunities for internships. Our partners include media channels, such as SBS, BBC, ABC and Channels 7, 9, and 10, and production houses such as CJZ (Cordell, Jigsaw, Zapruder) and Elastic Studios. We also have close partnerships with innovative tech companies producing immersive and interactive content, community organisations like Curious Works, and film festivals such as Antenna and Made in the West. These partnerships provide you with multiple opportunities to actually apply what you learn in class in the real world, making for an educational experience unlike any other.