Duration 
Study Intakes 
Units 
2024 Fees 
Fast-track your Master of Communication
If you are a communication professional with a relevant degree or current professional qualification (see entry requirements), you may be able to fast-track and complete the Master of Communication in only nine units.
Master of Communication (Fast-Track) pathways
Why study a Master of Communication with ECU Online?
Designed by industry leadersUnlock course content that’s been developed by academics and nationally recognised industry experts in the field of communication. Benefit from ECU’s leading research that impacts policy and industry practice in social media and online communication, public relations, identity and cultural diversity.-
People and purpose drivenPurpose and two-way listening are at the heart of successful communications. Become equipped with a distinct set of techniques and strategies to innovate, influence and lead communication in your workplace. Apply social, responsible, inclusive and creative business communication principles to gain a competitive edge in your career.
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Flexible, online delivery with ready-to-apply skillsCreate a relationship between your study and work and apply your learnings to your career immediately. Fit your study to your schedule with our 100% online, accelerated course, where you will focus on one unit at a time over each seven-week study period. Be supported and build connections through our immersive online learning system.
Rankings and accreditations
2023 Good Universities Guide
ECU was rated five stars for Postgraduate Overall Experience.
QS World University Rankings Top 150 under 50
ECU has been listed in the QS Top 150 under 50 rankings for 2020.
2022 THE Young University Rankings
ECU has again been ranked in the world's top 100 universities under 50 years old.
What you will learn
Influence through effective strategy
- Become a change agent in your workplace.
- Acquire future-proof ethical and socially responsible digital communication techniques that can be immediately transferred to your career and future roles.
- Explore creative communication skills that deliver campaign objectives in a way that is accessible, inclusive and relevant to professional audiences.
Future-focused, applied learning
- Develop future-proof communication skills designed for the contemporary workforce.
- Learn how to navigate, design and synthesise solutions to complex challenges in communication including digital media communication, crisis and reputation management.
- Apply social responsibility and sustainability frameworks to effectively communicate and meet the needs of stakeholders.
Align communications with organisational goals
- Whether working for yourself or as part of an organisation, build commercial acumen and develop your understanding of how to best use communication techniques as a tool to achieve business objectives.
Enhance professional credibility
- Become a communication specialist with a holistic approach to communication.
- Strengthen your understanding of communication techniques to research, plan, apply and defend communication solutions tailored to different audiences.
- Apply your new industry-relevant and sought-after skills through designing and executing a self-directed masters project.
Units of study
The Master of Communication consists of 12 units.
Students completing the 12-unit master’s will complete all below units, whereas students eligible to fast-track their master’s degree will complete only nine units (see entry criteria).
For more information and learning outcomes of each unit, download your course guide below.
Units you will study:
Foundation units
Understand communication theories and skills that can be immediately applied to contemporary practice.
Explore key concepts, theories, and practices in the communication discipline, including stakeholder management, two-way communication and more to develop a situation analysis and strategic communication plan that analyses and responds to real-world issues.
Examine social and digital media theory and strategy in practice, including ethical and societal issues in social media.
Advanced units
Gain experience in researching, developing, implementing, and evaluating a communication campaign, including setting goals and SMART objectives by using real-world scenarios.
Explore the different spectrums of inclusiveness, accessibility and communication needs to identify strategic elements that lead to best practice inclusive communication.
Uncover the key Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues that organisations are facing today and learn how to respond to these issues by implementing best practice ethical and responsible communication.
Employ real-world case studies to demonstrate the differences between an organisational issue and a crisis. Learn how to apply reputation management strategies to a range of scenarios.
Explore what it is to be creative by developing a communication portfolio of creative works in different mediums and formats, designed for both traditional and digital platforms.
Understand the political, social, and economic environments of business communication and how they operate today. Build commercial acumen skills that provide the means to lead improvements in communication quality and effectiveness and drive ROI.
Capstone units
Develop the upper-level research and analytical skills required to complete the Master of Communication Capstone project.
Completed across two study periods, under supervision of an academic mentor, complete an applied project that serves as preparation for the real world of work and clients.
- Communication Techniques
Understand communication theories and skills that can be immediately applied to contemporary practice.
- Strategic Communication
Explore key concepts, theories and practices in the communication discipline, including stakeholder management, two-way communication and more to develop a situation analysis and strategic communication plan that analyses and responds to real-world issues.
- Social and Digital Media Communication
Examine social and digital media theory and strategy in practice, including ethical and societal issues in social media.
- Communication Techniques
Understand communication theories and skills that can be immediately applied to contemporary practice.
- Strategic Communication
Explore key concepts, theories and practices in the communication discipline, including stakeholder management, two-way communication and more to develop a situation analysis and strategic communication plan that analyses and responds to real-world issues.
- Social and Digital Media Communication
Examine social and digital media theory and strategy in practice, including ethical and societal issues in social media.
- Agile Projects
- Project Cost Management
- Program Management
- Managing Change
- Managing People and Organisations
- Project Leadership
- Project Integration and Procurement Management
- Data Driven Managerial Decisions
- Project Management Capstone
Career and salary outcomes
Upon successfully completing the Master of Communication, you will have the skills and knowledge to succeed in roles across a variety of industries. Here are some examples of the roles and their expected annual salary range in Australia. These roles include, but are not limited to:
Entry criteria
To gain entry to the Master of Communication, applicants must have:
- A bachelor’s degree in any discipline; or
- Equivalent prior learning, including at least five years of relevant professional experience.
Fast-track your Master of Communication
Eligible students can fast-track their Master of Communication and complete their degree in only nine units. To gain entry to the fast-tracked master's degree, applicants must have:
- A bachelor's degree or higher in Communication, Media and Communication, Creative Media or similar (as assessed by ECU); or
- A bachelor's degree or higher in a related discipline (Arts, Business or Commerce) with a major in PR, Social Media, Strategic Communication or Marketing; or
- A bachelor's degree or higher in Arts with at least 2 years of relevant experience in a Communications role; or
- Where accepted, equivalent prior learning, including at least five years relevant professional experience
If you would like more information, contact one of our Student Enrolment Advisors on 1300 707 760 or request a call-back.
Meet your course coordinator
Catherine Archer
Dr Catherine Archer is a researcher and senior lecturer specialising in social media and strategic communication at Edith Cowan University. Her current research interests include social media, particularly related to families and health, with a complementary focus on social media influencer relations and ethics, and the blurring of lines between media, marketing, public relations, and communication. Catherine has won awards for her communication practice and teaching.
Teaching team
Kelly Choong
Kelly Choong is a researcher and senior lecturer in advertising at Edith Cowan University. Kelly’s academic interest is in marketing communications, with his current research focusing on cryptic signalling and subculture groups.
Laura Glitsos
Dr Laura Glitsos has been lecturing in higher education for more than a decade, with a keen focus on media, communications, and cultural studies. She has published extensively across these areas and translates her research-based outcomes into high-level teaching and learning.
To find out more about our teaching team, download the course guide.
Fees and FEE-HELP
The cost of our Master of Communication is $43,200* for all 12 units.
The cost of our Master of Communication (Fast-Track) is $32,400* for nine units.
To assist with some or all of your tuition fees, FEE-HELP is available for eligible students. This government-supported loan scheme is designed to help eligible full-fee paying students pay their postgraduate tuition fees.
To find out if you are eligible for FEE-HELP, you can contact one of our Student Enrolment Advisors on 1300 707 760.
*2024 student fees are shown and are subject to change.
A Master of Communication is a postgraduate degree that emphasises the development of your communication skills, including implementing communication strategies, best practices and techniques as well as gaining proficiency in communication techniques that promote and drive constructive transformation in the workplace through future-focused communication skills.
It is a great option for students who want to upskill or switch careers to make a positive impact as the Master of Communication can give you the skills you need to succeed in the fast-paced and ever-evolving business world.
Whether a Master of Communication is worth pursuing depends on your personal and professional goals. It’s important to consider:
The salary for a Master of Communication graduate in Australia varies depending on the specific job role, industry, years of experience and location.
According to Seek, the average salary for a Communications Manager with a master’s degree in Australia is around AU$125,000 per year, with the projected job growth in 5 years increasing by 4.4%.
A Master of Communication can prepare you for a wide range of job opportunities across various industries. Some job roles that you may consider, but are not limited to:
At ECU Online we understand that everyone has different work arrangements, family responsibilities, locations and learning styles. This is why our postgraduate courses are offered 100% online, so you can balance your study with other commitments. As an ECU Online student, you will have access to academic support as well as non-academic support.
Academic study support
Our accelerated online courses are developed by industry experts and engaged academics. You can easily connect with learning facilitators and course coordinators through our easy-to-use online learning environment to gain feedback and ask academic questions. You can also reach out to a Learning Advisor who can help with things like assessment writing, study skills and more.
Non-academic study support
You will have a dedicated Student Success Advisor available to you from when you start studying through to graduation. They will be available to provide non-academic support, such as assistance with scheduling time to study and more.
Additional support options
As an ECU online student, you also have access to all the support offered by ECU, both on-campus and online:
No, the Master of Communication is 100% online and does not include any on-campus components. We have designed this course to be flexible so you can tailor your studied to fit your lifestyle.
