Media & Communications: Flexible Entry (1 Viewer)

[bustinjustin]

I recently received a UAI of 95.35 which is still within 5 places of previous cut-offs for Media & Communications, and thus I'm considering applying for a place through the Flexible Entry Scheme, which is apparently underused according to Catherine Lumby from the MECO Department.

What kind of work experience/references and portfolio inclusions will guarantee me a competitive application and hence a place in Media/Comm? The most relevant work experience I've had was on the editorial team of my (former) school newspaper (as well as the ubiquituous part time job at Maccas, my current job at Luna Park and 'charity work'), and all I have to show for my portfolio is several feature articles from said publication, my Ext 2 Major work which scored a 48/50 and a bank of short stories from creative workshops. In addition to Head Teachers and Principals, I do however have two established writers, Linden Wilkinson and Tim Daly to vouch for me (pity I didn't keep in contact with the sometime Herald Journalist that I worked with at school for a year, Alex Buzo).

Is this the kind of thing they're looking for? Do they place any emphasis on English marks, for which I scored top bands in all my units?

Thanks in advance.

 

[I-Jester]

Any experience in print/tv/radio/web journalism is good - they want media not fiction.

My advice is don't bother with this course at all - i spent the last year doing it and its a joke. If you want media or creative writing - go to UTS or CSU.

 

[jpr333]

I hear it's no better at UTS.

 

[I-Jester]

It can't be worse than Sydney. The only thing Sydney has going for it is the fact that you actually do an arts degree as well so you don't have to deal with the shockingly appalling media department constantly - only one unit a semester.

Everyone's got their own ideas about the quality of certain courses and their reputations so naturally this is only mine.

A brief overview of the first year of the course:

Sem 1:
Principles of Media Writing (good unit, nice and easy, except if you get Catherine Lumby as a tutor - she's a self-obsessed bitch. Assessments are vocational - actually writing news stories but the exam is completely theory - really boring readings)

University English - a terrible unit but easy to get marks in, also has a lovely lecturer. You walk away from this one thinking "why did I just do year 10 english all over again?" and then you remember "oh wait... the media department made me do it".

Sem 2:
Australian Media Studies: great lecturer, horrible tutor (his name is Wesley, he knows nothing and we suspect he is in fact Catherine Lumby in a mansuit). This course deals with Baudrillard, de Sassure, Foucault, Hebdige et al - complete waste of time and marked so difficult its not funny. I can't validate this but I'm almost certain that Wesley marks based on who he likes.

Anyhoo, good luck with the flexible entry stuff. I do maintain that you're better off going with somewhere else. But of course, doing this course means you go to Sydney Uni which is a great reason to do any course.

 

[gelina]

Anyhoo, good luck with the flexible entry stuff. I do maintain that you're better off going with somewhere else. But of course, doing this course means you go to Sydney Uni which is a great reason to do any course.

UNSW Arts ( Media & Comm. )

Any better?