Diploma of Arts

Program Overview

This program provides a foundation in essential study skills, communication, design, and critical thinking. Students can choose electives in areas such as business, human biology, programming, or physics. The program prepares students for careers in various fields, including community services, communications, and entrepreneurship.

Program Outline

Outline:

Stage 1

• Essential Study Skills: Understanding and application of essential study skills, covering independent learning skills and styles, active listening, presentation, and group work skills.
• Information and New Media Technologies: Introduction to the use of the Internet, social media and associated technologies in society and business.
Utilization of Microsoft Office and online tools for effective communication. Discussion of ethical and security issues related to the use of Information Communication Technologies.
• Design: Introduction to the basic principles of design and their application to various publications.
Use of the design process and different software to publish material for both print and electronic media. Analysis of messages communicated through different design elements.
• Communication, People, Place and Culture: Introduction to the basic principles of communication and its role in society and culture.
Investigation of the effects of different forms of verbal and non-verbal communication. Description of cultural influences on the communication process.
• Academic Research and Critical Enquiry: Introduction to the basic principles of critical thinking.
Development of skills needed for the tertiary study environment, including academic reading, listening, and notetaking, as well as written formats and referencing.
• Media and Society: Analysis of the use of media in society and its role in cultural life.
Investigation of the different factors that shape cultures today. Discussion of how the media affects popular culture, interpretations of the world, and contributes to cultural identity.

Electives (choose 2)

• Early Career Development: Professional guide to career planning to ensure success in future working lives.
Understanding of modern workplaces and practices, responsibilities of different agents in the work environment, and acquisition of knowledge and skills related to employment including interviews and applying for jobs.
• Business Fundamentals: Understanding and application of foundation concepts in the business disciplines of management and leadership, finance, marketing and human resources.
Discussion of current trends, opportunities, and issues that impact on contemporary business. Learning to use appropriate communication for the business environment.
• Human Biology: Introduction to the basic concepts of human biology as a foundation for further study in this area.
Development of an understanding of the main body systems and the associated biology, and an awareness and appreciation of the human body in a personal, social, and medical context.
• Programming: Introduction to the basic principles of programming and their use in writing simple programs.
Use of the systems development life cycle to write programs combining different data types and programming structures. Learning techniques to test successful outcomes.
• Mathematics & Statistics: Introduction to the mathematical concepts required for further studies, particularly in statistics.
Use of fundamental arithmetic and algebra to solve problems. Application of statistical processes and concepts including sampling techniques and different forms of presentation.
• Physics 1: Introduction to the basic concepts of Physics, with a particular focus on motion and heat.
Learning appropriate equations and units for demonstrating different concepts. Conduct experiments to analyze and test theories.

Stage 2

• English for Academic Use Australia: Building on the student's own language expertise to strengthen proficiency in academic use of English.
• Communication and Media: Introduction to the fundamental approaches to human communication and to the development, use and role of communication and media technologies in human society.
• Intercultural Communication: Development of understanding of linguistic and cultural diversity, including that of Aboriginal and other indigenous peoples.
Exploration of its implications for intercultural communication in the contemporary world.
• Professional and Technical Communication: Introduction to a wide range of professional and technical texts.
Development of skills in planning, drafting, evaluating and editing both written and visual content.
• Digital Design Essentials: Encouragement of experimentation to create professional multi-faceted print publications, including vector and bitmap artwork, using current industry standard software and technology.
• Introduction to Digital Media: Introduction to the fundamental practice-led research and creative design principles, processes, skills, and media production techniques required for use within and across a variety of digital formats.
• Public Relations Theory and Practice: Introduction to fundamental theoretical principles and practice underpinning various forms of public communication.
Provision of an understanding of the political, economic, social and technological context of organizations' communication approaches, particularly public relations and advertising.
• Psychology 1B: Introduction to the history and philosophy of psychology, personality psychology (including theories of personality, methods of assessing personality and individual differences), social psychology (including interpersonal behavior, attitudes and discourse) and the major theories of human childhood development.
• Cinematic Design: Exploration of the underlying existence of consistent rules in the ways that nature, design and the processes of digital media software all operate.

Careers:

Depending on the chosen UniSA specialization, career options can include:

• Community and social services
• Policy and research
• Social justice and advocacy
• Health, wellbeing and aged care
• Communications
• Entrepreneurship