Public communication is a critical activity for all organisations, brands and individuals. As the communication landscape is constantly evolving, best practice must be front and centre to ensure communication initiatives are contributing to strategic goals. This subject introduces students to contemporary thinking about the development of strategic communication and the impact it has on individuals, brands, organisations and society. Students explore how key theories and concepts are incorporated into contemporary practice, as well as the increasing requirement for integration of multiple forms of public communication including advertising, public relations, and digital and social media communication. In addition, students examine and critically evaluate how people access and consume information today. Students become familiar with the multiple 'touchpoints' between organisations and their publics and the need for organisations to ensure consistency and complementation in their public communication. Throughout, students are introduced to the knowledge and skills required in contemporary practice for planning and designing integrated strategic communication campaigns involving a range of multimedia and multimodal communication activities.

In today's increasingly interconnected world, proficient intercultural skills are vital for professionals to effectively engage with stakeholders at a global level, spanning across various organisational or governmental levels. This subject provides students with the theoretical and practical expertise needed in the field of intercultural communication in order to function in the global work environment. Students explore key debates in intercultural theory and communication and analyse and develop strategies for functioning in intercultural situations and organisations. In this subject, students have the opportunity to apply their learning to contemporary, real-world instances of intercultural communication.

The way we communicate with each other is constantly evolving as technology and digital media create new and innovative channels of communication. In this subject, students examine the transformative effect that digital communication technology has had across sectors and industries, and how that has driven the emergence of new and evolving forms of communication practice. Students will explore and understand innovative communication channels, such as the development of citizen journalism, social media influencers, digital ‘creator culture’, digital activism and new forms of content publishing by both individuals, brands, and other organisations. Related to this evolving context for communication practice is the emergence of 'echo chambers' within social media networks, highlighting just one of the challenges that practitioners now face when seeking to engage and inform diverse audiences in an ethical and responsible manner. 

Successful communication initiatives all share one thing in common; a well-designed and implemented engagement strategy. In this subject, students examine the concept of stakeholder engagement to develop a holistic understanding of the factors that generate or hinder engagement. Students explore key concepts in the phenomena of public engagement, disengagement, and non-engagement such as motivation, trust, cynicism, authenticity and credibility whilst also considering the notions of stakeholders, stake-seekers, audiences and publics. Ultimately, students build the skills required to investigate and apply strategies to enable mutual gains, manage conflict and develop social capital. Students research best practice in engagement with Indigenous organisations and communities and consider cultural competencies needed for practitioners working with and for Indigenous Australians.