Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Communication (Promotional Communication)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Queensland University of Technology

Program Overview

This degree gives you a powerful mix of business knowledge and communication expertise. You’ll learn how to understand audiences, shape messages, and build persuasive stories that inspire action — all grounded in solid business fundamentals. If you’re someone who loves creativity but also wants the strategic edge that comes with business training, this program really brings the best of both worlds together.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1

Your first year sets you up with the essentials. On the business side, you’ll work through core units that introduce you to management, markets, ethics, and the global business landscape. Alongside that, you’ll begin your communication studies with units like Introduction to Communication and Communication Theory and Practice. It’s a great balance — you start building the mindset of a business professional while learning how communication actually works in modern society.

Year 2

In second year, both sides dive deeper. For business, you’ll start shaping your path by picking your major — whether that’s marketing, international business, or another specialisation. In communication, you move into areas like Understanding Audiences and Media Issues and Debates, where you’ll start unpacking how people consume media and why certain messages stick. It’s where strategy starts becoming clearer.

Year 3

By third year, everything becomes more hands-on and applied. Your business subjects become more advanced and specific to your major, while communication units take you into areas like Digital Platforms and Communication Planning and Practice. Here, you’ll learn how to design campaigns that actually work across today’s media channels. You also get the chance to do industry placements, giving you real work experience before you graduate.

Year 4

Your final year is all about sharpening your expertise. In communication, you’ll take units such as Communication Research Methods and Digital Media Analytics — these help you understand audiences at a deeper level and make decisions grounded in data. Your business major also wraps up with capstone or advanced electives. You’ll round out your degree with your QUT You units, which let you personalise your learning and add strengths that matter to you.

Focus Areas

Brand strategy and positioning
Digital content creation
Audience analytics and insight
Integrated marketing campaigns
Visual storytelling and design

Learning Outcomes

By the time you graduate, you’ll be able to:

Develop and deliver promotional communication strategies across multiple platforms
Understand audience behaviour through both qualitative and quantitative research
Blend business insight with creative communication to shape decisions
Lead with integrity in marketing and media environments
Use data to refine messaging and improve outcomes

Professional Alignment

While the program doesn’t list a specific external accreditation body, it’s built to meet the expectations of the business, media, and communication industries. Through internships, placements, and strong industry connections, you gain the skills and experience companies look for — making the communication side of the degree particularly grounded in real-world practice.

Reputation & Employability

QUT is highly regarded in the communication and media space, ranked among the top in the world and recognised for producing graduates who are ready to step straight into the workforce. The double-degree format gives you flexibility and broad career reach, and the university’s industry partnerships open doors to internships with major organisations — giving you valuable experience and a strong edge in the job market.

Why This Degree Could Be a Great Fit for You

If you’re excited by the idea of working in fast-moving, creative environments — like advertising, branding, digital marketing, or media strategy — this degree sets you up perfectly. You don’t just learn how to create great communication; you learn the strategy behind it. You understand audiences, build messages that connect, and back everything with business intelligence. It’s a degree that prepares you to influence, lead, and make a real impact in the world of marketing and communication.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

In this double degree, you’re not just sitting in classrooms — you’re stepping straight into the kinds of communication and business environments you’ll eventually work in. From your first year, you’ll take part in industry placements and work-integrated learning that put real briefs, real clients, and real digital campaigns in your hands. You’ll also learn from teaching staff who are leaders in media and communication research at QUT’s Digital Media Research Centre, so you’re constantly exposed to the latest tools, trends, and strategic thinking. Whether it’s data analytics, audience insights, social media content creation, or brand identity development, you’ll be developing skills that employers are looking for right now.

You’ll study across QUT’s two vibrant campuses — Kelvin Grove for communication and Gardens Point for business — giving you access to creative studios, business labs, and facilities designed to help you experiment and bring ideas to life. Whether you’re mapping out a social campaign, shaping a brand story, or analysing audience behaviour, you’ll be working in the same kind of environments that professionals use every day.

Here’s how you’ll build hands-on experience throughout the degree:

Industry placements & work-integrated projects — Step into real workplaces through internships in media companies, advertising agencies, festivals, and more, gaining practical exposure and industry-ready confidence.

Live client briefs — Tackle real assignments from real clients, applying your strategy, design, and creative production skills to genuine communication challenges.

Creative strategies & campaigns — Develop social campaigns, craft brand experiences, and build visual identities using current digital tools and analytics platforms.

Mentorship and scholarship programs — Access opportunities like the Corporate Partners in Excellence (CPIE) program, where you can gain mentorship, placements, and valuable industry connections.

Work-integrated learning units — Earn credit while working on meaningful projects that transform what you learn in class into polished, professional outcomes.

Interdisciplinary collaboration — Work alongside students from both business and creative disciplines, mirroring the way modern communication and marketing teams operate.

Through these experiences, you’ll build a strong, portfolio-ready body of work — and graduate with the kind of practical confidence that helps you step straight into the fast-paced world of promotional communication.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of this double degree walk into the professional world with a standout mix of business expertise and communication savvy. It’s a combination that makes them genuinely competitive across digital, creative, and corporate industries — especially because the program builds real-world experience directly into the learning.

Typical job roles

Many graduates step confidently into roles such as:

Social Media Manager
Content Strategist or Brand Strategist
Marketing Specialist / Marketing Manager
Public Relations Consultant / Corporate Communications Manager

Detailed insights

University employment support

QUT places a strong focus on hands-on learning. You’ll have opportunities to complete work-integrated learning units and real industry placements as part of your course.
The program includes internships across a range of organisations, giving you the chance to build your CV even before you graduate.
Plus, you’ll learn from staff who are active in industry and research, which means you get genuine connections and networking opportunities throughout your degree.

Employment statistics & salary insights

While specific salary data for this exact double degree isn’t listed, QUT notes that communication graduates often move into roles such as marketing managers, public relations specialists, and social media managers.
Related communication fields report an average starting salary of around AU$54,000.
In the broader business field, around 81% of QUT graduates secure full-time roles soon after completing their studies, with a median salary close to AU$70,000 — a strong indicator of employability.

University–industry partnerships

Students in this degree have completed placements with well-known organisations including Network Ten, Brisbane Festival, and Hyperplex Cinemas. Experiences like these give you firsthand exposure to real campaigns and established brands.
QUT is also highly regarded in communication and media, which helps attract interest from advertising agencies, government organisations, media companies, and global brands.

Professional recognition & long-term value

On the business side, the QUT Business School carries prestigious triple accreditation, a marker of global quality and recognition.
Your communication major builds practical strengths in areas like strategy, audience insight, creative thinking, and ethical decision-making — all essential capabilities for modern organisations looking for both creativity and responsibility.

Graduate outcomes

QUT highlights strong demand for its communication graduates across sectors such as advertising, media, and government.
By combining communication with business, you don’t just develop technical skills — you also build leadership, brand-building ability, and the confidence to manage teams or even launch your own business or agency.

Further academic progression

After completing this double degree, you can continue your studies through Honours in the Business School or move into postgraduate programs such as a Master of Marketing, Integrated Marketing Communication, or Strategic Communication.
These pathways can prepare you for senior leadership roles, consultancy positions, or even research and teaching careers.