Bachelor of Business (Marketing)

The Bachelor of Business (Marketing) at the University of the Sunshine Coast is a three-year degree built around how products, services and ideas actually reach people. You study consumer behaviour, market research, brand management, digital marketing, advertising and international marketing. Core business units cover accounting, economics, management and business law, so you graduate understanding how a marketing decision sits inside a company's finances and strategy, not in isolation.

How the degree is structured

Australian bachelor degrees are made up of units of study, each worth a set number of credit points. A standard full-time load is four units a semester, and the degree runs across two semesters a year, with an optional summer semester. You need to pass a set number of credit points to graduate, usually 24 units or 288 credit points, made up of core business units, marketing major units, and elective units you can use to pick up a second major, a minor, or study abroad. There is no separate honours year inside the three years; students who want to go on to research usually apply for a fourth-year honours programme after finishing. Credit may be granted for prior study, assessed unit by unit against what you have already completed.

What you actually do

Marketing at USC is taught with an eye on the workplace. Assessment is a mix of exams, reports, campaign plans, presentations and group projects, often using real client briefs. Work-integrated learning is built into many units, and you can take an internship as an elective, which puts you in a marketing team for a semester and counts towards your degree. The Sunshine Coast and wider South East Queensland region has a steady supply of tourism, retail, health, technology and not-for-profit organisations that take students on placement, and the university has industry links across those sectors. If you are an international student on a Student visa, you can work up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course is in session, and unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks.

Who it suits

This degree suits school leavers and career changers who want a business qualification with a clear marketing focus. You do not need a marketing background. It also works for people already in a job who want to formalise their experience, or for international students who want an Australian qualification and post-study work rights. After graduating, eligible students can apply for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, which lets you stay and work in Australia for a period set by your qualification level. English requirements for international applicants are typically IELTS Academic 6.0 to 6.5 overall for undergraduate study, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the university's own English programmes accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register, and you should confirm current fees, entry requirements and unit offerings on the official University of the Sunshine Coast page before applying.

• Marketing coordinator or assistant, supporting campaign delivery, social media, email and content for retail, tourism and consumer brands.
• Digital marketing specialist, paid search, SEO, analytics and CRM work in agencies, e-commerce businesses and in-house teams.
• Brand or product assistant, helping manage a product line or brand across FMCG, fashion, technology and health companies.
• Market research assistant, survey design, data collection and reporting for research firms, consultancies and government bodies.
• Advertising and media assistant, account coordination and media planning in advertising and media agencies.
• Events and promotions coordinator, running activations, sponsorships and community events for tourism, sport and not-for-profit organisations.
• Sales and business development representative, using marketing skills in B2B and B2C sales roles across professional services and technology.
• Communications officer, internal and external communications for government, education and healthcare organisations.

Australian industries that hire marketing graduates include retail and e-commerce, tourism and hospitality, professional services, health and aged care, technology, education, government, and the not-for-profit sector. Many graduates start in assistant or coordinator roles and move into specialist or management positions after a few years.