Send me a PDF copyHighlights
- Apply your skills in a real-world internship and build industry connections that support your career.
- Learn to use digital storytelling to inspire action and address social challenges to drive positive change.
- Build practical skills in visual design, persuasive communication, photomedia and advanced storytelling techniques - learning how to apply them to social issues.
- Advocate for justice, equity and human rights to create content that drives meaningful social change.
Highlights
- Apply your skills in a real-world internship and build industry connections that support your career.
- Learn to use digital storytelling to inspire action and address social challenges to drive positive change.
- Build practical skills in visual design, persuasive communication, photomedia and advanced storytelling techniques - learning how to apply them to social issues.
- Advocate for justice, equity and human rights to create content that drives meaningful social change.
Why choose this course?
Digital storytelling is a powerful way to educate, advocate and inspire change. In this major, you’ll explore how stories shape culture, influence public understanding and drive social impact.
You’ll learn to design and produce content that’s visually compelling, ethically grounded and informed by research. From visual design and photomedia to persuasive communication and advanced narrative techniques, you’ll develop creative and technical skills to craft stories across multiple platforms.
You’ll also build practical justice-research skills by writing reports on human rights issues and taking on a digital investigator’s role as you work through a fictional cybercrime, examining how technology can shape justice outcomes around the world. These perspectives help you create stories that are not only compelling, but informed, responsible and grounded in what communities need.
Through hands-on projects, you’ll experiment with digital tools, interactive media and emerging technologies, building a portfolio that showcases your ability to combine creativity with purpose. This major is ideal if you’re passionate about using design and media to make a difference and want a career that blends innovation, storytelling and social impact.
Real-world learning
From your first year, you’ll explore how digital stories can inform, inspire and create change in communities. Your learning will have an emphasis on real-world experience, with opportunities to work with community and industry partners. You’ll apply UX design principles and experiment with GenAI tools to develop and present design concepts that address real-world challenges.
You’ll take part in two community engagement units. In your first year, you’ll work with local organisations to understand community needs and opportunities. Later, you’ll apply your skills in a professional setting through a work integrated learning internship, gaining valuable experience in content creation and distribution.
These experiences are designed to help you graduate with practical skills, creative confidence and a strong understanding of how your work can contribute to social impact.
Explore this course
This major equips you to craft powerful stories across digital platforms, combining creative, visual and journalistic skills with a strong ethical foundation. You’ll learn to engage audiences through compelling narratives, persuasive communication and innovative design. You’ll also produce reports on human rights issues and take on the role of a digital investigator, analysing a fictional cybercrime to explore how technology shapes justice worldwide.
You’ll study:
The role of journalism in society and its impact on democracy
- Persuasive communication strategies for media and campaigns
- Visual storytelling principles for print, screen and social media
- Advanced narrative techniques, world-building and adaptation across mediums
- Justice issues shaping contemporary storytelling and their impact on the world
- Generative AI techniques for content creation.
- Photomedia concepts and digital photography for creative projects
With the flexibility of this course, you have the option to choose to specialise your major in one of two areas to suit your career goals:
Writing and storytelling
Build adaptable writing skills for creative and professional contexts. Explore storytelling in genres like romance, fantasy and crime, while learning to craft news content for digital, audio and video platforms. You’ll graduate ready to write for diverse audiences and media, opening pathways to publishing, journalism, media and content creation.
Justice – policy and advocacy
Explore how justice and human rights shape societies worldwide. Examine political participation, activism and advocacy, and learn how citizens, governments and organisations drive policy and social change. Investigate global issues like conflict, migration and human rights, applying theories to real-world contexts such as peacebuilding and humanitarian action. Perfect for those passionate about equity, social justice and creating impact through policy or international work.
You’ll graduate with a portfolio showcasing multi-platform storytelling from news and social content to visual and genre-based narratives.
With careful curation of your complimentary studies, you can tailor your degree to suit your career goals, whether that’s in policy, digital learning, community arts or disaster preparedness.
Here’s some examples:
- Media and entertainment – Tailor studies with communication or creative arts to hone skills as a digital media producer, podcast creator or short-form video specialist.
- Health and community development – Add studies in health to produce educational health related media or support community engagement through storytelling.
- Corporate social responsibility – Combine with studies in business to join CSR teams to craft corporate narratives that reflect values and impact.
- Research and teaching – Pursue further study with Master of Digital Communication, Master of Justice or Master of Teaching (Primary or Secondary).
Double degrees
Combine your Bachelor of Arts (Digital Storytelling for Social Impact) degree with a with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and graduate with two qualifications in just 5.5 years.
This double degree is perfect for students who want to use storytelling to influence public understanding, shape policy and advocate for change. You’ll combine creative media production with legal expertise, gaining the skills to craft compelling narratives that support justice, inclusion and ethical practice.
Whether you're interested in human rights, media regulation, community development or corporate social responsibility, this combination equips you with the creative and analytical tools to lead conversations, influence decision-making and drive social impact in a rapidly changing world.
Careers and outcomes
This major opens up diverse career pathways in media, education, cultural institutions, health, and the nonprofit sector. Whether you're creating content for communities, shaping public understanding, or building your own brand, you’ll graduate with the skills to make a meaningful impact.
Possible careers
- App designer
- CSR content strategist
- Communications officer
- Community development officer
- Content marketing specialist
- Cultural content developer
- Digital learning designer
- Digital media producer
- Educational media producer
- Short-form video specialist
- Social media manager
- UX/UI designer
- Video game narrative writer
In order to complete this course you must complete a total of 288 credit points.
Six core units: 72 credit points
Digital Storytelling for Social Impact Major: 96 credit points comprised of:
- 72 credit points of core units
- 24 credit points of option units
QUT You: 24 credit points
Complementary studies: 96 credit points chosen from:
- one 96 credit point second major; OR
- one 84 credit point second major and 12 credit points of unit options (electives); OR
- one 72 credit point second major and 24 credit points of unit options (electives); OR
- two 48 credit point minors; OR
- one 48 credit point minor and 48 credit points of unit options (electives)
In order to complete this course you must complete a total of 288 credit points.
Six core units: 72 credit points
Digital Storytelling for Social Impact Major: 96 credit points comprised of:
- 72 credit points of core units
- 24 credit points of option units
QUT You: 24 credit points
Complementary studies: 96 credit points chosen from:
- one 96 credit point second major; OR
- one 84 credit point second major and 12 credit points of unit options (electives); OR
- one 72 credit point second major and 24 credit points of unit options (electives); OR
- two 48 credit point minors; OR
- one 48 credit point minor and 48 credit points of unit options (electives)
As this is a new course, the threshold will be available mid-January 2027.
- Course code
- BA01
- QTAC code
- 441012
-
- Online
- Kelvin Grove
-
- Kelvin Grove
- 3 years full-time
- 6 years part-time
- 3 years full-time
- February and July
- February and July
Assumed knowledge
Before you start this course, we assume you have sound knowledge of the subject/s listed below. If you don't have the subject knowledge, you can still apply for the course but we strongly encourage you to undertake bridging studies to gain the knowledge:
- English, or Literature, or English and Literature Extension, or English as an Additional Language (Units 3 & 4, C)
Deferment
You can defer your offer and postpone the start of your course for one year.
Select the country where you completed your studies to see a guide to the grades you need to apply for this course.
If your country or qualification is not listed, you can still apply for this course and we will assess your eligibility.
I completed secondary school in Australia
Minimum English language requirements
Select the country where you completed your studies to see a guide on meeting QUT’s English language requirements.
Your scores and prior qualifications in English-speaking countries are considered. Approved English-speaking countries are Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, United States of America and Wales.
If your country or qualification is not listed, you can still apply for this course and we will assess your eligibility.
We accept English language proficiency scores from the following tests undertaken in a secure test centre. Tests must be taken no more than 2 years prior to the QUT course commencement.
| English Test | Overall | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic / One Skill Retake | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
|
Cambridge C1 Advanced
You must share your results with QUT through the Candidate Results Online website. |
176 | 169 | 169 | 169 | 169 |
| PTE Academic | 58 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| TOEFL iBT Australia Test (120 scale) | 79 | 16 | 16 | 21 | 18 |
Don't have the English language score you need? We can help!
We offer English language programs to improve your English and help you gain entry to this course.
When you apply for this course, we will recommend which English course you should enrol in.
Your actual fees may vary depending on which units you choose. We review fees annually, and they may be subject to increases.
2027 fees
2027: Fee available from October
2027 fees
2027: Fee available from July
HECS-HELP: loans to help you pay for your course fees
You may not have to pay anything upfront if you're eligible for a HECS-HELP loan.
You can apply for scholarships to help you with study and living costs.
International Merit Scholarship
A high achievement scholarship for future international undergraduate and postgraduate students.
- Scholarship eligibility
- Academic performance
International Talent Scholarship
A new scholarship for 2026 that covers tuition fees, with eligibility based on your prior academic achievements.
- Scholarship eligibility
- Academic performance
Updates about this course
The Bachelor of Arts (Digital Storytelling for Social Impact) is available from 2027
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