English and New Media Studies Major - Bachelor of Arts

If you love writing and using digital and social media to communicate, the English and New Media Studies major can help you turn your passion into a rewarding career.

Social media, the internet and digital technologies have massively changed how we communicate. There’s high demand for people who can communicate across different digital and social media channels – from blogs to wikis and web pages.

You’ll develop skills in web-based writing, theories of language, digital media, storytelling, language and culture, information and communication technologies, online research, new literatures, and digital performance.


This is part of the Bachelor of Arts.

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You'll learn how language is linked to power and how to communicate powerfully and persuasively. Many assessments are submitted in new media, including enhanced podcasts, videos, blogs and webpages.

Core papers

All students in the Bachelor of Arts complete core papers that cover effective communication, critical thinking and other transferable skills you'll need for your future career. For a list of core papers refer to the Bachelor of Arts overview.

Bachelor of Arts

English and New Media Studies papers

Papers you could take over your three years of study include:
ENGL500 Contemporary Language Studies
ENGL502 Reading New Zealand
ENGL600 Literature/Desire
ENGL601 Language and Communication
ENGL602 Popular Genres
ENGL700 Global English
ENGL701 New Literatures
ENGL702 Modern Rhetoric

Additional/Elective Papers

CLSY501 Film Club: Flashforward
ENGL501 Critical Media Studies
ENGL503 A Pacific Reader
LNGT601 Methodology of Language Teaching
LNGT602 Classroom Practice
COMM651 WeSpeak: Pronunciation, Phonology and Effective Communication
ENGL603 Language in Society
COMM701 Graduate Academic Writing
COMM702 Graduate Oral Communication
LNGT701 Focus on Language Teaching

Workplace experience

Workplace experience (the Work Integrated Learning paper) is the final part of your degree and takes a full semester. This is a supervised work placement related to your major(s), for an organisation of your choice.

Recent placements included:

  • United Nations Association of New Zealand
  • Global Gurus
  • Namseoul University
  • Citizens Advice Bureau
  • Gaming narrative designer
  • Virtual and augmented reality content producers
  • Immersia Ltd
  • Booktrack, San Francisco
  • Social media management
  • Web content management
  • Advertising
  • Diplomacy
  • Education
  • Journalism
  • Media
  • Public relations
  • The arts and cultural industries
  • Trade
  • Travel and tourism
  • Gaming narrative designer
  • Virtual and augmented reality content producers
English-and-New-Media-A4-21-10-15.jpg

Find out more about industry trends, job descriptions and what employers may be looking for.

English & New Media Careers

Key features
  • Communicate effectively through podcasts, prezis and blogs, wikis and webpages
  • Only major of its kind in New Zealand
  • Develop an e-portfolio to show your achievements
  • Workplace experience in your final semester
See yourself as
  • Innovative
  • Media informed
  • Connected and confident in the digital world
  • A communicator and writer
Jason Jia Wang
Hayley Burrows
Nick Jones
Jason Jia Wang
Great graduatesJason Jia WangLecturer/Deputy Director of the Business English Major Administration Office, Faculty of Language and Law, Tianjin University Renai College, Tianjin City, ChinaBachelor of ArtsHis biggest achievement is the number of university graduates he trains every year, says AUT alumnus Jason Jia Wang who is now a lecturer in Tianjin, China.His biggest achievement is the number of university graduates he trains every year, says AUT alumnus Jason Jia Wang who is now a lecturer in the Faculty of Language and Law at Tianjin University Renai College in China. Jason initially came to AUT to study business, graduating with a Bachelor of Business in Accounting, followed by a Bachelor of Arts in English and New Media Studies.
Hayley Burrows
Great graduatesHayley BurrowsSenior PR Account Manager/Head of Social Media, Lassoo Media & PRPostgraduate Diploma in Communication Studies
Bachelor of ArtsWhen she visited the City Campus she knew AUT was the university for her, says Hayley Burrows who studied a Bachelor of Arts in English and New Media Studies.As soon as she visited the AUT City Campus she knew AUT was the university for her, says Hayley Burrows who studied a Bachelor of Arts in English and New Media Studies. Now working as a senior PR account manager and head of social media for Lassoo Media & PR, Hayley loves the variety of her role.
Nick Jones
Great graduatesNick Jones Freelance Narrative Designer / Teaching Assistant, AUTMaster of English and New Media Studies
Bachelor of ArtsIf you want to be on the cutting edge of technology, entertainment and linguistics, English and new media studies is a great choice, says Nick Jones.If you want to be on the cutting edge of technology, entertainment and linguistics, English and new media studies is a great choice, says Nick Jones. The interactive learning environment has been one of the highlights of his studies. For his master’s degree, he researched non-linear storytelling and storytelling in relation to virtual reality. He loved that he could apply the findings from his research to his work as a narrative designer.

The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.

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