Watch enough old sci-fi movies, and one thing soon becomes clear: humans aren’t that great at predicting what technology will look like in the future.
Take the 1982 classic Blade Runner, which is set in an imaginary 2019 filled with synthetic humans, flying cars and interstellar colonies. While some of its tech predictions are close to coming true (we do have intelligent robots now, though thankfully we can still spot them pretty easily), most telling is not what’s in the movie, but what it missed – meaning there’s not a smartphone or wifi hotspot in sight.
The lesson? In an era of unprecedented technological growth and change, the biggest impacts to our daily lives are likely to be the ones we couldn’t have imagined just a few decades ago. Which raises a key question for our next generation of workers: how do you prepare for a digital future that’s changing right in front of you?
Professor Lorelle Frazer, who heads USC’s School of Business and Creative Industries, says the answer requires a focus on the core skills that drive the digital information age: things like complex problem solving, creativity, strategic thinking, and entrepreneurship.
These foundational skills are at the heart of a range of degrees designed to prepare students for a digital economy that appears to be travelling at warp speed.
In the Bachelor of Business, students who major in Digital Futures will explore emerging business trends like strategic social media, new financing models and venture creation, with a focus on the opportunities for digital transformation in Australia’s small-to-medium business sector.
And amidst growing concern around the impacts of artificial intelligence and automation, new degrees in Computer Science and Mechatronic Engineering are designed teach students the deeper 'how and why' of technology. In short, forget about robots or computers coming to take your job – instead, make it your job to design, build and improve the robots and automated systems of the future.
Find a digital degree
Undergraduate Certificate
- Undergraduate Certificate in Allied Health Assistance
- Undergraduate Certificate in Animal Ecology
- Undergraduate Certificate in Community Services
- Undergraduate Certificate in Digital Business
- Undergraduate Certificate in Education (Early Childhood)
- Undergraduate Certificate in Education (Primary)
- Undergraduate Certificate in Engineering Design
- Undergraduate Certificate in Game Design
- Undergraduate Certificate in Health
- Undergraduate Certificate in Health Promotion Foundations
- Undergraduate Certificate in Interactive Media
- Undergraduate Certificate in Legal Studies
- Undergraduate Certificate in Nutrition
- Undergraduate Certificate in Small Business
- Undergraduate Certificate in Social Media
Diploma
- Diploma in Allied Health Assistance
- Diploma in Animal Ecology
- Diploma in Business
- Diploma in Business Innovation
- Diploma in Communication
- Diploma in Creative Industries
- Diploma in Criminology and Justice
- Diploma in Education Studies (Early Childhood)
- Diploma in Education Studies (Primary)
- Diploma in General Studies
- Diploma in Outdoor Environmental Studies
- Diploma in Science and Technology
- Diploma in Social and Human Services
- Diploma in Social Science
Associate Degree
Bachelor Degree
- Bachelor of Animal Ecology
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Biomedical Science
- Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Accelerated)
- Bachelor of Business
- Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology
- Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting)
- Bachelor of Communication
- Bachelor of Computer Science
- Bachelor of Counselling
- Bachelor of Creative Industries
- Bachelor of Criminology and Justice
- Bachelor of Design
- Bachelor of Dietetics (Honours)
- Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood)
- Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) (Honours)
- Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical and Electronic) (Honours)
- Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) (Honours)
- Bachelor of Engineering (Mechatronic) (Honours)
- Bachelor of Environmental Management
- Bachelor of Environmental Science
- Bachelor of Health Science
- Bachelor of Human Services
- Bachelor of Information and Communications Technology
- Bachelor of International Studies
- Bachelor of Laws
- Bachelor of Laws (Graduate Entry)
- Bachelor of Medical Science
- Bachelor of Midwifery
- Bachelor of Music
- Bachelor of Nursing Science
- Bachelor of Nursing Science (Graduate Entry)
- Bachelor of Nutrition
- Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours)
- Bachelor of Paramedicine
- Bachelor of Primary Education
- Bachelor of Prosthetics and Orthotics
- Bachelor of Recreation and Outdoor Environmental Studies
- Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology)
- Bachelor of Social Work
- Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science
- Bachelor of Sports Studies
- Bachelor of Urban Design and Town Planning (Honours)
Combined Degree
- Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Business
- Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Business / Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting)
- Bachelor of Business / Bachelor of Communication
- Bachelor of Business / Bachelor of Creative Industries
- Bachelor of Business / Bachelor of Criminology and Justice
- Bachelor of Business / Bachelor of Design
- Bachelor of Business / Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Business / Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology)
- Bachelor of Counselling / Bachelor of Human Services
- Bachelor of Education (Secondary) / Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Education (Secondary) / Bachelor of Recreation and Outdoor Environmental Studies
- Bachelor of Education (Secondary) / Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) (Honours) / Bachelor of Environmental Science
- Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Business
- Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting)
- Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Criminology and Justice
- Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Environmental Management
- Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) / Bachelor of Counselling
- Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) / Bachelor of Criminology and Justice
- Bachelor of Social Work / Bachelor of Criminology and Justice
Honours
- Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
- Bachelor of Business (Honours)
- Bachelor of Commerce (Honours)
- Bachelor of Communication (Honours)
- Bachelor of Creative Industries (Honours)
- Bachelor of Criminology and Justice (Honours)
- Bachelor of Dietetics (Honours)
- Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) (Honours)
- Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) (Honours) / Bachelor of Environmental Science
- Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical and Electronic) (Honours)
- Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) (Honours)
- Bachelor of Midwifery (Honours)
- Bachelor of Nursing Science (Honours)
- Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours)
- Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)
- Bachelor of Science (Honours)
- Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) (Honours)
- Bachelor of Urban Design and Town Planning (Honours)
Graduate Certificate
- Graduate Certificate in Aged Care
- Graduate Certificate in Applied Support Work
- Graduate Certificate in Business Administration
- Graduate Certificate in Business Innovation and Leadership
- Graduate Certificate in Business Research
- Graduate Certificate in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
- Graduate Certificate in Cyber Forensics
- Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security
- Graduate Certificate in Data Science
- Graduate Certificate in Education
- Graduate Certificate in Education Research
- Graduate Certificate in Health Promotion
- Graduate Certificate in Health Sector Leadership
- Graduate Certificate in Information and Communications Technology
- Graduate Certificate in International Development
- Graduate Certificate in Management
- Graduate Certificate in Marine Science
- Graduate Certificate in Mental Health and Neuroscience
- Graduate Certificate in Nursing
- Graduate Certificate in Steiner Education
Graduate Diploma
Master Degree
- Executive Master of Business Administration
- Master of Business Administration (Extended)
- Master of Business Administration / Master of International Business
- Master of Business Administration MBA
- Master of Counselling
- Master of Cyber Security and Forensics
- Master of Education
- Master of Health Promotion
- Master of Information and Communications Technology
- Master of International Business
- Master of International Development
- Master of Management
- Master of Nursing (Clinical Leadership)
- Master of Professional Accounting MPA
- Master of Professional Psychology
- Master of Psychology (Clinical)
- Master of Social Work (Qualifying)
- Master of Teaching (Primary)
- Master of Teaching (Secondary)
Higher Degree by Research
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Master of Arts
- Master of Business by Research
- Master of Climate Change Adaptation by Research
- Master of Creative Arts
- Master of Education by Research
- Master of Regional Planning by Research
- Master of Science
- Master of Social Work by Research
- Master of Sport and Exercise Science by Research
- Master of Sports Nutrition by Research
Professor Frazer says that across all degrees, the focus is on helping students develop what futurist Alvin Toffler referred to as the literacy of the future – the ability to adapt skills and knowledge to suit a changing world, and to constantly “learn, unlearn and re-learn” again.
“In an increasingly digital world, new and emerging technologies will continue to revolutionise the way we do business,” Professor Frazer says.
“The landscape changes rapidly, to the extent that some of our most dominant technologies – things like the iPhone, Uber and the streaming side of the Netflix business model – have only been around for a little over a decade.
“This makes it difficult to know exactly what the global marketplace will look like in another 20 or 30 years, or which products and platforms we’ll be using to take part in it.
“But what we do know are the fundamental skills and strategies that underpin digital growth, and how we can use these to harness opportunities and help drive innovation into the future.”

Chris Raine
Using data to drive social change.

More future careers
Explore more future careers.

Explore your study options
Get yourself ready for the future.