BA Comm (Pub.Com) isn't a bad course - in first year you start off with a core set of theory which involves studying the media, australian politics and social change, western colonial history, cultural studies (anthropology, gender studies and textual studies etc.) and communication processes. You will also do two practical subjects which involve the composition and writing of professional non-creative pieces, and editing them.
In later years you'd be studying advertising or public relations (or both, if you so choose); involving four subjects from one of these strands - which includes a professional attachment with a company.
To my knowledge, the CSU course has a much better reputation and more professional development - however if you want to stay in Sydney then this may be the best of the arts based PR/Advertising courses for you to take. It should also be remembered that arts based and business/commerce based PR/Advertising courses are different, so this course isn't really comparable to say a BBus (Advertising).
If you decide to add International Studies, you will study a subject comparing politics and social change on a more global scale, a subject dedicated to exploring the culture of your given country and then your study of your chosen language. Once you've reached your fourth year you'll go overseas to the country you have chosen. UTS offers International Studies in the areas of France, Canada (Quebec), Switzerland, Germany, Chile, China, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, USA (California, Arizona, Texas and Florida), Mexico, Spain and Thailand. You can also make arrangements to do further exchange to extend your time in those countries.
Either way, if you do the single or double, then you still get between four and six subjects that you can use on anything as well.
Essentially:
- CSU has a better course (possibly the best in the country) but its not in Sydney and doesn't have the same travel opportunities. You also get next to no choice in subjects. You'd also get to combine with a Business degree which would be fairly beneficial. It also as a very flexible entry scheme which involves submission of essays rather than the UAI.
- UTS has the most travel opportunities, has an extremely convenient location, has a good advertising/PR major but again, apart from those electives, doesn't have much choice in subjects.
- USYD has a (relatively) convenient location and there are some travel opportunities if you keep your grades high. Its media major is very generalised and has less recognition among the industry and has maybe one PR subject as part of its Media/Comm major. However you get a huge amount of electives to spend on other subjects as a result, which means you could major in almost anything - including advertising or marketing from the commerce faculty. Which is a fairly large plus.
- MQ is in Sydney but unless you live in the north, then it isn't very convenient to get to. There are also plenty of travel opportunities through their GLP program. Unfortunately you can only do a sub-major in PR, however you get quite a few electives that you can use on anything (though not quite as many as in the USYD degree - similar premise though). Its UAI is also lower than that of either UTS or USYD.