Bachelor of Journalism, News Media, and Communication

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, News Media, and Communication program prepares students for careers in journalism, digital media, and communications. It integrates professional training with a liberal arts education, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of the field and real-world experience through a paid internship.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

• Program Name: Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, News Media, and Communication
• Duration: Four years
• Objectives:
• To provide students with a comprehensive understanding of journalism, news media, and communication practices.
• To equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary for a successful career in journalism, digital media, and communications.
• To integrate professional training with a broad-based liberal arts education, allowing students to draw on a variety of relevant courses in other areas.
• To prepare students for a wide range of professional job-ready skills in research, writing, and critical thinking.
• To provide students with real-world experience through a paid internship.
• Program Description:
• The program is a four-year integrated program across all years of a student's degree.
• It offers students more flexibility in the courses they can take towards their degree.
• It includes the study of traditional areas of journalism like broadcasting and print, as well as digital media, new avenues for journalistic output such as podcasting, and a new focus on strategic communications.
• The redesigned curricula means that the program is up-to-date in terms of the changing landscapes of journalism, digital media, and communications practices.
• The program builds Indigenous Communication Arts and Public Relations courses into the degree, while offering more choice of electives to encourage students to take related courses in other subject areas.
• All undergraduate students complete a paid 13-week internship as part of the program.

Teaching:

• Teaching Methods:
• The program utilizes a variety of teaching methods, including lectures, seminars, workshops, and hands-on projects.
• Students have access to special facilities, including a broadcast studio, studios for radio and podcasting, as well as editing suites.
• The program also maintains a supply of up-to-date equipment for students to use in their work.
• Faculty:
• The faculty members have decades of experience and training in journalism and communications.
• Some courses are taught by working journalists and communications experts, which adds to the professional experience in the classroom.

Careers:

• Potential Career Paths:
• Staff writer
• Reporter
• Multimedia specialist
• Social media manager
• Photojournalist
• Investigative journalist
• Documentary maker
• Media relations specialist
• Communications specialist
• Public relations specialist
• Opportunities:
• Graduates have found work at CBC, CTV, Global, Postmedia, and in communications departments from non-profits and small businesses to large corporations and government.
• Outcomes:
• Graduates will have a wide range of professional job-ready skills in research, writing, and critical thinking.
• Graduates will have a strong grounding in the liberal arts.

Other:

• Program Focus: The program focuses on the creation and distribution of news and related commentary via print and electronic media such as newspapers, magazines, news websites, podcasts, and social media sites, as well as through radio, TV, and webcasts.
• Communications Focus: The program also focuses on general writing and communication skills, including public relations, media relations, crisis management, event promotion, message positioning, and social media.
• Course Examples:
• JRN 100 - Introduction to Journalism and Democracy
• JRN 200 - Introduction to Digital News Writing
• JRN 202 - Investigative Journalism
• JRN 482 - Indigenous People and the Press
• Program Strengths:
• The program integrates professional training with a broad-based liberal arts education.
• The program provides students with real-world experience through a paid internship.
• The program is taught by experienced faculty members and working professionals.