BCSC – Bachelor of Communication Studies
BCSC 100
Grammar and Composition Foundations
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In this course, students learn how to write with clarity and precision, and to communicate successfully with a variety of audiences. Building on an understanding of traditional grammar, students examine the relationship between language structures and the expression of an author’s intentions. By studying various writers and genres, students learn to identify and manipulate sentence elements to produce clarity, drama, power and other rhetorical effects. They also consider how media, technology and culture are influencing language and writing in general and grammar in particular.
BCSC 101
Interpersonal Communication
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course introduces students to basic concepts and principles of human communication and interaction. It includes an examination of processes of communication in three common communication settings: interpersonal relationships, group gatherings and public gatherings. Other topics to be covered include nonverbal communication, listening, and public speaking.
BCSC 102
Introduction to Visual Communication
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In this course, students communicate using visuals. Evaluating historical and contemporary examples of visual communication, students assess the meaning and impact of visual design. Students identify elements of visual communication design and evaluate their effect on message creation and interpretation. They develop skill in the basic functions of key digital applications widely used today for creating and combining text, photos and graphics files. Students leave the course with the knowledge and digital skills needed to start collaborating on communication projects.
BCSC 200
Communication Theory
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Students survey major theoretical perspectives and contemporary research in communication. The course examines historical and current political, social and economic contexts in the study of communication, including the contributions of Canadian thinkers. Theory is demystified, and students develop an appreciation of the intellectual traditions in communication research through the study of key concepts, models and issues.
BCSC 201
Foundations of Journalism
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course introduces students to Canadian news media through the historical development of the craft, business practices and technological elements of journalism. It also introduces students to professional and business practices of the field from the earliest news sheets to the modern international online news services, and explores key concepts and issues facing the craft and the business of journalism today.
BCSC 202
Online Communication
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Online communication and social media has drastically changed the way journalists and communications professionals engage their audiences. From self-publication tools to emerging social media platforms, students examine and experience how the public, journalists, and communications professionals use various online strategies to achieve a wide variety of goals. The course connects traditional mass media to the practices and issues of emerging technologies and tools. Students are introduced to information architecture through user behaviours and site features.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 102.
BCSC 203
Introduction to Research Methods
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course introduces quantitative and qualitative research methods including empirical research, ethnography, narrative analysis, and phenomenology within the context of communication research questions. Specifically, students learn to evaluate secondary sources, gather accurate and meaningful information from primary sources through methods such as surveys, and examine the concepts of reliability, validity, generalizability, and professional ethics.Students complete a research project.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in ENGL 102.
BCSC 204
Foundations in Sustainability Communication
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In the spirit of our namesake, Dr. J.W. Grant MacEwan, and our university’s focus on sustainability, this course introduces fundamental concepts in human communication about our natural environments in the face of rising ecological, social and economic threats to the sustainability of the Earth’s ecosystems, all life on it and the societies we have created. Students will explore how human communication constructs the environment and our relationships to it, and apply strategies appropriate to creating and disseminating messages about sustainability. They will study and apply ethical considerations in sustainability communication, including the role of advocacy in scholarship and practice. Also, students will provide critical evaluations of sustainability messages in diverse fields, while building a foundation to create their own sustainability communications.
BCSC 205
Introduction to Film Studies and Narrative
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course is designed to acquaint students with the history of narrative film, with the fundamentals of how film communicates ideas, generates narratives, and evokes emotions, and with various other kinds of cinema including documentary and animated film. It also aims to enable students to watch films more closely so that their viewing will become more active and hence, a richer experience. Note: Credit can be obtained in only one of BCSC 205 OR ENGL 288.
Prerequisites: ENGL 102 and either 3 credits of ENGL (not including ENGL 108, ENGL 111, or ENGL 211) or any 100-200 level BCSC course.
BCSC 206
Introduction to Audio and Video
3 Credits 45-0-0
Audio and video content are increasingly popular forms of communication for online audiences. This course builds on skills learnt in BCSC 102, and students are introduced to the necessary tools and skills to create audio and video content for an online audience. In this course, students learn basic audio and video editing skills on industry-standard editing software. They learn how to capture audio and video on professional and mobile recording equipment, and learn about production workflow management in digital communication. By examining historical and contemporary examples of audio and video communication, students develop both the technical and soft skills necessary to succeed in the modern communication landscape. They develop skills in the basic functions of key digital applications widely used today for creating audio and video content. Students leave the course with basic knowledge and digital skills needed to create audio and video content for projects and have a basic understanding of how to manage audio and video campaigns.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 102.
BCSC 207
Documentary Film Principles and Practices
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course explores what the term documentary film means and examines the ways its forms and ethics have changed since the beginning of cinema. It focuses on nonfiction narrative films that work with and against documentary realism's claims of transparency and authenticity. Students examine documentary cinema from its beginnings in the 1920s through the 1980s, concentrating especially on Canadian/U.S and European filmmakers. Students are introduced to a wide variety of documentary forms so they can see how these films variously re-present significant social phenomenon. Students examine how these representations express particular perspectives and worldviews and how they reflect or self-reflexively comment on documentary realist techniques. Students explore some of the theoretical questions that constantly surround this most philosophical of film: How do these films shape notions of truth, reality and point of view? What are the ethics and politics of representation and who speaks for whom when we watch a documentary? What do documentaries make visible or conceal? What, if anything, constitutes objectivity?.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 205 or ENGL 288.
BCSC 210
Introduction to News Reporting
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course introduces the practice of news reporting and the principles of writing a news story. Students focus on the reporter's core skills and abilities: story development and research, the interview, verifying facts, handling quotations and writing for publication in the variety of contemporary news media. The standards of accuracy, fairness, balance and journalistic responsibility are emphasized. Discussions include the role of the journalist as a purveyor of news and an arbiter of social issues, and the rapidly changing face of the news business.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 100.
BCSC 211
News Production Process
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course examines the aesthetics and design principles of news production for both print, online and other publications. A central focus throughout the course is the ways in which new technologies are transforming news reporting and publishing and the opportunities and challenges arising from these new technologies. Working in a hands-on learning environment, students prepare stories for publication in a number of mediums, paying particular attention to how a story changes as it migrates to different platforms. The impact of clear writing, effective visual and multimedia elements will also be explored.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 102 and BCSC 210.
BCSC 215
Proofreading and Copyediting
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In this course, students learn to use the tools and resources necessary to copyedit and proofread at a professional standard. Students learn to distinguish proofreading from copyediting, increase the speed and accuracy of their editing, and select and follow an appropriate style guide for a particular project. They also examine some of the larger issues in professional editing: authorial intention versus editorial responsibility, in-house versus freelance employment, copyright, professional conduct and ethics, and the importance of deadlines in the publishing process.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 100.
BCSC 216
Professional Communication
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Professional communication is a new and evolving field that considers information and the way it is created, distributed, managed and consumed. In this course, students learn and apply the theories of professional communication. They analyze information and develop strategies and techniques for internal and external communication. Considering print and oral formats but with a focus on digital formats, students plan, execute, and evaluate communication, then adapt their practice to meet dynamic and evolving organizational or institutional needs. Recent trends will be considered, contributing to students' understanding of the context of professional communication. Throughout, students explore what constitutes professionalism and ethical practice in the context of contemporary professional communications.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 101.
BCSC 221
Writing to be Heard
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In this course, students learn to write for the ear. They closely examine speeches and presentations for key messages and persuasive technique, then prepare and deliver a presentation or speech. Theories of writing and listening are applied as students determine communication objectives, write and rehearse a speech or presentation that engages, inspires and motivates an audience. By the end of this course, they offer constructive, critical analysis of the content and delivery of a speech or a presentation.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 100.
BCSC 223
Introduction to Screenwriting
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Students are introduced to writing for film, television and video productions. Screenwriting genres are examined and students work with essential elements of a screenplay such as theme, character, story structure, dramatic objectives, conflict and resolution, scene creation and sequencing, the relationship between audio and video elements, and screenplay formatting. Each student presents a key concept in screenwriting and script analysis, and students exchange feedback in a workshop simulation of the working environment of a story department in a production studio.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 100, or BCSC 205, or ENGL 288.
BCSC 241
Introduction to Technical Communication
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course introduces students to the many professional contexts in which technical communicators practise. By considering various elements of technical communication and communication theory, students learn and practise adapting specialized information for global audiences, and expert and non-expert audiences. Students also examine professional ethics required of technical communicators and the potential consequences of unethical practice.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 200.
BCSC 253
Classical and Modern Rhetoric
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Students use tools of persuasion to build arguments on a variety of topics. They learn to construct written arguments and arrange those arguments in effective and appropriate patterns. Looking at persuasive techniques going back to the Ancient Greeks, students search for and evaluate similar strategies in contemporary texts. By the end of this course, they understand the ethical, aesthetic and political dimensions of persuasion.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 100.
BCSC 260
Substantive and Structural Editing
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In this course, students examine the objectives and techniques of stylistic, structural, and developmental editing by working through large, complex projects. Throughout the course, students engage with editorial and rhetorical theory, refining their editorial skills and applying independent critical analysis to scenarios involving print and online publishing.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 215 or PROW 135.
BCSC 282
Short Written Forms
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In this course, students expand their creativity and problem-solving skills to address writing and editing contexts requiring tightly written prose. They study the history and context of short forms and develop potent samples, relying on scholarship and accurate and effective audience analysis, diction, structure, tone and form. Students learn to produce tight, effective prose that communicates in few words with great power.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 100.
BCSC 302
Online Content Production
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Professional communicators are increasingly required to create content for online audiences. Building on BCSC 202, this course challenges students to plan, research, pitch and create content for online audiences using digital tools. Students will create project-specific content that requires audience analysis, online research, creating visual assets, creating audio assets, creating video assets, and authoring metadata, while drawing on communication fundamentals applied effectively and ethically across a global, multi-channel environment.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 202.
BCSC 303
Popular Culture and Film Studies: Film Noir
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
The course explores the popular trend of film noir by way of an in-depth examination of the components of noir: its thematic predispositions, its misanthropic narratives, and its stylized visuals; the course explores the interrelation of noir and the zeitgeist, including, political structure, social structure, interpersonal relationships, identity, and sexuality. Students explore noir’s contribution to “feminist film” theory, “queer film” theory and character-based psychoanalytic readings. Cultural forms from diverse consumer media are discussed and analyzed, including, but not exclusive to, the novel, short story and the serialized novel, comic books and comics in newspapers, episodes, series and miniseries for television, and other related media from the popular press, the Internet, and social media. Additionally, particular attention is focused on the construction of film images, dialogue, editing, sound, and the varied modes of organizing core elements in the modern history of film noir.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 205 or ENGL 288.
BCSC 305
Popular Culture and Film Studies: Science Fiction
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course informs students about the history of popular themes in the genre of science fiction. In addition to an in-depth examination of thematic developments of science fiction, course content explores the interrelation of cultural forms from diverse consumer media, including, but not exclusive to, the novel, short story and the serialized novel, comic books and comics in newspapers, musical songs and concept albums, dramatic plays, musicals and opera, feature and experimental films, episodes, series and miniseries for television, and other related media from the popular press, the Internet, and social media. Students examine concepts and concerns central to film and media studies, including the construction of film images, dialogue and editing; film narrative, genre, authorship, national cinemas, and canon construction.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 205 or ENGL 288.
BCSC 306
Ethical Practice and Portfolio
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course examines common ethical and practical considerations as students prepare to enter the workplace. Students reflect on the knowledge and skills they have gained in their classroom study and explore their readiness to work. They then apply their skills and interests to identify employment opportunities and develop employment materials. The ultimate goal of the course is to develop a portfolio to present to internship employers.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 301 or BCSC 307.
BCSC 307
Communication Law I
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
The law affects every aspect of a professional writer’s career in Canada, from determining the rights one possesses in one’s work, to defending one’s freedom of expression guaranteed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In this course, students examine how the Canadian constitution, legislation and jurisprudence interact to delineate the boundaries of a writer’s legal rights and obligations within the scope of contemporary communication technologies. Students will also gain a practical understanding of the legal aspects of freelance writing for a living, and the law as it relates to copyright, contracts, and defamation.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 200.
BCSC 308
Communication Law II
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course expands upon the foundational legal groundwork provided in the BCSC 307: Communication Law I - Introduction. It starts with a “ground up” examination of civil and criminal procedure before the courts before moving to a practical lesson in conducting legal research and reading and understanding court cases. Communication Law II then explores the legal boundaries of freedom of expression, studying how courts weigh the right of free speech against the harm caused by different forms of expression, including hate speech and obscenity. The course will also engender a deeper understanding of the professional responsibilities a career writer has, toward not only individuals who can be affected by the publication of a written work, but to society as a whole.
Prerequisites: A minimum grades of C- in BCSC 200 and in BCSC 307 or BCSC 301.
BCSC 310
Strategic Communication Planning
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In this course, students gain critical information, insights and skills in strategic communication research and planning. They learn to apply research and planning skills in solving communication issues or problems. They also learn how to apply situation analysis (e.g., S.W.O.T - Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats) and audience analysis (e.g., demographics, psychographics, knowledge, concerns) as part of the strategic communication planning process. Students gain crucial experience in crafting key messages as well as writing and presenting formal strategic communication plans that are vital to advancing organizational interests and goals.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 216.
BCSC 313
Intermediate News Reporting
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Building on the fundamentals of news reporting, this course emphasizes journalism basics – thorough research, effective interviewing, and clear, concise writing – as the foundation of good news production. Students confront increasingly challenging story assignments as they take their ideas from pitch to production. The course will also explore new ways of multimedia storytelling and community engagement. Journalistic ethical standards are examined in complex, real-world case studies.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 210 and BCSC 322.
BCSC 320
News, Media and Democracy: Understanding Information in the 21st-Century
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course focuses on media criticism from the late 19th century to today, from the founders of communication studies at the University of Chicago in the 1890s to critical analyses of the current state of the news media, and the uses of social media as conduits for strategic communication disguised as objective reporting. The aim is to develop a level of media literacy and critical thinking that will enable students to understand the workings not just of the traditional media, but the alternatives as well, and to understand how misinformation is placed into the public discourse, capitalizing on a new understanding of targeted marketing, psychological manipulation and behaviour modification.
BCSC 322
Interviewing Techniques
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In this course, students hone their interviewing skills and gain self-confidence through assignments of increasing complexity. Of central importance is to instil in the student a sense of professionalism and proper interview etiquette. Topics include pre-interview planning and research, types of interviews, interview principles and techniques, choosing and attributing sources, and producing interviews for multimedia platforms. Legal and ethical responsibilities of a journalist are also covered.
Prerequisites: BCSC 100.
BCSC 323
Photojournalism
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Journalism includes the special talents of photojournalism, telling the news story through compelling and meaning-filled images. This course focusses on the photojournalist's research into and interpretation of the news story, planning and taking of photographs. On completion of this course, students are able to engage a reader and arouse emotion as they combine the reporter’s skill and photographic technique with creative effort to report the news through a journalistic lens.
Prerequisites: BCSC 210.
BCSC 325
Radio News and Documentaries
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course explores narrative construction in a variety of radio story formats in news and current affairs, including documentary. Students examine sound theory, paying close attention to how sound constructs meaning for the listening audience. They develop competencies in professional and technical skills unique to the medium, including radio interviewing skills, broadcast writing conventions, audio recording and editing, voice delivery, news and radio show lineup, and podcasting practices.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 210.
BCSC 326
Rhetoric of Popular Culture
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Students critique popular culture as a form of rhetoric, deconstructing its arguments and their social and commercial effects. They apply rhetorical theory in major pop culture contexts and investigate the effects of current media and communications convergence on the forms and content of popular culture. The course contrasts pop culture derived from mainstream and alternative media, and examines hierarchies of cultural forms, assessing the significant of "high" and "low" culture. Ultimately, students develop the ability to overlay rhetorical principles onto pop culture media to create powerful tools for change and control.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 253.
BCSC 327
Online News Reporting: Journalism in the Digital Age
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course examines the gathering and production of news and information for an Internet audience. It builds on the reporting, editing and writing skills students have developed in basic reporting, and intermediate reporting, and adds web-specific methods of research, storytelling and news presentation. Students also examine new-media ethics, process and production, and the evolving impact of technology – such as fake news, fact-verification and user-generated content.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 313.
BCSC 328
Documentary Screenwriting
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course focuses on the theory and practice of writing documentary screenplays for cinema, television, and digital platforms. It also explores the history of this genre. Students examine historical and contemporary documentaries, emphasizing Canadian productions and their influence on the documentary form. Students also consider the ethical decisions requiring filmmakers to align their messages with information, fact and reality. A brief survey of treatments and functions of a documentary (such as training and education, political, social activist, and cultural and art-house films and videos) provides the foundation for a story idea and treatment, industry-standard outline and professional shooting script that students will develop in this course.
Prerequisites: A Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 223, or BCSC 205, or ENGL 288.
BCSC 330
Intermediate Strategic Communication
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course focuses on the implementation phase of a strategic communication project or campaign with an emphasis on tactics. Using case studies as a foundation, students examine an organization’s goals and propose a communications plan to ensure communication effectiveness. Students explore a range of communication tools, both conventional and emerging, and reflect on the implementation process from the perspective of various communication theories.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 310.
BCSC 331
Corporate Narrative
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In this course, students examine the types of organizational ‘storytelling’ with a strategic role and function in communications planning. Students explore narrative theory and apply its concepts to organizational communications and strategies. As students case-study organizational narratives and develop the ability to identify and capture memorable, innovative and effective stories, they will translate stories into design and media products, including multimedia, reports, social media content, and presentations for the organization’s audiences.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 216.
BCSC 332
Writing and Publishing Prose I
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Students develop knowledge of the theory and skills in the practice of writing prose for publication. Students read and write widely in prose forms and genres, with an emphasis on literary fiction and creative nonfiction. Students develop the knowledge and skills to publish their work through recognized national and international platforms.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 100 and in one of English 103, 104, or 105.
BCSC 340
Technical Communication for Digital Applications
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In this course, students become familiar with software development processes and learn about technical communication documentation for custom digital applications and commercial software. Students determine the characteristics of successful documentation for digital applications, including procedural, tutorial, and reference materials for internal and external audiences, and online user assistance such as help, guided tours, and in-depth articles. They examine options in methodology, with an emphasis on task orientation, and discuss how the fast-changing and multi-platform nature of this field affects their tasks. Students replicate a full digital application documentation project cycle, organizing a development team, producing a documentation plan including user analysis, assessing the effectiveness of their documentation through usability tests, creating and presenting a prototype print version, and developing appropriate online user assistance functions.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 241.
BCSC 341
Literary Journalism
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Students explore the history and structure of literary journalism, reading past and present examples of the genre, as well as essays on the craft. Through their readings, students will dissect the narrative and the extensive research that drives it. Students will analyze the genre's origins and future; definitive characteristics, techniques and styles; social, artistic and political influences; ethical and professional issues.
BCSC 342
Writing for Periodicals
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Whether in print or online, the editorial content of periodicals comprises various forms of articles. Students learn the forms and ingredients of articles written for newspapers, magazines, and newsletters in local, regional, and national contexts. Starting with editorial and readership analysis, students embark on the article-writing process: they shape topics into story ideas, identify appropriate primary sources, carry out interviews, and incorporate the formal elements of article writing into publishable copy. Students also consider the market for print and online periodicals in both a Canadian and a North American context, examine the effects of media ownership on magazine publishing, and, throughout the course, examine the ethical issues that arise in the periodical industry.
BCSC 343
Introducing Creative Nonfiction
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In creative nonfiction, writing the human experience meets art and truth. In this course, students examine the literary forms of creative nonfiction, including the personal essay, literary diaries, and memoir, and the sub-genres of creative nonfiction, including literary travel writing, nature writing, science writing, and cultural criticism. Students also look at current and emerging trends in the genre. By reading extensively and broadly, analyzing what they read with a particular focus on the theory and craft of writing creative nonfiction, students gain a broad understanding of what is sometimes known as the fourth genre. Note: Credit can be obtained in only one of BCSC 343, CRWR 399, or CRWR 306.
Prerequisites: Minimum grades of C- in BCSC 100 and in one of ENGL 103, ENGL 104, or in ENGL 105.
BCSC 352
The Media and the Message
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In this course, students examine media relations from both theoretic and applied perspectives. They learn to place media relations within the communicative frameworks of identity, image, and reputation; risk, issues, and crises; and various definitions of the public sphere. They analyze the effects of media logic upon an organization’s choice of message channel, so as to formulate strong recommendations and effective key messages. Overall, the course provides the student with a deeper understanding of the power, ethics, and responsibilities of the student's future role as a professional participant within today’s complex media ecology.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 100.
BCSC 360
Magazine Editing
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Building on skills learned in previous editing courses, students model professional practice in developing the prospectus for a potential magazine. Students examine elements of magazine editing from editorial vision through published pages. Throughout the course, students apply creative processes in a team setting and provide constructive criticism of their own and others' work.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 260.
BCSC 361
Book Editing
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Students develop as editors by investigating the field of book editing in the context of commercial publishing. They consider the evolution of North American book culture and contrast it with that of other Western societies. Students analyze current issues in book editing as they examine the processes of publishing a book, from manuscript acquisition and development to retail purchase, with an emphasis on Canadian publishing. Throughout the course, students continue to improve their editing knowledge, judgment, and skills through readings, discussions, exercises, written assignments, and guest speakers.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 260.
BCSC 362
Print Culture Studies
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Students survey the development of print-based communication and critically analyze the cultural context of books, magazines, and newspapers as material objects. This surveys includes the history of print technologies; the rise of professional writers; the development of a literate marketplace through mass education; the structure of cultural classes; and the possible disappearance of print in a global society that is embracing digital media and encouraging communication convergence.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 200.
BCSC 365
Editing and Publishing Poetry
3 Credits (3-0-0)
This course examines the enterprise of writing, editing, and publishing poetry. Students examine the economic viability, cultural significance, and resilience of poetry and evaluate how individual poems, poetry volumes, and collected editions may be edited and published most effectively or appropriately. Students read poetry and poetic theory counterposed against readings and discussions about the practical economics of grant funding, journal publishing, and a small pool of readers. Although the focus is on editing, publishing, and the political economy of cultural production, students interested in writing poetry may benefit from the critical reading and broader perspective on their discipline.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 260.
BCSC 379
Public Affairs Data Journalism
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Students explore how journalists find stories in data, and, how visualizing data adds depth and insight for the reader. In this hands-on course, students work like data journalists by collecting and organizing data; then, students apply the tools of analysis to find the facts, trends, and patterns that reveal a story. Principles of data visualization are also discussed as students write and produce a web-based news story complete with information graphics.
BCSC 380
Independent Study in Communications
3 Credits Total (0-0-15)
This course offers third- and fourth-year students the opportunity to explore a topic of interest in depth. With guidance from a faculty adviser, students produce original research, engage in deep reading in a subject area, or undertake creative production. Prior to registration, students must discuss a topic and propose an approach to independent studies with a faculty supervisor. Note: May be taken twice for credit.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 203 and permission.
BCSC 385
Specialized Reporting
3 Credits (3-0-0)
This seminar engages students in the special reporting and editing practices related to specialized beats, such as business and finance, sports, health, science, arts and entertainment, environment, and politics. Course content varies from section to section, and sections will be offered according to contemporary concerns, availability of faculty with the requisite expertise, and student interest. As an outcome to each section, students will be able to demonstrate the application of practical and theoretical knowledge of the beat, through writing, editing and reporting assignments, as well as group projects and, perhaps, research papers. This course will be especially helpful to students who have a specialized career that they wish to pursue.
Prerequisites: Minimum of B- in BCSC 313.
BCSC 395
Professional Field Placement and Practice
3 Credits Total (0-0-180)
Students gain work experience typical of an entry-level professional communicator. Under the guidance of a faculty supervisor, students apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired in their first three years of study to a work situation. Concurrent or following the field placement, students reflect on aspects of professional practice and conduct research into a topic related to their career plans.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 306.
BCSC 397
Digital News Publishing I
3 Credits
Building on the fundamentals of news reporting, students will be immersed in a digital newsroom environment to take their ideas from pitch to publication. As a practice-based course, students will work closely with editors while undertaking regular reporting of the news in Edmonton and surrounding areas. As such, students will complete a portfolio of journalistic work, published as multimedia news packages, that meets or exceeds the ethical and legal standards of digital news production.
Prerequisites: At least a C- in BCSC 102, BCSC 210, and BCSC 322.
BCSC 398
Professional Field Placement
3 Credits Total (0-0-180)
Students gain work experience in tasks and assignments typical of an entry-level journalist or professional communicator. Under the guidance of a faculty supervisor, students apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired in their first three years of study to a work situation. The field placement is a crucial component of the program, integrating theory and practice and demonstrating the values and attitudes acquired through classroom study.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 306.
BCSC 400
Intercultural Communication
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course is designed to examine the principles and processes of communicating from one culture to another. Students will identify and assess the major challenges presented by intercultural interactions both at home and abroad. These challenges include developing cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, and intercultural communication competence. Students will apply what they have learned in developing strategies and skills to communicate effectively with people from other cultures, a capability that is critical in the increasingly culturally diverse workplace and globalized society.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 200.
BCSC 411
Advanced Research Methods
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In this course, students build on skills and knowledge acquired in the introductory research course and expand their applied knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research. The course covers at a senior level the principles and ethics of scientific inquiry, hypothesis construction, research design, data collection, sampling, interpretation of statistics, ethnographic research, and evaluation of results. Students collaboratively plan and deliver one group research project, as well as design and deliver one individual research project.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 203.
BCSC 412
Advanced News Reporting
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Today's news environment requires that journalists be adept in a variety of story-telling media. Whether in a newsroom environment or as an individual agent, the journalist must be able to think in terms of video and audio reporting and story-telling as well as print. This course build on skills students have acquired in their basic, intermediate and online reporting pre-requisites by adding blogging, TV news production and podcasting to the mix.
Prerequisites: BCSC 327.
BCSC 415
Global Media Systems
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In this course, students survey media ‘systems’ hailing from various countries. Such systems include business sectors, communication technologies, government policies, and ideologies. Particular attention is paid to Canadian institutional strategies and audience receptions, as these operate at global scales or within global contexts. Students analyze mutual influences between global media and related contemporary developments - from cultural trends and political events to economic and technological changes. Students direct special focus at tensions between globalization and national/local concerns, so as to determine how these interrelationships play out in today’s mass-media messaging and manoeuvring.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 320.
BCSC 418
Organizational Communication Theory
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In this course, students examine the major theories in organizational communication scholarship. They apply these theories to empirical case studies in projects such as presentations and a final paper. Specific subjects to be worked on include: the ethical and ideological implications of strategic organizational communication; intercultural and gender relations and contestations in organizations; communication as central to organizational systems and culture/climate; and how communication technology such as social media are impacting organizations, and vice versa. Covered scholarly content will trace historically back to classical organizational theories, focusing on their communicative aspects or implications. Modern and contemporary theoretical traditions will then be surveyed, such as: administrative; critical, feminist, postmodernist, network-theoretical, risk-theoretical, and discourse-analytical (rhetorical) approaches to the study of communication in and by organizations.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 200 and in BCSC 310.
BCSC 420
Online Journalism Workshop: News Production for Digital Platforms
6 Credits Weekly (3-3-0)
Journalists today are required to be masters of all trades. That means, whether working in a newsroom setting or as independent agents, they must be a competent storytellers in a variety of media: print, video, audio and still photography. They must also be able to use various data-gathering and graphic storytelling technology to research and bring value-added material to their stories. This course aims to provide students with a professional-quality setting in which they can hone all these skills in the production of a weekly news site that will provide a public service to the communities around the university.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 412.
BCSC 422
Advanced Reporting and Writing: The Feature
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course focuses on long-form narrative journalism. Students identify and develop solid feature story ideas ranging from short profiles and observational pieces, to one, major final feature of any description – service piece, profile, analytical news feature, the in-depth narrative. Students are able to experiment with style and voice to build engaging narratives that will be published in our annual general-interest, online feature magazine, The Scavanger, which the students will also produce.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of B- in BCSC 313.
BCSC 423
Broadcast News Current Affairs
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In this course, students re-purpose their reporting skills to create visually compelling stories for a variety of platforms, including television news, public affairs programs, and social media channels. Storytelling that incorporates video broadcast elements requires a dramatically different approach to reporting than a story in print. Critically examining the opportunities and limitations of the medium, particularly as a conveyer of social issues, students examine industry values, standards, and assumptions implicit in decisions made concerning digital news content. They also gain familiarity with techniques of shooting, writing, editing, and producing digital news for visual channels.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 313.
BCSC 424
Reporting on Canadian Politics
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course offers a twofold approach to Canadian political reporting, focusing on both the processes and institutions of government and on journalistic methods to cover politics at all levels. Students learn how the Canadian government operates at the federal, provincial and municipal levels and discuss the role of political parties, elections and the electoral system, interest groups and legislative and executive branches of government. In examining the often symbiotic relationship between politicians and media, they analyze the ways in which governments and journalists interact to produce today's news. The role of the journalist as a democratic watchdog is emphasized. This course addresses the question of whether reporters can cover a political beat effectively, impartially and ethically. Students produce news reports and also consider new forms of political reporting such as blogging, which enable journalists to facilitate public discourse.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 313.
BCSC 425
Investigative Journalism
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Investigative journalism requires patience, resourcefulness, clear thinking, meticulous attention to detail and a dogged determination to uncover the truth. This course examines the importance of, and risks associated with, investigative reporting in democratic societies such as Canada. Students focus on how to start and sustain a prolonged investigation, investigative interviewing, researching public records, the pros and cons of anonymous sources and filing access to information requests.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 313.
BCSC 426
Advanced Seminar in Journalism
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This seminar engages students in an in-depth and focused study of a significant topic or issue in journalism. Course content varies each year depending on contemporary concerns and interest of faculty as well as students. The seminar topic is announced prior to registration. As an outcome of the course, students are able to demonstrate application of practical and/or theoretical knowledge of the field through a project or a research paper. This course will be especially helpful to senior students wishing to pursue graduate studies.
Prerequisites: A minimum of C- in two of the following: BCSC 205, BCSC 312, BCSC 313, BCSC 320, BCSC 322, BCSC 323, BCSC 324, BCSC 415, BCSC 423, BCSC 425, ENGL 102, ENGL 288.
BCSC 430
Advanced Strategic Communication
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In this course, students examine communication theory in the context of complex communications practice. Students advance their research, organizational analysis, and rhetorical skills in the evaluation of a real-world communication campaign. Depth of analysis and academic insight are emphasized. Ultimately, students make and defend original assessments and recommendations about communication effectiveness.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 310.
BCSC 431
Advanced Seminar in Strategic Communication
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This seminar engages students in an in-depth and focused study of a significant topic or issue in strategic communication. Course content varies each year depending on contemporary concerns and interest of faculty as well as students. The seminar topic is announced prior to registration. As an outcome of the course, students are able to demonstrate application of practical and theoretical knowledge of the field through a project or research paper. This course is especially helpful to senior students wishing to pursue graduate studies.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 430.
BCSC 432
Writing and Publishing Prose II
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course builds on students’ work in BCSC 332 and is intended for students with strong interest and demonstrated skills in creative prose. The emphasis is on literary forms, specifically literary fiction and creative nonfiction. This course provides an intensive workshop experience and culminates with the production of a polished portfolio of work ready for submission to publishers.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of B- in BCSC 332 and portfolio review.
BCSC 440
Technical Communication: Safety Standards and Policies
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
In this course, students survey industries that rely heavily on safety documentation, and consider the role of policies, practices, and procedures in creating a safety culture. They analyze safety processes and documentation and discuss the role of the three levels of safety controls to mitigate hazards. Students consider ethics and track the evolution of safety in industry. They review the safety- and engineering-related laws and standards in Canadian and international jurisdictions and determine how to locate pertinent safety regulations and standards for a specific topic. They assess methods for creating or revising documentation for safe work policies, practices, and procedures; safety orientations and training; emergency preparedness and response; quality assurance and control; and securing certificates of recognition from certifying safety partnerships.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 340.
BCSC 441
Technical Communication for Policy Writing
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Policies act as the rudder steering the people and processes of organizations and government agencies toward their stated goals. Technical communication can be the key to ensuring that these documents are clear and effective and encourage compliance. Students in this course describe the differences among policies, practices, and procedures and identify the characteristics of written goals that are implementable and measurable. They look at the legislation and regulations often related to policies, and address the effect of globalization on policy writing. Through critical analysis of samples of policies and human resource handbooks, students learn to anticipate potential consequences of policy wording, including the impact on organization culture. They also identify the role of policies and goals in defining responsibilities, coping with organizational change, and treating sensitive issues in human resources.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 340.
BCSC 450
Video Production
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This production-based course engages students to research a topic in-depth and focuses on the creation of an individual long-form, unscripted video project on the topic of the students’ choice. As an outcome of the course, students are able to demonstrate application of practical and theoretical knowledge of video production through an unscripted video project This course will be especially helpful to senior students wishing to pursue graduate studies, and for those who wish to work in digital and media production.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 302.
BCSC 452
Advanced Seminar in Technical Communication
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This seminar engages students in an in-depth and focused study of a significant topic or issue in technical communication. Course content varies each year depending on contemporary concerns and interest of faculty as well as students. The seminar topic is announced prior to registration. As an outcome of the course, students are able to demonstrate application of practical and/or theoretical knowledge of the field through a project or research paper. This course is especially helpful to senior students wishing to pursue graduate studies.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in two of the following: BCSC 340, BCSC 440, BCSC 441, BCSC 411.
BCSC 461
Production Editing and Publication Management
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course examines production processes, which form the hub of publishing activity. Students develop their creativity and problem-solving skills as they prepare specifications, source suppliers, compile costing sheets, develop schedules and evaluate project quality. They benefit from interacting, in the classroom and on field trips, with industry materials, technologies and experts.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in BCSC 260.
BCSC 462
Advanced Seminar in Editing and Publishing
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This seminar engages students in an in-depth and focused study of a significant topic or issue in editing and publishing. Course content varies each year depending on contemporary concerns and interest of faculty as well as students. The seminar topic is announced prior to registration. As an outcome of the course, students are able to demonstrate application of practical and theoretical knowledge of the field through a project or research paper. This course is especially helpful to senior students wishing to pursue graduate studies.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in at least two of the following courses: BCSC 260, BCSC 360, BCSC 361, BCSC 362, BCSC 461.
BCSC 480
Advanced Independent Study in Communications
3 Credits Total (0-0-15)
With guidance from a faculty adviser, senior students have the opportunity to engage in deep reading in a subject area, or a research project, or the opportunity to undertake an advanced creative project. Work undertaken in this course is expected to culminate in presentation, publication, or both. Prior arrangements with a faculty supervisor are necessary in advance of registration. Note: This course may be taken twice for credit.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 411 or BCSC 380 and permission.
BCSC 497
Digital News Publishing II
3 Credits
In this practice-based course, students will co-manage a digital newsroom, which is focused on covering Edmonton and surrounding areas. Students will help supervise a team of reporters, select, edit, and produce news stories as multimedia news packages, and gain hands-on experience in content analytics, writing newsletters, and managing social media channels. Ethical and legal standards of professional journalism will be applied.
Prerequisites: CR in BCSC 397 and minimum grade of C- in BCSC 327.
BCSC 499
Innovation and Entrepreneurship: New Ventures in Digital Media
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course explores the global forces shaping today's innovations in digital media. Students examine the accelerators underpinning the current digital innovation landscape; and, they practice a rigorous approach to launching an entrepreneurial initiative that will solve problems and serve consumers or audiences.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in BCSC 313.