Overview

The major in Journalism provides students with a strong set of writing, research, reporting and digital media production skills. Option courses let students specialize based on their interests: online digital storytelling, television production, arts and culture reporting, feature writing, current affairs reporting or investigative reporting.

 Bachelor of Communication Studies

Faculty of Fine Arts and Communications
MacEwan.ca/CommunicationDegree

Career Potential

Graduates of MacEwan University’s Bachelor of Communication Studies will have competency in critical problem solving, global awareness and cultural sensitivity, creativity, information and research literacy, and ethical and professional practice. These competencies will bring career success in a variety of positions – writer, editor, researcher, journalist, reporter, marketer, client or community relations practitioner, communications advisor, communications coordinator, public information officer, public relations advisor, producer, social media contact, reviewer, analyst, commentator – and in many roles that have yet to be created. 

Technology Integration for Creative Learning (TICL)

On entering the second year of the Bachelor of Communication Studies program, students in the Journalism major will need to purchase a Mac laptop and necessary software identified by the program. For specifications, refer to the program website or contact an advisor. 

Contact Information

communicationdegree@macewan.ca

Degree Requirements

Program of Study

Program Element	Description	Credits
Core Requirements	Students complete 30 credits of Communication courses and 6 credits of English courses.	36
Breadth Requirements *	Students complete 24 credits of breadth requirements. Students must take at least three credits of an Indigenous-related course to fulfill the breadth requirement. Consult your academic adviser for a list of approved courses.	24
Major Requirements	Students complete 39 - 42 credits of courses in their chosen major.	39 - 42
Program Options	Depending on their chosen major, students will choose 21 credits from an approved list of courses.	0 - 21
Minor Requirements **	Depending on their chosen major, students have the option of completing a minor. Minor requirements vary by major.	0 or 18
Total Credits		120

*

At least 3 of these credits must meet an Indigenous content requirement.

**

Minors are mandatory for students in the Journalism and Professional Communication majors. Minors are optional for students in the Public Relations major.

Core Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
BCSC 100	Grammar and Composition Foundations	3
BCSC 101	Interpersonal Communication	3
BCSC 102	Introduction to Visual Communication	3
BCSC 200	Communication Theory	3
BCSC 203	Introduction to Research Methods	3
BCSC 206	Introduction to Audio and Video	3
BCSC 302	Online Content Production	3
BCSC 306	Ethical Practice and Portfolio	3
BCSC 307	Communication Law I	3
BCSC 411	Advanced Research Methods	3
ENGL 102	Analysis and Argument	3
Choose 3 credits of ENGL from the following:		3
ENGL 103	Approaches to Literature: Trends and Traditions
ENGL 104	Approaches to Literature: Narrative Across Media
ENGL 105	Approaches to Literature: Contemporary Literature and Culture
Total Credits		36

Breadth Requirements

Breadth Element	Description	Credits
Humanities	CLAS, CHIN, CRWR, ENGL (other than ENGL 102, ENGL 103, ENGL 104, ENGL 105), FREN, GERM, GREK, HUMN, HIST, NEHI, PHIL, JAPN, SPAN, WRIT 250	6
Sciences	ASTR, BIOL, CHEM, CMPT, EASC, MATH, PHYS, PSYC, STAT, ZOOL, HLST 210, SUST 201	6
Social Sciences *	ANTH, ECON, GEND, INDG, INTD, POLS, PSYC, SOCI	6
Fine Arts/Performing Arts *	AGAD, ARTE, CLAS 252 or CLAS 353, CRWR, DESN, DRMA, INTA, INTD, MUSC, THAR, THPR	6

*

3 credits of the Indigenous course requirement must be fulfilled from the approved course list within the Bachelor of Communications department. Please consult your academic advisor.

Course Substitutions

List of Course Substitutions

Course Substitutions by Program

Credit Earned in:	May Be Substituted for Credit in Program Course:
BCSC 301	BCSC 307
BCSC 433	BCSC 412
JOUR 106	BCSC 210
JOUR 108 or JOUR 156	BCSC 313
JOUR 150	BCSC 211
JOUR 152	BCSC 320
JOUR 154	BCSC 323
JOUR 155	BCSC 424
JOUR 251	BCSC 311
JOUR 257	BCSC 423
JOUR 258	BCSC 325
JOUR 259	BCSC 398
PROW 100	BCSC 100
PROW 102	BCSC 282
PROW 104	BCSC 253
PROW 115	BCSC 203
PROW 117	BCSC 102
PROW 135	BCSC 215
PROW 204	BCSC 221
PROW 205	BCSC 301 or BCSC 307
PROW 210	BCSC 100
PROW 211	BCSC 100
PROW 224	BCSC 241
PROW 226	BCSC 340
PROW 228	BCSC 440
PROW 235	BCSC 260
PROW 240	BCSC 332
PROW 250	BCSC 216
PROW 304	BCSC 326
PROW 307	BCSC 328
PROW 308	BCSC 223
PROW 310	BCSC 343
PROW 315	BCSC 331
PROW 316	BCSC 342
PROW 317	BCSC 352
PROW 318	BCSC 441
PROW 330	BCSC 432
PROW 331	BCSC 341
PROW 335	BCSC 360
PROW 336	BCSC 361
PROW 337	BCSC 362
PROW 338	BCSC 461
PROW 343	BCSC 310
BCSC 313	BCSC 397
BCSC 202	BCSC 206

Major Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Major Requirements
BCSC 201	Foundations of Journalism	3
BCSC 210	Introduction to News Reporting	3
BCSC 320	News, Media and Democracy: Understanding Information in the 21st-Century	3
BCSC 327	Online News Reporting: Journalism in the Digital Age	3
BCSC 395	Professional Field Placement and Practice	3
BCSC 397	Digital News Publishing I	3
BCSC 412	Advanced News Reporting	3
BCSC 497	Digital News Publishing II	3
Choose 18 credits from the list below 1		18
BCSC 205	Introduction to Film Studies and Narrative
BCSC 207	Documentary Film Principles and Practices
BCSC 223	Introduction to Screenwriting
BCSC 303	Popular Culture and Film Studies: Film Noir
BCSC 305	Popular Culture and Film Studies: Science Fiction
BCSC 308	Communication Law II
BCSC 322	Interviewing Techniques
BCSC 323	Photojournalism
BCSC 325	Podcast Production and Audio Storytelling
BCSC 328	Documentary Screenwriting
BCSC 341	Literary Journalism
BCSC 342	Writing for Periodicals
BCSC 379	Public Affairs Data Journalism
BCSC 380	Independent Study in Communications
BCSC 385	Specialized Reporting
BCSC 415	Global Media Systems
BCSC 422	Advanced Reporting and Writing: The Feature
BCSC 423	Broadcast News Current Affairs
BCSC 424	Reporting on Canadian Politics
BCSC 425	Investigative Journalism
BCSC 426	Advanced Seminar in Journalism
BCSC 450	Video Production
BCSC 480	Advanced Independent Study in Communications
BCSC 499	Innovation and Entrepreneurship: New Ventures in Digital Media
Core Requirements (see Degree Requirements)
All Bachelor of Communication Studies students complete a common core of Communications and English courses.		36
Breadth Requirements (see Degree Requirements)
All Bachelor of Communication Studies students must meet minimum breadth requirements by completing six credits in each of the following areas of study: Humanities, Sciences, Social Sciences, and Fine Arts/Performing Arts. 2		24
Minor Requirements
Students complete 18 credits from their chosen minor. Students can choose from the following minors:		18
Digital Experience Design, Film, Graphic Design or Professional Communication
Total Credits		120

¹

These courses are not always offered every year and are subject to space availability. Courses from this list cannot be used to fulfill both the requirements of the major and a minor. If you are taking a Film Minor, courses such as BCSC 205 would count towards the minor only, and a different course from this list would need to be taken to fulfill the requirements of the major.

²

Of the 24 breadth credits, at least 9 credits must be senior-level courses, and 3 credits must be from an approved Indigenous-related course. Consult your academic adviser for a list of approved courses.

Pathways

The pathways below are recommendations on courses students could choose for the 9 credits of minor options if they have a particular area of interest. Students can also develop their own pathway by selecting various minor options.

Strategic Communication

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
BCSC 216	Professional Communication	3
BCSC 253	Classical and Modern Rhetoric	3
BCSC 310	Strategic Communication Planning	3
BCSC 418	Organizational Communication Theory	3

Communication Theory

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Complete BCSC 307, which is a core required course, and any or all of the following:		3
BCSC 352	The Media and the Message	3
BCSC 362	Print Culture Studies	3
BCSC 400	Intercultural Communication	3

Professional Editing

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
BCSC 215	Proofreading and Copyediting	3
BCSC 260	Stylistic and Structural Editing	3
BCSC 360	Magazine Editing	3
BCSC 361	Book Editing	3
BCSC 362	Print Culture Studies	3
BCSC 365	Editing and Publishing Poetry	3
BCSC 461	Production Editing and Publication Management	3
BCSC 462	Advanced Seminar in Editing and Publishing	3

Technical Communication

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
BCSC 241	Introduction to Technical Communication	3
BCSC 340	Technical Communication for Digital Applications	3
BCSC 440	Technical Communication: Safety Standards and Policies	3
BCSC 441	Technical Communication for Policy Writing	3

Degree Regulations

Students are strongly encouraged to seek advice from a faculty or university advisor about fulfilling these degree requirements.

Declaration of a Major and a Minor

Students declare their major at the time of application. Students must declare their intention to complete a minor before the end of their second year (or 60 credits) of study. Students may redeclare their major and minor if required. Students are advised to redeclare by the time they have completed 45 credits or earlier. Students are advised to seek advice from the Academic Advisor before redeclaring their major and minor.

Breadth Requirement 

Students complete 24 credits of baccalaureate-level courses from the following categories: 6 credits from Humanities, 6 credits from Social Sciences, 6 credits from Sciences, and 6 credits from Fine Arts/Performing Arts. Of the 24 credits, at least 9 must be senior-level courses, and 3 credits must be from an approved Indigenous-related course. Consult your academic adviser for a list of approved courses

Core Field Placement Requirements 

Junior- and Senior-Level Courses 

Courses numbered from 100 to 199 are considered junior level, and courses numbered from 200 to 499 are considered senior level.

Senior-Level Coursework Requirements 

A maximum of 48 credits is permitted at the 100-level. Additional courses at the 100-level will be declared extra to the 120 credits required to complete the degree and will not be counted toward fulfillment of graduation requirements.

Option Requirements 

Students in the Professional Communication and Journalism majors complete 18 credits of major options. Students in the Public Relations major complete 21 credits of program options and can choose to declare a minor to fulfill a portion of their option requirement. Students must select from a list of option courses designed for each major. Not all option courses are offered each term or year.

Minor Requirements 

Students in the Professional Communication and Journalism major must complete 18 credits in their chosen minor. Students in the Public Relations major have the option to complete a minor with their program options credits. Available minors vary by major and are specified in the major requirements.

Graduation Requirements

Graduation requirements are governed by the date on which students declare their major and minor. The declaration deadlines for competitive and non-competitive majors and minors can be found on the Academic Schedule.

Progression of Studies 

Students are responsible for ensuring they fulfill the prerequisite and/or co-requisite requirements of courses taken to complete the Bachelor of Communication Studies.

Minimum Transfer Grade for Credit

A minimum grade of D is required for any transfer credit granted for the program. Courses in the Program of Study require a minimum grade of C- when the course is used as a prerequisite. Transfer credit decisions are final and cannot be appealed (See Policies C2030 and E3103).

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the discourses of communication and cultural studies.
2. Employ research strategies to gather, evaluate, and integrate information into communication formats.
3. Develop a sustained argument using appropriate rhetorical strategies and use generative and organizational heuristics to achieve clarity, precision, and coherence in all communication.
4. Demonstrate effective decision making.
5. Create original work that benefits from peer editing and the conscious integration of creative strategies.
6. Communicate effectively, reliably, and accurately—orally, in print, and online—to a variety of audiences.
7. Apply ethical frameworks and codes against which to evaluate personal judgments, moral reasoning, and best practice, including those related particularly to research, editing, journalistic standards, professional communication, and publishing.
8. Demonstrate knowledge of ethical practice through analysis issues such as fairness, truth, and responsibility.
9. Demonstrate an informed understanding of the social consequences resulting from the widespread use of information, communication technologies, and media convergence.
10. Study and demonstrate an understanding of best practice as a communication professional and professional journalist through a critical self-evaluation of individual competency and the formulation of an individual professional development plan to address this constructive self-analysis.
11. Demonstrate initiative, personal responsibility, accountability, academic integrity, and social responsibility.
12. Work collaboratively with others.

Journalism Major Learning Outcomes

1. Examine the role of the journalist in civil society through analysis of historical and current issues such as individuals' and diverse groups' access to and representation by media.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of historical, political, societal foundations upon which to evaluate events and issues covered.
3. Apply an intercultural and interdisciplinary critical framework in which to analyze and evaluate the effects of dynamic and emerging new media trends on individuals and communities.
4. Demonstrate effective interviewing skills.
5. Generate original story ideas, develop them through the process of research, and present them in an effective way for the chosen medium.
6. Create stories in print, oral, visual, and interactive media—stories that demonstrate a creative "tradigital" approach to opportunities provided by traditional and digital media.
7. Build on foundational research methods and principles to a more advanced level of applied research required of professional journalists.
8. Apply ethical frameworks against which to evaluate personal judgment and moral reasoning, including those related to fairness, truth, and responsibility.
9. Analyze and evaluate the impact of national and international law on the journalist's ability to gather, process, and disseminate information on a national and international level.

Admission Requirements

Applicants may be admitted to one of the following:

Regular Admission 

To be evaluated through the Office of the University Registrar

Applicants must have a minimum overall average of 65 percent, with no course grade lower than 50 percent, in the following high school courses:

1. ELA 30-1
2. Four subjects from Group A, B, C, or D

Notes:

• Applicants are strongly encouraged to present a broad range of subjects in order to benefit from the breadth of learning and to increase flexibility of future program and course choices.
• A maximum of two Group B subjects may be presented; they must be from different disciplines.
• A maximum of one Group D subject may be presented. Group D subjects used for admission must be 5-credit or any credit combination of at least 5 credits (e.g., two 3-credit subjects).

Applicants with nine or more university-level credits must also present a minimum Admission Grade Point Average (AGPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Mature Admission 

To be evaluated through the Office of the University Registrar

Applicants must be 20 years of age or older and have been out of full-time high school at least one year by the beginning of the intake term. Applicants must have the following:

• ELA 30-1 with a minimum grade of 65 per cent (or equivalent)

OR

• Six credits of university-level English with a minimum grade of C-

Applicants with nine or more university-level credits must also present a minimum Admission Grade Point Average (AGPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Previous Post-Secondary Work

To be evaluated through the Office of the University Registrar

Admission in this category does not imply or guarantee the transfer of any coursework and/or credential unless a block transfer agreement (internal or external) is in effect and published in the calendar by the Office of the University Registrar. In addition, transfer of coursework does not imply or guarantee that an applicant will be admitted.

Applicants must have successfully completed the following from a recognized institution:

• A minimum of 24 credits of university-level credits with a minimum Admission Grade Point Average (AGPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale and must have completed the required core courses listed under the Regular Admission category.

Additional Admission Criteria

All applicants must meet the following:

1. English Language Proficiency

To be evaluated through the Office of the University Registrar

Applicable to All Admission Categories

All applicants must meet an acceptable level of English language proficiency. We will require official documents such as high school or post-secondary transcripts or proof of successful completion of standardized language evaluation. Full details are available in MacEwan University’s academic calendar or online at MacEwan.ca/ELP.