General Information
The world of journalism is varied and challenging and Mount Royal’s goal is to ensure that journalism and digital media graduates have a range of skills and understandings that they can draw upon in this ever-changing landscape. The best journalism is accomplished by people with a thorough grasp of the fundamentals of reporting, writing, editing, and illustrating news, the ability to think critically about their work and work environment, and a deep curiosity about how society functions, or often does not function. The Journalism and Digital Media major in the four-year Bachelor of Communication program is based on integrating classroom learning with practical experience, including professional work experiences, and is focused on providing students with a broad-based journalism education in writing, idea and story development, digital newspaper and magazine publishing, broadcasting, photography, Podcasting and visual multi-media. It additionally includes:
- Considerable exposure to written, spoken and mediated communications, and to the effective use of computers.
- The opportunity to develop and practice a range of presentation skills.
- A focus on critical reflection about journalism generally, and the student’s own work through instructor feedback, peer critiques, and self-reflection.
- Consideration of the social context for the practice of journalism including media history, law, and ethics.
- Direct workplace exposure in communications through the required professional work experience.
- A strong General Education component that ensures both breadths of study and the potential to achieve a minor in a given discipline, such as political science, history, sociology, or a second language among other possibilities.
- Electives students can use to explore a specific discipline more fully.
- Information retrieval techniques and information assessment are presented in a number of courses, while a course in research design and methodology encourages a more comprehensive understanding of the goals and nature of research.
- A Communication Studies component with specific attention to key theories that explain the interaction inherent in communication processes.
- Strict attention to ethical practice as detailed in a program-wide journalism policy manual.
This blend of elements introduces journalism and digital media students to the expectations and requirements of professional practice in the context of the role journalism plays in society while allowing them to step outside that frame to consider other ideas and forces that shape their world and to acquire depth and breadth of knowledge intended to serve journalism graduates in a variety of ways.
Student Conduct
Professional work completed in the Journalism and Digital Media program is guided by a Journalism Code of Ethics and Professional Practices, to which all journalism students at Mount Royal are expected to adhere. Any deliberate breaches will result in disciplinary action with transgressions being equated to academic and/or non-academic misconduct, and with consequences as outlined in the Mount Royal Code of Student Conduct.
Program Continuance
Students accepted into the Bachelor of Communication program are subject to Mount Royal policies and regulations relating to baccalaureate degrees and continuance.
Work Experience
Journalism and Digital Media students are encouraged to complete two non-credit semester-long work experiences (with a 12 full-time workweek minimum) in the communications field during their program but are required for graduation purposes to complete one such supervised work experience. To be eligible, all students must complete a range of prerequisites. Because work experiences are professional placements the program chair can, for a fixed period, deny work experience eligibility to any student who has acted in an inappropriate and unprofessional manner during the preparation phase, or during work experience. Any student cited for professional misconduct in advance of or during a work experience will be required to withdraw from the work experience process and could be subject to further sanctions under the terms of the Student Code of Conduct.
Computer Needs
To participate in this program, a student will require access to a computer with sufficient power, capacity, and Internet access. In JOUR 1720 - Introduction to Digital Media students will be using widely available and free-to-use open-source software that generally needs to be downloaded and stored. It is advised that students check with computer suppliers to ensure that their computers will function effectively under these circumstances.
General Admission Requirements
All students must meet the general admission requirements for Mount Royal University programs, as indicated in the Admission section of this calendar.
Additional Admission Requirements
In addition to meeting the general admission requirements, indicated in the Admission section of this calendar, applicants must also satisfy the following criteria:
Academic Course Requirements
The following specific courses (or equivalencies) with the specified minimum grades are required for admission into the Bachelor of Communication - Journalism program.
- English Language Arts 30-1 - 60%
- Social Studies 30-1 or Aboriginal Studies 30 - minimum grade 50%
Although Conditional Admission may be granted in advance of receipt of final/official transcripts, confirmation of the achievement of specified minimum grades will take place after all final/official transcripts have been received by the University. Applicants who do not meet these minimum grade requirements will be denied admission.
Indigenous Student Admission
Each year 7% of the seats in the Bachelor of Communication Studies - Journalism and Digital Media program will be reserved for Indigenous applicants through an Indigenous admission target. To be considered for admission under the Indigenous Admission target, the applicant must:
- self-identify as an Indigenous applicant on the Application for Admission
- meet the definition of an Indigenous Applicant
- meet the minimum admission requirements as indicated in the general admission requirements for Mount Royal University as well as any program level admission requirements
Designated seats for this special consideration target will be filled by Indigenous applicants on a competitive basis. Applicants are encouraged to apply during Early Admission. Any unfilled designated seats will be released on June 15 to students applying under the general admission requirements.
