General Information

The world of journalism is varied and challenging and Mount Royal’s goal is to ensure that journalism 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 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, newspaper production, broadcasting, photography, and Internet-based news requirements. 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 a required professional work experience.
• A strong General Education component that ensures both breadth of study and the potential to achieve a concentration 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.
• Complementary communications courses in Information Design or Public Relations.
• Strict attention to ethical practice as detailed in a program-wide journalism policy manual.

This blend of elements introduces journalism students to the expectations and requirements of professional practice in 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 a depth and breadth of knowledge intended to serve journalism graduates in a variety of ways.

Student Conduct

Professional work completed in the Journalism 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. For information on the Code of Student Conduct please visit the Office of Student Conduct website mtroyal.ca/studentconduct.

Continuance in the Program

Students accepted into the Bachelor of Communication program are subject to Mount Royal policies and regulations relating to baccalaureate degrees and continuance.

Communication Work Experience

Journalism students are encouraged to complete two non-credit semester long work experiences (with a 12 full time work week 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 a 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 terms of the Student Code of Conduct. 

Students with a Communications Diploma

Students who have completed in good standing a diploma in journalism, broadcasting or multimedia from MacEwan, Mount Royal, SAIT, or other community colleges in Alberta or other provinces, may be eligible for entry into the third year of the Bachelor of Communication - Journalism program. Contact the journalism program for details.

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

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 will be reserved for Indigenous applicants through an Indigenous Admission target. To be considered for admission under the Indigenous Admission target, the applicant must:

1. self-identify as an Indigenous applicant on the Application for Admission 
2. meet the definition of an Indigenous Applicant 
3. 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 1 to students applying under the general admission requirements.

Computer Needs

To participate in this program, a student will require access to a computer with sufficient power, capacity, and Internet access. In COMM 1720 - Introduction to Digital Media , students will be using widely available and free for 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 computer will function effectively under these circumstances. Receiving the Certificate after completing the four courses, all students must apply for their online Certificate of Achievement - Journalism by contacting the School of Communication Studies.