Communication and Media Studies

As a Carleton student, you will choose from courses that cover the past, present and future of media; the uses and abuses of technology; the economics, politics and regulation of communication; the media in local and global contexts; the interface between culture, communication and identities; and the analysis of texts, images and rhetoric.

We live in a media society, but what exactly does this mean? How does a world saturated by media images, technologies and texts influence how we live and work? How is the ever-changing mediascape affecting our understanding of society and our ability to shape its future? These are some of the fundamental questions that a degree in Communication and Media Studies (BCoMS) will help you to answer.

Co-op Opportunities

Integrating study with practical experience is a powerful formula for creating the media and communication professionals of tomorrow. At the end of your second year, you may be eligible to be placed in a paid communication-related position for four to twelve months. Past employers have included the CBC, the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)—the independent agency responsible for regulating Canada’s broadcasting and telecommunications systems. In addition to working in government agencies, students have also benefited from employment opportunities with technology companies, ad agencies, independent media companies and NGOs.

Carleton University’s prime Ottawa location places you at the centre of Canadian decision making about communication and media policies and regulations. Ottawa is a window to the world: it’s bilingual, vibrant, and is the centre of public life in Canada. Studying in the capital city also provides you with access to government policy-makers, public and private agencies, non-governmental organizations, cultural institutions and world-class research facilities.

Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies (Honours)

The Communication and Media Studies program at Carleton (previously the BA in Communication Studies) is offered as a four-year Honours program.

Year 1

All students in the program are required to take the Introduction to Communication and Media Studies course in first year, which is designed to orient you to the questions and issues that are the central concerns of the program and which become fully elaborated in your upper years.

Year 2

In second year, every student will take Introduction to Communication Research. This course provides you with a strong foundation in methodological literacy: what are the common approaches to research that have shaped the field of communication and media studies? How do you design an original research project? What are the common ethical dilemmas that face communication and media researchers today?

Students will also take Theoretical Foundations in Communication and Media Studies. This course builds on the foundational concepts introduced in first year, and focuses on the field’s major “schools of thought.” It also provides students with a theoretical foundation for understanding the development of communication and media practices, institutions, technologies and regulations, which will prepare them for upper-year courses.

Year 3

In third year, you will take a small number of required fundamentals courses that cement your expertise and knowledge of the field. Current Issues in Communication and Media Theory explores major theoretical issues with which the field is grappling today. You will also take Quantitative Research in Communication and Qualitative Research in Communication, which builds on the second year “methodological literacy” course.

Your remaining credits will be selected from a wide variety of exciting third-year courses. The choice of courses varies from year to year but will typically explore key issues such as the impact of advertising, marketing and public relations on politics and public life, visual media and communication, globalization, digital technologies, political communication, and media industries, policies and infrastructures.

Year 4

In fourth year, you will select one course from a menu of hands-on professional workshops that will prepare you for the job market today. Options include workshops in digital media practice, for example in podcasting or digital photography; data mining and analytics; professional writing and public speaking; public engagement and consultation; and event management and community partnerships. Other courses address a range of topics that reflect current and cutting edge debates in communication and media studies.