Communications Studies

This program is co-ordinated by the Department of Communications, Popular Culture and Film.

Chair

Jim Leach

Undergraduate Program Adviser

Russell Johnston

Director, Co-operative Programs

Cindy Dunne

General Information

Administrative Assistant

Bridget Cahill

905-688-5550, extension 4290

Academic North 308

http://www.brocku.ca/cpcf/

The Department of Communications, Popular Culture and Film offers three separate programs of study. A four-year program leading to the BA honours degree and a three-year program leading to the BA pass degree is offered in all three programs. In addition, four-year Co-op programs leading to a BA honours degree in Communications Studies or Popular Culture and a four and one-half year program leading to a BA honours degree in Film Studies are available.

Communications Studies is an interdisciplinary program, which studies human communicative behaviour, the institutions of communication and the social production of meaning. It has four streams, each of which offers a Co-op option; the streams share a core of COMM courses but focus on distinct areas of interest.

The Business Communications stream combines the study of communications with a study of some aspects of business. The stream aims to equip the student with a sound theoretical basis for analysing and practising communications within the business environment.

The Communications Policy stream focusses on relations between the mass media and cultural industries on the one hand, and political, economic and social forces on the other, including the study of media ownership, cultural regulation and public policies in Canada and elsewhere.

The Information Technology stream integrates the study of communications with the study of theoretical and applied aspects of the new information technology.

The Media and Culture stream is oriented toward an understanding of the role of mass media in the construction of meaning and the creation of national identity in our culture through the study of the cultural, cognitive and textual aspects of film, television, literature and popular culture.

Students are generally advised that choice of stream is based on their interest and aptitude. It is possible to change streams although in some cases this may require additional courses; students should consult the Undergraduate Program Adviser. Communication Studies is a limited enrolment program. Students must apply to proceed to year 2 of the honours and pass programs. A minimum 70 percent average in required courses will normally ensure that the student may proceed. Others will be allowed to proceed on the basis of their grade standing and available places in the streams.

All of the above streams have the option of a related Co-op stream. Each Co-op stream combines academic and work terms over a four-year period. Students spend two years in an academic setting, where they acquire the necessary background prior to taking the first work placement. In addition to the current fees for courses in academic study terms, Communications Studies Co-op students are assessed an annual administrative fee (see the Schedule of Fees).

Admission to the Communications Studies Co-op program is on the basis of marks, a review of personal resumes and employer availability. An interview may be required. The normal requirement for admission is a minimum 80 percent average on six OACs (or equivalent). As this is a limited enrolment program, admission is not guaranteed by attainment of the minimum requirement. The Brock University Co-op Programs Office will facilitate admission decisions.

Students admitted to the Communications Studies Co-op program must follow the Co-op program schedule. Failure to adhere to the schedule may result in removal from the Communications Studies Co-op program. Eligibility to continue is based on the student's major average and non-major average. A student with a minimum 70 percent major average and a minimum 60 percent non-major average will be permitted to continue. A student with a major average lower than 70 percent will not be permitted to continue in the Communications Studies Co-op program. If a student subsequently raises his/her major average to 70 percent, the student may be readmitted only if approved by the Co-op Admissions Committee.

The Communications Studies Co-op program designation will be awarded to those students who have honours standing and who have successfully completed a minimum of twelve months of Co-op work experience.

Program Notes

Honours Programs

Business Communications stream

Year 1

	COMM 1F90
	FILM 1F94
	MGMT 1P91 and 1P92
	POLI 1F90
	one Science context credit

Year 2

	COMM 2F50, 2P15, 2P20 and 2P21
	MKTG 2P51 and 2P52
	OBHR 2P91
	one elective credit

Year 3

	COMM 2F98, 3P16, 3P62 and 3P65
	OBHR 3P42
	one COMM credit
	one elective credit

Year 4

	One credit from COMM 4P17, 4P30, 4P31, 4P50, 4P51, 4P55, 4V50-4V59
	one COMM credit numbered 3(alpha)90 or above
	two credits from COMM 4P55, ENTR, MGMT, MKTG, OBHR numbered 3(alpha)90 or above
	one elective credit

Communications Policy stream

Year 1

	COMM 1F90
	ENGL 1F91, 1F95 or FILM 1F94
	MGMT 1P91 and 1P92 or SOCI 1F90
	POLI 1F90
	one Science context credit

Year 2

	COMM 2F50, 2P15, 2P20 and 2P21
	POLI 2F12
	one and one-half elective credits

Year 3

	COMM 2F98, 3P16, 3P17, 3P20 and 3P21
	one COMM credit
	one elective credit

Year 4

	One credit from COMM 3P93, 4P17, 4P32, 4P55
	two credits from COMM 3P93, 4F80, 4F99, 4P17, 4P23, 4P30, 4P31, 4P32, 4P50, 4P51, 4P55, 4V50-4V59
	one COMM credit numbered 3(alpha)90 or above
	one elective credit

Information Technology stream

Year 1

	COMM 1F90
	COSC 1P02 and 1P03
	ENGL 1F95 or FILM 1F94
	POLI 1F90 or SOCI 1F90
	one Science context credit

Year 2

	COMM 2F50, 2P15, 2P20 and 2P21
	COSC 1P95, 1P96 and 2P50
	one elective credit (see program note 3)

Year 3

	COMM 2P90, 2P91, 3P16, 3P17, 3P65 and 3P90
	COSC 2P89 and 3P94
	one credit from COMM courses numbered 2(alpha)90 or above or SOCI 3P34

Year 4

	Two credits from COMM 4F80, 4F99, 4P17, 4P22, 4P23, 4P30, 4P31, 4P50, 4P51, 4P55, 4V50-4V59
	two COMM credits numbered 3(alpha)90 or above
	one elective credit

Media and Culture stream

Year 1

	COMM 1F90
	ENGL 1F91, 1F95, or 1F99
	FILM 1F94
	PSYC 1F90 or SOCI 1F90
	one Science context credit

Year 2

	COMM 2F50, 2P15, 2P20 and 2P21
	one COMM credit or one of FILM 2F90, LING 1F94, PSYC 2F20, 2F30, VISA 1F90
	one and one-half elective credits

Year 3

	COMM 3P16, 3P17, 3P20 and 3P21
	two COMM credits
	one elective credit

Year 4

	Two credits from COMM 4F80, 4F99, 4P17, 4P23, 4P30, 4P31, 4P50, 4P51, 4P55, 4V50-4V59
	two COMM credits numbered 3(alpha)90 or above
	one elective credit

Communications Studies Co-op (honours only)

Students admitted to the Business Communications Studies Co-op stream must follow the program schedule as listed below. Failure to adhere may result in removal from the program.

Business Communications stream

Year 1

	COMM 1F90
	FILM 1F94
	MGMT 1P91 and 1P92
	POLI 1F90
	one Science context credit

Year 2

	COMM 0N90, 2F50, 2F98, 2P15 and 3P65
	one COMM credit
	MKTG 2P51 and 2P52

Spring/Summer Sessions:

COMM 0N01

Year 3

Fall Term:

	COMM 3P16
	one-half COMM credit
	one-half COMM credit numbered 3(alpha)90 or above
	OBHR 2P91 and 3P42

Winter Term:

COMM 0N02

Spring/Summer Sessions:

	COMM 2P20 and 2P21
	two elective credits

Year 4

Fall Term:

COMM 0N03

Winter Term:

	one and one-half COMM credits numbered 3(alpha)90 or above
	one credit from COMM 4P55, ENTR, MGMT, MKTG, OBHR numbered 3(alpha)90 or above

Spring/Summer Sessions:

	one credit from ENTR, MGMT, MKTG, OBHR numbered 3(alpha)90 or above
	one elective credit

Communications Policy stream

Year 1

	COMM 1F90 and 2F50
	ENGL 1F91, 1F95 or FILM 1F94
	POLI 1F90
	one Science context credit

Spring/Summer Sessions:

	COMM 2P20 and 2P21
	two elective credits (MGMT 1P90 and 1P91 strongly recommended)

Year 2

	COMM 0N90, 2F98 and 2P15
	COMM 3P16 or 3P20
	COMM 3P17 or 3P21
	one COMM credit
	one and one-half elective credits (MKTG 2P51 and 2P52 strongly recommended)

Spring/Summer Sessions:

COMM 0N01

Year 3

Fall Term:

	COMM 3P16 or 3P20 (not taken in year 2)
	two COMM credits numbered 3(alpha)90 or above

Winter Term:

COMM 0N02

Spring/Summer Sessions:

	POLI 2F12
	one elective credit

Year 4

Fall Term:

COMM 0N03

Winter Term:

	COMM 3P17 or 3P21 (not taken in year 2)
	two COMM credits numbered 3(alpha)90 or above

Information Technology stream

Year 1

	COMM 1F90 and 2F50
	COSC 1P02, 1P03, 1P95 and 1P96
	ENGL 1F95 or FILM 1F94

Spring/Summer Sessions:

	COMM 2P20 and 2P21
	two Social Science context credits
	one elective credit

Year 2

	COMM 0N90, 2P15, 2P90, 2P91, 3P16, 3P17 and 3P65
	COSC 2P50, 2P89 and 3P94
	one-half COMM credit numbered 2(alpha)90 or above or SOCI 3P34

Spring/Summer Sessions:

COMM 0N01

Year 3

Fall Term:

	One-half COMM credit numbered 2(alpha)90 or above or SOCI 3P34 (if not taken in Year 2)
	two COMM credits numbered 3(alpha)90 and above

Winter Term:

COMM 0N02

Spring/Summer Sessions:

	one Science context credit
	one elective credit

Year 4

Fall Term:

COMM 0N03

Winter Term:

	COMM 3P90
	two COMM credits numbered 3(alpha)90 or above

Media and Culture stream

Year 1

	COMM 1F90 and 2F50
	ENGL 1F91, 1F95 or 1F99
	FILM 1F94
	PSYC 1F90 or SOCI 1F90

Spring/Summer Sessions:

	COMM 2P20 and 2P21
	two elective credits (MGMT 1P90 and 1P91 strongly recommended)

Year 2

	COMM 0N90 and 2P15
	COMM 3P16 or 3P20
	COMM 3P17 or 3P21
	two and one-half COMM credits
	one elective credit (MKTG 2P51 and 2P52 strongly recommended)

Spring/Summer Sessions:

COMM 0N01

Year 3

Fall Term:

	COMM 3P16 or 3P20 (not taken in year 2)
	one-half COMM credit
	one and one-half COMM credits numbered 3(alpha)90 or above

Winter Term:

COMM 0N02

Spring/Summer Term:

	one Science context credit
	one elective credit

Year 4

Fall Term:

COMM 0N03

Winter Term:

	COMM 3P17 or 3P21 (not taken in year 2)
	one-half COMM credit
	one and one-half COMM credits numbered 3(alpha)90 or above

Pass Program

Satisfactory completion of the first three years of the honours program in any stream entitles a student to apply for a pass degree.

Combined Major Program

Students may take a combined major in Communications Studies and in a second discipline. For requirements in the other discipline, the student should consult the relevant department. Note that not all departments provide a combined major option.

Honours

	COMM 1F90, 2F50, 2P20, 2P21, 3P16, 3P20 and 3P21
	one of COMM 2P90, 3P17, 3P65, 3P93
	one credit from COMM 4P17, 4P23, 4P30, 4P31, 4P50, 4P51 4P55
	two credits from COMM 3P17, 3P65, 3P90, 3P92, 3P93, 4F80, 4F99, 4P17, 4P23, 4P30, 4P31, 4P32, 4P50, 4P51, 4P55

Pass

	COMM 1F90, 2F50, 2P20, 2P21, 3P16, 3P20 and 3P21
	one of COMM 2P90, 3P17, 3P65, 3P93

Minor in Professional Writing

With the exception of students in the Co-op streams, it is possible for Communications Policy and Media and Culture stream majors to earn a Minor in Professional Writing. For details see the calendar entry for the Department of English Language and Literature.