Diploma in Communications, Culture, and Journalism Studies

The Diploma in Communications, Culture, and Journalism Studies (CCJS) is a two-year interdisciplinary diploma that foregrounds a critical analysis of the mass media as contemporary society's most pervasive agent of political and cultural transformation. Students will explore the social, political, and economic functions of news and communications media, the history of journalism, and cultural policy & theory. Particular attention will be paid to questions of social justice, as well as of identity and constructions of gender, race, class, sexuality, and nationality.                               

Housed in the Department of Communications, CCJS offers students foundational courses in media theory, writing-intensive courses in Communications and English, and a selection of elective breadth courses from a range of departments --including Anthropology, History, Philosophy, Geography, Political Science, Sociology, and Women's Studies.

While students may proceed directly to potential entry-level careers in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, advertising, research, writing, publishing, consulting or new media, especially in small markets and independent digital environments, completion of this program is intended primarily to provide students with the liberal arts education necessary for further study.

Admission Requirements

Regular Applicants: A regular applicant will be a secondary graduate or a secondary school student, or its equivalent, who has or who will complete the requirements for senior secondary graduation, or its equivalent, not less than one month prior to commencement of classes for the semester to which admission is sought - either fall or winter. The following minimum entrance requirements will apply to regular applicants:

• B.C. secondary graduation, or equivalent.

• English 12 with minimum 60% or alternatives.

Students with a passing grade of less than 60% in English 12, English 12 First Peoples or TPC 12 will be admissible to the first year of the program, subject to the following conditions:

1. Registration is restricted to courses for which the student satisfies the prerequisites. Registration in first-year English courses is, therefore, prohibited.

2. Successful completion of the English entrance requirements within the first year of studies. This may be done in one of the following ways:

   • Successful completion of English 12, English 12 First Peoples or TPC 12 or an equivalent course with a minimum grade of 60%. This may be done concurrently through the College's Adult Basic Education Program or by completing an equivalent course through a distance education program.

   • Writing the LPI and obtaining a score of at least 24/40 (level 4).

     The LPI Test is no longer being offered after July 31, 2020. Okanagan College will continue to accept LPI Test results for two years from the date an applicant tested. Approved alternatives are available. Please consult academic entrance requirements.

Mature Applicants: A mature applicant will be at least 19 years of age and will not have attended secondary school on a full-time basis for a minimum period of one year.

Secondary graduation is waived for mature applicants. The English entrance requirements, as stated above, must be satisfied prior to admission. Admission may be granted on the condition that the entrance requirements will be completed prior to the commencement of classes for the semester to which admission is sought - either fall or winter.

Program Outline

Science courses:

Two Science courses in Laboratory Science, Mathematics, Computer Science or Statistics. For a list of possible options, see the Associate of Arts page.

Elective Arts courses:

Three 1st or 2nd year Arts courses from any discipline. A university-level language course is recommended  for students who  have not completed  a  Grade  12 high school second  language course.

Graduation Requirements

The Diploma in Communications, Culture, and Journalism Studies will be granted upon the successful completion of 60 prescribed compulsory and elective credits, as follows (see below for details): twenty-one credits in Communications credits, nine credits in English, fifteen Breadth credits, nine Arts Electives credits, and six Science credits.