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:

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

Year One

Foundational courses

All of:

CMNS 100 Introduction to Communications

CMNS 110 Introduction to Mass Communication

CMNS 120 Journalism Fundamentals

CMNS 130 Introduction to Digital Media

ENGL 100 University Writing

ENGL 153 Critical Writing and Reading: Narrative

Breadth Courses

Three of:

ANTH 121 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

CMNS 160 Introduction to Film Studies

GEOG 128 Human Geography: Space, Place and Community

or GEOG 129 Human Geography: Resources, Development and Society

HIST 122 Canada Since 1867

or HIST 125 Contemporary World from World War II to the Present

INDG 100 Introduction to Indigenous Studies

PHIL 114 Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking I

POLI 101 Introduction to Politics

or POLI 111 The Government of Canada

SOCI 111² Introduction to Sociology I

GSWS 100 Introduction to Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies

Year Two

Foundational Courses

Three of:

CMNS 200 Communications in the Everyday

CMNS 230 Communication and Culture

CMNS 235 Professional Writing and Communications

or ENGL 235 Professional Writing and Communications

CMNS 240 The Culture of Television

CMNS 250 Cultural Industries in Canada

CMNS 260 Topics in Communications

CMNS 270 New Media

CMNS 280 Applied Communication

CMNS 290 Introduction to Video Game Studies

One of:

ENGL 215 Studies in Reading Film

ENGL 219¹ Intermediate Workshop in Creative Writing - Creative Non-Fiction

ENGL 222 Studies in International Literature in English

ENGL 231 Studies in Popular Narrative

Breadth Courses

Two of:

GEOG 201 Food and Society

GEOG 210 Introduction to Environmental Issues

POLI 222 Global Political Economy

or POLI 240 Contemporary Political Ideologies

SOCI 202² Introduction to Social Problems

or SOCI 216² Media and Society

or SOCI 217² Consumer Society

GSWS 202 Women and Politics

or GSWS 215 Gender and Popular Culture

or GSWS 216 Feminism and Film

1 CCJS choosing ENGL 219 should request a pre-requisite waiver from the English Department Chair.

2 Students interested in SOCI 216 or SOCI 217 should take SOCI 111 from the first year breadth list AND also SOCI 121 as one of their first year Arts electives in order to fulfill pre-requisite requirements.

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.

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Program Area:

Arts (University Studies)

Campus (Intake):

Kelowna (Jan, Sep)
Entire program at this campus

Credential:

Diploma

Delivery:

Part-Time
Full-Time

Cost:

2022-23: $4,497.68

Fees listed are for first year (two semesters) for a typical, full-time student taking 5 courses per semester. Depending on the courses selected fees may vary.
Fees include all mandatory fees: Activity fee, Health & Dental, Student Association fee, Education Technology fee, Development fee.
All amounts are approximate and are subject to change.
International students will pay International tuition fees

Notes:

This program is student loan eligible.

Please note, this diploma can only be completed in full at the Kelowna campus. The first year of the program is offered at the Vernon campus and a selection of courses is offered at the Penticton and Salmon Arm campuses but a number of specialized courses and second year courses are only offered at the Kelowna campus.

Department Website