Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Communication and Media Studies
BA in Communication and Media Studies with Co-operative Education
BA Honours in Communication and Media Studies
BA Honours in Communication and Media Studies with Co-operative Education
Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies (BCMS)
Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies with Co-operative Education
Film Studies
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Film Studies
BA in Film studies with Co-operative Education
BA Honours in Film Studies
BA Honours in Film Studies with Co-operative Education
Bachelor of Film Studies (BFS)
Bachelor of Film Studies (BFS) with Co-operative Education
Science, Technology and Society
Note: Admission to Science, Technology and Society programs have been suspended as of Fall 2015. Students in these programs should consult with an Arts program advisor to ensure completion of program requirements in a timely manner.
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Science, Technology and Society
Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Science, Technology and Society
BA in Science, Technology and Society with Co-operative Education
BSc in Science, Technology and Society with Co-operative Education
BA Honours in Science, Technology and Society
BSc Honours in Science, Technology and Society
BA Honours in Science, Technology and Society with Co-operative Education
BSc Honours in Science, Technology and Society with Co-operative Education
Note: Minors are offered in: Communication and Media Studies; Film Studies; and Science, Technology and Society.
Introduction
The Department of Communication, Media and Film Studies hosts programs in Communication and Media Studies and Film Studies.
Communication and Media Studies explores the ways in which communication constructs and reflects society and culture. The program emphasizes three interrelated areas of communication: 1) Media and Popular Culture: the theory, criticism and history of communication through traditional media, new media and popular culture; 2) Rhetorical Communication: the theory, critique and production of informative, persuasive and professional discourse in public and organizational contexts; and 3) Science and Communication: discourses and processes of communication in relation to health, science and technology.
The program aims to educate flexible and articulate analysts, researchers and practitioners for a wide range of academic, public and professional contexts. It provides graduates with the knowledge, skill and discernment to communicate ideas effectively and to investigate communication in and across a variety of media including speech, writing, television, film, radio, digital media and interactive entertainment, the Internet, and wireless networks. Our co-operative education and experiential learning opportunities enable students to develop and apply their skills in non-academic contexts.
The Department offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Communication and Media Studies and a Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies (BCMS). Opportunities for further concentration are available via the BA (Honours) in Communication and Media Studies. The BCMS is offered in partnership with SAIT Polytechnic and is intended for students who want the broad interdisciplinary base of knowledge provided by a university degree combined with practical skills in public relations, journalism, new media production, or radio, television, and broadcast news provided by a professional diploma program at SAIT or other approved program. A minor program is also offered. Degree requirements are outlined in 4.14.1 to 4.14.3.
Film Studies situates motion pictures within a wider culture of images and sounds, comprising both contemporary media and diverse historical practices. The program offers students the analytical skills and historical and theoretical frameworks to critically assess contemporary visual culture, and in this way helps to prepare them for careers in film and media criticism; film programming and production; work in cultural institutions; and university research and teaching.
The Department offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Film Studies and a Bachelor of Film Studies (BFS). Students taking a BA in Film Studies will develop a broad understanding of the medium, considering film as an art form, as a cultural industry, and as an innovative and developing technology with social, cultural, and political significance. Opportunities for further concentration are available via the BA (Honours) in Film Studies program. The BFS is offered in partnership with SAIT Polytechnic and is intended for students who want the broad interdisciplinary base of knowledge provided by a university degree combined with the practical skills in film, video, and new media production. A minor program is also offered. Degree requirements are outlined in 4.14.4 to 4.14.6.
Note: Admission to Science, Technology and Society programs has been suspended as of Fall 2015. Students in these programs should consult with an Arts program advisor to ensure completion of program requirements in a timely manner.
The Science, Technology and Society program is designed to provide the student with an integrated understanding of the ways in which science and technology interact with the culture of any society, both as part of that culture and also as a force for change. This program will be useful for students seeking careers in a variety of fields, including communications, policy analysis, and strategic planning, and provides a solid foundation for further professional or graduate degrees.
Science, Technology and Society also provides an excellent opportunity for construction of a defined interdisciplinary component that may be of special interest to students in other faculties such as science, engineering, and business. The Director of Undergraduate Programs Co-ordinator for the Department of Communication, Media(,delete comma) and Film Studies is available to discuss specific student interests. Students may request to have Communication and Culture 507 (Collaborative Learning and Peer Mentoring) counted as a Science, Technology and Society option if they are mentoring in a course required by that program (including Communication and Culture 301, 303, 501 or 503). Such requests should be addressed to the Director of Undergraduate Programs Co-ordinator. Science, Technology and Society degree requirements are outlined in 4.14.7 and 4.14.8.
Students should consult a program advisor in the Arts Students’ Centre for information and advice on their overall program requirements. Advising contact information can be found online: arts.ucalgary.ca/advising.
For more specific advice regarding course selection and requirements in the major field, students should consult the Director of Undergraduate Programs in the Department of Communication, Media and Film Studies.
When demand exceeds capacity, enrolment in the BA Communication and Media Studies will be restricted on a competitive basis.
Admission to Honours
The Faculty of Arts procedures for Admission to Honours established in section, 3.4.2 Honours Degrees with a Major Field are applicable and provide the overall framework.
The deadline for submitting the Honours Program application form to the Department of Communication, Media and Film is February 1. Students taking Majors offered by the Department are eligible to apply for the Honours Program by the February 1 deadline only if they have completed at least 63 units (10.5 full-course equivalents).
Honours program applications to the department must include a preliminary Honours thesis proposal and the signature of a faculty member who has agreed to serve as the student's Honours thesis supervisor. Students are strongly advised to secure a supervisor by January 20. The Honours program application form is available at comcul.ucalgary.ca/forms.
Successful applicants to the Honours program will automatically be registered in Communication and Media Studies 590 or Film 590 (Honours Thesis) and will have their degree program changed. Further information is available on the department website. Students should also consult with the Honours Program Co-ordinator in the Department of Communication, Media and Film.
Overlapping Programs
The Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies and the Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Studies cannot be taken in conjunction with each other. The Bachelor of Film Studies and the Bachelor of Arts in Film Studies also may not be taken in conjunction with each other.
Degree Program Field Requirements
The Field of Communication and Media Studies consists of the following courses:
All courses labelled Communication and Media Studies (COMS)
All courses labelled Film Studies (FILM)
All courses labelled Communication and Culture (CMCL)
All courses labelled Science, Technology and Society (STAS)
Note: Most of the courses listed above have prerequisites that lie outside the Field of Communication and Media Studies. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that prerequisites are completed. We encourage students to speak with a program advisor to assist with a degree planning.
Field of Film Studies
Courses in the Field of Film Studies are grouped as follows:
Depending on the topic, Film 401 and 501 may be counted in the Film as a Cultural Industry category or the Aesthetics of Film category.
Most of the courses listed above have prerequisites that lie outside the Field of Film Studies. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that prerequisites are completed. We encourage students to speak with a program advisor to assist with a degree planning.
Field of Science, Technology and Society
The Field of Science, Technology and Society consists of the following courses:
Courses with a Focus on Science, Technology and Society
All courses labelled Science, Technology and Society (STAS)
Note: Most of the courses listed above have prerequisites that lie outside the Field of Science, Technology and Society. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that prerequisites are completed. We encourage students to speak with a program advisor to assist with a degree planning.
Courses in the Domain of Science for Science, Technology and Society
Courses from the “Domain of Science”, for the Science, Technology and Society program, include the courses listed below:
All courses offered by the Faculty of Science
All courses offered by Schulich School of Engineering
All courses labelled Earth Science EASC and Environmental Science ENSC
Faculty of Arts