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School of Communication | Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology
¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Calendar 2012 Spring

The School of Communication draws on a variety of perspectives, but it is most readily distinguished by the fact that it treats communication as a humanistic social science, with both theoretical and applied dimensions. Students explore communication theory and practice, and are encouraged to apply research and theory to issues and problems in contemporary societies and cultures.

Fields of Study and Research

Faculty resources support graduate studies in a range of areas of expertise that can be generally summarized by the following thematic clusters.

Media and culture: media analysis; media education; media and democracy; advocacy; cultural forms and genres; media production and design; memory and post-colonial studies.

Politics and political economy: media governance; cultural policy; intellectual property; media industries and markets; communication and social movements; media systems and institutions; knowledge systems.

Science, technology and society: history of communication technology; surveillance and citizenship; health informatics; philosophy of technology; technological innovation and social change; crisis and emergency communication; information society and economy.

Other themes of research and study cut across all of these thematic clusters, and are foundational to all research and training in the school, among them: globalization, policy, and identity studies. All clusters consider theory,history, and methodology.

¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Requirements

¶¡ÏãÔ°AV requires a bachelor’s degree in communication (with at least a good second-class standing) or an equivalent degree in an interdisciplinary or humanities program, in one of the social sciences, or in socially oriented information systems, or biological sciences. However, qualified students will be accepted only if the communication graduate studies committee finds a suitable senior supervisor. Besides applications from communication students, the school encourages applications from those with experience in the humanities, social or biological sciences, and interdisciplinary studies.

All applications should be directed to the graduate studies committee and, in addition to general university requirements, will include the following.

• an online application along with the application fee
• all official post-secondary transcriptsin sealed envelopes
• a three to five page succinct statement of interests and goals, either including an account of relevant academic and personal background, or a curriculum vitae
• two samples of scholarly and/or other written work relevant to the applicant’s objectives and any tapes, films, etc. the applicant considers relevant
• three references, at least two of whom should be familiar with the applicant’s academic work, submitted in sealed envelopes

The application deadline is December 15. The committee announces decisions before the last week of April. Students enter the program in the fall term.

The school recognizes working individuals’ special needs. The graduate program is approved for part-time students but University regulations require all MA students to complete studies within 12 full-time equivalent terms or six years, whichever is shorter.

As a condition of program entry, students with undergraduate degrees in disciplines other than communication may be required to complete up to two additional courses to complete their MA. These conditions, if applicable, will be specified in the letter of offer, as determined by the admissions committee, on an individual basis.

Advising and Supervision

Each new student is assigned an interim advisor upon program admission. The student selects a senior supervisor and, in consultation with this faculty member, selects one or two other faculty members to serve on their supervisory committee by the beginning of the student’s third term. Although the graduate studies committee (GSC) will endeavor to provide interim advisors with expertise in the student’s stated area of research interest, there is no obligation to select the interim advisor as senior supervisor.

Students have the right to discuss their programs and status with the graduate program chair, to ask for a review of any recommendation or grade, and to appeal committee, supervisor or faculty decisions.

Program Requirements

Extended Essay, Project, or Thesis

The program may be completed through an extended essay, a project, or a thesis. Each is equivalent. Each requires the completion of the same number of courses, is research based and is subject to external examination. Students determine which option is suitable for their research in consultation with their senior supervisor and supervisory committee. Extensive guidelines for each option are found on the School of Communication’s graduate website:

The thesis option represents a longer form of research and is normally between 80 to 100 pages, inclusive of all bibliographies and appendices.

The extended essays option requires completion of two essays of not more than 40 pages each, which may be on related fields, but which may not substantively duplicate papers presented in course work.

In the project option, a student may present an alternative format such as a CD-ROM, website, video or audio documentary, on-line software development, or other technologically based formats. All projects also need to be documented in a written form, not to exceed 40 pages, and that will be determined in consultation with the senior supervisor. This documentation should include the rationale behind the project, a description of the research undertaken, as well as a description and evaluation of the project itself.

All thesis and essay options will be deposited in the University library. Project options may be deposited at the discretion of the graduate studies committee.

Procedures for the supervision and examination of extended essays and projects are the same as those for theses:

• all master’s students present, discuss and defend their thesis, project or essay options in an oral examination before their supervisory committee and external examiner, as required by graduate general regulation 1.9.
• a supervisory committee will be approved by the graduate studies committee at the beginning of the third term.
• students have an annual formal review of their academic progress by the graduate studies committee, in accordance with graduate general regulation 1.8.1.

Course Groups

Graduate courses are divided into six groups.

Group 1 Surveys of History and Theory

This course group contains survey courses that define and map the field and expose students to faculty interests and research programs.

• CMNS 800-5 Contemporary Approaches in Communication Studies
• CMNS 802-5 History of Communication Theory
• CMNS 804-5 Seminar in Advanced Communication Theory

Group 2 Research Design and Methods

This course group contains research methods and methodology courses that help with research projects.

• CMNS 801-5 Design and Methodology in Communication Research
• CMNS 805-5 Communication Research Methods and Techniques

Group 3 Research Area Courses

This course group contains the school’s various research area and selected topics courses.

• CMNS 815-5 Social construction of Communication Technologies
• CMNS 830-5 Popular Culture and Media Theory
• CMNS 840-5 Political Economy of Communications
• CMNS 845-5 Communication and Development
• CMNS 855-5 Selected Topics in Communication Studies
• CMNS 856-4 Graduate Seminar
• CMNS 857-5 Selected Topics in Communication Studies
• CMNS 858-5 Selected Topics in Communication Studies
• CMNS 859-5 Acoustic Dimensions of Communications

Group 4 Research Internship and Fieldwork

This course group contains courses in which students complete field work, or work and study in a professional setting.

• CMNS 881-5 Research Internship
• CMNS 882-5 Research Field Work

Group 5 Directed Readings and Studies

This course group contains courses in which students perform research and/or reading under faculty member supervision.

• CMNS 850-5 Directed Readings and Research
• CMNS 851-5 Directed Studies
• CMNS 880-5 Directed Readings and Research

Group 6 Colloquia and Theses

This course group refers to the course designations for work on theses, projects, or extended essays in process, and for colloquia where students present such work.

• CMNS 860-2 Graduate Colloquium
• CMNS 898-6 MA Thesis

Course Requirements

At least four graduate courses (normally completed before beginning a thesis, a project, or two extended essays) are required, which must include the following, unless otherwise stipulated as a condition for admission.

Students complete one course from Group 1 Surveys of History and Theory as follows.

• CMNS 800-5 Contemporary Approaches in Communication Studies
• CMNS 802-5 History of Communication Theory
• CMNS 804-5 Seminar in Advanced Communication Theory

As well students are required to complete one course from Group 2 Research Design and Methods as follows.

• CMNS 801-5 Design and Methodology in Communication Research
• CMNS 805-5 Communication Research Methods and Techniques

Students are also required to complete two additional courses, at least one of which is selected from within the school. No more than one course may be completed with the same instructor, except by permission of the graduate studies committee.

Co-operative Education

The co-operative education program combines professional work experience with academic studies. After the first two terms of the program, students may alternate work and academic terms. All work positions are in paid study related jobs and may lead to the communications project or extended essay in lieu of a master’s thesis. Application for the co-op program is made through the school’s co-op co-ordinator and the co-operative education office.

Academic Requirements within the Graduate General Regulations

All graduate students must satisfy the academic requirements that are specified in the (residence, course work, academic progress, supervision, research competence requirement, completion time, and degree completion), as well as the specific requirements for the program in which they are enrolled, as shown above.