Carleton University School of Journalism and Communication

Degrees offered

The School offers a four-year Bachelor of Journalism (Honours) degree, a Master of Journalism, a Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies (BCoMS), a Bachelor of Media Production and Design (BMPD), launched in 2018, and MA and Ph.D. programs in Communication.

Programs and emphasis

The Journalism program combines practical reporting, writing, and multimedia training with a broader liberal-arts education and requires third- and fourth-year students to complete an apprenticeship or internship. The Communication and Media Studies program, established in 1978 as a Mass Communication degree, examines the societal impact of media and communication technologies. Starting in the 2026-27 academic year, the BCoMS program will add concentrations in Government and Professional Communication, Media and Entertainment Industries, and Public Engagement and Civic Culture.

History

Carleton's journalism program was launched in October 1945, partly in response to demand from returning Second World War veterans, and was led by newspaper columnist and historian Wilfrid Eggleston, widely regarded as a founder of journalism education in Canada. Three of the first Bachelor of Journalism degrees, among the university's first six degrees overall, were awarded to women in 1946. The School added an academic Communication program in the 1970s.

Key faculty and leadership

Allan Thompson: Co-Director of the School of Journalism and Communication and Program Head, Journalism; a Carleton journalism graduate who returned to teach at the school.
Liam Cole Young: Co-Director of the School of Journalism and Communication and Program Head, Communication and Media Studies, appointed to a five-year term in July 2025.

Student-run media

The Charlatan is Carleton's independent student newspaper, in continuous publication since November 1945. The School also produces Capital Current, a digital publication through which journalism students cover Ottawa-area communities.

Location and contact info

Address
School of Journalism and Communication
Carleton University, Richcraft Hall
1125 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
Website
https://carleton.ca/sjc