Communication Studies

General Information

The University of New Brunswick at Saint John offers a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies (COMS), a Double Major in COMS, and a Minor in COMS. The COMS program seeks to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the social, political, economic and cultural impact of information and communication technologies and practices. As an interdisciplinary Arts program based in the tradition of the social sciences and humanities, the COMS approach combines theoretical, historical, empirical, and practical study, with an emphasis on emerging media of communication, information gathering and distribution. Course offerings are grouped into three primary areas: Media and Culture; Technology and Communication Practices; and Information Gathering, Governance and Policy. These areas of concentration, combined with the interdisciplinary organization of the program, provide students with broad exposure to a variety of perspectives in communication studies.

Major

Students are eligible to declare an COMS Major during the session in which they will complete 10 term-courses towards a Bachelor of Arts degree. To graduate with a Major in COMS, students must complete 14 term-courses (5 lower level/9 upper level) comprised of the following courses:

Lower Level: 5 term-courses
COMS 1001   History of Communication
COMS 1002   Media, Truth and the Social Sphere
COMS 2001   Transformations in Media
SOCI 2251 Film and Society
AND
One term-course selected from the following:
COMS 2101 Popular Music, Culture and Communication
COMS 2103 Understanding Comics and Manga

Upper Level: 9 term-courses
COMS 3001 Contemporary Communication Theory
COMS 3003 Electronic Research
OR an upper level research methods course approved by the COMS co-ordinator
AND
1 term-course selected from the following:
SOCI 4503 Research Seminar in Popular Culture, OR
COMS 4001 Research Seminar in Communications Studies, OR 
COMS 4101 Advanced Topics in Communications Studies
AND
2 term-courses at the 3000/4000 level in COMS from the “COMS-eligible” list
4 term-courses of 3000/4000 electives from the “COMS-eligible” list [See Notes 1 & 2]
No grade lower than a C in an COMS course or an COMS eligible elective will count for credit towards a Major, Double Major or Minor in COMS.

NOTES:

  1. The list of current COMS-eligible courses is updated annually and a list of current offerings is posted and circulated to students in the program each spring by the COMS program. Students seeking credit for courses not on this list must have written approval from the COMS Co-ordinator prior to enrolling in the course.
  2. COMS students are responsible for ensuring they have completed appropriate prerequisites for their COMS-eligible electives.

Double Major

Students are eligible to declare an COMS Double Major during the session in which they will complete 10 term-courses towards a Bachelor of Arts degree. To graduate with a Double Major in COMS, students must complete 11 term-courses (4 lower level/7 upper level) comprised of the following courses:

Lower Level: 4 term-courses
COMS 1002 Media, Truth and the Social Sphere
COMS 2001 Transformations in Media
SOCI 2251 Film and Society
AND
One term-course selected from the following:
COMS 2101 Popular Music, Culture and Communication
COMS 2103 Understanding Comics and Manga

Upper Level: 7 term-courses
COMS 3001 Contemporary Communication Theory
COMS 3003 Electronic Research
OR an upper level research methods course approved by the COMS co-ordinator
AND
1 term-course selected from the following:
SOCI 4503 Research Seminar in Popular Culture, OR
COMS 4001 Research Seminar in Communications Studies; OR
COMS 4101 Advanced Topics in Communications Studies
AND
4 term-courses of 3000/4000 electives from the “COMS-eligible” list [See Notes 1 & 2]
No grade lower than a C in a COMS course or a COMS-eligible elective will count for credit towards a Major, Double Major or Minor in COMS.

NOTES:

  1. The list of current COMS-eligible courses is updated annually, and a list of current offerings is posted and circulated to students in the program each spring by the COMS program. Students seeking credit for courses not on this list must have written approval from the COMS Co-ordinator prior to enrolling in the course.
  2. COMS students are responsible for ensuring they have completed appropriate prerequisites for their COMS-eligible electives.

NOTE: Upper division courses count for credit in ONE major field only (e.g., SOCI 4503 credit assigned to an COMS Double Major will not be counted for credit towards a Sociology Major or Double Major, or vice-versa)

Minor

Students are eligible to declare an COMS Minor during the session in which they will complete 20 term-courses towards a Bachelor of Arts degree. To graduate with a Minor in COMS, students must complete 8 term-courses (4 lower level/4 upper level) comprised of the following courses:

Lower Level: 4 term-courses
COMS 1002 Media, Truth and the Social Sphere
COMS 2001 Transformations in Media
SOCI 2251 Film and Society
AND
One term-course selected from the following:
COMS 2101 Popular Music, Culture and Communication
COMS 2103 Understanding Comics and Manga

Upper Level: 4 term-courses
COMS 3001 Contemporary Communication Theory
COMS 3003 Electronic Research
OR an upper level research methods course approved by the COMS co-ordinator
AND
2 term-courses of a 3000/4000 elective from the “COMS-eligible” list [See Notes 1 & 2]
No grade lower than a C in a COMS course or a COMS-eligible elective will count for credit towards a Major, Double Major or Minor in COMS.

NOTES:

  1. The list of current COMS-eligible courses is updated annually, and is posted and circulated to students in the program each spring by the COMS program. Students seeking credit for courses not on this list must have written approval from the COMS Co-ordinator prior to enrolling in the course.
  2. COMS students are responsible for ensuring they have completed appropriate prerequisites for their COMS-eligible electives.

Certificate in Social Media

The contemporary workforce requires employees to be familiar with a variety of critical, analytical and practical communication skills to solve knowledge-related tasks in the workplace. The aim of this certificate is to provide students with a concentrated yet in-depth exposure to the practical communication issues facing workers and citizens in an increasingly digital world.

Admission Regulations

  1. Students must have completed an undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in any field in order to apply.

General Regulations

  1. A certificate will not be awarded to a student who is currently enrolled in a degree program.
  2. A grade of C or higher is required for each course in order to meet the Certificate requirements.

Courses are grouped into theoretical and applied courses covering media representation, communication skills, the use and importance of digital and social media in our everyday work lives and communication analysis.

The certificate consists of ten term courses designed to be completed in one academic year.

(First Semester)

COMS 1002 Media, Truth and the Social Sphere
COMS 2119 Digital Storytelling
COMS 3001 Contemporary Communication Theory
COMS 4104 Promotional Culture
COMS 5004 Advanced Communication Portfolio I

(Second Semester)

COMS-Eligible Elective - ONE course from the approved COMS-Eligible Electives list
COMS 3103 Mediated Network Publics: Digital Media & Network Technologies in Everyday Life
COMS 4003 Advanced Communication Analysis
COMS 4119 Advanced Communication Presentation Techniques
COMS 5006 Advanced Communication Project Portfolio II

NOTES:

  1. The list of COMS-eligible courses is updated annually and a list of current offerings is posted and circulated to students in program each spring by COMS program. Students seeking credit toward the certificate for courses not on this list must have written approval from the COMS Co-ordinator prior to enrolling in this course.
  2. Students are responsible for ensuring they have completed appropriate prerequisites for their COMS-eligible electives.
  3. COMS students wanting to concentrate in Social Media as part of their COMS degree are ineligible for the certificate.