The Journalism Program at Western offers a post-graduate degree - Master of Arts in Journalism - that can be completed within one year. The Program is a combination of an academic foundation and hands-on experience in all branches of journalism. The
faculty consists of academic specialists and professional journalists. The Program is designed to produce graduates who are immediately employable but who also have the skills, motivation and intellectual capacity to become leaders and entrepreneurs in Canada's media community in the years to come.
The Program's academic year runs from May to mid-April of the following year, and is divided into three terms of fourteen weeks each. Throughout the year, there is instruction in two complementary areas: academic and professional. The academic courses range from Law and Ethics, Media Theory and Criticism, Media and Politics to Research Methods and Media Organizations. In the professional courses, students begin to work immediately in print, television, radio and new media. They write and cover stories against deadline. The assignments become more ambitious in each term. It is not unusual for students to have their work published and broadcast in mainstream media, such as The London Free Press and CBC Radio. At the end of the fall term, students are placed in four-week, unpaid internships in media organizations.
Financial Assistance is available for incoming and current Journalism students. To learn more about the Master of Arts in Journalism Program, listen to a series of podcasts at J-School Confidential.
Making a Difference - Our Students Tell the World
Western Journalism students are making their voices heard on J-Source, Canada’s leading journalism website.
Lauren Pelley won the Haak Saan Responsible Journalism Scholarship – a new award at Western promoting social justice, peace and harmony. Her winning essay is published nationally here.
Megan Radford, who interned in January with Malaysiakini TV in Kuala Lumpur, writes for J-Source about risk and trauma awareness, after attending a pioneering workshop Western Journalism has offered students for the past five years.
Alex Ballingall, who graduated from the Journalism program in April 2011, published an article on J-Source that discusses his ideas on the challenge of becoming an international reporter while struggling with the 'backpack' he can't put down - his own perspectives. Read the article, "From one wannabe to another" on J-Source.ca.
To view more student work, please visit the recently completed Integration Project 2011.