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Master of Media in Journalism & Communication

Imagine studying in a program that gives you the skills for an advanced career in either journalism or communications... Now, imagine yourself in Western’s Master of Media in Journalism and Communication (MMJC) program.

The MMJC is a one-year, hands-on program designed for students to grow their skills in both the journalism and communications industries. The MMJC introduces students and graduates to a vast array of career opportunities, including in written and broadcast journalism, radio and podcast hosting, content and digital marketing, graphic and website design, corporate communications, public relations and more. Your career is your choice—the MMJC is where you Start Your Story.

Why should you choose Western University to get a graduate degree in journalism and communications?

Enjoy flexible career opportunities in media

You may be wondering how a master’s degree that focuses on both communications and journalism will benefit you. Whether your dream is to be a newscast director or a chief marketing officer, there are interchangeable skills, such as storytelling, that can be developed through journalism and communications training.

Today's journalists and communications professionals need advanced media skills, as well as the ability to anticipate which new tools and digital platforms will help them tell their stories best. Both fields rely on common skills such as storytelling, professional writing, interviewing, research, data analytics and metrics, multimedia and social networking fluency. You will learn these skills in the MMJC program and be able to apply them in either journalism or communications careers.

Our grads work across many industries: news organizations, marketing and PR agencies, government ministries, hospitals, NGOs, banks and other businesses, organizations and corporations—large and small. Western has been training some of Canada's greatest storytellers for decades. We can teach you, too.

Personalized experiences for individual growth

In the MMJC program, class sizes are small. That means there’s opportunity for one-on-one time with professors and production staff. The program only enrols up to 40 students per year through a competitive application process, and is designed to take in students from all academic backgrounds. Whether your undergraduate degree is in science, engineering, business or English, you’re encouraged to apply if you see journalism and communications as a part of your future.

With smaller class sizes you’ll get the chance to know your professors and educators, and to create a tightknit community with your classmates. The people that you meet in the program will become lifelong friends and form a network of professional contacts.

Start your career sooner with an accelerated one-year program

Why wait to start your career? The MMJC is a one-year degree. The program is intense and challenging, but the accelerated learning environment teaches you how to adapt and work quickly. You’ll gain an appreciation for deadlines and an understanding of the many demands of working in media-related careers.

You’ll spend two terms (fall and winter) on Western's beautiful campus. In the final summer term, you can decide where you'd like to pursue your internship (we’ve had students head across Canada and to Europe, Africa and Asia for internships). All summer coursework can be done virtually.

A one-year degree will allow you to keep your cost-of-living expenses down while you're a student. London, Ontario, is more affordable than larger urban centres, but it still offers a thriving media scene. The MMJC has local ties to CBC, CTV and the London Free Press. And unlike other master’s programs, you’ll be finished in one year. This will save you a year's worth of tuition and other expenses.

Grow with state-of-the-art facilities and experienced support staff

Western’s Master of Media in Journalism & Communication program offers practical classroom experiences, featuring industry-standard production gear and facilities. The professional broadcast studio has four video editing suites, two audio recording and editing rooms, and computers for students to work on their projects. Professional broadcast equipment, studio cameras and lighting are also available to students.

Multiple computer labs provide students with access to software including Avid, Burli, Brackets (an open-source code editor) and more. Learn more about our facilities here.

With faculty and production staff available to students, you will be supported one-on-one and in groups. After participating in camera workshops and receiving video and audio editing training, you can confidently take your skills out into the field to start gaining experience.

Assistance with projects or equipment issues is available to students during regular working hours, and you will have 24/7 access to the studio, computer labs, editing and audio suites.

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Develop hands-on experiences that prepare you for any media career

Careers in media and communications are interactive and hands-on, and the MMJC program prepares students for this through its course structure. With realistic in-class scenarios and projects, you’ll gain practical experience, such as researching, writing and sharing stories in a variety of mediums.

The MMJC program also provides you with an opportunity to do an internship with a journalism or communications organization. Students work with organizations for 10 weeks during the summer term, learning the ins and outs of the business. Once you know where you’d like to intern, you’ll work with staff to access opportunities. We’ve had students stay local or travel abroad.

Many of our students are hired full-time from the companies they intern for.

One of the benefits of earning your degree in the MMJC program is that it pairs hands-on skills with developing an ability to think critically, analzye the media industry, and ask questions. We don't just train our students to be pracititioners -- we prepare them to be leaders in their fields.

Learn how to quickly adapt to the latest trends in media

Part of success in the media industry is having the ability to adapt in innovative ways. As a small program, we’re able to quickly adapt and pivot to innovative storytelling techniques and tools as new options arise. This ensures Western’s MMJC program is up to date with the latest trends, including using the best tools, gear and technology. We’ve introduced new courses in the past few years, such as a digital marketing course, to teach students about social media, search engines and algorithms—important skills for many media careers today.

Students run the MMJC social media accounts themselves, which provide them an opportunity to learn how to strategize, manage, create and schedule social media posts and campaigns.

Build lifelong connections with professors, students, special guests and businesses

During the year, you will get the chance to meet MMJC graduates and other special guests. These guest speakers will open your eyes to the possibilities for internships, as well as careers that you may want to pursue down the line.

Western University is ideally situated to benefit from its strong community connections. The MMJC program works closely with local media, including CBC London, CTV2, TVO and the London Free Press. Western has been graduating professional journalists (and as of 2015 communicators) since 1951 and thus have a network of alumni working in newsrooms and other media jobs across Canada. Program staff maintain strong connections with local industry partners and past internship providers. In addition, we have strong ties to the broader London community, including many non-profits, NGOs and other groups and organizations.

By the end of the year, you’ll feel like you are part of a family that includes your instructors, classmates and the hundreds of our alumni who work in journalism, communications and other related fields across Canada and around the world.

Start Your Story; apply now!

A master’s degree will open more doors for your career than a diploma, certificate or undergraduate degree. Western’s Master of Media in Journalism & Communication program will prepare you for employment and teach you the strategic and contextual thinking needed to adapt or change direction as the media landscape evolves.

Don’t wait any longer to Start Your Story. Apply to the MMJC program today!

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