Navigating the Various "Communications" Degrees

The Faculty of Communication and Culture offers several degrees with the word "Communication" in the title.  Student often get justifiably confused as to which one they are in.  Here are the differences.

BA (Bachelor of Arts) with a Communications Studies major

This is the classic degree with a specialization in Communications Studies.  It is intended for students with a specific interest in Communications Studies and requires a fairly large number of Communications Studies courses.  Although it is interdisciplinary, as are all the degrees in the faculty, it is one of the more subject-specific degrees discussed here.  If you are really interested in Communications Studies specifically, this is the right degree for you.

Bachelor of Communications Studies

This is a different degree from the regular four-year Communications Studies degree.  It still takes four years to complete, but it involves two years at the University of Calgary and two years at SAIT or a similar technical program.  It provides some of the same theoretical background as the BA in Communications Studies, but cuts the theory and the critical-analytic component down in order to allow for the professional skills offered by the polytechnic diploma.

BA (Bachelor of Arts) or BSc (Bachelor of Science) in Communication and Culture (multidisciplinary)

This degree used to be called the BA/BSc in General Studies. This program is quite different from the Communications Studies major. Communications Studies is the name of a specific program; Communication and Culture is the name of the larger faculty that houses it. The BA in Communication and Culture is a non-major program, which means that you don't take any major at all. You can take some Communications Studies courses, but it is designed for students who want a broad, multidisciplinary education rather than a specialization in any one area. If you want a broader and more flexible degree, and don't care as much about specialized training in one specific area, this might be the degree for you.

Bachelor of Communication and Culture

This used to be called the Bachelor of General Studies. It is very similar to the BA or BSc in Communication and Culture except that it can be completed in three years (15 full-course equivalents) instead of four.  It is designed for students who want to finish an undergraduate degree quickly and then go on to other education (such as the Elementary Education program).  It is also good for part-time students or students who just want a good liberal education.  Its only drawback is that most graduate schools insist on a four-year rather than a three-year degree.

If you are not sure what degree you are in (a common problem!), go to your MyUofC page and open Degree Navigator.

If you are not in the degree you want, use the Change of Program Request from the drop-down box in your PeopleSoft Student Centre.

For more information and advice, please see an advisor at the Undergraduate Programs Office,  fourth floor, MacEwan Student Centre.