Communication and Cultural Studies (BA)

BA Communication Studies (Major)
BA Communication & Cultural Studies (Major)

Choose one of the following:

1. If you are a new student applying to Concordia University, you must create an application online. You will also need to submit the supporting documents required by the Department of Communication Studies via the online application. Applicants must prepare their short essay as one document to be uploaded as one PDF file. Further instructions below.
2. If you are already a student in a BA program at Concordia University, you will need to submit the supporting documents required by the Department of Communication Studies. Applicants must prepare their short essay as one document to be uploaded as one PDF file to the MyConcordia portal. Further instructions below. You will also need to submit the online Concentration Change Form.
3. If you are already a student at Concordia University but you are not already in a BA program, you will need to apply for a Degree Transfer on the MyConcordia portal. Applicants must also prepare their short essay as one document to be uploaded via MyConcordia as one PDF file (‘dossier’). Further instructions below.
    

Instructions

STAGE 1

For Fall 2020 admissions to both BA programs in the Department of Communication Studies, all the supporting documents (essay, transcript) for your application must be submitted online. Upload your short essay as one PDF file using the Upload Document feature within your application or in the Student Centre in the MyConcordia portal.

When uploading, be sure to use the correct BA program name in the drop-down menu: Communication Studies Dossier or Communication & Cultural Studies Dossier.

About PDFs: ‘PDF’ stands for Portable Document Format. These kinds of files are very widely used across all sectors of education, business and the arts, including at Concordia University. Adobe developed this file format to be used with their Acrobat software, but there are lots of free PDF editors for both Mac and PC. Many word-processing applications include a PDF option in their print dialogue box. See a list of recommended free readers. (N.B. We do not offer any warranties for third-party software.)

BA Communication Studies and BA Communication & Cultural Studies applications should comprise the following supporting documents

• A short essay
• Transcript (see FAQ below)
  
  

SHORT ESSAY
For this year's applications, we have prepared a unique essay question. This has been designed to allow you to demonstrate your capacity for critical and creative thinking, and of course must be your own original work. Please take careful note of all the guidelines in terms of formatting, file type, and file naming. Good luck!

Read the following article very carefully, then answer the three questions, below:

Making Kin with the Machines (Journal of Design and Science)
by Jason Edward Lewis, Noelani Arista, Archer Pechawis, and Suzanne Kite (2018)

1. Summarize the argument put forward in this essay. In other words, what are the authors trying to accomplish? Begin your essay as follows: “In this article, the authors argue that…” (approx 200 words)
2. Identify and describe three major limitations of 'settler' epistemologies, according to the authors. (approx 300 words)
3. Make an argument for the usefulness of indigenous knowledges in the study of communication, media, and culture. We encourage you to cite up to three other scholarly sources from the fields of communication, and/or media studies, and/or cultural studies to make your argument. You may also reference one artwork by an indigenous artist (or group of indigenous artists) in place of one scholarly source. (approx 500 words)
    

Writing tips:

• For ‘ontology’, think ‘being in the world’
• For ‘epistemology’, think ‘ways of knowing and telling’
• Where necessary, you may use short quotations from the article
• Any phrases or ideas that are not your own must be clearly cited
  
  

Technical guidelines:

• Separate cover page with the same name as on the application, date, and an appropriate title for your essay
• Essay: 950 - 1,050 words, excluding cover page and references - 12pt Times New Roman
• All double-spaced - Any recognized citation style eg MLA, APA, Chicago
• Numbered pages (the essay itself begins on page 1)
• List of references at end, using same citation style
• Export as a PDF named: Lastname_Firstname_comsessay.pdf
  (using your own last and first name)
  

NB: Contrary to our earlier instructions, if you are applying to both of our BA programs, you may submit and upload the same essay for both applications.

ACADEMIC ASSESSMENT FORMS
To supplement the essay, two Academic Assessment Forms must be completed and successfully submitted. Former or current teachers should complete this form and email it as an attachment from their work email account directly to application.support@concordia.ca. The subject line must be just the last name and first name of the applicant. It is up to the applicant to ensure that both of their referees have sent their Academic Assessment Forms by email to the correct address by the deadline. The Department of Communication Studies will not be contacting applicants if these documents are missing.

Assessment Forms correctly submitted and received via email will be visible to the applicant (but not readable) usually within 24 hours of receipt. If more than one of the Academic Assessment forms are missing from the application at 11:59 p.m. on March 1, 2020, the applicant will be automatically disqualified from consideration for both BA programs in the Department of Communication Studies. (If only one Academic Assessment has been received, the maximum possible score for this factor will be halved.) Academic Assessment Forms must be sent to the email address above. The Department of Communication Studies no longer accepts these forms by mail and, if received via mail, will not forward them to Admissions or evaluate them directly.

The Academic Assessment form is available in English and en Français.

Applications must be completed and submitted online by March 1, 2020 at 11:59 p.m., including receipt of all supporting documents: the uploaded essay as a PDF, plus two emailed Academic Assessment Forms.

NOTES
Applicants who intend to apply for both the BA Communication Studies (Major) and the BA Communication and Cultural Studies (Major) must upload two separate copies of their essay. The same Academic Assessments can be used for both programs; they do not need to be submitted twice.

After the March 1 deadline, the Department will only evaluate complete dossiers, with two (minimum one) Academic Assessments. Selected applicants for both BA programs will be contacted by phone or e-mail by the department inviting them to attend Admissions Day on March 28^th 2020. Applicants who have not been invited to Admissions Day will not be contacted by the Department and will be considered for their alternate choices of programs for possible admission to the University.

STAGE 2

BA Communication Studies and BA Communication & Cultural Studies

Admissions Day will take place on Saturday March 28, 2020 at 10:00 am, and finish no later than 2 pm. Applicants being recommended for admission to the BA Communication Studies and BA Communication & Cultural Studies will be invited to attend a full morning dedicated to presentations by a variety of faculty members, information tables, tours, and meet-and-greets with professors, staff, and current senior students. We ask that invited applicants attend on their own, ie without friends or family.

Out-of-town candidates: Those who are unable to attend Admissions Day due to distance from Montreal will be invited to livestream the faculty presentations and/or watch a pre-prepared video about our programs. 

The Department of Communication Studies will recommend successful applicants for admission and Concordia’s admissions team will provide official notification to applicants.

For further information about our undergraduate programs check our website or contact the Undergraduate Program Assistant at 514-848-2424, ext. 5055 or by email: ugradcoms@concordia.ca

1. What’s changed this year?
   We recently merged our departmental application process with the university’s online application system. Please read all the information available on the Department’s BA programs webpages, and and then click on "Apply now" button on the top right. We have also made further important changes to our admissions process. We will no longer be holding interviews. Instead, all selected applicants for both BA programs will be strongly encouraged to attend our special Admissions Day.
   
   
2. Will you still be asking for portfolios and doing interviews?
   No. Instead of participating in individual interviews, all recommended applicants to the BA Communication Studies and the BA Communication & Cultural Studies will be invited to attend our special Admissions Day. It is during this time that applicants to the BA Communication Studies are invited to bring up to three samples of their creative work for potential review by our faculty, time allowing (for time-based media, please bring your own device for playback, eg iPad, laptop, smart phone). These portfolios will not be formally evaluated.
   
   
3. Who do I address my application package to?
   All applications must now be submitted via the University’s online application system. Please look for the "Appy now" button on the top right side of this page. We no longer accept application materials submitted by any other means.
   
   
4. What is the application deadline?
   Applications will be accepted from December 1^st, 2019, to March 1^st, 2020, at 11.59 pm.
   
   
5. Where can I find the Academic Assessment Form?
   The Academic Assessment form is available in English and en Français as form-fillable PDFs.
   
   
6. If I am a CEGEP student, what transcripts are required for my application?
   An unofficial copy of your CEGEP grades must be included as part of your dossier. CEGEP applicants must also provide their permanent code on the online application so that the University can obtain their official transcripts (in-progress and final) from the Conférence des recteurs et des principaux des universités du Québec (CRÉPUQ) as soon as they are available.
   
   
7. If I am an out-of-province student, what transcripts are required for my application?
   Out of province students are required to submit a copy of their Grade 11 and 12 marks as part of their dossier.
   
   
8. If I am a mature student, what transcripts are required for my application?
   Mature students are required to submit a copy of their most recent academic records.
    
9. Can I defer my admission if I am accepted to study in the Department of Communication Studies?
   No, the Department of Communication Studies does not accept deferrals. Applicants will be expected to re-apply if they want to be considered again.
   
   
10. Can I complete this degree if I am working full-time?
    All of the core courses in Communication Studies are offered during the day. Applicants who have flexible work schedules may be able to complete this degree, but it will not be possible to only attend courses in the evening and complete this program.
    
    
11. Is there a minor in BA Communication & Cultural Studies? 
    No, there is no minor in the BA Communication & Cultural Studies program. It is possible that if you are taking the Major in Communication & Cultural Studies that you could take a major or minor in another program, such as Human Relations, Fine Arts, Languages, etc., while pursuing your BA in our department.