Frequently Asked Questions

Unfortunately, the program currently only admits students once a year, for the following Fall semester.  However, it is possible to enroll in Concordia and then apply for the Journalism program.  Several of our lecture courses at the 200 level are open to non-majors (though workshop courses are not).  Doing well in a course in the journalism program will show us you are interested in us, and will help you understand more about the program.  Don’t take too many courses in the program before you are accepted however, as this might create complications in scheduling later on.

We don’t have course prerequisites.  Just know that once you are here, you will be doing a lot of writing, working with both visual and textual media, and learning research skills that include analyzing spreadsheets and delving into databases.  So prepare yourself academically.

Our students come from a wide variety of backgrounds, have varying degrees of experience, and are interested in working in different sectors of the media industry – but all of our successful students share a work ethic and a passion for journalism.  Thus, we look for the following qualities in an applicant:

• B average or above in a curriculum reflecting academic commitment
• Interest in the world around you
• Good English skills
• An interest in the profession of journalism and what Concordia's program can offer you (reflected in your letter of intent)
• When possible, prior experience in journalism at the high school or CEGEP level (clips are not mandatory, but they help).

To qualify for graduation, journalism undergraduates must demonstrate a working knowledge of French.  We define “working knowledge” as the ability to cover a press conference and conduct an interview entirely in French.  Students who have graduated from a French-language high school or CEGEP are exempted, as are international students paying international student fees.  All other undergraduates must meet the requirement.  If you cannot pass the interview, or you do not already have a working knowledge of French, you must complete the following course:  FRAN 305.  Before enrolling for a French course, you must take a placement test (test de classement), which can be done online through Concorida's Département d'études françaises.

Please note that you may have to take other preliminary French courses before taking FRAN 305.

* Note that the French Requirement does not apply to students in the Minor in Science Journalism.

You can, but the program is demanding.  Be aware that (unlike some other departments at Concordia) we have a mandatory attendance policy in all workshop, lecture and conference courses, and strict deadlines for work.  So if your employer isn’t flexible about your schedule, don’t expect that we will be!

Yes, but you should probably do something to make yourself a stronger candidate – take some college classes, for example, or amass media clips.  You can also set up an appointment to speak with us about why you didn’t get in.

The Journalism Department offers several competitive financial awards ranging from $200-$1500 for students that are enrolled in the program.  See our Scholarships and awards page. For questions about funding, consult Concordia's Financial Aid & Awards Office.

Transfer credits are handled by the Faculty of Arts and Science, not by the Journalism Department. Potential students will have to wait until they apply.  Each school within Canada and abroad has its own system and this assessment is done only when a student submits original transcripts.  This is part of the services that students get for the application fee.  The university does not offer any transcript assessment prior to an application. 

Want to tour Concordia? Get started here.

Note that we do not arrange tours of the Journalism Department.

Yes, the University has an Open House Day at the end of October, and we also hold an information session towards the end of November.  For more information about these sessions, email Admissions.Journalism@concordia.ca.

You can also visit concordia.ca/admissions

Please email Admissions.Journalism@concordia.ca