Guide for journalism undergrads
Welcome to the Department of Journalism! Find everything you need to succeed as a new student on this page.
Meet our faculty and staff
Our department is home to a diversity of professors and staff who support our students throughout their studies.
Read the welcome letter from our Chair or take a moment to learn about our faculty. Make sure to meet our staff members, who include program advisors and technical instructors.
Follow our department on social media:
University resources
The university has a wide range of resources, spaces and technical services to support students in their academic journey.
With it you can borrow items from the library, take out equipment at the Equipment Dépot, use on-campus printers, hop on the shuttle bus, get a reduced-fare OPUS card, attend final exams and more.
Activating your Concordia email is critical and should be done within the first week of classes. Students are required to use their Concordia email to communicate with staff and faculty, as outlined in the university’s email policy. With your active Concordia email, you can access Microsoft 365 software like Word and PowerPoint. Tech support is available for any issues.
Moodle is a secure web-based environment where many online learning activities and courses take place.
All students with an activated Concordia email have access to a Zoom account through Concordia’s Zoom portal. The Centre for Teaching and Learning has several resources on using Zoom.
Department resources
Equipment Dépot
Students with a valid Concordia ID and enrolled in a journalism production class may borrow equipment such as mobile kits, cameras, microphones and lighting kits from our depot. Prior to accessing the equipment, students must sign the CJ Borrowing Agreement and complete a technical training session. Note that students must purchase their own SD cards to operate the equipment.
Reservations must be made at least one business day in advance of pick-up. Equipment loans are for 48 hours and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The depot operates under strict rules and regulations, so be sure to read through our depot page thoroughly before renting equipment. Bookings can be made via the depot's equipment reservation site.
Tech TA lab hours
As of the third week of September, teaching assistants (TAs) will be available Monday to Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Journalism Lab on the third floor of the Communication Studies and Journalism Building: CJ-3.213.
The TAs are there to assist journalism students with audio-visual technical questions. This lab is equipped with the latest computer and editing technology.
Please feel free to use the Journalism Lab (CJ-3.213) at any time. It is a dedicated workspace for all journalism students.
Academic dates and fees
Academic calendar
As a student, it’s important to keep tabs on academic dates and deadlines.
Tuition and fees
A student's account balance is available via your My CU Account in the Student Hub. Payment deadline dates are available under the “Fee Payment Deadlines” section and on the “Student's Account.”
Department regulations
Code of ethics
In the Department of Journalism, we strive to uphold a robust code of ethics based on the Canadian Association of Journalists.
- Always strive for fairness and balance, looking into all sides of every issue and presenting all relevant viewpoints. Do not overlook the weak and inarticulate in favor of the rich, powerful and influential.
- Always aim for accuracy, neither adding nor omitting material, which would distort the meaning of a story. Every bit of information used in a story must be verifiable by your editor/producer/instructor. Under no circumstances should you fabricate or fake any material.
- All course work — research, writing, editing — must be the student’s own, and conform to the specific guidelines of the course instructor.
- Treat your sources and subjects with respect and compassion, avoiding sensationalism and exploitive behavior.
- Attribute all material. Do not borrow others' ideas and/or information without giving them credit. Avoid using anonymous sources unless it is absolutely necessary. In such cases, be prepared to identify the source to your editor/producer/instructor.
- Respect the law at all times. Journalists have no special privileges or dispensation. All laws that apply to the ordinary citizen also apply to journalists. Do not encourage or induce others to break the law.
- Do not engage in deceptive practices. Always identify yourself as a journalist when on assignment. Do not use undercover methods unless you have been cleared to do so in advance by your editor/producer/instructor.
- Avoid conflicts of interest. Do not accept remuneration or gifts of any kind from sources and/or or subjects. Do not abuse your position to curry favor with anyone.
General behaviour
Students are expected to act in a manner consistent with the department’s ethical guidelines and Concordia University’s Academic Code of Conduct.
Serious breaches of ethical behaviour may result in the student being asked to leave the program. All members of the university community — students, staff, instructors — are to be treated respectfully at all times.
Cheating in any form will not be tolerated. Instructors who have reasonable grounds to suspect a student is cheating are required to file a Code of Conduct Incident Report and submit it to the office of the Dean of Arts and Science.
Students, staff and instructors are asked to pick up after themselves by disposing of garbage (e.g., coffee cups, food wrappers) and using recycling bins for paper, cans and bottles.
Attendance and deadlines
Class participation
Attendance and participation in all classes are mandatory. Students are excused only for serious medical or personal reasons.
All assignments must be completed in the sequence and time frame stipulated in the course outline. If a student is excused from class for medical or other reasons, the student must still complete the work assigned, according to a schedule approved by the instructor.
Professors may deduct up to 10 per cent of a student’s final grade for poor attendance, chronic lateness or unsatisfactory behaviour.
Students must submit all assignments by the deadline specified by the course instructor. Late assignments will be penalized (except in documented cases of illness or bereavement).
Students requesting a late completion of a course (INC) or a medical extension (MED) must apply to the Birks Student Service Centre and have that request approved.
Short-term absence form
Concordia University recognizes that you may experience unexpected physical or psychological health concerns that affect your ability to attend class or submit coursework on time. The short-term absence form enables you submit your request for short-term medical accommodation without documentation like a medical note.
Grading system
The Department of Journalism is committed both to teaching students how to practice journalism and how to conduct themselves as working professionals. Course outlines detail each professor’s grading policy, assignments and deadlines. Students are responsible for staying informed about course requirements, tracking deadlines and meeting expectations across all their classes.
Assignments for workshop courses must be submitted in English. In the case of lecture courses, you must have permission from your professor to submit assignments in French.
| Letter grade | Grade points | Number grade | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.3 | 95-100 | |
| A | 4.0 | 90-94 | Outstanding |
| A- | 3.7 | 85-89 | |
| B+ | 3.3 | 80-84 | |
| B | 3.0 | 75-79 | Very good |
| B- | 2.7 | 70-74 | |
| C+ | 2.3 | 65-69 | |
| C | 2.0 | 60-64 | Satisfactory |
| C- | 1.7 | 55-59 | |
| D | 1.0 | 50-54 | Marginal pass |
| F | 0.0 | < 50 | Failure |
| R | 0.0 | < 50 | Very poor – failure |
