Chair's Welcome

September 2024

Headshot of Chris Arsenault Welcome to the Master of Media in Journalism and Communication program at Western University.

We are arguably Canada’s top graduate program for communications and journalism. We’re proud to offer students globally recognized faculty, hands-on learning in small classes, and a competitive internship to get you career ready in this intensive one-year program.

With state-of-the-art broadcasting facilities and a diverse student body, MMJC students learn to create and finesse content across media platforms. Be prepared to learn best practices for video editing, podcasting, social media, and traditional print communications.

Additionally, we teach students about business development tailored to media content creators, investigative research and media theory. Our alumni include some of the brightest lights in the industry. With more than 10,000 FIMS graduates working at the cutting edge of media and communications, students have many opportunities for networking, mentoring and broader career guidance.

This is a tough program. Be prepared to do more than sit in a classroom listening to lectures. You will be in the broadcast studio practicing your on-air performance and delivery, in the edit suite improving sound files and colour balance with the latest software, or at the courthouse, sports game, city council or boardroom, conducting interviews or creating communications strategies.

In the first term of the program, all students learn the fundamentals together. In the second, students can choose courses based on their interests.

When it comes to the job market: one doesn’t need to be an investigative journalist to realize that traditional news outlets have faced challenging times recently. Considering changes in the journalism job market, we have updated our course offerings to give graduates the tools they need to be entrepreneurs or successful freelance content creators, along with the option of working in a traditional newsroom or communications agency.

Here’s the important part: many of our graduates receive strong job offers even before they finish their studies, particularly in the communications sector, which continues to see significant employment growth.

Fundamentally, this program is about telling accurate, engaging stories, whether that’s a news article, press release or marketing presentation. And there will always be a place for stories. Every organization today, from a small business or non-profit, to a government agency or large firm, needs talented people who can create social media content, produce videos and write effectively to deadline.

Now more than ever, the world is aware of how badly we need truthful information, and how challenging that can be in a world of data overload, disinformation, and filter bubbles. Our faculty and our curriculum are centered on the essential roles of effective journalism and communications in democracy and healthy societies. Situated in Western’s Faculty of Information and Media Studies, MMJC provides a stimulating environment of public discussion and inquiry into the media issues of the day. Communicating the truth is more essential than ever. It's not easy. We can teach you how.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or to book a visit to our facilities. I would love to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Dr. Chris Arsenault, Chair, MMJC

carsen6@uwo.ca

Programs

Social Media

Contact

Chair's Welcome

Programs