Diploma in Public Relations

at MacEwan University Canada

The Bachelor of Science in Engineering Transfer program offers first-year courses that may be used toward obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Engineering at the University of Alberta. Credit for courses taken at MacEwan University may be transferred to other post-secondary institutions within or outside Alberta. For a complete listing of transferable courses within Alberta, refer to the Alberta Transfer Guide website at www.transferalberta.ca.

MacEwan University provides a student-centred focus in the delivery of the program by offering small class sizes, extra tutorial sessions and an annual boot camp to prepare students for the challenging course material.

Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Engineering Transfer program is competitive and is subject to a quota. The competitive admission average may be considerably higher than the posted minimum. Within the overall quota, limitations are also placed on the number of international (visa) and mature students, and on the number of students who have been previously enrolled in other post-secondary institutions.

The Bachelor of Music focuses on the study of jazz and contemporary popular music, responds to the current demands of the industry and combines a high degree of professionalism along with the academic rigour required for further education at the graduate level. The opportunity to study with internationally renowned professionals while following a challenging academic curriculum will give you the skills, insights, competency and credentials to pursue a career as a performer, creator and leader in the evolving music industry.

All Bachelor of Music students share a common curriculum in the first year that focuses on individual study (voice, piano, guitar, bass, drums, winds, brass or violin), performance ensemble, theory (jazz and traditional), aural skills, and musicology. After successful completion of the first year, students pursue a major route (specialized program of study).

The Recording and Production major is unique in Canada because of its focus on jazz and contemporary popular music and its commitment to the tonmeister approach that holds musicianship and musical art central to the development of high-level music recording engineers and producers. Students in the Recording major take courses in recording studio and production techniques, acoustics and psychoacoustics, technical ear training, live sound reinforcement, digital/analog signal flow, applications in music technology, and mastering, and acquire professional-level skills in AVID Pro Tools and other essential industry-standard software. The program of study also includes core Bachelor of Music courses in performance, theory, aural skills, cultural studies of music, and the business of music.

Project-based course work, creative research, visiting artists, off-campus activities and arts and culture venues—as a Studio Arts major at MacEwan University, you receive a truly hands-on education. Let your artistic expression soar, while learning to manage the many paths your career will take you.

Our dedicated faculty maintain a range of professional art and research practices, sharing their skills in performance and sound art, painting, drawing, video, sculpture, fibres and more. In this interdisciplinary environment, you are challenged to think critically and creatively about contemporary art.

What to expect
After building a rigorous and comprehensive foundation in the first two years of the program, you can choose from three pathways in the Studio Arts major:

• Two-dimensional art
• Three-dimensional art
• Intermedia/extended media art

The technical and theoretical foundations supporting each pathway prepare you for both traditional and emerging media and concepts.

Starting in the fourth term, you choose to focus in one area or to combine paths for greater breadth. As you progress academically and develop the flexibility and fluidity prevalent in contemporary art practice, you also take courses from the other arts and communications disciplines.

In your final term, you undertake a project that prepares you for a contemporary, multi-dimensional career or for future studies at the graduate level.

In addition to the common core courses outlined in the Program of Study, the major in Professional Communication offers the opportunity for specialization in strategic communication, editing and publishing, or technical communication.

Bachelor of Communication Studies
In our fast-paced world of evolving and conventional media, communication is key to interpersonal, organizational and career success. The Bachelor of Communication Studies program provides students with a solid foundation in the fundamental skills of critical thinking, writing, editing, and research. Common coursework for professional communication and journalism majors builds a foundation in language, composition, visual communication, communication theory, communication law and research methods, supported by a liberal arts framework. The courses in the majors offer depth, specialization, and choice. The minors provide additional scope and depth to your studies. The program offers many opportunities to integrate what you have learned in the classroom with real-life projects that engage the community and provide students with an enhanced learning experience. The field is forward-looking, and so is this program of studies.

Years 1 and 2 include common coursework for both professional communication and journalism majors that builds a foundation in language, composition, visual communication, communication theory, communication law, and research methods. Years 3 and 4 provide specialization in editing, strategic communication, technical communication or film studies (in the professional communication major), or in news gathering, digital media production, or film studies (in the journalism major).

The Bachelor of Music focuses on the study of jazz and contemporary popular music, responds to the current demands of the industry and combines a high degree of professionalism along with the academic rigour required for further education at the graduate level. The opportunity to study with internationally renowned professionals while following a challenging academic curriculum will give you the skills, insights, competency and credentials to pursue a career as a performer, creator and leader in the evolving music industry.

All Bachelor of Music students share a common curriculum in the first year that focuses on individual study (voice, piano, guitar, bass, drums, winds, brass or violin), performance ensemble, theory (jazz and traditional), aural skills, and musicology. After successful completion of the first year, students pursue a major route (specialized program of study).

The General major follows a prescribed program of study in addition to the common core courses students take in their first year. Students choose from music options and non-music electives to customize their program. 

Students can remain undeclared or declare a minor:

• Undeclared
• Music Career Management
• Music Education
• Music Technology and Production1

The Business Management diploma is a comprehensive general business program that prepares students to take on any business challenge. Using more than traditional books and theory, this program teaches through lectures, individual and group case-studies and real-world examples.

To help develop and demonstrate the potential of our students to become managers, administrators, entrepreneurs and leaders, we emphasize the integration of soft skills such as professionalism, interpersonal relations, teamwork and communications with quantitative and strategic decision-making abilities.

The Bachelor of Commerce focuses on the development of basic business and managerial competencies combined with an understanding of globalization and its implications. The program is structured to provide comprehensive preparation for management positions with both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations as well as the public sector.

The degree provides students with knowledge and critical understanding of commerce and management, and the ability to gather, review, evaluate and interpret information relevant to business and management. Key professional skills are taught: ethical business practices and sustainability, business communication skills, teamwork, business analytics and technology, global and local mindsets, critical thinking and research, including the opportunity to engage in independent research and practice. These skills are integrated across all courses in the program.

The program consists of three types of courses: core, major/minor and elective. Core courses develop fundamental skills and abilities in business and management. Upon completion of core courses, the student will choose one of seven majors: Accounting, Human Resources Management, International Business, Legal Studies in Business, Management, Marketing or Supply Chain Management. The courses in the majors deepen knowledge of business within a focal area and the elective courses broaden education beyond business and tailor the degree to the student’s interests. Cooperative Education streams are also available. Students have the option of completing a second major, or one or two minors. The program will prepare students for graduate studies in related fields.

MacEwan University’s Psychiatric Nursing diploma prepares graduates for a professional career as a registered psychiatric nurse (RPN). This 28-month program is designed for full-time studies and comprises 89 credits of coursework distributed over 2.5 academic years. The program has intakes at two sites: City Centre Campus in Edmonton and the Centennial Centre for Mental Health and Brain Injury in Ponoka.

The curriculum helps students develop the professional competencies they need to care for people experiencing mental and physical health problems. Graduates are ready to promote optimal wellness for patients/clients and provide holistic, client-centred nursing care across the lifespan. The program of study incorporates extensive theory, laboratory and clinical practice. It builds on knowledge from nursing and psychiatric nursing, as well as the biological, health and social sciences. Concentrated blocks of nursing practice experiences, scheduled in a variety of settings, are strategically positioned within each academic year.

Graduates of this program receive a diploma in Psychiatric Nursing and are eligible to write the Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Canada Examination (RPNCE), which is required for registration as an RPN. Program graduates who wish to further their studies in their chosen field may apply for admission to MacEwan University’s 45-credit Bachelor of Psychiatric Nursing degree.

MacEwan University’s innovative and dynamic two-year 60-credit diploma in Arts and Cultural Management will prepare you for a career in arts management. Whether you are a practicing artist looking for the skill set to manage your own career or someone who loves supporting the creation and development of arts and culture in your community, this diploma will prepare you to take on administrative and management roles in the creative and cultural sectors. Building on the success of almost 40 years of arts management training at MacEwan University, you will leave the program with the skills you need to begin an exciting career in arts and cultural management.

Through the program, you develop close ties to the arts and cultural community, and emerge from your studies ready to assist organizations in the areas of fund/resource and audience development, publicity and media relations, human resource management, special event planning, project management, and much more.

After completing the academic portion of the program, you will practice what you have learned in an exciting two-month field placement with an organization of your choice. This practical experience comprises six credits in the credential and is a key factor for your successful transition into paid employment in the sector.

A variety of international educational opportunities are available to students throughout their course of study, including cultural study tours and international exchange opportunities.

If you have other post-secondary education and want to start working sooner, you may choose to exit the program with a certificate after one year of study.

Since the Library and Information Technology program started more than 40 years ago, the proliferation of information has led to a dramatic increase in the use of technology to organize, control and provide access to information resources.

Information personnel require excellent interpersonal and communication skills coupled with the ability to deal accurately with detail. They are versatile and can quickly adapt to a rapidly changing work environment.

Students in the Library and Information Technology program develop the expertise needed to organize, retrieve and manage information. Graduates are equipped with the skills necessary to work in any setting that handles information management, not just traditional libraries.

This program exposes students to practical aspects of the profession, including cataloguing, reference, circulation, research techniques, information systems design, records management, and services to various types of library patrons. Using a wide array of electronic and print resources, students become familiar with the broad scope of information organization and retrieval. Students will also develop strong professional skills and competencies to work effectively within an organizational structure and in a customer service role. They will examine the central purpose of libraries in society, and consider ways that social responsibility, ethical behaviour, and social justice are important philosophical foundations for the library profession.

In combination with Arts & Science courses taken, students potentially may receive 60 credits towards a Bachelor of Arts degree.