Program Length
- 4 Years
Credential
- Bachelor Degree
Options
- Major
Fully Available at
- Nanaimo
Partially Available at
- Cowichan
- tiwšɛmawtxʷ (Powell River)
Do your interests lie at the convergence of communication, culture and technology? VIU’s Digital Media Studies program will help you gain valuable skills for employment as you learn about digital culture.
Students take a combination of Digital Media and Media Studies courses in a four-year BA program and finish with a powerful skill-set that can be applied to a variety of occupations, including writers and artists, web developers, multimedia producers, teachers, public service workers and entrepreneurs.
Courses in our Digital Media program focus on developing well-rounded digital communication skills and increased awareness of the ways media shapes culture.
The Digital Media Studies (BA) Program
Media Studies balances critical thinking and communication skills with the technical and creative experience needed for a career in today's quickly evolving media industries. This four-year program develops proficiencies in research, academic and industry writing, content analysis, news, PR, advertising, documentary and video, audio, gaming, and Web design and usability to prepare students for a variety of roles as: writers, illustrators, photographers, web developers, citizen journalists, tech entrepreneurs, and TV, radio, film, game, and Web creators and producers among a host of other careers.
Media Studies intersects with a variety of disciplines including Graphic Design, Visual Art, Journalism, Creative Writing, Publishing, Film Studies, and Computer Science. This creative, multi-disciplinary approach to learning contributes to the career flexibility required to succeed in the current labour market and enriches and complements electives taken in other departments.
The skills developed in this program are in demand in the broad and constantly evolving fields of entertainment arts, film and TV broadcasting, advertising, public relations, publishing, online content marketing, social media, journalism, and communications for business, government, non-profit, and advocacy organizations. This degree could be the start of a career designing a transmedia campaign or running a documentary festival, curating an interactive exhibit or launching a video game, recording podcasts or reaching new markets as a start-up, working on a public relations strategy or adapting interfaces as a UX designer.
The program emphasizes the necessity of media literacy on all fronts and the need to exercise our agency as both media producers and consumers, requiring students to acquire skills across disciplines and platforms that draw upon cultural, gender, and race studies, political economy, game theory, and active government policies and regulations to inhabit the role and responsibility of a media maker. While this program has a distinctive focus on contemporary Canadian media, media by definition has a global reach, so we encourage students to bring their diverse personal and cultural experiences into the classroom to share and learn from each other.
Assignments are designed to balance media theory with professional-level production knowledge. Collaboration is a hallmark of the industry, so the program requires students to work together on projects and presentations of varying lengths and formats to demonstrate strong research and oral and written skills as well as proficiency in a variety of media formats. Students will use their own laptop with industry-standard software, but video and audio production equipment and technical support are available throughout the degree.
Faculty facilitate opportunities through the Media Research Lab, internships, work-op placements, and on-campus alliances with CHLY, The Navigator, Portal, The Discourse and off campus with CBC, Global, CTV, Shaw/Rogers, and Vancouver Island film, Web, game, TV, radio, book, magazine and other cultural allies to help students build a diverse portfolio.
The program also has been designed to accommodate students who transfer to VIU after two years of study elsewhere. Those who hold two-year diplomas in the Media Studies, Communications, and Media Production fields can normally begin studies at the third-year level. (Please consult Advising or the Department Chair for transfer information.) As noted in the matrix below, students in the BA Major complete a capstone project in their final year.
Requirements for a Major
Students must fulfill all the Institutional B.A. degree requirements, including Degree English Requirements and courses listed below:
Year 1 | Credits |
---|---|
MEDI 100 - (Introduction to Media Studies and Communication) | 3 |
MEDI 110 - (Introduction to Media Production) | 3 |
Plus one course from the following: INTR 100 - (Popular Culture and University Writing)* | 3 |
Total Credits | 9 |
Year 2 | Credits |
---|---|
One course from the following: MEDI 200 - (Media, Audience and Society) MEDI 205 - (Promotion, Persuasion and Propaganda) MEDI 230 - (Social Media) | 3 |
Plus two courses from the following: MEDI 220 - (Web Production I) MEDI 221 - (Scripting for Dynamic Digital Media) MEDI 260 - (Immersive Media) MEDI 270 - (Audio Production 1 ) MEDI 280 - (Video Production 1) | 6 |
Total Credits | 9 |
Years 3 and 4 | Credits |
---|---|
MEDI 300 - (Research Methods in Media Studies) | 3 |
MEDI 302 - (Making the News) | 3 |
MEDI 310 - (Media Literacy) | 3 |
MEDI 496 - (Senior Media Project) | 3 |
Plus six 300 and 400-level MEDI courses | 18 |
Total Credits | 30 |
Note: Only required courses are offered every year, and other courses are typically offered on a two-year rotation.
*INTR 100 combines ENGL 115 and MEDI 115.
Domestic Fees
Tuition and Other Mandatory Student Fees
When applying to the program, applicants will be charged a non-refundable application fee.
When applying to graduate, students will be charged a non-refundable graduation and alumni fee.
Some courses have additional fees to pay for extraordinary class–related expenses.
Fees for One Year* | Amount |
---|---|
Tuition (30 credits x $169.73 per credit) | 5,091.90 |
Student Activity fee (8 months x $20.37 per month) | 162.96 |
Student Services fee (8 months x $22.49 per month) | 179.92 |
VIU Students' Union fee (8 months x $28.87 per month) | 230.96 |
Health and Dental Plan fee ($285.00 per year) | 285.00 |
Approximate cost for books and supplies for one year | 1,500.00 |
Total | 7,450.74 |
The VIUSU Health and Dental Plan fee is assessed for all students enrolled in 6 credits or more per term, or in Trades/Vocational programs of 5 months or longer.
All fees are subject to change without prior notice and are expected to increase by 2% each year on April 1.
International Fees
Tuition and Other Mandatory Student Fees
When applying to the program, applicants will be charged a non-refundable application fee.
When applying to graduate, students will be charged a non-refundable graduation and alumni fee.
Some courses have additional fees to pay for extraordinary class–related expenses.
Fees for One Year* | Amount |
---|---|
Tuition (30 credits x $815.77 per credit) | 24,473.10 |
Student Activity fee (8 months x $20.37 per month) | 162.96 |
Student Services fee (8 months x $22.49 per month) | 179.92 |
VIU Students' Union fee (8 months x $28.87 per month) | 230.96 |
Health and Dental Plan fee ($285.00 per year) | 285.00 |
Approximate cost for books and supplies for one year | 1,500.00 |
Total | 26,831.94 |
The VIUSU Health and Dental Plan fee is assessed for all students enrolled in 6 credits or more per term, or in Trades/Vocational programs of 5 months or longer.
All fees are subject to change without prior notice and are expected to increase by 2% each year on April 1.
Domestic (Canadian)
Program Start Date | Accepting Applications | Campus | |
---|---|---|---|
to | Nanaimo | ||
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts Program has four intakes per year; September, January, May, and June.
Application Fee:
46.06
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Erica Ellenchuk Phone: 250.746.3512 Email: Erica.Ellenchuk@viu.ca
Comments:
Questions about becoming a student can be directed to the Office of Future Students at 250.740.6672 or email Connect@viu.ca. |
|||
Ongoing | tiwšɛmawtxʷ (Powell River) - Partially Available | ||
Anticipated intake for someone applying today:
Application Fee:
$46.06
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Waitlist:
No
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Erin Johnson Phone: 604.485.8033 Email: Erin.Johnson@viu.ca
Comments:
Please consult Student Services/Advising at 604.485.2878 or email PR.StudentAffairs@viu.ca for more information on program or admission requirements. |
|||
to | Cowichan - Partially Available | ||
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts Program has four intakes per year; September, January, May, and June.
Application Fee:
46.06
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Erica Ellenchuk Phone: 250.746.3512 Email: Erica.Ellenchuk@viu.ca
Comments:
Questions about becoming a student can be directed to the Office of Future Students at 250.740.6672 or email Connect@viu.ca. |
|||
to | Nanaimo | ||
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts Program has four intakes per year; September, January, May, and June.
Application Fee:
46.06
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Erica Ellenchuk Phone: 250.746.3512 Email: Erica.Ellenchuk@viu.ca
Comments:
Questions about becoming a student can be directed to the Office of Future Students at 250.740.6672 or email Connect@viu.ca. |
|||
to | Cowichan - Partially Available | ||
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts Program has four intakes per year; September, January, May, and June.
Application Fee:
46.06
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Erica Ellenchuk Phone: 250.746.3512 Email: Erica.Ellenchuk@viu.ca
Comments:
Questions about becoming a student can be directed to the Office of Future Students at 250.740.6672 or email Connect@viu.ca. |
|||
to | Nanaimo | ||
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts Program has four intakes per year; September, January, May, and June.
Application Fee:
45.16
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Erica Ellenchuk Phone: 250.746.3512 Email: Erica.Ellenchuk@viu.ca
Comments:
Questions about becoming a student can be directed to the Office of Future Students at 250.740.6672 or email Connect@viu.ca. |
|||
to | Cowichan - Partially Available | ||
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts Program has four intakes per year; September, January, May, and June.
Application Fee:
46.06
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Erica Ellenchuk Phone: 250.746.3512 Email: Erica.Ellenchuk@viu.ca
Comments:
Questions about becoming a student can be directed to the Office of Future Students at 250.740.6672 or email Connect@viu.ca. |
|||
to | Nanaimo | ||
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts Program has four intakes per year; September, January, May, and June.
Application Fee:
46.06
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Erica Ellenchuk Phone: 250.746.3512 Email: Erica.Ellenchuk@viu.ca
Comments:
Questions about becoming a student can be directed to the Office of Future Students at 250.740.6672 or email Connect@viu.ca. |
|||
to | Cowichan - Partially Available | ||
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts Program has four intakes per year; September, January, May, and June.
Application Fee:
46.06
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Erica Ellenchuk Phone: 250.746.3512 Email: Erica.Ellenchuk@viu.ca
Comments:
Questions about becoming a student can be directed to the Office of Future Students at 250.740.6672 or email Connect@viu.ca. |
International
Program Start Date | Accepting Applications | Campus | |
---|---|---|---|
to | Nanaimo | ||
Anticipated intake for someone applying today:
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts program has one intake each Fall and one intake each Spring.
Application Fee:
$153
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Waitlist:
No
Testing Required:
No
International Admissions Officer Contact:
Name: Elham Akhoundi Phone: 250.740.6400 Email: Study@viu.ca
Comments:
For prospective international applicants, please send your inquiries to WorldVIU@viu.ca. |
|||
to | Nanaimo | ||
Anticipated intake for someone applying today:
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts program has one intake each Fall and one intake each Spring.
Application Fee:
$153
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Waitlist:
No
Testing Required:
No
International Admissions Officer Contact:
Name: Elham Akhoundi Phone: 250.740.6400 Email: Study@viu.ca
Comments:
For prospective international applicants, please send your inquiries to WorldVIU@viu.ca. |
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