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Undergraduate

Bachelor of Arts in Professional Communication

As a student in Professional Communication, you’ll experiment with emerging technology, explore creative approaches to communication, and build concrete skills for the workplace. You’ll also learn the power of ethical and effective communication as a tool for problem-solving — ever important in a changing global environment.

Degree Earned

Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

Program Format

Full time / 4 years


Courses & Curriculum

1st & 2nd Semester

1st Semester

REQUIRED:

  • CMN 200 The Craft of Professional Writing
  • CMN 210 Text, Image and Sound

OPEN ELECTIVE: Two Open Electives

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies.

2nd Semester

REQUIRED:

CORE ELECTIVE: One course from Table I.

OPEN ELECTIVE: One Open Electives

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies.

  

3rd & 4th Semester

REQUIRED:

  • CMN 215 Messages, Modalities and Media
  • CMN 222 Digital Discourse and Design
  • CMN 314 Professional Presentations
  • CMN 448 Introduction to Visual Communication

CORE ELECTIVE: Two courses from Table I.

CORE ELECTIVE: One course from The Creative School Core Elective Table.

OPEN ELECTIVE: Two Open Electives.

LIBERAL STUDIES: One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies.

  

5th & 6th Semester

Revised curriculum begins 2023-2024 for students admitted Fall 2021 and after.

REQUIRED:

  • CMN 315 Issues in Organizational Communication
  • CMN 323 Introduction to Professional Practice
  • CMN 324 Strategic Storytelling in Industry
  • CMN 325 Communication and the Digital Enterprise

CORE ELECTIVE: Two courses from Table I.

CORE ELECTIVE: One course from The Creative School Core Elective Table.

OPEN ELECTIVE: One Open Electives

LIBERAL STUDIES:
Two courses from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.

  

7th & 8th Semester

Last offered 2023-2024 to students admitted Fall 2020. Students admitted Fall 2021 and after see revised curriculum below. 

REQUIRED:

  • CMN 402 Theorizing Communication
  • CMN 480 Applied Research Methods I
  • CMN 490 Applied Research Methods II

CORE ELECTIVE: Three courses from Table I.

OPEN ELECTIVE: Three Open Electives

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.

  

7th & 8th Semester

Revised curriculum begins 2024-2025 for students admitted Fall 2021 and after.

REQUIRED:

  • CMN 402 Theorizing Communication
  • CMN 480 Applied Research Methods I
  • CMN 490 Applied Research Methods II

CORE ELECTIVE: Three courses from Table I.

CORE ELECTIVE: One course from The Creative School Core Elective Table.

OPEN ELECTIVE: Two Open Electives

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.

Course Code & Description
Req/Elec Course Outline
CMN 100 – Professional Health Communication  Elective  View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 114 – Short Management Reports Elective  View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 200 – The Craft of Professional Writing  Required View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 210 – Text, Image and Sound Required  View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 211 – Language and Power Required  View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 215 - Messages, Modalities and Media Required  View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 216 - Communication Revolutions Required View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 222 - Digital Discourse and Design Required View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 225 - Communication in Place Elective  View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 269 - Countercultural Communication Elective  View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 279 – Introduction to Professional Communication Elective  View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 288 – Promotional Communication and Social Media - Asynchronous Elective  View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 300 – Communication in the Computer Industry Elective  View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 304 – Career Advancement Communication Elective  View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 305 – Strategic Public Relations in Professional Communication  Elective  View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 306 – Risk and Crisis Communication Elective  View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 313 – Organizational Problem Solving and Report Writing Elective  View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 314 – Professional Presentations  Required View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 315 – Issues in Organizational Communication Required View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 316 – Questioning Data Elective  View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 317 – Information, Technology, and Control Elective  View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 321 - Knowledge Translation Elective View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 323 - Introduction to Professional Practice Required View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 324 - Strategic Storytelling in Industry Required View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 325 - Communication and the Digital Enterprise Required View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 376 - ProCom Internship Elective  View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 390 - Communicating with Comics Elective  
CMN 402 - Theorizing Communication Required View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 406 – Communication in an Indigenous Context Elective  View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 408 – Proposal and Grant Writing Elective 
View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 413 – Corporate Communications Elective 
View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 414 – Interpersonal Communication in Management Elective 
View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 432 – Communication in the Engineering Professions Elective View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 443 – Contemporary Intercultural Communication Elective View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 447 – Communication and Law Elective View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 448 – Introduction to Visual Communication Required View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 450 – Participatory Media and Communication Elective View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 453 - Communication and Social Change Elective View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 480 - Research Methods in ProCom I Required View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 490 - Research Methods in ProCom II Required View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 600 – Science, Communication, and Society Elective View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 
CMN 601 – Visual Communications: A Critical Approach Elective View Course Outline (external link, opens in new window) 

Introducing Microcredentials for 2023!

All ProCom students will automatically earn microcredentials (aka. badges) for the successful completion of workshops in our core creative technology and communication required classes. Students can look forward to obtaining badges like "Idea Generator", "Video Producer", and "Web Designer" throughout the program, and post these microcredentials online via platforms like LinkedIn, or embed them in their resumes.

Signify

Signify is a year-end show where undergraduate ProCom students showcase their skills to industry leaders.


Admission Requirements

Academic Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent with a minimum of six Grade 12 U or M courses including the following program specific requirements.

Typically, a minimum overall average of 70% establishes eligibility for admission consideration; subject to competition individual programs may require higher prerequisite grades and/or higher overall averages:

  • A minimum grade of 70% or higher will be required in Grade 12 U English/anglais (ENG4U/EAE4U preferred)

ProCom Internship


The ProCom internship gives students the opportunity to apply their skills in the workplace and make industry connections. Past employers have included the Government of Ontario, Corus Entertainment, ET Canada, and Rogers Media — to name a few.

The internship takes place in the spring/summer semester in YR 2 or YR 3 of the program and carries a minimum 240-hour requirement, with any additional hours being entirely up to the student and sponsor.

Internships can be full or part-time placements and may involve students performing such tasks as:

  • Content development for internal or external communications
  • Social media account management
  • Corporate website maintenance and content creation
  • Media relations, such as drafting press releases and compiling media contact lists
  • Graphic design production
  • Event planning and/or project support

Interested students must apply to register in the elective and must meet the following requirements:

  • A cumulative minimum GPA average of 3.0 (B)
  • A 500-word written submission
  • One (1) work sample
  • A résumé/CV
  • An interview

Students are responsible for sourcing and securing their own individual placements.

Contact


Fees & Funding


In addition to the scholarships and awards offered by Toronto Met, Professional Communication offers four awards exclusively for ProCom students.

The John Cross Memorial Award for Knowledge Transfer honours a career employee in the area of information systems that supports cancer research and treatment. This award of $1,000 will be granted to a student in the BA in Professional Communication who demonstrates excellence in communicating specialized knowledge to non-experts.

Amount

  • $1,000

Eligibility

To be eligible for this award, you must:

  • Be enrolled full-time in the undergraduate program of the School of Professional Communication
  • Have clear academic standing
  • Have successfully completed CMN 210 with a grade of at least B+
  • Submit one individual class assignment that translates specialized information for a non-expert audience using both textual and visual means. The assignment can be from any course completed in the Fall or Winter term.
  • Submit a detailed written explanation of the assignment's purpose, the process of creating it, and how that product is intended to impact the intended audience. This explanation should also demonstrate an understanding of the role of ethics in professional communication.
  • Submit a curriculum vitae [CV] or resume that includes evidence of a compassionate relationship to society through public or community volunteer work.

Weighting of Criteria

  • Assignment 35%
  • Explanation 55%
  • CV 10%

The Jacqueline Atkins Scholarship honours the memory of a TMU professor who was a pioneer in the teaching of business communication in Canada. Professor Atkins exemplified business and professional communication at its finest. In everything she said or wrote, she strove to be correct, honest, and considerate of her listeners or readers. This $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a student whose work embodies the principles of clarity, correctness, integrity and audience consideration.

Amount

  • $1,000

Eligibility

  • All students in CMN 100, CMN 200, CMN 279, and CMN 300 are automatically eligible for this award
  • At the end of the semester, your professor may nominate one or more students based on regular communication assignments during the semester
  • Nominees must have achieved an A- or higher in their CMN course, and be in clear academic standing
  • Actual graded assignments along with an unmarked exact copy will be submitted as part of the judging process, so it is important that each student retain all graded assignments returned during the semester as well as original electronic copies of assignments in case your professor nominates you!

Established in memory of Les McIlroy who passed away in January 2011. During his professional life, Les held senior positions at a number of major corporations and worked with many others as a consultant. Les was particularly interested in mentoring younger people pursuing professions related to marketing, public relations, and communications. This award will recognize a student who demonstrates excellence in creating a persuasive product through their achievement in CMN 323 Introduction to Professional Practice. This student will show remarkable potential in a broad range of communications, especially evident in their creative thinking and compelling execution. The successful candidate will also demonstrate a compassionate and egalitarian approach to humanity through public or community volunteer work, and an understanding of the role of ethics in professional communication. 

Amount

$1,000

Eligibility

To be eligible for this award, you must:

  • Be enrolled full-time in the undergraduate Professional Communication program
  • Have clear academic standing
  • Have successfully completed CMN 323 with a grade of at least A-
  • Submit an electronic portfolio (details below)

Electronic Portfolio Requirements

  • A CV/ résumé demonstrating your commitment to community and volunteer work
  • Supporting evidence for the CV/ résumé (max. 2), such as a letter from an employer, a letter of acknowledgement, etc.
  • A 2000-2500-word letter to the committee that: 1. Outlines why you are the most appropriate candidate for this award, and 2. Articulates an understanding of professional communication and the role of ethics in an organization

Weighting of Criteria

  • CV/Volunteer Commitment — 60%
  • Application Letter — 40%

The Faulhaber Communications (external link, opens in new window)  Award ($1,000) recognizes a current third or fourth-year female-identifying student who demonstrates substantial aspirations to become a senior leader in communications. A Canadian marketing and PR company, Faulhaber has engaged the media, influencers, and consumers across North America for over 15 years. To be successful, the candidate’s work must demonstrate Faulhaber’s operating principles: innovation, insight-driven, collaboration and integrity.

Amount

  • $1,000

Eligibility

To be eligible for this award, you must:

  • Be enrolled full-time in the undergraduate Professional Communication program or the undergraduate Journalism program
  • Have clear academic standing
  • Have a Minimum GPA of 3.0

You belong at
The Creative School

As a Professional Communication student, you'll be part of The Creative School, a dynamic faculty offering 27 degree programs in media, design and creative industries. Through global experiences and transdisciplinary opportunities, our students emerge as some of the most in demand and employable graduates anywhere.

Ready to apply?