Required Courses for Honours Bachelor in Business Communications

Year 1
COMM 1F90
Introduction to Communication and Media Studies
Approaches and issues in communication from both humanities and social science perspectives. Topics
include the cultural use of symbols and signs, qualitative and quantitative mass media analysis, critical
analysis of texts, the cultural character of the Canadian media and the impact of the media and media
institutions upon society.
COMM 1P96
Professional Communication
Introduction to theory and practices of professional communication focusing on applied rhetoric for
organizational contexts.
COMM 1P97
Introduction to Communication in Business
Theory and practice of business communication; including structures of organizations, strategy,
leadership, conflict resolution, ethics, organizational culture, gender and cross-cultural relations in
organizations.
ECON 1P91
Principles of Microeconomics
Introduction to microeconomics. Topics include nature of economics, price system, demand, production
and cost, markets and pricing, factor pricing and distribution of income.
ECON 1P92
Principles of Macroeconomics
Introduction to macroeconomics. Topics include nature of economics, determination and control of
national income, money, banking and monetary policy, macroeconomic policy and balance of payments.
FILM 1F94
Introduction to Film Studies
Critical and historical approaches to world cinema. Close analysis of selected films in relation to their
cultural contexts.
BIOL 1F25
Biology: A Human Perspective
Contemporary issues of human concern, genetics and biology of cancer and obesity; learning, memory
and addiction.

Year 2
COMM 2F50
Communication Theory
Systems theory, semiotic and cognitive approaches to message production and reception, symbolic
interactionism and other constructivist approaches, interpersonal and group communication theories,
communication analysis and theories of the mass media and their functions in society.
COMM 2P15
Research Methods in Communication and Culture
Introduction to qualitative and quantitative methods for communication and popular culture research.
COMM 2P20
Theories of Popular Cultures
Theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of various forms of popular culture. Critical and
research skills specific to studies in popular culture.
COMM 2P65
Organizational Culture
Comparison of competing approaches and contemporary debates in cultural analysis of organizations.
COMM 2P98
Media Industries
Canadian media production in its economic, political and technological environments.
MKTG 2P51
Marketing Basics
Characteristics of the marketing function in Canada, basic marketing concepts and the marketing
function in organizations.
MKTG 2P52
General Marketing Management
Exploring the marketing management process.
WGST 1F90
Introduction to Womens and Gender Studies
Overview of sociocultural, political, and theoretical approaches to, and historical and philosophical
foundations of the gendered experience.

Year 3
COMM 3P15
Media Analysis

Introduction to methods of media analysis. Comparison of theoretical and methodological approaches

to mass media content, production, consumption, and reception.
COMM 3P18
Audience Studies
Theoretical and methodological approaches to the understanding of audiences for media and cultural
products, including print, sound, film, broadcasting and digital media.
COMM 3P19
Communication and Media Policy
Historical trends in objectives and implementation of communication policies. Topics include public
broadcasting, subsidies, protection, regulation and effect of international trade on domestic media
policy.
COMM 3P62
Public Relations and Integrated Marketing Communications
Examination of the public relations process; role, functions, historical evolution and relevance to
effective marketing communication strategy.
COMM 2P90
Computer-Mediated Communication
Nature of computer-mediated communication (CMC) and its role in social, educational and
interpersonal contexts. Introduction to technology and methodologies essential to explore the potential
of CMC.
COMM 2P91
Social Media: Reading and Writing in New Spaces
Theory, philosophy, and politics of Social Media as a communicative mode. Topics include critical theory
in a Social Media context, changing perceptions of reader narrative, and Social Media compared with
other electronic textuality.
OBHR 2P51
Basics of Organizational Behaviour and Design
Micro and macro aspects of formal organizations from a behavioural perspective. Theories, research and
current practices in the management of human resources and the design of organizations. Topics
include motivation, leadership, group dynamics, organizational goals and effectiveness, environment
and other contingencies and organizational culture.
OBHR 2P52
Basics of Human Resources Management and Industrial Relations
Human resource management and industrial relations in the workplace. Importance of legislation and its
relationship to rights and to various systems associated with both human resource management and
employees industrial relations.

OBHR 3P98
Occupational Health and Safety
Legal, technical and management issues regarding employee health and safety.

MKTG 3P96
Marketing Research
Market research as a managerial tool including scientific method, research and questionnaire design,
experimentation, sample selection, data collection and research procedure.
WGST 3F95
Practicum
Theoretically grounded engagement with practical work relevant to feminism, activism and research.

Year 4
COMM 3P93
Media and Minorities
Relation between mass media and minority groups in society including dominant representations and
stereotypes of cultural, racial and sexual minorities, and minority group access to alternative forms of
media production.
COMM 3P98
Gender and Contemporary Cinema
Representation of gender, sexuality, race and class via ideology, feminism, queer theory, and
spectatorship in film and video texts since the 1960s.
COMM 4F00
Internship in Communication, Popular Culture or Film
Part-time placement related to communications, popular culture or film in a company, agency or notfor-profit organization. Students are responsible for arranging their own placements in consultation with
the department Academic Advisor and Internship Co-ordinator.
MKTG 3P97
Marketing of High-Technology Products and Innovations
Topics include the characteristics, types and patterns of innovation and their marketing implications,
tools used to gather marketing intelligence, use of strategic alliances, and understanding of regulatory
and ethical considerations.

MKTG 4P23
Marketing Communications
Management problems in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of programs in the areas of
advertising, selling and promotional activities.
WGST 2P98
Sexuality Studies: Foundations
Introduction to the transdisciplinary fields of knowledge in sexual studies. Exploration of cultural,
economic, historical, legal, health and political approaches to sexuality emphasizing the intersections of
class, gender, gender identity, race, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion.
WGST 2P86
Women, Gender and the Economy
Women in the Canadian labour market. Topics include allocation of time between the household and
labour market, gender segregation in the work place, how earnings are determined, causes of
occupational and earning difference by gender, role of investment in education and discrimination,
recent developments in the labour market and their impact on women and men, and selected policy
issues.
WGST 3P95
Sexualities and Health: Critical Perspectives
Feminist and trans-disciplinary perspectives on sexualities and community health. Topics may include
reproductive justice, LGBTQ access to healthcare, debates on sex education, HIV/AIDS policy, global sex
work, sexual and gender based violence, cross-cultural translations of queer theory, and movements for
sexual justice.
WGST 3P68
Gender and Health: Local and Global Issues
Issues relating to women, gender and health and wellness from a critical feminist perspective. Themes
on social and political contexts concerning women, girls, genders and health; social and environmental
issues affecting health and illness personal and cultural meanings of health and the body.