New certificate credential integrated into the Digital Media and Journalism program

Dec. 17, 2020

Students who begin the Digital Media and Journalism program in September 2021 will now also take courses to earn a skills-focused certificate along with their honours degree.

The new Certificate in Digital Media Production consists of eight courses taken over four years and provides hand-on, skills-based training in digital media production that complements the theory-based courses of the program.

“This is a unique opportunity for students to earn two credentials at the same time at no extra cost to the Honours BA,” said Bruce Gillespie, associate professor and program coordinator for Digital Media and Journalism. “The new certificate courses give students a valuable opportunity to learn and hone a range of skills associated with digital media production, which will prepare them to tell engaging stories on a wide range of platforms.”

The certificate courses provide training in digital audio, video, photography, imaging, graphic design, and web design, which will teach students how to become digital producers while also providing the chance to practise reporting, researching and critical thinking skills.

As part of the certificate courses, students will also have the opportunity to create meaningful stories for the Laurier community. One example is for the award-winning podcast One Market, launched by Gillespie in March 2020, that his fourth-year students worked on with him.

Of the eight certificate courses, six are from the Digital Media and Journalism program and two are from the User Experience Design program. Offering these courses as an undergraduate certificate allows students to benefit from a highly integrated and unique experiential learning experience, while gaining skills that will be essential to their career success.

“This will help graduates stand out among their peers when they enter the workforce,” said Gillespie. “Prospective employers will see that they have these two complementary credentials: both a traditional undergraduate degree as well as a skills-focused certificate.”

The certificate is available exclusively to students in the Digital Media and Journalism program, who will be automatically admitted into the certificate as part of the honours program.