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Pathway + Bachelor

Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies or Communication Arts and Design Practice

Canada

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6

What will I learn?

In these exciting, highly interactive majors, you’ll explore how our everyday forms of communication create meaning and shape our perspective of the world. The majors are unique within Canada for our experience-based study of verbal, non-verbal, visual, and digital communication practices.

You’ll learn to master interviewing skills, become adept at public speaking, and communicate effectively as a leader. You'll also study the dynamics of communication in your personal interactions, your classrooms, workspaces, in your use of online and digital spaces, and more broadly in media and public communication.

Over the course of your degree, you’ll hone your written and oral communication skills while developing expertise in teamwork, research, visual and digital literacy, and critical analysis — just the kind of skills that employers are hungry for. Choosing the co-op version will provide insights into possible careers and paid work experience along the way.

Choose one of two majors

  • Communication Studies: Focus on the art of speaking and communicating to audiences and in group settings. This major is broader and has more courses related to general business than the Communication Arts and Design Practice major.
  • Communication Arts and Design Practice: Enhance your knowledge and practice of effective communication with hands-on digital design projects and greater focus on visual communication and rhetoric. This major is a really good fit if you're artistic and interested in careers in digital media design.

Co-op

By alternating school terms and paid co-op work terms throughout your degree, you can explore different career areas and types of employers as your career interests evolve.

Sample co-op job titles

  • Marketing communications associate
  • Media and publications associate
  • Research analyst
  • Business analyst
  • Human resources co-op
  • Media relations specialist
  • Logistics assistant

What can you do with a communications degree?

With the explosion of information in recent decades, a degree in communications has never been more valuable. Our program will set you up for an exciting range of careers in marketing, public relations, advertising, teaching, the media, and human resources. Graduates work in a variety of settings – including interpersonal, organizational, and public – for businesses, non-profit organizations, universities, technology companies, and financial institutions.

Recent graduates

  • Marketing Coordinator – Deloitte
  • Junior Integrated Marketing Communications Manager – Microsoft Canada
  • English Teacher – EF Education First
  • Strategic Planning Officer – Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)
  • Enterprise Account Executive – Shopify Plus
  • Customer Experience Specialist – Tesla Canada

Majors

  • Communication Studies
  • Communication Arts and Design Practice

Which department am I in?

Faculty of Arts

Study options

Full Time (4 years)

Tuition fees
CAD$57,000.00 (US$ 41,017) per year
Start date

8 September 2025

Venue

Faculty of Arts

PAS building, room 2401,

WATERLOO,

Ontario (ON),

N2L 3G1, Canada

Entry requirements

For international students

Applicants have to complete ontario high school.

Ontario students: six Grade 12 U and/or M courses including

  • Any Grade 12 U English (minimum final grade of at least 70%)

Admission average: Low 80s (co-op and regular)

English language requirements:

  • Internet - based TOEFL (iBT) - 90 overall; 25 writing, 25 speaking.
  • IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall; 6.5 writing, 6.5 speaking, 6.0 reading, 6.0 listening.
  • MELAB: 85 overall; 80 per section; if you're applying to a co-op program: 3 speaking.
  • CAEL: 70 overall; 60 per band; 70 writing, 70 speaking.
  • PTE Academic: 63 overall; 65 writing, 65 speaking.

*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.

Pathways options

Offered by other partners

This university accepts pathways courses from
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