Update the advanced entry program requirements based of the major program modifications to the BA in Communication and Digital Media Studies.

The Communication and Digital Media Studies program is a four year degree program in the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities (Bachelor of Arts). The program’s curriculum/courses, teaching and learning, research, publication, public pedagogy and professional communication and digital media creation activities encompass “media” in its most broadest sense: entertainment (e.g., movies, TV series, interactive media and video games, sports media), digital and visual arts (e.g., podcasts, memes, images, stories), news media and journalism, advertising, public relations, promotional communications, and marketing, the Internet and social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram), video sharing platforms (e.g., YouTube, TikTok), digital technologies—computers, smartphones, websites, platforms, and apps. CDMS examines these “media” in relation to the society that shapes and is shaped by it. As consistent with the broader Canadian and international interdiscipline of communication and media studies, the topics and issues covered by the program curriculum address: Artificial Intelligence and social media platforms; Audience studies; Augmented Reality (AR); Communications, community and creativity; Communication and media ethics; Communication and media theory; Creative, ICT and cultural industries; Development communication; Digital media and arts; Disinformation and misinformation; Empire, colonialism and communication; Environmental and energy communication; Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity in communication and media industries (and representations); Food communication; Global media and international relations; Health communication; ICTs, big data and society; Indigenous media studies; Intercultural communication; Interpersonal communication; Journalism and news; LGBTQ communications and media; ICT and media infrastructure studies; Media activism and social movements; Media arts; Media technology and communication; Media, cultural and ICT policy, law and regulation; military and the media; Organizational and professional communications; Online creators; Persuasion, promotions and propaganda; political communications; political economy of communications, creative and cultural industries, media business; Popular culture and entertainment; Public relations, marketing and advertising; publishing; Race, ethnicity and media; Research-creation and media production; Representation, identity and media-culture; Rhetoric; Sexuality, gender and media; Social media and society; Strategic communications;  Telecommunications; Video games; Virtual Reality (VR); Visual communication; Work, labour, careers and class in communication and media; Youth, children and media-culture.

The CDMS program’s core faculty is small (Dr. Tanner Mirrlees, Dr. Andrea Braithwaite, Dr. Isabel Pedersen, Dr. Sharon Lauricella, Dr. Emilia King, Dr. Gary Genosko), but the source of over 500 publications, presentations and works spanning the gamut of research, teaching, knowledge mobilization and creative activity in the field. CDMS program faculty have been doing a version of “tech with a conscience” for over a decade and are widely recognized for their work.

The CDMS program admitted its first cohort in 2008 and underwent a major modification in 2011-2012. The program self-study and external review of 2016-2017 recommended some modifications, including a restructuring of the common 1st year to enable curricular flexibility and innovation. With the FSSH now open to revising the common 1st year, the CDMS program wishes to make the major modifications that it has been contemplating for some time and wanting to operationalize. Also, in their capacity as vice-president and then president of the Canadian Communication Association, the CDMS program director acquired fresh insights about the structure, curricular design, and research and teaching developments within communication and media studies faculties, departments and programs across Canada. Relatedly, CDMS faculty members possess much leadership in communication studies and realize the time for change is now, so bring their wealth of knowledge and expertise to this process. 

Overall the CDMS program wishes to make positive modifications that will strengthen the CDMS program’s role and institutional visibility at OTU and enhance its teaching and research contribution to the FSSH and to OTU as a whole. The CDMS program is also thinking strategically about how to flourish in the future, as related to the ongoing economic, political and technological transformation of publicly provisioned higher education in Canada and around the world. After undertaking an environmental scan of East GTA and Durham Region educational landscape in relation to national and trans-national developments in higher education more broadly, the CDMS program recognizes the time is right, even strategically essential, to innovate. The CDMS program’s proposed modification builds upon the program's CIQ-approved Learning Expectations (LEs) while modernizing the curriculum and opening it to more learners. The proposed modification also supports the CDMS program’s ambitious multi-faceted external/internal enrollment strategy: it opens new pathways to CDMS via differentiated specializations and minors that speak directly to where communication and digital media studies research, teaching and careers are at, and will be going in the future. The modification also strengthens the CDMS program’s marketing and publicity and makes space for future integrated academic planning between CDMS and other OTU programs.

Overall, the CDMS program determined a major program modification was needed based on: 1)  the recommendations of the 2016-2017 program review: 2) CDMS faculty discussions over the past five years: 3) discussions with prospective applicants to the CDMS programs; 4) discussions with current and former CDMS students; 5) new and emerging areas of research and teaching in the inter-discipline of communication and digital media studies; 6) new and emerging professional careers in communication and digital media industries and sectors; and 7) changes to the economics, politics and policies and technologies of higher education over the past two decades that were accelerated by the disruptive COVID-19 pandemic and which invite (and nudge) a re-imagining of the enrollment strategies and curricular structures of public universities, departments and programs if they wish to be viable in the 21st century. Overall, the CDMS program modification will support student recruitment, enrolment, retention, learning, success, and careers. It will leverage the CDMS program’s existing capacity,  modernize and differentiate the curriculum, and make courses more open and accessible to more learners. The modification  will ensure CDMS stays  at the forefront of new and emerging research and teaching in the field and central “tech with a conscience” at OTU. A specific rationale for each of the modifications are below.

Modify the Advanced Entry 2-year program map. Restructure the program map for the CDMS Advanced Entry degree to reflect the general BA degree changes. This change will add flexibility to course scheduling, and increase course options for our Advanced Entry students.

The CDMS program and its proposed modification fit with and support OTU’s Strategic Mandate Agreement (2020-2025, and beyond), and its core “Vision, Mission and values”. The proposed modification does this in many ways, as described below.

• The modification strengthens the CDMS program’s contribution to “tech with a conscience” and role in  “promoting the ethical development and use of technology for good through intensive research and inquiry.” CDMS centers on the social, cultural and ethical dimensions of new and emerging communication, media and digital technologies, and the inter-discipline of communication and digital media studies itself has been at the forefront of advancing “ tech with a conscience” for the past three decades. CDMS has been doing “tech with a conscience” since it was established, but the modification directly foregrounds its capacity to do this. 
• The modification strengthens the CDMS program’s support of OTU’s mission to “equip future leaders to solve complex problems”. The CDMS curriculum has always been future-leaning (e.g., via an emphasis on how new and emerging communication technologies, from social media platforms to virtual reality interlink with and are shaped by disruptive changes to the economy, politics, society and culture). The modification (including the addition of differentiated specializations and minors) represents novel research and professional practices related to complex techno-social problems and a wide range of creative solutions to them. 
• The modification (especially with enhanced curriculum related to professional and strategic communications via social media, as well as creativity, digital arts, entertainment as related to new and emerging sectors) demonstrates the CDMS program’s flexible responsiveness “to the needs of students, and the evolving world [of life, work and civics], by providing superior undergraduate” curriculum that is at the forefront of techno-social change. This modification strengthens the program’s role in preparing learners for the future. Also, the modification is responsive to the career aspirations of students. CDMS graduates land careers in communication, which are infinite, because every organization in the modern digital age is a communications and media organization and has a social media presence and personnel. The Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development would classify the careers that CDMS land as being in Advertising, marketing and public relations managers (NOC 0124), in Announcers and other broadcasters (NOC 5231), Authors and writers (NOC 5121), Journalists (NOC 5123). But the Ministry’s list does not encompass the full gamut of communication and digital media-relevant careers, as many new careers emerge each and every day (ten years ago, the “social media manager” position did not exist, but now every organization in society has one). Anyhow, the program modification ensures the curriculum will prepare students for some of the newest communication and digital media-related careers: across the private sector, public sector, non-profit and third sectors, there are countless jobs in strategic social media communication. For more information, see here and here. In Ontario, Canada, and globally, careers in digital creators, arts and entrepreneurship are also growing, and see this report, this book, this book,  here, and this scholarly reference list, for more information.  
• The modification will enhance CDMS’s role in telling OTU’s overall story. It also concretely supports our “community-focused approach” to economic and social development by foregrounding CDMS’s ongoing articulation to numerous provincial, regional, municipal and local creative clusters: in Ontario (e.g., as supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, and especially, Ontario Creates);  in the Greater Toronto Area (e.g., Toronto Workforce Innovation - Creative Industries); the Durham Region’s “Invest Durham” Creative Industries); Oshawa’s Cultural Leadership Council (C.L.C.) and Culture Counts: Oshawa's Arts, Culture and Heritage Plan  (including the plan to convert of the Arts Resource Centre (A.R.C.) into a dynamic Cultural Hub); at OTU, via the recently established Brilliant Catalyst (a  "home of creative collisions" that is "inspiring and empowering our next generation of innovative change makers"); link to SHAD-Canada, which encourages the integration of “A” with  STEM; and in the FSSH, whose mission is to pursue “social justice through learning, research, community outreach, and innovation”, and which is opening a new FSSH digital media production and podcasting studio in Charles Hall. 
• The modification supports “Learning re-imagined”, as the restructured CDMS curricular maps, course accessibility, and new specializations and minors (via multi-modal delivery models) adapts to the “ever-changing educational landscape through the provision of flexible and dynamic learning.” The modification will help CDMS attract learners (including non-matriculating and non-traditional learners at different stages of their lifelong learning journey, in the Durham Region and elsewhere) to its socially conscious and professionally-relevant teaching and learning about communications, digital media, social media and creativity. 
• The modification positions CDMS to forge new partnerships for teaching and research collaboration with the digital creative and entertainment sectors, government arts, media, culture & heritage agencies, and nonprofit organizations that rely on strategic communication, social media platforms and the digital arts & creativity for social change. The modification positions CDMS to partner with a wide range of organizations in society, to identify pressing social problems and co-create and deliver innovative solutions.
• The modification strengthens the CDMS program’s core learning expectations/learning outcomes statement (see above) to continue to give expression OTU’s “values,” especially as related to integrity, equity, diversity and inclusivity (EDI), excellence, and especially innovation, by  “fostering an environment that provokes curiosity, creativity, ingenuity and failure” while stimulating and supporting the creation, production, circulation and use of “iInspiring world-changing ideas” through new digital media forms and platforms. 
• The modification strengthens the CDMS program’s position to innovate truly interdisciplinary, academically integrative, complementary and mutually beneficial curricular developments with programs in FSSH, and programs across OTU’s many faculties, via joint specializations and minors. CDMS is eager to “go out” and forge new development partnerships with programs across OTU that will benefit our learners.

• There is no short term need for new FT CDMS faculty members: the CDMS program’s existing FT faculty members undertake widely recognized research, teaching, and professional practice in the inter-discipline of communication and digital media studies (and possess expertise in digital arts & creativity and social media communication). 
• In the 2023-2024 academic calendar year, FT CDMS faculty members will cover more CDMS courses, but the retirement of a core faculty member will result in a gap in the annual course schedule / teaching assignment schedule. As a result, courses once taught by the FT faculty member will require coverage by sessional instructors.
• The opening of the program will likely increase demand for CDMS courses from programs/faculties across the university. If the modification results in a vast increase to enrollments that exceeds current program capacity, CDMS would need greater resources allocated to it in the future. If course enrollments exceed current capacity, CDMS would need an increase to its annual budget to add more course sections. 
• Also, future CDMS FT replacement hires for retired CDMS FT faculty would support the program modification and future growth as a hub for teaching, learning, and publication related to the FSSH and OTU mission, as communication and digital techn-media studies in Canada and worldwide has always been inter-disciplinary, socially conscious, and at the forefront of digital media and technological change. If the CDMS program grew, especially in one or more of the new specialization and minor areas, it would require a new faculty hire with requisite expertise to expand and sustain operations.
• CDMS program members recognize how at the present time, “resources follow enrollments”: with that in mind, our strategic goal is to creatively leverage our existing capacity, better showcase our curricular dynamics, serve student learning interests and aspirations, and increase program / course enrollments

No additional academic or non academic resources are required.

No physical resources are required.

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• The CDMS program’s proposed changes will be implemented in advance of the 2023-2024 calendar year / recruitment cycle (ideally, by Spring 2023 or earlier). Because the changes allow for more curricular openness, we anticipate positive impacts for students, professors, planners and advisors: the opening of the CDMS program’s curriculum will give greater flexibility to teaching assignments, course scheduling and student course selection. Although the CDMS is opening its curriculum to the wider faculty and university community of learners, each year, the Budget and Planning and Operations Officer, Academic Planning Specialist and Academic Advisors will need to ensure that students formally enrolled in the CDMS 4-year general BA, the CDMS 4-year specialized BAs, the 2-year Advanced Entry BA, the CDMS minors, the Liberal Studies Science, Technology and Society (STS) minor, the FED-B-EDST “Communication” specialization, will be prioritized for course selections and enrollments over OTU students that are not formally enrolled in CDMS via these pathways, and only looking to enroll in CDMS courses as open or general electives. If the CDMS program’s current course enrollment capacity is exceeded as result of this modification, and demand for the supply of CDMS’s newly opened curriculum and courses rapidly increases, the FSSH-CDMS will need to meet that spike in demand for what CDMS offers with additional course sections: that is integral to CDMS’s ability to deliver LEs/LOS and a quality educational experience.

Two key components of the transition plan are as follows:

• Curricular scheduling and delivery mode logistics. The program change entails a re-imagining of the curricular structure and existing Fall-Winter schedule (e.g., some courses previously offered in 2nd year will be offered in 1st year; some courses offered in Fall semester will be offered in Winter) and delivery mode (some courses previously offered only in-person can be offered in hybrid and fully online delivery modes). To ensure the CDMS's re-imagining and re-mapping of its curriculum is copacetic and logistically sound for existing students, the planning officer and advising, the CDMS program director (Dr. Tanner Mirrlees) will work closely with Aaron Mitchell (Director, Planning and Operations), Michelle Patterson ( Academic Planning Specialist), and Amy Anderson (Manager, Academic Advising) and Alexandra Davidson (Senior Academic Advisor) in 2022-2023 to make a seamless transition and ensure that the new structure is effectively operationalized. Director, Planning and Operations, please see CDMSFall-WinterCourseScheduleChange for the proposed course scheduling change, which will be easy to implement.
• Marketing and publicity. Prior to the start of the Fall 2023 calendar  year, all of the new specializations and minors will need to be marketed and publicized using all communicative means available to OTU’s Registrar, FSSH, and CDMS: a) the general and differentiated curricular maps, specializations and minors will be added to the online  Academic Calendar and digital viewbook; b) new web pages will be added to Registrar’s site for each of the CDMS specializations, and new postcards and other marketing materials for each of the specializations will be made; c) new web pages will be added to the FSSH website (included the clickable tile-box features on homepage) that represent the CDMS new specializations and minor; new pages will be added to the CDMS microsite for the specializations and minors (including curricular maps in PDF form); the “Our Courses” page for the CDMS program will be updated to reflect changes to course titles and descriptions (including pop-out bubbles for course descriptions). To achieve this, CDMS program director (Dr. Tanner Mirrlees) will work closely with personnel from OTU’s Communication & Marketing services, the Registrar’s recruitment and enrolment services for communicating about programs to prospective students, and FSSH Internet/website administrator Karyn Douglas, to ensure that all new CDMS program marketing and publicity materials are up-to-date and available by Spring 2023. Also, Dr. Mirrlees will meet with all academic advisors (representing every faculty/program) to inform them of all the new CDMS minor opportunities for their students.

Consultation with external program reviewers (Dr. Mary Francoli and Dr. Sandra Smeltzer, both associate deans of prestigious high enrollment communication and digital media studies faculties-departments, at Carleton University and Western University), in 2017. Consultation with CDMS students who have wanted a change to the common 1st year and more flexible curricular maps for a long time (as indicated by external reviewers’ report, and ongoing discussions between CDMS faculty members and CDMS students). Consultation with prospective students at CDMS recruitment events (e.g., Open House, OUF, etc.,), who want more CDMS courses in 1st year, and more opportunities for creativity and media-making. Consultation with the FSSH Dean, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Program Directors, Academic Advisors, and CDMS faculty members over the past five years (more vocally over the past two years). Consultation with Registrar and CIQE leaders, and other OTU  stakeholders over the past three years (initially related to CDMS’s proposed partnership with DC’s Faculty of Media, Arts and Design). Consultation has also included communication of the CDMS program’s vision at a Faculty Retreat in January 2022 and a Faculty Retreat in September 2022. Furthermore, the CDMS program director has reached out to colleagues in other programs in FSSH, across OTU faculties, and at Brilliant Catalyst, for discussion of future-leaning visions of curricular integration (e.g., joint minors and specializations that reflect true interdisciplinary integrated academic planning). Additionally, discussions with Continuous Learning related to future mutually beneficial collaboration.

The CDMS program has long been committed to the research, teaching, learning, and professional practice of communications and digital media for EDI and democracy. The program's current curriculum and LO statement express that. The proposed modification retains that while creating new conditions of possibility for reaching and teaching more learners.