by Maria Driscoll

The University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI), in partnership with Holland College, recently received approval from the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission to offer a new degree program in print journalism. Graduates of the four-year program will receive a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Print Journalism from UPEI and their diploma in Journalism from Holland College. The new program will build on the strengths of Holland College's current program by adding two years of education in liberal arts. The standard, but not required, sequence will be study for one year at UPEI in pre-journalism, followed by two years at Holland College and a final year at UPEI.

"Most professional journalists today cover a wide range of stories, touching on everything from politics to physics so a broad education is essential," says UPEI President Wade MacLauchlan. "By working with Holland College, we are providing a new opportunity for people wanting degree-level education in journalism to either stay or come to PEI to get that education."

"This partnership with UPEI serves as an excellent example of how the strengths of the two institutions of higher education can be coordinated to enrich the learning experiences of individuals seeking a career in journalism. We look forward to working with UPEI on this and future educational endeavors," says Dr. Brian McMillan, Executive Director of Program Operations at Holland College

To assist students in the process of acquiring their degree, each one will be assigned a UPEI academic advisor. Students will meet regularly with their advisor regarding their expectations of the program, questions about the program, and course selection. The advisor will also be available to students who don't follow the standard process to help them with transferring credits and so forth. All of the advisors will be members of the coordinating committee which will comprise a cross-section of professors from the Faculty of Arts. The committee will be led by the program coordinator, Anne Furlong, who currently teaches English at UPEI.

"At UPEI, the students will acquire a slightly broader education with more experience in problem solving and exposure to a wealth of subjects," says Anne Furlong, UPEI program coordinator. "We have identified a selection of core courses that provide instruction in topics that most journalists deal with every day."

In their two years at UPEI, the students will be required to complete 12 courses in writing, ethics, political studies, natural sciences such as biology, chemistry and physics, Canadian history, PEI history, cultural diversity, statistics, economics, and the fine arts. For their other eight courses, students will select courses from any area of interest although they are strongly encouraged to consider courses in linguistics, psychology, sociology, women's studies, business, philosophy and languages other than English.

Students will acquire technical training and practical experience in journalism during their time at Holland College. The program there emphasizes the importance of clear, concise, accurate writing and other fundamentals while recognizing the importance of new technology. Learners are introduced to the rudiments of newspaper news and feature photography. Using readily available community resources, they learn the craft of news gathering, from interviewing to covering meetings and demonstrations. In addition to on-the-job training, students produce their own newspaper.

"Traditionally, a high percentage of our graduates find work in the field," says Wayne Young, a journalism instructor at Holland College. "For those who choose to further their education, this is a great opportunity to supplement their college diploma with a degree and to do it all right here on P.E.I."

The program will be different from a Bachelor of Journalism program, which normally has a more theoretical orientation in exploring the nature of media. It will also be different from a Bachelor of Arts program, which offers greater opportunity for depth of study in an academic discipline, and does not have such a career-specific orientation.

Students meeting admission standards to the Faculty of Arts at UPEI may register in pre-journalism and apply for admission to the Holland College journalism program during their first year of study at UPEI, but registration in pre-journalism at the university does not guarantee admission to the Holland College program. Starting in January 2002, interested students can apply through the university's online registration system.

"We are really excited about this program. Now that we have approval, I'm looking forward to getting things started and meeting the first students," concludes Furlong. "I see this as a new opportunity for students who want to be journalists to add, not only to their skills as journalists, but to their growth as individuals."