ADVISING GUIDE 2014/15. Bachelor of Communications Information Design Journalism Public Relations

Transcription

1 ADVISING GUIDE 2014/15 Bachelor of Communications Information Design Journalism Public Relations

2 congratulations and Welcome to Mru! Welcome to Mount Royal University! We are here to help you begin your transition to becoming a Mount Royal Student. Within this document you will find advising and registration information that will help guide you through course selection and class registration.

3 YOU RE ACCEPTED, NOW WHAT? Step 1: Review your Offer of Admission letter and follow all directions To maintain acceptance in your program, you must meet your conditions and final/official transcripts need to be received at Mount Royal by Aug. 1, Step 2: Pay your registration deposit To reserve your spot at Mount Royal you need to accept your Offer of Admission and pay your nonrefundable Registration Deposit of $200. Visit mtroyal.ca, select Apply then Accept Offer/Pay Deposit. Step 3: Activate your MyMRU account MyMRU is your online registration, fee payment system and one-stop information site for all things Mount Royal. Visit MyMRU.ca. See directions on how to activate your account below. Step 4: Start using your MRU We will communicate important information to you through your MRU account. Check your regularly. Step 5: Be advised and register for classes Your program-specific advising information is available in this guide. Here you will find details on how to get advising information and register for courses. Course registration begins Apr. 14, Have you taken post-secondary or AP/IB courses? If so, we will automatically assess your transfer equivalencies once we have received your final/official transcripts. Once assessed, you will be able to view how the transfer equivalencies satisfy requirements for your program. Step 6: Pay Fees Tuition and fees are due Aug. 13, For more information on how to pay your fees visit mtroyal.ca/moneymatters. Step 7: Attend New Student Orientation We ll be keeping you up to date with important information on New Student Orientation (NSO), Sept. 2 & 3, 2014, to help make your move to Mount Royal a smooth one. ACTIVATE YOUR MYMRU ACCOUNT Visit MyMRU.ca Select Activate Your Account Read and accept the Acceptable Use Policy terms Complete the details using your name, date of birth and Mount Royal Student ID number found on your Offer of Admission letter To activate your student gmail@mtroyal.ca account, select the link in the top right hand corner of MyMRU. If you get stuck, check out the Activating your MyMRU Account tutorial found at mtroyal.ca/ beadvised/tutorials. For further assistance, please call the Mount Royal Technology Help Desk at

4 COURSE REGISTRATION GUIDE It is your responsibility to register in your courses and ensure that the courses you select meet the program/ graduation requirements. Your first year course requirements are outlined in this document. REGISTER ONLINE Log into MyMRU.ca Select Student Resources tab Select Registration under My Account Register using the Look Up classes link Select Term and choose the appropriate term (e.g. Fall 2014 credit) REGISTRATION ASSISTANCE Further information about registering for credit courses, waitlisting for a course, cancelling your registration, troubleshooting error messages, and frequently asked questions is available online or consult the current Academic Calendar. For assistance in registering for courses contact Credit Registration: or toll-free (8:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m.). creditregistration@mtroyal.ca TRANSFER EQUIVALENCIES To be considered for transfer equivalency, each course must have been completed at a recognized accredited post-secondary institution with a minimum passing grade. Regardless of when a course was completed, normally it will still be considered for a transfer equivalency. However, limitations do exist for time-sensitive courses, e.g. Computer Science, Midwifery, Nursing, and Science. You can find more information online including timelines for transfer equivalency assessments and how to view your transfer equivalencies. If you miss the time line, as specified for any given semester, the transfer equivalency may not be established in time for course registration. This may affect whether a course prerequisite has been met. COURSE PREREQUISITE REQUIREMENTS Prerequisites are listed in the course description section of the Academic Calendar and in the online Courses Listings. It is your responsibility to ensure you have met the prerequisites for your registered courses. Failing to meet course prerequisites will result in automatic de-registration. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS WITH mrugradu8 mrugradu8 is a degree audit program that will guide you in your course selection as you move through your program. You can access mrugradu8 through mymru.ca under the Student Resources tab. In addition to the advice you receive from your academic advisor, mrugradu8 is a great way to stay on track! mru GradU8

5 GENERAL EDUCATION General Education (known on campus as Gen Ed) is dedicated to creating intellectual habits and abilities that take you across academic disciplines and beyond one specific job description. At Mount Royal University, each Gen Ed course introduces you to thematic areas outside your major. Gen Ed invites you to experience all that academic life has to offer by exploring courses from other faculties and fields. A Gen Ed component is included in every bachelor s degree, applied degree and diploma program at Mount Royal. The exact number of Gen Ed courses (mtroyal.ca/gened/courses) you take depends on the credential you are pursuing, but up to 30 per cent of your course load will be Gen Ed. HOW DOES GEN ED WORK? Mount Royal s Gen Ed has been structured to complement your program of study. You can tailor your courses to fit your interests and your schedule. Gen Ed courses are divided into four thematic clusters, as shown in the chart. The chart also shows the three Gen Ed tiers you will move through, depending on which program you are in. Gen Ed course requirements vary by program, so please check with your program advisor to confirm the courses needed for your degree, applied degree or diploma. For more detail, visit mtroyal.ca/gened. Degree up to 12 Gen Ed courses required Cluster 1: Numeracy and Scientific Literacy Cluster 2: Values, Beliefs and Identity Cluster 3: Community and Society Cluster 4: Communication Foundation: As you start your studies, you take a total of four Gen Ed foundation courses. You will take: one Foundation course from this cluster within your first 10 courses. You will take: one Foundation course from this cluster within your first 20 courses. You will take: one Foundation course from this cluster within your first 20 courses. You will take: one Foundation course from this cluster within your first 10 courses. Tier 2: As you progress through your degree, choose four Gen Ed courses from a wider variety of courses. Tier 3: Build your base of knowledge in this tier with four courses from at least two clusters. You will take: one Tier 2 course from each cluster (Total: 4). You could take: three Tier 3 courses from one cluster and one Tier 3 course from a second cluster (Total: 4); or one Tier 3 course from each cluster (Total: 4); or two Tier 3 courses from two clusters (Total: 4).

6 Bachelor of Communications Information Design Journalism Public Relations To graduate with a Bachelor of Communications (BCMM) degree you must complete 40 courses. There are three components to a degree: major requirements, General Education, and electives. To complete a BCMM in four years you will need to complete 10 courses each year. You choose the number of courses you complete each term. However, it is critical that you always complete the three core courses each semester to stay on track. If you decide to take fewer than five courses per semester your priority should be the core courses outlined in the Academic Calendar. To be a full-time student you must be in at least three courses (9 credits) to a maximum of five courses (15 credits). Courses that are restricted to specific programs (e.g. Nursing, Interior Design, etc.) will not be available to you. It is recommended that in your first year you take 1000 level courses and avoid courses at the 3000 level or higher (unless you have previously completed 10 university level courses). Electives are unspecified course requirements for graduation. They are any three-credit courses, at any level from any subject area, as long as you meet the prerequisites. Since electives are open options of your choice, consider creating a degree that is unique to you when selecting these courses. You can register only in classes for the Fall semester at this time. The schedule of classes for the Winter semester will be available at thebeginning of October, and you can register for your second semester towards the end of October. This is always a good time to check in with your academic advisor. It s always best to register as soon as possible, as some courses fill quickly. New Student Orientation for the Bachelor of Communication programs will be held prior to the start of classes. This is mandatory for all new communication students. You will receive an in the summer noting the date and time of your orientation, so check your frequently. WHO IS MY ACADEMIC ADVISOR? Contact Elizabeth Lennox at elennox@mtroyal.ca with any concerns regarding general education, transfer credit or electives. For any other concerns including core courses, work experience, semester abroad or requests for exceptions, contact your chair: Information Design: Ben Kunz, bkunz@mtroyal.ca Journalism: Shauna Snow-Capparelli, ssnowcapparelli@mtroyal.ca Public Relations: Jane McNichol, jmcnichol@mtroyal.ca

7 FIRST YEAR COURSES INFORMATION DESIGN All core courses must be taken in the sequence shown. For information on how to choose your Gen Ed courses, please see your advisor. Year One, Semester 1 [Fall], Sept. Dec. COMM 1600 Foundations of Information Design COMM 1610 Tools for Information Designers COMM 2501 Media History and Contemporary Issues Year One, Semester 2 [Winter], Jan. Apr. COMM 1620 Foundations of Graphics COMM 1661 Technical Writing I COMM 2663 Rhetoric

8 FIRST YEAR COURSES JOURNALISM All core courses must be taken in the sequence shown. For information on how to choose your Gen Ed courses, please see your advisor. Year One, Semester 1 [Fall], Sept. Dec. COMM 1707 Journalism Elements COMM 1727 Introduction to Visual Journalism COMM 2501 Media History and Contemporary Issues Year One, Semester 2 [Winter], Jan. Apr. COMM 1709 Journalism Theory and Practice COMM 1720 Managing Digital Media COMM 1728 Journalism Projects

9 FIRST YEAR COURSES PUBLIC RELATIONS All core courses must be taken in the sequence shown. In your first year, you should register in the following courses. Year One, Semester 1 [Fall], Sept. Dec. COMM 1841 Introduction to Public Relations COMM 1849 Applied Writing I for Public Relations COMM 2501 Media History and Contemporary Issues General Education Requirement Cluster 1, Foundation General Education Requirement Cluster 2, Foundation Year One, Semester 2 [Winter], Jan. Apr. COMM 1845 Interpersonal Communication COMM 2803 Applied Visual Communication for Public Relations MKTG 2150 Introduction to Marketing General Education Requirement Cluster 3, Foundation General Education Requirement Cluster 4, Foundation

10 MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW Apply for residence mtroyal.ca/residence NOW Apply for scholarships & bursaries mtroyal.ca/moneymatters Apr. 14, 2014 Course registration begins for new students Aug. 1, 2014 Final/official transcripts due mtroyal.ca/admission Aug. 13, 2014 Tuition and fees due mtroyal.ca/moneymatters Sept. 2 & 3, 2014 New Student Orientation mtroyal.ca/orientation Sept. 4, 2014 First day of classes Students are expected to adhere to all critical dates and deadlines as outlined in the Academic Schedule of the 2014/15 Academic Calendar. For a complete list of dates and deadlines applicable to new students, visit mtroyal.ca/criticaldates. Learn more about Academic Advising Services or to find your advisor, visit mtroyal.ca/beadvised.

11 YOUR STUDENT CHECKLIST Now Find out what courses I need Check to see if all my transfer equivalencies have been applied to my program Register for courses Check mrugradu8 in MyMRU Register for New Student Orientation Download MRU app July Get my parking pass and locker August Pay tuition by Aug. 13 *Do not forget! Get my campus card Get my U-Pass (if I m a full-time student) Activate gym membership (if I m a full-time student) Buy text books September Visit Blackboard in MyMRU Attend New Student Orientation on Sept. 2 & 3 Go to class starting Sept. 4 Activate or opt out of my student health benefits October Register for winter semester (check MyMRU for your access date) FOLLOW US /mrulife /mountroyal4u

12 STUDENT RESOURCES Have questions about course selection or program requirements? Academic Advising Services mtroyal.ca/beadvised Looking for academic policies, definitions and deadlines? Academic Calendar mtroyal.ca/academicsupport/academiccalendar Do you have special learning or mobility needs? Accessibility Services mtroyal.ca/accessibility Need textbooks, MRU clothes and other school supplies? BookStore bookstore.mtroyal.ca When and where can you get your campus ID card? Campus Card mtroyal.ca/campuscard Looking for employment, co-op placement or help with your resume? Career Services mtroyal.ca/careerservices Are you First Nations, Inuit or Métis? Are you interested in learning about these cultures? Iniskim Centre mtroyal.ca/iniskimcentre Looking for tools to help you succeed as a new Mount Royal Student? New Student Orientation mtroyal.ca/orientation Looking for transportation information or locker rentals? Parking, Locker rental and U-Pass mtroyal.ca/parking

13 Want to stay active while in school? Recreation mtroyal.ca/recreation Having problems registering into courses online through MyMRU? Registration Helpline mtroyal.ca/creditregistration Need somewhere to live? Residence Services mtroyal.ca/residence Looking for student health & dental information? Students Association of Mount Royal University (SAMRU) Need help paying for your education? Student Awards and Financial Aid mtroyal.ca/moneymatters Looking for personal, career and educational guidance? Student Counselling mtroyal.ca/counselling Looking for tutoring, writing services or learning skills? Student Learning Services mtroyal.ca/studentlearningservices Need help getting started with technology? START (Student Technicians and Resource Tutors) samru.ca mtroyal.ca/start Need a doctor, chiropractor or other healthcare professional? Wellness Services mtroyal.ca/wellness