Communications (Certificate)

In the Communications Certificate Program, students get hands-on instruction in spoken and written communications, and choose from relevant courses in other departments, such as sociology, philosophy and modern languages. Graduates gain a solid foundation to start a career in communications or for further education in other fields.

Graduation Requirements:

• Successful completion of 30 credits
• 25% (8 credits) of all coursework must be completed at Douglas College *

*Effective for Summer 2017 graduation, a minimum of 50% of the required program courses must be taken at Douglas College. 

Course Requirements:

Course Number	Course Title	Credits
Select three courses from the following five options:
CMNS 1104	Foundations of Intercultural Communication	3.00
CMNS 1125	Oral Presentations	3.00
CMNS 1217	Intercultural Communication in the Workplace	3.00
CMNS 1221	Introduction to Media and Communication Studies	3.00
CMNS 2316	Understanding and Managing Interpersonal Conflict	3.00
Select two courses from the following seven options:
PHIL 1101	Critical Thinking	3.00
PHIL 1102	Values and Contemporary Issues	3.00
PHIL 1122	Business Ethics	3.00
PHIL 2201	Logical Reasoning	3.00
POLI 1103	Politics and Ethics	3.00
POLI 2200	Introduction to World Politics	3.00
MODL	Select one course from Modern Languages	3.00
Select two courses from the following four options:
PSYC 1100	An Introduction to Psychology (I)	3.00
PSYC 1200	An Introduction to Psychology (II)	3.00
SOCI 1125	Introduction to Intercultural and International Studies	3.00
SOSC 2140	Behaviour in Organizations	3.00
Required Courses:
CMNS 1115	Practical Writing	3.00
CMNS 1216	Interpersonal Skills for the Workplace	3.00
Arts Elective**	Select any university transferable first-year Arts course	3.00
Total Credits		30.00

** A university transferable course is a course that transfer to one of the 5 Research Universities - SFU, UBC, UBCO, UNBC or UVIC - on the BC Transfer Guide in an Arts subject area.

Note: For writing courses, CMNS 1099 is recommended as a prerequisite for courses CMNS 1110, CMNS 1111 and CMNS 1115.

Remaining courses to obtain Associate Degree in Arts:

• 3 credits in 1st year Arts
• 18 credits in Arts in two or more subject areas
• 3 credits in Lab Science
• 3 credits in Math or Statistics or Computer Science
• 3 credits in Math or Statistics or Science

Graduates of the Communications Certificate Program work in entry-level positions in the fields of communications and public relations. Those who want to continue their studies can complete an additional year in communications and other arts courses to earn an Associate of Arts Degree with a specialization in Communications.    

Anyone planning to complete a degree in English, Journalism, Communications, Business, Professional Writing or any other discipline that requires proficiency in written and spoken communication can start with university transfer courses in Communication at Douglas. Students get the benefits of attending college (smaller classes, lower tuition, close to home), plus the assurance that courses will count towards a university degree.     

Douglas offers seven first- and second-year courses that transfer directly into Simon Fraser University’s School of Communications. Plus, many Douglas College communications courses transfer into other related programs at the University of British Columbia, Kwantlen Polytechnic University and the University of the Fraser Valley.     

Not sure which courses to take? Check out the British Columbia Transfer Guide or make an appointment with Academic Advising at Douglas College.