Carleton University’s Bachelor of Media Production and Design (BMPD) responds to the opportunities for new forms of storytelling flowing from the convergence of media, information, public engagement and design. This convergence has resulted in a growing demand for individuals who can combine the non-fiction storytelling and explanatory skills of journalists with design and online production capabilities, turning ideas into informative and engaging online content.

The BMPD, which is the first of its kind in Canada, is housed in Carleton’s School of Journalism and Communication (SJC). It draws on three sources: new courses created for the BMPD program; some existing courses offered by the SJC; and some existing courses tailored for the needs of BMPD students that are taught in Carleton’s School of Information Technology (SIT). A combination of intensive hands-on workshops and lecture courses will give students a strong foundation in data, research, writing, and narrative abilities across media formats (text, photography, audio, video and graphics) as well as design and production skills.

The 20-credit degree includes 12.0 prescribed core credits, with an optional one-year co-op placement commencing in the January after the fall term of the program’s third year. The emphasis throughout the program is on experiential learning in workshops that creatively combine narrative, public engagement and design into distinctive online storytelling. The classroom experience will foster fundamental production and design skills and thinking in the development and application of narratives, with the understanding that design influences information pathways, making “story” and “design” inseparable. The BMPD will thus prepare students to innovate and operate across all facets of narrative that engage, inform, entertain and ultimately contribute to a broader and deeper understanding of how we connect with each other in the 21st century to build stronger societies.