Loyalist and Trent teaming up for new journalism program

By Jack Carver

Loyalist College is teaming up with Trent University to offer a new degree program in journalism.

“It’s been about 10 years in the making,” said Jane Harrison, dean of the school of media, arts and design at Loyalist College. “Discussions have started and stalled and it looked like it was never going to come to fruition. Were very excited.”

The program will allow students to earn a joint-major Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and another course of their choice from Trent. Students will also receive an advanced diploma in Journalism, Online, Print and Broadcast, from Loyalist.

Harrison said that both schools want this partnership to be different than others in the country.

“We started work on this two years ago and we wanted to explore how can we differentiate this partnership from others,” Harrison said. “So we thought that it doesn’t matter what your under-graduate is in if you want to tell the stories of a journalist.

“It could be a science story, or a business story, it doesn’t matter. Its all about the story telling.”

Upon entering the joint program, students will become a student of both Trent and Loyalist.
After the program was announced only a few days ago, student sign-ups have begun coming in.

“We’ve had a great interest and at this point, 32 students have confirmed into the program so far,” said Harrison.

Karen Maki, director of post-secondary partnerships at Trent University, said Trent students are really excited.

“Some from students who are already at Trent see journalism as a really neat way to enhance their degrees.”

The program will begin in September and can be completed in four or five years of study with two summer semesters.