The University of Ottawa has just moved to suspend their popular undergraduate Bachelor of Journalism program. The degree has been offered in partnership in English with Algonquin College and in French with La Cité Collégiale.

The deciding committee stated that the program’s problems trace back all the way to its establishment fifteen years ago, and that the four-year program was, “nothing more than experiments. They are poorly constructed and undermine the reputation of the University [translated].”

Apart from difficulties in integrating with other institutions, reasons for the cancellation include a rapidly decreasing number of course offerings within the program, many of which apparently overlap with the Communications degree offered under the Bachelor of Arts.

Martine Lagacé, the program’s coordinator is still fighting to keep the program alive despite its suspension, and sees the pause as a good time to rethink and rework course offerings.

Students admitted to the program for the Fall 2013 semester will immediately enter their two years at the partnering colleges, whereas previously enrolled students will be allowed to complete their degree. 

[via LaPresse – quotes translated from French]

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Jeremy Schipper is an intern who took high school French at Toronto Standard. You can follow him on Twitter at @jeromeoschipps.

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