Journalism degree at Humber explores options during pause in admissions

The future of Humber College’s journalism degree program remains uncertain, as the college has yet to announce if admissions will re-open in fall 2024.

The administration is currently re-evaluating the degree program after pausing admissions this year. A group of full-time journalism faculty from all three programs available at Humber met on Wednesday, Sept. 13 to begin an in-depth review of the degree and the changing profession.

Guillermo Acosta, the senior dean of the Faculty of Media and Creative Arts, explained the decision to pause the degree was due to a steep decline in enrolment. Last year, there were only seven incoming students. He said such small class sizes don’t make for a great learning experience, which is why they are reflecting on how to make the degree an “attractive value proposition for prospective applicants.”

The low numbers cause Acosta and the faculty to ask “why?” internally, especially considering the college’s other journalism programs, like the diploma, are not facing the same struggles.

Genna Buck, a journalism instructor, said it’s a time of uncertainty and change, “we’re recognizing we have to respond a bit to the broader trends that are happening within the industry and in society, to have students who are prepared for a variety of roles.”

Acosta said they need to act fast in order to adapt to industry trends. The degree is consulting with the Postsecondary Education Quality Assurance Board (PCAB) to explore available options around the credentials needed to find an optimal mix.

Reassessing elements like the length of the degree is not off the table, as colleges are now able to offer three-year degrees. Acosta explains, “This is the regulatory framework that we need to explore with the ministry to see where can we push boundaries to create a mix of programming that will be good for the students and the grads that also meets what the industry is requiring.”

While Acosta shares it saddens him to see the state of journalism schools, he emphasized, “I will use my position as senior in this faculty to really continue strengthening journalism and interest in journalism because it’s a pillar of democracy.”

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Fernando Bossoes, a second-year journalism student, said he hopes the degree will explore ways to collaborate with other journalism programs at Humber because this would create more opportunities and foster a desire to work in the industry.

While faculty and administration continue working to consult grads, students, and industry, there is no announcement on the status of the degree for 2024 yet. Current students should not be affected by any decisions made in the coming months.