Curriculum Renewal, Integration, and Evaluation for the Bachelor of Media Studies (BMS)

TitleCurriculum Renewal, Integration, and Evaluation for the Bachelor of Media Studies (BMS)
Faculty/College/UnitArts
Dep't or UnitLibrary, Archival and Information Studies
StatusCompleted
Duration3 Years
Initiation04/01/2019
Completion03/31/2022
Project Summary

The Bachelor of Media Studies (BMS) program is a high demand program (15% admission from 276 applicants in 2017-18) that has several unique strengths: It is multi-disciplinary (8 units), applies a cohort model, and includes substantial experiential learning. Building on those strengths, we seek to continue to evaluate and further renew the program. By extending current curricular mapping activities, we seek to consolidate program identity, achieve internal program coherence, address changing needs, improve students’ learning and experience, and design an evaluation model that provides empirical evidence of program quality enhancement and students’ achievement of program learning outcomes (PLOs).

This project will achieve its goals by:

  1. engaging with students, alumni, faculty, industry and other external stakeholders to revise/update program outcomes;
  2. ensuring student’s achievement of program outcomes through the careful design of a coherent/integrated program structure that supports their learning and initiatives; and
  3. developing a system for program evaluation and quality enhancement in the BMS according to internal and external standards.

Students will benefit from a structure that is more supportive of learning goals and a program that is better designed to meet relevant and updated PLOs. As a result, our students will have a more unified and integrated learning experience and a stronger sense of belonging in the BMS at UBC. Our graduates will be better able to navigate media culture informed by integrated disciplinary perspectives; and clearly examine and articulate their learning in order to plan their professional lives after graduation.

Funding Details
Year 1: Project YearYear 1
Year 1: Funding Year2019/2020
Year 1: Project TypeProgram Renewal
Year 1: Principal InvestigatorStefania Burk
Year 1: Funded Amount54,000
Year 1: Team Members

Stefania Burk, Associate Dean, Academic / Senior Instructor, Asian Studies, Faculty of Arts
Richard Arias-Hernandez, Acting Chair, Bachelor of Media Studies (BMS) / Instructor, iSchool, Faculty of Arts
Candis Callison, Chair, BMS (on leave) / Associate Professor, Journalism, Faculty of Arts
Christine D’Onofrio, Instructor I, Art History, Visual Art and Theory, Faculty of Arts
Heidi May, Curriculum Manager and Educational Programmer, Office of the Dean, Faculty of Arts

Strategic Collaborators:

Julie Walchli, Executive Director, Work Integrated Education and Career Initiatives
Susan Grossman, Director, Centre for Community Engaged Learning
Carrie Hunter, Curriculum Consultant, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology
Ilinca Iurascu, Assistant Professor, Central, Eastern and Northern European Studies, Faculty of Arts
Timothy Taylor, Associate Professor, Creative Writing, Faculty of Arts
Ernest Mathijs, Professor, Theatre and Film, Faculty of Arts
Rachel Pottinger, Associate Professor, Computer Science, Faculty of Science
Kevin McNeilly, Associate Professor, English, Faculty of Arts

Year 2: Project YearYear 2
Year 2: Funding Year2020/2021
Year 2: Project TypeProgram Renewal
Year 2: Principal InvestigatorStefania Burk
Year 2: Funded Amount37,750
Year 2: Team Members

Stefania Burk, Associate Dean, Academic / Senior Instructor, Asian Studies, Faculty of Arts
Richard Arias-Hernandez, Instructor, iSchool, Faculty of Arts
Christine D’Onofrio, Chair, Bachelor of Media Studies (BMS) / Senior Instructor, Art History, Visual Art and Theory, Faculty of Arts
Heidi May, Curriculum Manager and Educational Programmer, Office of the Dean, Faculty of Arts

Strategic Collaborators:

Julie Walchli, Executive Director, Work Integrated Education, Faculty of Arts
Susan Grossman, Director, Centre for Community Engaged Learning
Carrie Hunter, Curriculum Consultant, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology
Jessica Lam, BMS Program Manager, Faculty of Arts
Josh Tran, BMS Academic Advisor, Faculty of Arts
Nancy Campbell, Business Solutions Analyst, Arts Academic Advising Services, Faculty of Arts
Alix Ohlin, Chair / Associate Professor, Creative Writing, Faculty of Arts
Kevin McNeilly, Associate Professor, English, Faculty of Arts
Ilinca Iurascu, Assistant Professor, Central, Eastern and Northern European Studies, Faculty of Arts
Tom Scholte, Professor, Theatre and Film, Faculty of Arts
Saranaz Barforoush, Instructor, Journalism, Writing and Media, Faculty of Arts
T’ai Smith, Associate Professor, Art History, Visual Art and Theory, Faculty of Arts
Mila Zuo, Assistant Professor, Theatre and Film, Faculty of Arts
Katie Fitzpatrick, Coordinated Arts Program, Faculty of Arts
Rachel Pottinger, Associate Professor, Computer Science, Faculty of Science

Year 3: Project YearYear 3
Year 3: Funding Year2021/2022
Year 3: Project TypeProgram Renewal
Year 3: Principal InvestigatorStefania Burk
Year 3: Funded Amount32,600
Year 3: Team Members

Stefania Burk, Associate Dean, Academic, Faculty of Arts
Christine D’Onofrio, Chair, Bachelor of Media Studies (BMS) / Associate Professor, Art History, Visual Art and Theory, Faculty of Arts
Richard Arias-Hernandez, Assistant Professor, iSchool, Faculty of Arts

Strategic Collaborators:

Heidi May, Curriculum Manager, Office of the Dean, Faculty of Arts
Julie Walchli, Executive Director, Work Integrated Education, Faculty of Arts
Susan Grossman, Director, Centre for Community Engaged Learning
Jessica Lam, BMS Program Manager, Faculty of Arts
Josh Tran, BMS Academic Advisor, Faculty of Arts
Nancy Campbell, Business Solutions Analyst, Arts Academic Advising Services, Faculty of Arts
Alix Ohlin, Chair / Associate Professor, Creative Writing, Faculty of Arts
Derek Woods, Assistant Professor, English, Faculty of Arts
Ilinca Iurascu, Assistant Professor, Central, Eastern and Northern European Studies, Faculty of Arts
Tom Scholte, Professor, Theatre and Film, Faculty of Arts
Saranaz Barforoush, Instructor, Journalism, Writing and Media, Faculty of Arts
T’ai Smith, Associate Professor, Art History, Visual Art and Theory, Faculty of Arts
Ernest Mathijs, Professor, Film Studies, Faculty of Arts

Year 3: ShowcaseYear 3: Showcase
Project Report2021‑UPER‑Final-Report‑Burk-WEB.pdf