Contact:
Yuezhi Zhao, SFU School of Communication, 778.782.4916, yzhao@sfu.ca 
Dixon Tam, SFU media relations, 778.782.8742, dixont@sfu.ca

Simon Fraser University’s School of Communication is partnering with the Communication University of China (CUC) in Beijing to offer an international double-degree program in global communication next fall.

Candidates will study in a single cohort during a rigorous two-year program on both sides of the Pacific.

“This partnership, with China’s leading research university in the field, will open new intellectual horizons for students and help them explore communications across the world’s increasingly integrated regions,” says Yuezhi Zhao, professor and Canada Research Chair in Political Economy of Global Communication at SFU, and director of the program.

Students will spend their first year at SFU’s Vancouver and Burnaby campuses. Year Two of the program takes place at the CUC campus in Beijing.

The program will be instructed in English, but students must demonstrate basic proficiency in Mandarin or complete a non-credit introductory course. Graduates are awarded two master of arts degrees in communication – one each from SFU and CUC.

Students must complete a minimum number of mandatory and elective credits at both universities. SFU courses cover topics ranging from communication and global power shifts, to the role of communication in social justice. At CUC, core courses cover Chinese media and society, along with regional communication and cultural industries.

A field placement in each year is a key program feature. Students partner with government, industry or civil society organizations to apply their knowledge and engage with topical issues. At the end of each academic year, students complete a capstone research essay, with advising from professors at both institutions.

The SFU School of Communication is offering competitive entrance scholarships worth $23,000 each. China Scholarship Council awards, covering a full year’s tuition and living expenses, will also be available to outstanding students entering their second year of the program. Scholarships are awarded based on academic merit.

The deadline to apply for the fall 2013 intake is Feb. 1: http://at.sfu.ca/qSnBzr.

Simon Fraser University is Canada's top-ranked comprehensive university and one of the top 50 universities in the world under 50 years old. With campuses in Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey, B.C., SFU engages actively with the community in its research and teaching, delivers almost 150 programs to more than 30,000 students, and has more than 120,000 alumni in 130 countries.

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