Professional Communication studies the written, oral, visual and digital media communication practices within organizations or fields such as healthcare, law, government, business, advertising, science and technology.

Ryerson’s BA in Professional Communication (ProCom) provides students with solid grounding in research, analysis and practice so that they can pursue careers as savvy improvisers and reflective communication practitioners. Students in the ProCom BA develop critical and analytical skills for understanding the role of communication on personal, interpersonal and global levels. Through instruction on theory, methods of inquiry and critical thinking, students are exposed to a variety of topics, including communication technologies, social identities, professional practices and intercultural communication. Additionally, to prepare students to communicate creatively and thoughtfully in the digital and global age, experiential learning is a fundamental aspect of the ProCom BA.

The School of Professional Communication has connections to local organizations and industries, and these connections are integrated into classroom learning. Combining those experiences with theories and applications related to language, image, sound and media, students graduate prepared to assume responsibility for communication in areas such as public relations, internal communications and digital media development.

In the first year students receive a foundation in communication theory and practice, which will act as an underpinning for the entire program. The second and third years focus on further integration of theory and practice in oral, written and digital modes. Students also learn how to apply their learning to areas such as governance, health care, new media, and profit and non-profit organizations. The fourth year provides a capstone experience with students researching and conducting their own projects within organizations. 

Courses cover a range of topics, with students having the flexibility to focus their studies in the following streams:

• Organizational/corporate/nonprofit charitable stream
• New media/technical communication stream
• Governance/public policy/international communication stream
• Science/health communication stream

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the BA in Professional Communication will be able to enter a number of professions such as public relations, corporate communications, governance, public policy, project management, research, event planning, and website creation and maintenance. A BA in Professional Communication can also lead to post-graduate degrees in fields such as law, education and professional communication.

Liberal Studies

Students must take three lower level liberal studies courses and three upper level liberal studies courses to graduate.