Diploma in Arts and Cultural Management

at MacEwan University Canada

Get ready for a dynamic career in theatre production. Our stages are waiting for you.

The theatre production major prepares you to work in live and recorded entertainment sectors as a technician, artisan, craftsperson and manager. Through hands-on work experience, you produce the entire MacEwan University theatre season. Trained in the fundamental areas of theatre production, you learn to apply those skills as a member of a variety of creative teams: stage and production management, costuming, scenic painting, scenic construction, lighting, video, properties and audio.

What to expect
From your first term until the final year of your degree, you are a member of a variety of creative teams: stage and production management, costume, scenic painting, scenic construction, lighting, video, properties and audio. The theory you learn in class is immediately put into practice through hands-on activities.

In the first two years, you complete required foundational courses. In the third and fourth years, you have the opportunity to focus on a specific area of theatre production and to enhance your learning with courses from other disciplines.

The Business Management diploma is a comprehensive general business program that prepares students to take on any business challenge. Using more than traditional books and theory, this program teaches through lectures, individual and group case-studies and real-world examples.

To help develop and demonstrate the potential of our students to become managers, administrators, entrepreneurs and leaders, we emphasize the integration of soft skills such as professionalism, interpersonal relations, teamwork and communications with quantitative and strategic decision-making abilities.

The Massage Therapy program offers a unique blend of scientific theory and clinical practice. It offers a comprehensive clinical education that develops well-rounded massage therapists able to practice in a wide range of medical and therapeutic environments. The program teaches soft tissue manipulation techniques for the assessment and treatment of stress, pain and a variety of physical conditions. With challenging courses in anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, pathology and communication, students gain a foundation of knowledge that carries them through dynamic field placement experiences and professional practice at MacEwan University’s public massage clinic.

The program prepares students to become a registered massage therapist (RMT) with a provincial association. With MacEwan University’s reputation as a leader in massage education, graduates may be eligible for registration across Canada and internationally.

Since the Library and Information Technology program started more than 40 years ago, the proliferation of information has led to a dramatic increase in the use of technology to organize, control and provide access to information resources.

Information personnel require excellent interpersonal and communication skills coupled with the ability to deal accurately with detail. They are versatile and can quickly adapt to a rapidly changing work environment.

Students in the Library and Information Technology program develop the expertise needed to organize, retrieve and manage information. Graduates are equipped with the skills necessary to work in any setting that handles information management, not just traditional libraries.

This program exposes students to practical aspects of the profession, including cataloguing, reference, circulation, research techniques, information systems design, records management, and services to various types of library patrons. Using a wide array of electronic and print resources, students become familiar with the broad scope of information organization and retrieval. Students will also develop strong professional skills and competencies to work effectively within an organizational structure and in a customer service role. They will examine the central purpose of libraries in society, and consider ways that social responsibility, ethical behaviour, and social justice are important philosophical foundations for the library profession.

In combination with Arts & Science courses taken, students potentially may receive 60 credits towards a Bachelor of Arts degree.

The Bachelor of Commerce focuses on the development of basic business and managerial competencies combined with an understanding of globalization and its implications. The program is structured to provide comprehensive preparation for management positions with both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations as well as the public sector.

The degree provides students with knowledge and critical understanding of commerce and management, and the ability to gather, review, evaluate and interpret information relevant to business and management. Key professional skills are taught: ethical business practices and sustainability, business communication skills, teamwork, business analytics and technology, global and local mindsets, critical thinking and research, including the opportunity to engage in independent research and practice. These skills are integrated across all courses in the program.

The program consists of three types of courses: core, major/minor and elective. Core courses develop fundamental skills and abilities in business and management. Upon completion of core courses, the student will choose one of seven majors: Accounting, Human Resources Management, International Business, Legal Studies in Business, Management, Marketing or Supply Chain Management. The courses in the majors deepen knowledge of business within a focal area and the elective courses broaden education beyond business and tailor the degree to the student’s interests. Cooperative Education streams are also available. Students have the option of completing a second major, or one or two minors. The program will prepare students for graduate studies in related fields.

The Speech-Language Pathologist Assistant (SLPA) major provides the theoretical knowledge, skill development and practical experience required to work as an SLPA. SLPAs primarily work with children and support the implementation of treatment for communication disorders.

The two-year Fine Art diploma program prepares students for degree completion (Bachelor of Fine Art or Bachelor of Arts) and for starting a professional art practice. Students study historical and contemporary art in studio and art history courses, along with English, FFAC options and university electives. Students work in studios in Allard Hall on MacEwan University’s downtown campus, walking distance to campus facilities and services, as well as to museums and galleries in Edmonton’s downtown arts district.

The Fine Art program exposes students to the diversity of contemporary art practice, and emphasizes the development of creative, research and professional skills. In the first year, students learn elements and principles used in visual composition, art themes and media, creative research and histories of art and visual culture. In the second year, they develop a personal direction as they study and explore contemporary art theories and practice, professional practice, and pursue idea and process within studio course objectives. Digital technologies along with traditional approaches are incorporated throughout the curricula in coursework in drawing, painting, sculpture, installation, performance art, digital art, video and emerging forms. Studio assignments are designed to foster creative problem-solving skills, fluency with creative language and a strong work ethic. Through critiques, lectures and seminars, and visiting artist lectures, students learn to discuss their own art as it relates to contemporary art and its influences and contexts.

The Paralegal Studies diploma program produces skilled, analytical, and knowledgeable legal professionals, capable of carrying out certain legal tasks in a more independent fashion under the supervision of a lawyer. Students will focus on core legal subject areas such as real estate transactions and corporate procedures but will have greater flexibility to customize their program through their choices of options and electives.

Solid writing and communication skills are critical for work in the legal environment and this program includes an English course that emphasizes writing skills, summarizing and synthesizing written material, as well as grammar and sentence structure.

Graduates of this program are able to use the credit earned in these courses toward any major in the Bachelor of Commerce degree.

The Special Needs Educational Assistant program prepares graduates to assist teachers in developing and implementing appropriate instructional programs and methods within educational settings. The implementation of inclusive educational policies for students with special needs has created a strong demand for trained educational assistants. The certificate provides a solid foundation of theoretical knowledge combined with practical strategies to support classroom instructional, behavioural, and social learning of students with exceptionalities.

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The Bachelor of Music focuses on the study of jazz and contemporary popular music, responds to the current demands of the industry and combines a high degree of professionalism along with the academic rigour required for further education at the graduate level. The opportunity to study with internationally renowned professionals while following a challenging academic curriculum will give you the skills, insights, competency and credentials to pursue a career as a performer, creator and leader in the evolving music industry.

All Bachelor of Music students share a common curriculum in the first year that focuses on individual study (voice, piano, guitar, bass, drums, winds, brass or violin), performance ensemble, theory (jazz and traditional), aural skills, and musicology. After successful completion of the first year, students pursue a major route (specialized program of study).

The Recording and Production major is unique in Canada because of its focus on jazz and contemporary popular music and its commitment to the tonmeister approach that holds musicianship and musical art central to the development of high-level music recording engineers and producers. Students in the Recording major take courses in recording studio and production techniques, acoustics and psychoacoustics, technical ear training, live sound reinforcement, digital/analog signal flow, applications in music technology, and mastering, and acquire professional-level skills in AVID Pro Tools and other essential industry-standard software. The program of study also includes core Bachelor of Music courses in performance, theory, aural skills, cultural studies of music, and the business of music.