Offered by Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Canada, Communications: Master of Arts (MA) is a master's degree in Media Studies & Mass Media programme. The programme runs for 6 semesters, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 2,193 per semester (CAD 2,193 per semester for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Master's Degree
Field:Media Studies & Mass Media
Duration: 6 semesters
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 2,193 / semester
International tuition: CAD 2,193 / semester
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
The MA in SFU's School of Communication develops critical scholarship on urgent social and political problems, teaching students to design and carry out original research on media, technology and social change. Everyone takes a seminar in design and methodology in communication research plus a theory course, then chooses among four completion routes: four courses with a thesis defended before examiners, four courses with a project and paper also defended, five courses with two extended essays, or five courses with a project, the last two examined by supervisors. Projects may be multimedia with a written component. Most students finish in six terms, with coursework in the first two, research development in the third, and the capstone completed by the sixth.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Applicants normally hold a bachelor's degree in communication or an equivalent degree in the social sciences or humanities, though those with significant relevant experience may still be admitted even without meeting the minimum university requirements. Two program options exist — Thesis and Communication Research for Social Change Project — each with its own materials: a 1,500-2,000 word statement of interest identifying one or more faculty members whose interests align, naming the research topic, questions, methods, and significance, plus a bibliography; a 250-word abstract with five keywords; electronic transcripts; writing samples (two scholarly samples for the Thesis option, at least one plus optional professional or artistic work for the Project option); a CV/resume; and three references, at least two academic for the Thesis option. Non-native English speakers must submit English-language test scores per SFU's Graduate English Language Requirements; the university's current minimums are IELTS Academic 6.5 overall (6.0 per band) or TOEFL iBT 90 overall (20 per section). The 2026 cycle deadline was January 15, 2026.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through EducationPlannerBC, with one set of dates per applicant type rather than by citizenship. Fall 2027 entry: high-school-route applications open 1 October 2026 and close 31 January 2027, while transfer applications open 1 March 2027 and close 15 April 2027 (Education and Contemporary Arts transfer applicants may apply from 1 October 2026). Spring 2027 entry runs 1 July to 15 September 2026, and Summer 2027 entry runs 1 December 2026 to 15 January 2027. Admission documents are generally due 28 February 2027 (Fall) and offers must be accepted by 1 May. International applicants use the same EducationPlannerBC dates and portal; SFU publishes no separate international deadline. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
