The Department of Mass Communication and Journalism offers an innovative, full-immersion Master’s programme that has placed the Department in the forefront of higher education in communication and journalism in the country.
The one-year programme is unique in scope, focus and intensity. It begins with immersion in communication theories and applications, media research and journalism skills, values and principles. Students learn how to navigate a significantly different media environment in contemporary times through classes and seminars focused on the future of media communication.
The Communication part of the programme is designed for students seeking higher-level and focused understanding of communication processes and phenomena to pursue communication-related careers in business, government, education and research, the communication industry. It focuses on a wide range of issues, such as, public relations, advertising, media policy, media criticism, advocacy, health, poverty and so on. It includes social level analysis of mainstream and alternative media as products of and influences on society; individual level analysis of psychological and physiological processes through which knowledge, attitudes and behaviours are shaped; and the creation of messages as well as how strategic messages campaigns can influence decision making and social development.
The journalism part puts emphasis on shaping and redefining the evolving field of journalism. Critical thinking, excellent writing and visual communicating are its principal features. It focuses on a variety of issues, such as, environment, development, cyberspace, arts and entertainment, journalism cultures, critical analyses of current issues and so on. Students become experts in gathering, organizing and presenting news in written or visual formats. They become competent journalists who are aware of the critical history of journalism and ethical norms and can successfully navigate their writing and visual skills across all platforms of media and also engage in education and research.
The programme is of 32 credit hours and divided into 2 semesters. It includes teaching of 8 course units. Of the eight courses four are core and three optional. There are two clusters of optional courses, one of communication and the other of journalism. Students will choose three courses from either of the clusters. There is an obligatory comprehensive course, divided into two parts – written and oral. Students opting for thesis will choose one optional course from either cluster. The core courses are offered in the first semester and the optional courses in the second semester.
27 courses · 108 credit hours across 2 terms
| Code | Course title | Credits | |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCJ 501 | Communication and Media Thoughts | 4 |
It discusses theoretically the ubiquity of communication and its ramifications in relation to the processes of permanence and change in the wider spaces of culture. It attempts to read the relationships in perspective of modernity, and its various ‘posts’ – chiefly post-structuralism, postmodernism, post-colonialism and post-feminism. The course looks in depth at the salience of political economy and culturalist discourses. Alongside the discussion of pertinence and potential of the perspectives, the course analyses the ambivalence and contradictoriness in some approaches. |
| MCJ 502 | Media Research and Cultural Analysis | 4 |
It is concerned with the methods of doing different types of media research, ranging from impact/audience analysis to image analysis. Explaining the quantitative methods briefly, the course expounds the qualitative approaches. Keeping the critical and cultural approaches in perspective, it throws light on Marxist analysis, feminist methods, framing and frame analysis, psychoanalytic criticism and discourse analysis. It also addresses textual, visual and ethnographic methods including image analysis, representation, semiotics, film analysis and oral history. |
| MCJ 503 | Advanced Reporting | 4 |
The course deals with the techniques of investigation and the ways of depth reporting. It focuses on covering events in some specific areas like parliament, election, corporate organizations. Other areas may be decided on by the course instructor as and when necessary. Students are asked to come up with ideas for investigative/interpretative stories, find sources they need, gather relevant information and write the stories in depth in a clear and compelling and fair fashion, adhering to the basic principles of accuracy and objectivity. The course lays emphasis on reporting exercises for both print and electronic media. |
| MCJ 504 | Advanced Editing | 4 |
It puts emphasis in its design on news editing in newspapers in view of the fact that no one but the competent newspaper copyeditor faces challenges of the ever-changing language with so much ingenuity and no one else works under so much pressure to integrate words, pictures, graphics and design to tell compelling stories. The course enables the students to spot errors in complex copies, remove inconsistencies, redundancies and ensure clarity and cohesion. The course also focuses on the techniques of writing for electronic media, especially television, weaving the words with sounds and pictures. This necessitates understanding shots and sequences and the language of television news, guidelines for writing in television and radio, script writing techniques and preparing running order for radio and television. The course instructor will help the students make qualitative comparative analysis of news of some newspapers to learn in depth the treatment of news, the symbiotic relationship between content and form with a view to honing the editing skills of the students. |
| Code | Course title | Credits | |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCJ 505 | Media Economics and Management | 4 |
It examines the process of media economics and decision making through exploring industrial restructuring, regulatory constraints on media operations and providing insights into media business. With the structure and value of media industries changing rapidly, this course helps the students understand the mechanics of change, offering insight into the processes of reproducing trends in media economics and management. The course sheds light on different approaches to management, Fayol’s14 principles, factors influencing circulation and TRP, management roles, functions and skills, ethical issues in management. |
| MCJ 506 | Communication Policy and Planning | 4 |
It is designed to teach them contemporary issues, prospects and problems of communication policy and planning in both international and national contexts. Students become familiar with scholarly literature and develop an insight into the relevant issues. The course addresses the following pertinent questions: what is the current state of global communication policy formulation process? What are the current perspectives? What can be done to bridge the gap between the ideal and the real in policy, planning at global to local levels? It helps the students learn how policy and planning are related to the multi-dimensionality of development and how it can incorporate gender issues. Emphasis is placed on the analysis of policy formulation in Bangladesh. |
| MCJ 507 | Television - Context and Content | 4 |
It discusses a considerably wide range of topics – origin and growth of television; art and science of television; language of television; political economy of television; content, context and casting, television studio; satellite and cable channels; television and non stop news network, TV viewing practices and social impact of television. By studying the great variety of content it attempts to see the interrelationship between television and different aspects of society and culture - education, socialization, popular culture, entertainment, election, politics and so on. It also discusses the rapid growth of private channels, politics of media ownership and the future of television in Bangladesh. |
| MCJ 508 | Film Sense and Criticism | 4 |
The first part of the course discusses major film theories against the backdrop of historical and contemporary debates in film studies. The lectures will focus on key theoretical approaches such as Soviet montage theory, realism, auteur theory, mise-en-scene, narrative theory, apparatus theory, Brechtian methods and self-reflexivity, post-structuralist theory, psychoanalytic criticism, feminist film theory, third cinema theory, post-colonialism, race and queer theory. The second part makes an aesthetic appreciation and analysis of some formally-innovative, experimental and socially-committed films. It throws light on specific cinematic strategies that are deployed to convey deeper meanings, enriched with the essence of socio-political realities. There will be screenings of select films throughout the semester. Students will learn how to write film criticisms. |
| MCJ 509 | Public Relations | 4 |
It prepares them to help the organizations/industries meet specific challenges, deal with some management problems and resolve glitches in times of crisis. It also enables them to actively participate in the decision making process. The course includes a brief survey of the emergence of public relations and discusses a wide range of topics like the process of public relations, public opinion, PR advertising, PR marketing, PR campaign and issue management. It also includes some practical classes for writing press releases. An important component of this course will be students’ field trips to different organizations which may provide them an exposure to actual activities of public relations sector. They will be required to make a case-study of PR practice in an organization. |
| MCJ 510 | Advertising | 4 |
It addresses past and current knowledge of diversity in advertising and application of current theories to develop a communication plan and message content. It explores the wide and varied area of advertising by detailing all the components, categories and functions and it views advertising as a communication medium as well as a marketing tool. It gives an overview of the working of an advertising agency, basic principles of advertising design, campaign and media planning, building brand identity and brand failures, TVC and RDC concept development. It evaluates advertising's role in the marketing mix, taking into account consumer behaviour and research in planning a marketing communication program; it analyses the ethical aspects of the current trends in advertising. |
| MCJ 511 | Political Communication | 4 |
It focuses on the essentially communicative aspects of governing processes, surveying research that analyzes the way in which political candidates at various levels of government are chosen, how they shape their personal image, the process of constructing persuasive message appeals, and their interaction with voters. It will also focus on how elected officials set political and legislative agendas, use public relations strategies to shape public policy, and otherwise engage in the process of political deliberation. The media in which these processes take place will be an additional focus, including the influence of news outlets, political campaign advertising, and the work of political advocacy groups of various kinds. This course also explores the rapidly evolving role of communication in political life, both nationally and internationally and looks at fundamental themes of political communication, such as agenda setting, framing, and branding. |
| MCJ 512 | Health and Population Communication | 4 |
It addresses health and population problems and family planning programmes from the communication perspective by focusing on the issues that have direct bearing on the country’s growth and development and the pertinent part of communication as a tool for treating the ticklish aspects of health and family planning. The course throws light on health and F.P. situation and government policy. It delineates the concepts, theories, models and strategies of health and FP communication. Amongst its wide range of topics are included demographic transition; three eras of FP; FP methods; taboo communication; homophily, heterophily and credibility; reproductive health; HIV/AIDS; communicating drug issues. It puts special emphasis on counselling, communication with patients, professionals and policy makers. |
| MCJ 513 | Media Literacy and Advocacy | 4 |
This course has two parts: media literacy and media advocacy. The first part deals with the nature of education for media literacy that often uses a pedagogic model encouraging people to ask questions about what they receive from the media. The course demonstrates how media literacy enables people to critically analyze messages, broaden their experience of media, and develop creative skills in making media messages. Throwing light on the ideological underpinnings of media literacy, the course discusses different approaches like the protectionist approach, media arts education, media literacy movement and critical media literacy. It also discusses media literacy interventions and their impact on knowledge, criticism and attitudinal changes. The second part deals with media advocacy, which involves use of media by social justice advocates and organizations to communicate with the broader sections of the people in order to promote a public policy objective or change the people’s attitudes towards important public issues. It examines the relationship between advocacy, power and politics. It discusses how to broaden constituencies for support, neutralize opposition and influence decision-makers. It throws light on important elements of social justice messages, developing core and tailored messages and putting frame round the issues and cultivating good media relations. It takes into account association of media advocacy with legitimacy, credibility, transparency and accountability. |
| MCJ 514 | Advanced Video Production | 4 |
It puts emphasis on hands-on experience. It focuses on creating videos covering events like sports, natural disaster and other events of human interest. Students will produce several types of video projects such as short video, video storytelling and commercials. They will work individually as well as in groups to produce video stories. As an integral part of the course they will make a video of their own choice and submit it for evaluation towards the end of the semester. Pre-requisite: Only those students who have completed MCJ 405 can enrol in this course. |
| MCJ 515 | Peace Journalism | 4 |
It is concerned with the practice of peace journalism as an alternative to the prejudices of conventional conflict reporting with a value bias towards violence. This course discusses methods for correcting the bias by producing conflict sensitive journalism in both mainstream and alternative media. Alongside the critical analysis of conflicts like human rights abuse, labour-owner conflict, ethnic and religious division, inter-party conflict and other forms of conflict, the course puts adequate emphasis on reporting and writing exercises in line with the imperatives of peace journalism. |
| MCJ 516 | Development Journalism | 4 |
It equips them with the knowledge, skills and techniques required for writing development reports and features. Topics such as new concepts in journalism, advocacy journalism, and grass roots journalism are broadly analysed, while the contemporary practices and concerns are examined in depth. Throughout this course students are encouraged to make frequent field visits and write reports and features on a regular basis. There are reporting assignments on a wide range of issues including gender concerns, children rights, human rights, environment, good governance, health and nutrition, micro-finance, land rights, disaster management, rural empowerment, traditional media, right to communication, and minority issue. |
| MCJ 517 | Climate and Environment Journalism | 4 |
It helps them gain a deeper understanding of the field of environmental journalism. Students learn how to handle stories, translate scientific jargon and find the best sources for stories and features. They will know how to look for environmental angles in a wide range of news stories and how to conduct effective interviews with environmental experts for their own writing. Students of this course will also get familiar with the changing trends of environment and climate in local and global perspectives by reading journalistic writings, reports, features and articles and watching documentaries. Particular emphasis will be laid on knowing and writing about global warming, renewable energy, green living and design, health and environment, recycling, biodiversity/conservation, nuclear energy and waste, activism and volunteering, environmental actions, environmental law/policy, top environmental issues of the decade, greenhouse effect and climate change. The teacher will evaluate the students’ writing exercises as well as their reading of selected news, features and articles. |
| MCJ 518 | Arts and Entertainment Journalism | 4 |
Those who have a passion for theatre, film, music, television, dance and other art forms, are encouraged to take this inter-disciplinary course with a focus on reporting the cultural events, celebrated persons in the cultural sphere and reviewing cultural output. They learn how to write lively, relevant stories of arts and entertainment in national and global contexts for newspapers and magazines. They focus on the types of stories that are most common in cultural reporting and stories that examine the connection between cultural events and the broader society. This course attempts to give the students an insight into the philosophy of art, which may be of use in sharpening their aesthetic sense and writing snappy reviews, critical essays on arts for the press. It discusses the dominant issues at play in arts criticism today as well as the publications in which they are being addressed. |
| MCJ 519 | Narrative Journalism | 4 |
The narrative form differs from the structural conventions of daily news in many respects and lays emphasis on deeper and more sophisticated reporting, a perceptive recognition of storytelling and an imaginative, creative use of language. Students of this course explore the art and craft of long-form storytelling. As an integral part of the course they will write their own pieces. They study the techniques of well-known nonfiction writers and write polished news stories/articles based on character, plot, scene and dialogue. They will pay particular attention to the selection of topics, examine the practicalities of the craft and learn about the controlled delivery and interplay of the elements used in narratives. Besides writing narratives they will read selected narratives; the course instructor will evaluate the depth of their reading. |
| MCJ 520 | Global Journalism Cultures | 4 |
It takes an interdisciplinary approach to studying contemporary journalism cultures. It explores the difficulties and opportunities for journalists at work in different cultural settings, patterns of their interaction at different levels of society, their professional integrity, resilience and reaction while performing their duties, their role playing within and outside the media, ambivalence between conscience and conformity to the rules of establishment, their attitudes and outlooks, the emphases they put on global and national news. To understand the state of journalism cultures in proper perspectives this course creates in the students an awareness of the social history of journalism. |
| MCJ 521 | Court and Parliament Reporting | 4 |
The course has two parts – court and parliament. The court part deals with the structure of the court system and reporting criminal and civil cases. Students will acquire good knowledge of relevant laws. They learn how to work in the background, take thorough notes in the court and make a note of the legal terms that are not easily understood. While writing reports, they will avoid using legalese and write with clarity. In the parliament part, apart from main government bills, the course will deal with areas like select committees, question time, government statements, ministerial statements, private member’s bills, parliamentary motions, state opening of parliament, addresses given by head of state, conferences, talking directly to politicians and so on. Parliament is a place where not only political and economic issues, but also a lot of human interest stories occur. Students will be systematically guided in reporting different aspects of parliament with dedication, skill and knowledge of parliamentary procedures and the constitution. |
| MCJ 522 | Sports Journalism | 4 |
It is designed to help the students learn the art of reporting sports in multiple forms including narrative, with a view to giving the readers a vicarious pleasure. The course covers mainly news and features about players, places and issues related to sports. Alongside the writing exercises, the students are asked to read good stories on sports and watch sports on television. The instructor will make an evaluation of the depth and seriousness of the students in reading the stories, selected by the instructor. They will get familiar with the rules of different games and understand the politics, sociology, economics and ethics of sports. |
| MCJ 523 | Multimedia Journalism | 4 |
It discusses the digital revolution and the global Information Society, with a focus on the effects these phenomena may have on the media in general, and on journalism in particular. Students grasp the nature of journalism in a new media ecosystem. They are given access to tools to work with narratives in tune with the new media scape. They learn how to develop multimedia projects, working with different formats, such as text, hypertext, photos, video, animation, databases, etc. Digital technology training will be given in journalistic contexts, such as responsible reporting, clear writing, critical thinking and ethical issues. |
| MCJ 524 | Science Reporting | 4 |
Students learn how to find stories and gather information through research and interview. They learn how to get started and deal with the elements of the structure of the story. The course throws light on the nitty-gritty of writing and refinement of the draft. The attitude of the science reporter is important; the quality of writing depends on how interested the reporter is in new developments, discoveries and breakthroughs in science. They are trained here in reporting local initiatives in science, environment, new technologies and human interaction with technology and so on. They will write mainly news, feature and long-form narrative. They will be required to read relevant news and features selected by the course instructor. |
| MCJ 525 | Advanced Photojournalism | 4 |
Students will learn about all the different areas of photography from Flash Photography to Architecture and Portraiture. The course is a combination of indoor and outdoor practical exercises. Students will work on in-depth visual storytelling project and try to develop a personal style. The course will also offer hands-on training in documentary photography. Pre requisite: Only those students who have completed MCJ 406 can enrol in this course. |
| MCJ 526 | Thesis | 4 |
The thesis is an important optional component of the requirements for students seeking to obtain the MSS degree. Students who opt for thesis will deal with specific research questions by making systematic queries, hypotheses, investigations and interpretations. The thesis must be original and reach the desired level of scholarly accomplishment, demonstrating the researcher’s grounding in methodology and theory. |
| MCJ 527 | Comprehensive | 4 |
This course has two parts- written comprehensive and oral examination. There is no specific course work here. The comprehensive examination is given to evaluate the cumulative knowledge the students have acquired through the two semesters. |