Journalists serve as the reflectors for modern society. They empower the public to gather different perspectives about local and global issues, such as politics, Bollywood/Hollywood, sports, etc.
With so much value, journalism is gradually evolving in the digital media landscape.
For this reason, aspirants are actively seeking a career in this among the most sought-after fields today. The Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication is the foundational platform for students to enrol themselves among the elite list of successful journalists, reporters, and news anchors like Sweta Singh, Rajat Sharma, and Sudhir Chaudhary.
Moreover, like any other bachelor’s degree course, it makes students job-ready to unravel the complexities of journalism and mass communication and transform them into complete, all-rounded professionals.
In this blog, we will study the essential details related to a Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication.
We will understand its core subjects, eligibility criteria, skills you acquire, wide job opportunities, and more. The blog will be highly informative, so we recommend reading it all the way through.
Understanding the Degree:
Before diving further, it’s important to get familiar with some basics.
The degree in journalism and mass communication is a three-year undergraduate course that requires the completion of your 12th from a recognized board.
The minimum percentage required in 12th is typically 50 to 60% from any stream (preferably in Arts).
Depending on the institution, students might also be required to take an entrance exam, such as the JMI Entrance Exam, IIMC Entrance Exam, ACJ Entrance Exam, FTII JET, GMCET, and IPU CET.
The exam format is objective, and the questions are primarily related to English, logical reasoning, current affairs, general awareness, and media awareness.
A few exceptional cases from this list are deserving students with excellent academic numbers. In such cases, the college may enrol them directly.
In addition, some colleges may also ask for personal interviews to learn about the students and their motivations for pursuing the bachelor in journalism and mass communication course.
Core Subjects and Curriculum:
The bachelor of journalism and mass communication courses focuses primarily on the practical and theoretical aspects of mass media. It teaches students about how the whole journalism infrastructure works, including its prominent challenges, and how you, as a professional, can navigate these challenges effectively using cutting-edge techniques and technologies.
Listed below are the main subjects of journalism and mass communication for each semester.
1st Semester
In semester one, you understand the fundamental principles of communication with the public or the key dignitaries/celebrities to gather insights and information about a current or upcoming event. Additionally, you will get hands-on training in journalism and still photography fundamentals.
You won’t need to perform photography work as a journalist (unless you are a professional photographer). However, as every engineer needs to know about the ground-level work in their field, every journalist should also persist in fundamental knowledge about photography in their photographer’s absence (in rare cases). Moreover, you will attain vital soft skills, including critical and analytical thinking.
The key subjects in this semester are Writing for Media, Introduction to Communication, Introduction to Journalism, and Social-Economic & Political Scenario.
2nd Semester
In the second semester, you will learn more about journalism and mass communication-related skills, such as news reporting and editing. The semester aims to explore the importance of online radio and social media tools in digital communication.
You will also explore the capabilities of writing effective reports and the techniques as well as tools related to sound recording and editing. This semester teaches a comprehensive blend of all the fundamental skills.
The key subjects include Media Laws and ethics, Print Journalism, Still photography, and the History of Print and broadcasting in India.
3rd Semester
The 2nd semester explores further into journalism and mass communication, such as development & communication and print journalism II. The students get hands-on experience related to different television genres, formats, and OTT platforms. You learn how different camera and lighting techniques work while exploring the basics of video editing.
The semester prepares you with the skills to navigate the intricacies of advertising concepts and processes. The key subjects in this semester include radio journalism & production and the basics of cameras, lights & sounds.
4th Semester
Unlike previous semesters, the fourth semester takes a step forward and teaches students advanced-level skills about advertising, creative copywriting, and visualization. Moroever, you get introduced to public relations, a significant component of journalism and mass communication.
Students enrolled in the bachelor of journalism and mass communication program are also imparted knowledge about cinema and effective communication. The key subjects in this semester include Public Relations (PR), news media, introduction to advertising, and practical media exposure through the public relations lab.
5th Semester
In this semester, you learn about international media exposure from all the world’s major countries. You also learn about the critical roles of event management, ethics and laws governing the media industry.
Moreover, as documentaries are vital to delivering effective and credible news to the public, the semester provides you with the hands-on experience with documentary productions and the complexities of writing and producing ad films.
The key subjects of the 5th semester include advertising practices, media research, event management, and environmental communication.
6th Semester
The last semester specifically deals with professional internships, which help students implement those theoretical concepts into practical exposure and gain experience with how each step works in real life. You also indulge in various levels of professional exposure to prepare for all kinds of job portfolios.
Moreover, you learn more about documentary production, contemporary issues, and showreel creation. The key subjects in this semester include information about media organization and management, the global media scenario, and value education.
What are the Skills Required?
Apart from the technical concepts and methodologies, certain other skills are required to ensure your competency in today’s corporate landscape.. These will help you in your long-term growth in the field of journalism and mass communication. Below, we have described a few crucial skills you should acquire to ensure a successful journalism career.
1. Technical Skills
These skills comprise writing and writing skills, apart from proficiency using several media tools. These include graphic design software, video editing software, social media platforms, and Content Management Systems (CMS).
However, you learn all these skills in your academic journey, advancing in these tools helps you to become 100% job-ready. This approach requires consistent hands-on practice.
2. Communication Skills
Communication is vital for journalism students. The bachelor of journalism and mass communication typically offers these skills (check the “Core Subject and Curriculum” section for more details), and practising it regularly can help you evolve as a complete professional. Practice news reading and speaking in English in front of a mirror.
Alongside this, written skills can be gained through continuous writing practicing on the latest trends and breaking news topics.
3. Critical Skills
The journalism and mass communication field demands journalists, reporters, and news anchors to think rationally to identify genuine news from a large gallery of fake news. Here, these critical skills will come in handy. You must acquire this skill by performing research, conducting interviews, and analyzing large data sets.
4. Analytical Skills
Analytical skills mainly involve gathering, interpreting, and evaluating information to make well-informed decisions or solve problems.
This includes logical thinking to understand complex information easily. In journalism and mass communication, analytical skills also allow you to think logically by considering past and present scenarios to predict the accurate future.
What are the Career Opportunities?
Pursuing journalism and mass communication courses after 12th opens various career opportunities in multiple professional roles. Here are those crucial professionals you can consider after completing your undergraduate degree.
- Journalist
- Main Function: Investigate and report news stories across diverse mediums, such as print, broadcast, and online. They also conduct interviews with the public and celebrities, research facts, and write articles or scripts to keep the public informed about current events.
- Future Scope: Key media professionals such as political reporters, sports journalists, and investigative journalists will continue to remain in the spotlight through comprehensive, diverse news coverage.
- News Anchor/Presenter
- Main Function: Delivering news stories on television or radio, presenting news clearly and engagingly, working closely with journalists, conduct interviews, and lead discussions on various topics.
- Future Scope: As public figures in the media, news anchors will remain the frontrunners of society, especially during breaking news events, requiring strong communication skills and quick thinking.
- Social Media Manager
- Main Function: Develop strategies to engage audiences on multiple social media channels, such as LinkedIn and Instagram. They also create posts, respond to comments, and analyze audience interactions to ensure effective engagement.
- Future Scope: As digital communication grows in importance, social media managers have a vital role to play in shaping online presence and audience engagement.
- Content Creator
- Main Function: They are the creators of engaging content, producing written, visual, or audio content for websites, blogs, podcasts, or videos. Their primary job is to ensure that content resonates with viewers and encourages interaction.
- Future Scope: The demand for creative and engaging content is soaring due to the rise of social media. This steep rise has made content creators vital to digital marketing and communication strategies.
- Public Relations (PR) Professional
- Main Function: Shape an organisation’s image and manage public communication. Their primary role revolves around creating press releases, managing media relations, and developing communication strategies.
- Future Scope: PR professionals will remain handy for maintaining favorable public perception and handling crises to ensure consistent messaging across various channels.
What are the Industry Sectors?
In addition to these job roles and opportunities, knowing about the industry sectors lets you explore the diverse range of other opportunities that could be suitable for your long-term goals and aspirations. Here are those industries where you may expect to find your next job and are trending in the field of journalism and mass communication:
- Media and Journalism: Media and journalism are the major industrial players in this field. After completing the course, graduates can find job opportunities as reporters, editors, and multimedia journalists for newspapers, magazines, television stations, and online news platforms.
- Public Relations (PR) and Corporate Communications: Public Relations is one of the emerging sectors today where new media professionals get the chance to manage public image and communications for organizations.
- Advertising and Marketing: The industry offers opportunities for young graduates to work in media roles, such as copywriters, account managers, and brand strategists. These professionals then work with other organisation team members to develop effective advertising campaigns, craft promotional materials, and analyze market trends.
- Digital Media and Content Creation: The industry aims to give new professions a chance to develop engaging and persuasive content for social media, blogs, and video platforms by working as social media managers, content creators, or digital marketers.
Challenges Associated With Journalism & Mass Communication
Certain key challenges go hand-in-hand with journalism & mass communication and its brighter and more lucrative career opportunities.
Before proceeding with your bachelor in journalism and mass communication degree, becoming familiar with these challenging factors will be helpful in your long-thriving professional journey.
- Rapid Pace of Information Dissemination: Since the advent of social media and online news platforms, fake information has spread like wildfire. One casual post about something trendier can lead to fake news propagation. In such scenarios, Journalists often have tougher responsibilities to report news quickly, and raise the curtains from these fake news, which can lead to mistakes and hindered productivity.
- Safety and Security: Journalists, especially those reporting from conflict zones to cover sensitive topics, often face threats, harassment, and even violence from the offender. The rise of authoritarian regimes and anti-press sentiments has intensified these risks, making it crucial for journalists to prioritize their safety while covering the news from the ground zero location.
- Financial Sustainability: Many traditional media outlets face a challenge in shifting toward digital platforms, while conventional revenue models are being disrupted due to digitalization’s rise. This issue is forcing news organizations to explore alternative funding solutions, including subscriptions and crowdfunding.
Conclusion
We hope you understand this topic on a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication. The degree is designed to equip students with all the essential skills, including technical and communication abilities.
After completing this course, graduates can easily pursue roles in media communication fields, ranging from journalists to PR professionals.
For more information about the journalism and mass communication courses after 12th, consult our AAFT team today. Alternatively, you can download our latest guided brochure on the B.A. Journalism and Mass Communication: https://aaft.com/ba-in-journalism-and-mass-communication.