Mass Communication... Unplugged
As part of the efforts to revitalize university education in Nigeria, the National Universities Commission (NUC) has unbundled Mass Communication as a degree into separate degree programmes, thereby making Mass Communication a full-fledged Faculty. This Faculty, which will be addressed as the Faculty/College of Communication and Media Studies, would house but not be limited to the following disciplines: Journalism and Media Studies, Public Relations, Advertising, Broadcasting, Film and Multi-media Studies, Developmental Communication Studies and Information and Media Studies.
The unbundling of the Mass Communication degree started as a rumor which many in the communication sector dismissed. But as is said, “behind every rumor, lies an atom of truth”. The era of Mass Communication in universities has ended as the discipline has been unbundled into separate degree awarding programmes. Though many have doubted the wisdom of this move, saying the country is not yet ripe for it, I think the decision is in the best interest of communication students and communication at large and these are my reasons:
First of all, students who study Mass Communication can validly argue that the sections are too many to be handle as one degree, whereas unbundling would create environments for maximum coaching in the various fields. Also, the Mass Communication curriculum cannot accommodate the New Developmental tactics in the media trends of both the political and economic landscapes. The curriculum is presently obsolete, because to an extent it does not allow students to focus intensively in skill cultivation.
According to Prof. John Sambe of the Department of Mass Communication Veritas University, unbundling was long overdue, and what students are taught is just the skeletal sketches of everything. In the world today, professionalism is at the centre of everything, as professionals demand specialization of disciplines. This specialization will not in any way phase out Mass Communications as a relevant discipline, but rather give it a proper lift in all ramification, such that the unbundling will see lecturers going into the newsroom to practice and journalists going into the classroom to teach. The unbundling on my part will equip students with the appropriate knowledge in print and broadcasting, digital journalism, media practice, public relations as well as the history, development and ethics of Journalism.
This will also breathe a balance between the gown and the town. The aspect of journalism and media studies education will create an excursion to all the forms of media, from print to film, and digital communication. On the part of the communication industry, the unbundling would provide an alternative for any persons itching for careers in the hitherto restricted discipline to be gurus in their area of specialization, and not learning all the courses and at the end not make use of the knowledge.
Graduates of Media Studies would be prepared for careers in both traditional and non-traditional media. That is why the programme is very lucrative and well-sought after. Some graduates will find work as news journalists, file editors and communication specialists. Other job titles might include Public Relations specialist, advertising account managers, marketing analyst, newsroom coordinator, broadcast journalist, photojournalist and a range of others.
With juicy career options, experts have said this is definitely a course anybody would like to study in any institution. It is also noted that Public Relations is exciting, prestigious and lucrative in nature. Even graduates without a background in communication can major in Public Relations with basic training in the discipline. The field of Public Relations focuses on developing the skills needed to help people and organisations strategically connect with each other, and the programme would train candidates to become Public Relations professionals capable of adapting to the modern ways people consume content, communicate and connect.
Advertising degree programmes would provide a foundation in the creative management, intrapersonal and analytical skills required to work in a dynamic and sophisticated corporate world. Advertising is presently a lucrative career in Nigeria and the world at large. It is a broad field compromising creative and business professionals who share one main goal: to motivate customers to buy product or services. The focus of this is to equip students with the skills with which they can successfully motivate customers to take action and buy.
In the area of broadcasting which relates to distributing audio-visual contents to mass audiences via electronic media such as radio, television and webcasting, the main focus of the course is to engage students in different activities and to hone their skills in radio and television broadcasting. This includes indepth knowledge of broadcast journalism and new media interplay in the broadcast world. Students will be equipped with the appropriate skills and knowledge in broadcasting and script reading which will build and boost the students to compete with their peers in the world. It will also strengthen the ethical values on responsible journalism and broadcast media, competent in script writing, announcing, performance and other areas in broadcast.
Film and Multimedia Studies is highly technical but exciting because it incorporates courses in film history, aesthetics and theory, theory and practice in television, popular culture and media and all aspect of 16mm film and digital video production including documentary, animated and experimental film and special effects. Graduates will be equipped with the rudiments to adapt in the evolving of the movies industries, the media practice and its businesses involved.
Development Communication Studies is a course that was previously offered only at post-graduate level and is definitely a hotcake. The reason is that private and public organizations and governments have since realized the increasing demand for the public to be included in development decisions. Even the corporate private sector in Nigeria and other parts of the world is aware that doing business in any society entails communicating its investment in development. This requires highly skilled development communicators who would employ participatory communicating techniques, critical thinking and ability to evaluate outcome with structural achievement of development goals in a favorable environment.
Information and Media Studies recognizes the importance of connecting media theory learned in the classroom to the real-world experiences. Most universities already offering this courses have it as information science and media studies degree programme. It is a programme designed to provide a synergy between the study of information as a science and mediated communication as a practice. The programme draws on advances in information technology and its applications in mass media studies.
In conclusion, the unbundling of the Department of Mass Communication into different degrees is a blessing in disguise to students and the communication sector at large.
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This piece was written by George Oliver Effiom (georgeeffiom001@gmail.com)
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