1. 0 Programme Description
The programme will be focused on provision of skills in Mass Communication and Journalism. This programme draws emphasis on Journalism subjects such as Investigative Journalism, International Journalism, Radio Journalism, Television Journalism, Print Journalism ,Photo Journalism among others in addition to core Mass Communication subjects. In the last semester of the last academic year, students go for internship which aims at giving students an opportunity to observe real activities within the media industry and later write reports on them for assessment.
2.0 Programme Rationale
Since the liberalization of the media in 1993, the Ugandan media industry has witnessed a number of significant changes in the way the media operates. There is a rapid growth in the communications sector that indeed requires media professionals to effectively gather, process, produce and disseminate information to a mass audience through different communication tools in the form of print and electronic media. In the past, it was the role of government institutions with help from limited personnel, most of whom were recruited and trained on the job under the guidance of foreign expatriates. However, the 21st century is in all practical aspects an information age making the field of journalism more competitive today, prompting journalists to attain skills for effective journalism. Information and knowledge management has become such a crucial dimension of economic development, not only for national economies, but also for corporate organizations and individual persons. This impresses upon institutions of higher learning the challenge to groom media professionals specialized in the production and dissemination of knowledge and information as a professional business (Knowledge economy).
The media professionals also need to develop a system of collecting, analysing, processing, producing and dissemination of timely information for political, social and economic development of the country. This syllabus therefore provides essential guidelines for the comprehensive, up to date training and education that impart professional skills, values and attitudes to a dynamic journalist.
3.0 Program objectives
The objectives of this program are;
i. To provide students with a strong theoretical and practical foundation in the fields of Mass Communication and Journalism
ii. To Identify and explain the key principles and concepts applied in the discipline of Mass Communication and Journalism
iii. To understand the ethical framework within which Journalism operates and the regulatory structure which determines its practice
iv. To competently, courageously and ethically gather, process and disseminate information under various circumstances
4.0 Programme Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will be able to;
i. Gather, write and produce accurate news stories, features and commentaries in both print and electronic media
ii. Analyze the ethical, philosophical, and legal dimensions of the media’s relationship with different stakeholders
iii. Apply appropriate technologies to collect, develop, process, store and disseminate information/ knowledge in creative and entrepreneurial ways for both the print and electronic media