Mahindra University’s Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication degree is offered by the School of Digital Media and Communication to prepare our graduates to be righteous, responsible, competent and globally acceptable. We will employ the highest standards to develop and nurture these qualities. The
input is carefully constructed keeping in mind the demands of industries and businesses, as well as the needs of our societies, to generate a conceptually, ethically, practically and behaviourally consummate graduate who is aware of the rights, responsibilities and privileges of an educated and communicative citizen. Special emphasis will be laid on digital media as we further update the institution on the basis of technological and sociological developments. In that sense, a graduating student enters the industry digital-first.

We keep our objectives student-centric. Each course becomes a marker, a demonstration of the following three testable competencies that define this pursuit:

a. Conceptual competency
b. Professional competency
c. Ethical competency

Thus, competency-building is the fulcrum of the collaborative interface between the School of Digital Media and Communication and the student. The various demonstrable elements of these competencies perform a critical role not only for a student in the commitment to their role and exercise of responsible agency, but also for the institution in its commitment to the student. To us, competency is not to be defined in narrow curricular or practical success terms, but as the development of a personality that is professionally, critically, and ethically superior—thinking problem-solving researchers and professionals who can rethink paradigms and not become cookie-cuLer benchwarmers. We offer three broad options for the student. These emphasis areas will be chosen only aMer the
first two semesters, once we have successfully laid a solid overarching foundation and applied a wide-ranging primer:

• Journalism, laying an across-media emphasis.
• Media production, with competencies to produce print, audiovisual and digital products.
• Communication management, including promotional messaging such as brand communication, public relations, reputation communication, events, digital and social media content and marketing.

Foundational courses will be common across the degrees in the school and would include several practice-related modules. Through this initial period of a student’s journey, we will introduce a variety of learning mechanisms and tools, including classes, laboratory work, independent and field work, library, guest interactions, and self-discovery. However, the student will quickly recognize the complexities in the practice and learn to problematize practices while developing an increasingly firm grip on fundamental concepts of the functions of journalism, filmmaking, and communication management. It is this blend that makes our graduates technologically strong and ethically sound, conceptually clear and practically adept.

Exposing students to eclectic voices is an important part of their learning. Academic, institutional, and industry partnerships include reputed institutions and organizations from around the world. The student’s journey will be peppered with guest visits and demonstrations, field visits and internships. We expect the student to have fun while being serious-minded, relish hard work while not losing out on the enjoyment of life’s normal experiences.

Specific, tangible and targeted output defines our assessment. All assessment is continual, and the student is expected to aLend every class of every course. This continuity of presence is imperative for the student to link together various concepts. One absence is granted without permission; one more absence may be granted in advance at the discretion of the faculty member. A student should not expect to “cope” or “compensate” after repeated absences—this is neither possible nor advisable in the interest of the successful completion of this demanding program.

At MU’s School of Digital Media and Communication, we believe practise collaborative learning—that is, it is our endeavour to see learning as a joint venture between the student and the institution. How a student peels an onion ring, going deeper into the funnel of learning, must be demonstrated by linking concepts
to practice. That will lie at the heart of all our assessment.

A social sector internship or initiative, two mandatory industry internships and one optional internships are included in the programme. These exposures to “real-world experiences” solidify the concepts-to-practice relationship. The student learns to relate with communities, social organizations, government agencies, institutions and industries.

The main career focus between these degree programmes will be in news, film and television industries. However, we expect a significant percentage of graduates to be entrepreneurial, as recent trends have shown. (Proper training in entrepreneurship will be made available as a part of an advanced curriculum.)

A final note. Course outlines in this document are indicative and may change as faculty members bring their philosophies, perspectives and content. Our institution welcomes and encourages this use of individual strengths and thought. Students will receive specific syllabi with textbooks (if any) and indications of reading material at the beginning of each course.