Syllabus for
BA (Journalism and Digital Media, English/Honours/Honours with Research)
Academic Year  (2023)

The Programme has a variety of assessment patterns that test the knolwedge base, skill sets and the professional attitude of the students. It varis from course to course.

The Department of Media Studies at Christ University offers a plethora of opportunities to the student community to deepen their disciplinary knowledge, hone academic and professional skills and nurture an attitude of professional and societal service, along with excellence. A dynamic curriculum, innovative pedagogy, learner-centric values, intensive research, and relevant industry exposure in the form of internships and projects are defining features of the Department. The Department provides consultancy services to a variety of stakeholders and conducts outreach programmes for the community, fulfilling the University’s motto of excellence & service.

There’s hardly anyone who can proclaim to be leading an unmediated life. The omnipresence of media in our lives is uncontestable. The volume, velocity and variety with which media content impinge upon our senses and our consciousness on a quotidian basis creates variegated impacts. In such a complex media-saturated world, the role of media educators is immense.

The Department of Media Studies at CHRIST, with a deep awareness of the enormous power that media wields in our daily lives, operates with a few key objectives. One of the prime aims is to produce media leaders of tomorrow who as lifelong learners, would offer a plethora of media services, matching to professional requirements and ethical norms. To aid in the production and dissemination of media-centric knowledge that respects pluralist and democratic ethos is a commitment of the Department.

To realise a media literate society, the Department offers various capacity-building workshops and programmes for the different stakeholders of our community. In our complex media-saturated world, the role of media educators is immense. With its resourceful and amiable faculty and robust academic systems, we work towards making media education rigorous, meaningful and joyful.

Vision: To excel in communication and media education by creating an open and collaborative environment that embraces innovation and integrity by providing both classroom and experiential learning.

Mission: The Department of Media Studies combines communication and journalism to create a theoretical, professional, and applied approach to communication studies within a structured yet free environment to enhance student’s personal and professional lives.

Currently, the field of journalism is experiencing a shift towards digital platforms such as the internet,

mobile devices, data journalism and other emerging technologies. This change is leading to a

transformation in how journalism is practiced and necessitating the development of new skills, techniques,

and approaches by practitioners. As a result, contemporary journalists must fulfill a variety of roles,

requiring not only a solid grasp of emerging social trends but also specialized expertise and knowledge. By

enrolling in this programme, aspiring digital journalists will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges

associated with journalism in the Digital Age, which will prepare them to succeed in the rapidly-evolving

media industry.

During the first and second semesters, the focus is on helping students understand the role of Journalism

within the broader context of social sciences such as political science, economics, and sociology. They will

receive training in writing and develop their skills in reporting and editing to be successful in the field of

written communication. In the third semester students are introduced to the nuances of the constitution and

politics. Special emphasis is given in the fourth semester to the field of multimedia production, on-field

experience and also the first hand understanding of social issues through service learning. The third year

provides the budding journalist with the knowledge of digital journalism, media research and so on. In the

final year, students will expose themselves to media psychology, solutions journalism and environmental

journalism along with independent research projects.

Practical elements such as lab journals, workshops, seminars, campaigns, or news productions are

incorporated to support each paper. Additionally, students will be required to gain skills in editing software.

The Journalism & Digital Media programme includes sixteen core papers that cover a diverse range of

topics in the field of journalism. There are skill enhancement courses related to writing and reporting.

Starting from the sixth semester, students will have the opportunity to choose three electives to specialize

in. In order to gain practical experience, an internship is mandatory for students at the end of the second

semester. The theory courses aim to provide students with a broad understanding of the field, while the

practical and skill-based courses will equip them for the job. Having a comprehensive knowledge of various

subjects helps journalists gain perspective and write intelligently in the proper context for the general

readership. The Department of Media Studies will leverage the expertise of professionals from different

fields to provide students with the best possible exposure. Experienced journalists will also be invited to

participate in events like "Feel the Beat" to share their knowledge and expertise. Students of journalism will

be expected to regularly produce lab journals and from the fourth semester onwards, they will be

responsible for creating a newspaper, television news bulletin, and digital publication.

Programme Outcome/Programme Learning Goals/Programme Learning Outcome:

PO2: Analyze the contemporary world with critical and scientific awareness of the intersectionality of race, gender, class, sexuality, and regional, national and global history and media

PO3: Demonstrate skills in multimedia reporting, writing, editing, podcasting, video making, and media entrepreneurship

PO4: Design, conduct and communicate basic research following fundamental methods and ethical standards in Journalism and Media studies