The School of Media, Mahindra University offers a 3-year B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication.

The program recognizes digital technology as an inevitable and integral part of mediated communication today and in time to come. With the application of digital technology, the media and related industries have been experiencing unprecedented growth. The introduction of mediated communication for the public at large has meant that this growth has become a mass movement among “media prosumers”—consumers who are also producers of media texts. Since everyone equipped with a smartphone is a potential media prosumer, the practice of superior mediated communication defines its contours.
This exciting time also presents several challenges. The ever-evolving field of mass communication now, more than ever before, needs an all-round understanding of technology and sociology, between message and its construction. This convergence of information, entertainment, opinion, promotion and distribution presents an exciting new cornucopia of activities bundled together.

There is also convergence in another way. In addition to a steady demand for professionals in the more conventional roles in news, entertainment, and the allied areas of advertising and public relations, there is an increasing demand for digital journalists, content creators and digital marketing professionals. Legacy media platforms are investing heavily on the digital side of their businesses. Other industries, too, are investing in creating or recasting media rooms in digitized forms, from which internal and external communication and corporate storytelling occurs. The ability to understand, delineate and control each of these activities distinguishes the media and communication professional from a prosumer.

To that end, the program integrates all that is needed in this new and evolving ecosystem to deliver academically sound, research-oriented, practically trained graduates. You will gain exposure to cutting-edge developments, both in technology and techniques of creating content and its delivery for the functions of news, entertainment, PR, advertising, corporate communication, and digital platforms. Chief among these are digital filmmaking, still and moving camera, editing tools, ChatGPT and basics of AI, data communication, storytelling, news writing, writing for advertising, designing advertisements, writing for the screen, on-screen presentation such as news anchoring, social media marketing, content management, media management, digital media marketing, web design and modelling, and digital entrepreneurship.

Besides these functional areas, students will learn several subjects that strengthen a deeper and wider understanding of the world and the development of an independent worldview through critical thought. Important examples are media and information literacy, research in journalism, media and communication studies, media economics, media law and the Indian Constitution, literature, civic engagement, multiculturalism, etc. Especially important today is an emphasis on ethical professionalism, and there is a special emphasis in our programme on that aspect.

We will adopt a funnel-like approach to students’ learning. In the first year (first two semesters), you will learn broader and more general aspects. In the second year (third and fourth semesters), you will learn skills and many core subjects. In the third year (fifth and sixth semesters), you will learn specialized competencies and integrate what you have learnt to showcase a well-rounded understanding.

Your learning will be multi-pronged in classrooms, studios and laboratories, in industry, and in society. Internships and projects will be mandatory components. Over the years, you will have plenty of perspective that will allow you to choose which industry you would like to join and what set of functions you may be most interested in. However, the special feature of tomorrow’s media professionals is that they must be multi-skilled with a broad understanding of both content and delivery systems.

You are not expected to come in already equipped with skills. The merit on the basis of which you will join is determined on your aptitude, interest, and availability. This is a serious-minded program aimed to develop conscientious, competent, and cutting-edge communicators who will go on to define their industry’s direction and magnitude. To accomplish that challenging goal, the program is rigorous in nature.