UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM
SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION (SJMC)

B. A. Journalism

 

The Bachelor of Arts in Journalism programme is a three-year degree programme that prepares graduates for Tanzania’s print and electronic as well as the now blossoming social media. It also prepares them for work in the communication as well as the public relations and advertising industry.

     LEARNING OUTCOMES

  At the end of the programme, graduates shall be able to:

  a. Gather, process and disseminate news.
  b. Prepare programme contents for conventional media, web pages and social media.
  c. Identify and overcome mass media challenges.
  d. Handle ethical, legal and regulatory issues related to journalism practice locally and internationally.

 

CAREER PROSPECTS
a. Entrepreneurial opportunities: Graduates of the programme can establish entrepreneurial prospects in various areas such as advocacy, lobbying, content creation for social media and startups, scriptwriting for advertisements on media platforms and consultancy for communications strategies for various institutions. They can also establish media companies, web-based media platforms, graphic and infographic designing companies.


b. Employment opportunities: Graduates of the programme can consider employment opportunities in newspaper companies, local and international news agencies, television and film agencies, mobile network companies, publicity organizations, web-based communication companies, public relations, sales, marketing, communication research, writing and publishing. Other potential areas for employment are tourism, politics and administration, media, social work, sports and entertainment, health and environmental sectors and in other areas where information processing and transfer is involved.


c. Leadership/Community-based opportunities: Graduates of the programme can also consider leadership roles or community-based roles where they can use their knowledge and skills in advocacy, lobbying, development campaigns, political campaign experts and analysts, web-based communications for communities on issues of health, social work and environment, and conflict resolution.

Course Structure and Outline

Students in the first year in all the three programmes undertake core courses pertinent to their fields of study. Thereafter, students are able to take both core and optional courses from their fields of study in the second year and third year.

 

Notes on the Coding of Courses

The coding of courses consists of two letters, both of which stand for the programme and are then followed by three digits or numbers (e.g. JO 204).

 

Bachelor of Arts in Journalism

Course Code

Course Title

Credits

Semester

Core/ Optional
         

First Year

        

JO 102

Introduction to Journalism

12

1

Core

CO 101

Introduction to Mass Communication

12

1

Core

DS 101

Development Perspective I

8

1

Core

JE 100

English for the Media

8

1

Core

JS 100

Kiswahili for the Media

8

1

Core

SO 110

Introduction to Sociology

12

1

Optional

PS 110

Introduction to Political Science I

12

1

Optional

PS 112

Comparative Political Thought

12

1

Optional

PS 113

Government and Politics in Tanzania

12

1

Optional

PE 100

Foundations of Physical Education and Sport

12

1

Optional

MK 100

Introduction to Business

12

1

Optional

JO 103

Introduction to writing for the Media

8

2

Core

JO 104

Journalism History and Issues

8

2

Core

CO 103

Technical Basis of Communication

8

2

Core

PL 111

Intro. to Critical Thinking and Argumentation

8

2

Core

DS102

Development Perspective

8

2

Core

JO 106

Media Ethics

8

2

Core

JO 108

Radio Broadcasting

12

2

Core

JO 109

Television Broadcasting

12

2

Core

JO 100

Practicum

8

2

Core

 

 

 

 

 

Second Year

        

JO 202

News Reporting and Writing for Print Media

12

1

Core

CO 208

Television Production

12

1

Core

JR 203

Mass Media Research

12

1

Core

LW 540

Media Law

12

1

Core

CO 201

Theories of Mass Communication

12

1

Core

PR 205

Gender and the Media

12

1

Optional

CO 210

Production Management

12

1

Optional

CO 211

Media Management and Organisation

12

1

Optional

HR 200

Organisational Behaviour

12

1

Optional

JO 204

Photojournalism

12

2

Core

JO 206

Advanced Media Ethics

12

2

Core

CO 203

Issues in Mass Communication Research

12

2

Core

JO 210

Editing, Layout and Graphics

12

2

Core

JO 200

Practicum

8

2

Core

MK 200

Principles of Marketing

12

2

Optional

PS 222

International Relations I

12

2

Optional

PE 200

Theory and Methods of Sports Training

12

2

Optional

PS 232

Contemporary Politics in East Africa

12

2

Optional

SO 251

Contemporary Sociological Theories

12

2

Optional

MK 201

Relationship Marketing

12

2

Optional

CO 209

Advanced TV production

12

2

Optional

 

 

 

 

 

Third Year

        

JO 301

Current Affairs and News Analysis

12

1

Core

CO 305

New Media Technologies

12

1

Core

JO 307

Dissertation I

12

1

Core

JO 303

Specialised Writing

12

1

Core

CO 317

Children and the Media[1]

12

1

Optional

JO 305

Advanced Radio Broadcasting

12

1

Optional

CO 313

Introduction to Media Economics

12

1

Optional

JO 309

Advanced TV Broadcasting

12

1

Optional

JO 311

Advanced Photojournalism

12

1

Optional

GM 300

Strategic Marketing

12

1

Optional

MK 305

Publicity and Public Relations

12

1

Optional

JO 302

Media Management and Organisation

12

2

Core

CO 304

Media Criticism

12

2

Core

CO 310

Mass Media and Popular Culture

12

2

Core

JO 308

Dissertation II

12

2

Core

CO 314

Digital Audio and Video Post Production

12

2

Optional
         

MK 310

Relationship Marketing

12

2

Optional

JO 306

Advanced Writing for Print Media

12

2

Optional

PS 335

Democracy and Elections

12

2

Optional

GE 350

Environmental Conservation Education

12

2

Optional

SO 371

Contemporary social Change and Culture

12

2

Optional

MK 301

Small Business and Entrepreneurship

12

2

Optional

PE 304

Sports Marketing and Journalism

12

2

Optional

HK 304

Leadership and Supervisory skills

12

2

Optional

 

[1] All third-year Journalism students strongly encouraged to take this course