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

B. A. Mass Communication

The Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication programme is a three-year degree programme geared towards producing graduates who can work in the mass media industry.

     LEARNING OUTCOMES

     At the end of the programme, graduates shall be able to:                                                   
  a. Handle and manage media for professional information dissemination.
  b. Produce and manage mass media programme contents for conventional media, web pages and social media.
  c. Undertake programme management and overcome mass media and management challenges.
  d. Handle ethical, legal and regulatory issues in the media.

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 start-ups, 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, webbased 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 Mass Communication

Course Code

Course Title

Credits

Semester

Core/ Optional

First Year

        

CO 101

Introduction to Mass Communication

12

1

Core

JO 102

Introduction to Journalism

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 116

Introduction to Sociology

12

1

Optional

PS 110

Introduction to Political Science I

12

1

Optional

PE 100

Foundations of Physical Education and Sports

12

1

Optional

PS 112

Comparative Political Thought

12

1

Optional

PS 113

Government and Politics in Tanzania

12

1

Optional

MK 100

Introduction to Business

12

1

Optional

JO 103

Introduction to Writing for the Media

8

2

Core

CO 102

Mediated Communication in Africa

8

2

Core

PL 111

Intro. To Critical Thinking and Argumentation

8

2

Core

Ds 102

Development Perspective II

8

2

Core

JO 106

Media Ethics

8

2

Core

JO 108

Radio Broadcasting

12

2

Core

JO 109

Television Production

12

2

Core

CO 103

Technical Basis of Communication

8

2

Core

CO 100

Practicum

8

2

Core

 

 

 

 

 

Second Year

CO 201

Theories of Mass Communication

12

1

Core

CO 205

Mass Media and Society

12

1

Core

JR 203

Mass Media Research

12

1

Core

LW 540

Media Law

12

1

Core

CO 211

Media Management and Organisation

12

1

Core

PR 205

Gender and the Media

12

1

Optional

GE 250

Environmental Conservation Education

12

1

Optional

CO 209

Advanced TV Production

12

1

Optional

CO 210

Production Management

12

1

Optional

CO 203

Issues in Mass Communication Research

12

2

Core

CO 204

Contemporary Mass Media in Tanzania

12

2

Core

CO 207

Special Radio Production

12

2

Core

CO 208

TV Production

12

1

Core

CO 200

Practicum*

8

2

Core

JO 206

Advanced Media Ethics

12

2

Core

MK 200

Principles of Marketing

12

2

Optional

MK 201

Relationship 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

 

Third Year

        

CO 301

Audience Research

12

1

Core

CO 303

Development Communication

12

1

Core

CO 305

New Media Technologies

12

1

Core

CO 307

Dissertation I

12

1

Core

CO 309

Special Radio Production

12

1

Optional

CO 311

Special Television Production

12

1

Optional

CO 313

Introduction to Media Economics

12

1

Optional

CO 315

Special Writing for the Media

12

1

Optional

CO 317

Children and the Media

12

1

Optional

GM 300

Strategic Marketing

12

1

Optional

MK 305

Publicity and Public Relations

12

1

Optional

PL 311

Professional Civics Ethics

12

1

Optional

CO 302

International Mass Communication System

12

2

Core

CO 304

Media Criticism

12

2

Core

CO 308

Dissertation II

12

2

Core

CO 306

Broadcast and Cable Programming

12

2

Core

CO 310

Mass Media and Popular Culture

12

2

Optional
         

CO 314

Digital Audio and Video Post Production

12

2

Optional

PR 301

Advertising and Public Relations Campaign

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

PE 304

Sports Marketing

12

2

Optional

HR 304

Leadership and Supervisory skills

12

2

Optional