Master in Development Communication

Relevance of the Discipline

Mass media plays a pivotal role in the dissemination of information. The power of mass media in the present world is obvious. In this information age, people, societies and nations are vying for more and more information. This race for more and more information has, in fact, resulted in virtually an undeclared information war.

Though, to some extent, the role of Mass Communication for Development has been accepted from the very beginning, it did not get the place it deserved. It is only lately, especially after witnessing the tremendous difference mass communication made in development process in the developing countries like the Philippines, that the scholars and practitioners of the discipline have begun to realise the crucial role Mass Communication can play to expedite the development process. The role of mass communication for development is now taken for granted. The issue is not how much mass media can contribute but how we can best utilize it to its fullest.

It is against this background that CJMC has launched Master’s in Development Communication under the affiliation of Purbanchal University for the first time.Our prime objective is to produce professionals who can successfully apply mass media to expedite the existing development process.

Rationale for the Common Core

The course is designed to enable students understand the principles and the functions of communication and to utilize the same as a tool for development. It will also make them grasp the theories of development and models of development practiced successfully in some developing countries, particularly in the Philippines.

Objectives of the Course

1. Acquire a theoretical and ethical base in the Sciences and Arts that underlie the study of Development Communication.
2. Learn Practical Skills and Values in Mediated and Interpersonal Communication in Development.
3. Gain a basic grasp of the Issues and Problems of Development in general and of a particular development area, and
4. Apply the Concepts, Principles and Skills of Communication to help solve the problems of an Underdeveloped Society