Bachelor of Journalism (BJ)

This is an exciting three year under-graduate programme affiliated to the only recognized university of Journalism in India (Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism, Bhopal). The fundamental aspects of Journalism like reporting, interview, report writing, research, editing and photography, are imparted to the students. This forms the base for pursuing relevant post-graduate education options.

Course Structure

The course is spread over six semesters to enable students grasp the fundamentals of media in order to select their stream of specialization.

Semester I

Development of Journalism - This unit deals with a brief history of the evolution and development of journalism in India.
Introduction to Mass Communication - Introduces students to theories and forms of communication and their relevance to journalism in India.
Hindi - Hindi bhashi kshetra aur Hindi bhasha ka itihaas
Functional English - Designed for a predominantly communicative or interactive approach to English learning.
Political Science (Theory) - Includes the study of various political theories and the media's outlook towards politics.
Basic Economics - Enable students to grasp the fundamentals of economics.

Semester II

Understanding News - Students will be encouraged to understand the world around them. A detailed case study evaluation and analysis will be taught.
Creative Journalistic Writing - Students will be taught nuances of the various styles of writing like editorial and column writing, special occasion writing, diaries and newsletter.
Swatantrata Kaal ki Hindi Patrakarita ki Bhasha - Hindi patrakarita ka itihaas aur bhasha
Communicative English - This unit is designed to make the learners proficient in English language.
Governance and Politics - Students would be explained the structure of our Constitution and its elements like Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles of State Policy.
Economic Development and Macro-economic Issues - Macro-economic issues, including unemploy-ment crisis, urbanization and population growth will be dealt in detail.

Semester III

News Collection and Correspondents - Learning the basics of news-writing including intro writing and covering press conferences.
Interview Theory and Practice - Conducting interviews is an art. The course prepares aspiring journalists to learn this by making them understand its essential elements.
Photo-Journalism - An in-depth orientation, perfecting the students in the use of camera and technology for journalism.
Hindi and English translation - Translation from Hindi to English and vice versa and the problems in the process of translation.
International Politics - With global developments impacting India, international news has assumed great importance. The course would provide students an overview of Indian foreign policy and the post-WTO scenario.
Indian Economy - Problems and Policies - Discussions and lectures on problems plaguing the Indian industry and agriculture.
Environment Journalism - This module deals with dialectics of development and environmental preservation, state of India's environment, air and water pollution, the issue of "Big Dams" and national sovereignty, media response on environment, and media's strategy to increase environmental awareness. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the emerging concept of environmental journalism along with its opportunities and challenges.

Semester IV

Introduction to Electronic Media - This unit will familiarise students with a brief history of global and Indian TV and radio broadcasting.
Fundamentals of Computer - Students will be taught the fundamental operations of the computer.
Editing, Layout and Designing - This unit will deal with writing, editing reports, headlines, page designing and layout.
Writing for Broadcast Media - Writing for the newspapers is different from writing for the broadcast media. Students will learn to write scripts for TV and radio broadcasting.
Public Administration, Society and Media - An understanding of the three-tiered functioning and inter-relationship of the media and administration is imparted.
International Trade and World Economy - Students get an insight into issues pertaining to international trade and the world economy. They learn how the global economy functions.
Gender Issues - This section deals with the concept of gender, gender analysis, impact of changes, policies and programmes on gender relations and development, constraints and opportunities for increased women's participation, strategies for participation, methods of reform for achieving gender-sensitive and gender-focused policies and institutions, all in the context of communication for development.

Semester V

Web Journalism - This unit makes students skilled in developing content for news-based websites.
Advanced Journalism - A detailed knowledge of various beats like crime reporting, politics, finance, cultural events etc will be taught in this module.
Advertising and Public Relations - This part of the course is dedicated to PR and advertising.
Media Laws and Ethics - In this module students learn about ethics and the laws governing the media.
Newspaper Management - In this module students learn about the running of a newspaper, the management and administrative structure.
Communication Research - This unit would enable students to learn the modes of conducting research and analysing data.

Semester VI

Development Journalism - Students will be taught the role of journalism in development sectors like agriculture.
Parliamentary News - Course content includes collection of news items in Parliament and legislative assemblies.
Crime and Court Reporting - Provides an understanding of crime and court reporting.
Art and Culture Journalism - This module teaches in-depth understanding of art and culture reporting.
Sports Journalism - Understanding the nuances and methods of news-gathering in the field of sports is taught in this module.