UJ Journalism

UJ Journalism

The Communication and Media Major offers a thorough grounding in communication and media theory and practice. It is suitable for students who would like to gain understanding of the ‘how’s and ‘why’s’ of contemporary media practices, including producing journalism for the digital multi-media environment, or for television and film. It will allow students to specialize in theoretically informed media production in content areas relating to their second major. Therefore, students will graduate as content specialists in their other major, using the practice-based skills taught in the Communication and Media Major.

This major offers an initial foundation in the processes and theories of communication and media, particularly in the South African and African contexts, as well as journalism and ethical newswriting. It introduces the principles and practices of digital and social media, and helps students to understand the implications of living through the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’, where more people are conducting their lives over the internet.

It gives students a grounding in communication research, the relationships between communication, media and global culture and the roles of communication and media in Africa. In their third year, students will be able to undertake research projects on different aspects of African media and communication systems, and understand how law and ethics apply to different media practices. They will also specialize in particular media practices, such as newswriting and editing for multiple platforms; producing content for film, television or mobile screens; or create visual content for internet journalism, film and television.

Majors and elective modules to combine with Communication and Media as major include:

Anthropology; Development Studies; English; Philosophy; Politics and International Relations; Psychology; Sociology; and/or Strategic Communication.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

If Communication and Media is taken as a major, a total of six semester modules (of which two on each year level):

Communication and Media 1A and 1B,

Communication and Media 2A and 2B, and

Communication and Media 3A and 3B, OR 3C and 3D, OR 3E and 3F.

Students are not allowed to register for the first time in the second semester for this degree.

The curriculum for the BA (Journalism) programme consists of 24 semester modules compiled as follows:

First Year

1. Communication 1A: Introduction to Communication 2. Second major selected from: Any language 1A Anthropology 1A Linguistics & Literature Theory 1A Philosophy 1A Politics 1A Sociology 1A Historical Studies 1A Public Management & Governance 1A 3. Journalism 1A 4. English 1C or Afrikaans 1A 5. One of the following (may not be the same as major): Anthropology 1A Development Studies 1A Economics 1A Historical Studies 1A Information Management 1A Linguistics & Literature Theory 1A or Production and Reception of Texts A Philosophy 1A Politics 1A Sociology 1A

1. Communication 1B: Mass Communication. 2. Second major selected from: Any language 1B Anthropology 1B Linguistics & Literature Theory 1B Philosophy 1B Politics 1B Sociology 1B Historical Studies 1B Public Management & Governance 1B 3. Journalism 1B 4. English 1D or Afrikaans 1B 5. One of the following (may not be the same as major): Anthropology 1B Development Studies 1B Economics 1B Historical Studies 1B Information Management 1B Linguistics & Literature Theory 1B or Cross-cultural communication B Philosophy 1B Politics 1B Sociology 1B

Second Year
1. Journalism 2A 2. Second Major 3. Communication 2A: Introduction to Communication Theories 4. Minor Anthropology 2A Development Studies 2A Economics 2A Historical Studies 2A Information Management 2A Linguistics & Literature Theory 2A Philosophy 2A Politics 2A Sociology 2A	1. Journalism 2B 2. Second Major 3. Communication 2B: Communication Research 4. Minor Anthropology 2B Development Studies 2B Economics 2B Historical Studies 2B Information Management 2B Linguistics & Literature Theory 2B Philosophy 2B Politics 2B Sociology 2B

Third Year
1. Journalism 3A 2. Second major 3A 3. Communication 3A: Organisational Communication	1. Journalism 3B 2. Second major 3B Advertisement 3. Communication 3B: Global Communication