In an endeavor to produce an all-round graduand, the department of Mass Communication at Islamic University in Uganda has revised its curriculum to make it more practical.
Department head Abdulhamid Mpoza explained that they were re-positioning themselves to meet new demands in the journalism and communication world. He revealed this during the university’s second students’ project exhibition held on April 14, at IUIU’s Mbale campus. The exhibition attracted Mass Communication students from the Kampala and Kabojja IUIU campuses under the theme; Students’ skills enhancement: A joint responsibility.
“In the 2016/17 academic year, the department will run a new curriculum … students’ projects will be problem-solving efforts to various societal [challenges],” Mpoza said.
Mpoza added that the projects would annually be exhibited to different communities. “It is at that stage that different policy organs will be involved in responding to various issues raised in students’ works,” he explained.
Speaking of the new trends in the department, Mpoza added that the department would start a bi-weekly newspaper alongside the ongoing process to start a television station. Mayimuna Mbazzaki, a lecturer in the department, added that students would engage in research, innovations and publications.
“We will engage the rest of the university community, parents and students from different schools to redefine our department as we showcase the practical skills of our students,” Mbazzaki said. Mpoza added that the programme will be more practical.
“This will be an avenue in which students will continuously practice journalism skills … students will be expected to produce a certain number of articles before graduation, making them more practical,” he explained.
“With the changing trends in technology, our students will receive the most up-to-date concepts as we engage the employers into memorandums of understanding to best help the student.”
Following the successful acquisition of a radio station by the Mass Communication department, the academic registrar, Hajji Musa Kasiita, hoped this would expedite the process of securing television station equipment.
“The university is happy with the progress of the department whose students were taking on different communication jobs both nationally and internationally based on the skills learnt while at the university”.
However, Kasiita warned students against aiming for first-class degrees at the expense of acquiring skills. “What is exhibited here is a true manifestation of first-class graduands. Keep aiming at acquiring such skills which in turn will be reflected on your academic transcripts,” he said.
In the new curriculum, which is yet to be approved by the National Council for Higher Education, IUIU has introduced multimedia production concepts as well as peace and environmental journalism.
To raise the bar even higher, the Mass Communication department launched its annual Board of Fame award, to be given to the author of the best project exhibited by the students.
An independent jury of employers and departmental staff are expected to vet the students’ projects and award accordingly and the winners will be put up on a Board of Fame starting next year.
