Curriculum for Film & Multimedia Studies Degree Programme in Nigerian Universities

The Film and Multimedia Studies programme introduces students to artistic and academic approaches to films and new media. It also provides opportunity for students to make their own films, analyze films from aesthetic, political, social and historical perspectives, and employ their media skills in the contexts of industry, creative production and civic engagement. You will understand and engage diverse concerns and obligations of filmmakers in contemporary local and global contexts. You will be equipped with knowledge of the local and international environment of filmmaking and media.

Here’s the course structure contained in the curriculum approved by the NUC for this degree programme. If you’re thinking of going into this interesting area here’s what to expect within the four year-period of study. This information was lifted from the approved curriculum for the programme.

Philosophy, Aim and Objectives

The philosophy underlying the Film and Multimedia Studies programme is the production of graduates who are equipped with the appropriate knowledge, skills and ethics required to foster the development of Nigeria, Africa and the global community.

Course Structure

The course structure for the B.Sc. Film & Multimedia Studies shall include compulsory courses in Communication and Media Studies (designated as CMS), courses in the Film and Media Studies area of specialization (designated as FMS) as well as selected courses in other areas of specialization in Communication and Media Studies and other relevant/cognate subject areas.

Course Structure at 100 Level

COURSE CODE	COURSE TITLE	UNITS	STATUS
100 LEVEL  1ST& 2ND SEMESTERS
CMS 101	Introduction to Communication I	2	C
CMS 102	Introduction to Communication II	2	C
CMS 103	History of Nigerian Media	2	C
CMS 104	Writing for the Media	2	C
CMS 105	Traditional African Communication Systems	2	C
CMS 106	Introduction to Computer & Computer Applications	2	C
CMS 107	Introduction to Statistics I	2	C
GST 111	English for Communicators	2	C
GST 112	Logic, Philosophy & Human Communication	2	C
GST 113	Nigerian Peoples & Culture	2	C
GST 121	Use of Library, Study Skills & ICT	2	C
GST 123	Basic Communication in French	2	E
GST 124	Basic Communication in Arabic	2	E
GST 126	Basic Communication in Nigerian languages (Option of any one Nigerian language)	2	E
	Courses from the Faculty of Social Sciences	8	R
	TOTAL	32

Course Structure at 200 Level

Course Code	Course Title	Units	Status
200 LEVEL  1ST& 2ND SEMESTERS
CMS 201	Feature Writing	2	C
CMS 202	Critical and Review Writing	2	E
CMS 203	Editing & Graphics of Communication	2	C
CMS 204	Theories of Communication	2	C
CMS 205	Foundations of Communication Research	2	C
CMS 206	Introduction to Statistics II	2	C
CMS 207	Nigerian Constitutional Development	2	C
CMS 209	Media and Information Literacy	2	C
CMS 211	Media Attachment	3	C
GST 222	Peace & Conflict Resolution	2	C
GST 223	Introduction to Entrepreneurial Skills	2	C
GST 224	Leadership Skills	2	C
FMS 201	Introduction to Film & Multimedia Studies	3	C
FMS 202	Fundamentals of Film & Multimedia Technologies	3	C
FMS 203	Visual Culture	2	C
FMS 204	Film Genres	2	C
FMS 205	History of African & World Cinema	3	C
	Courses from other Departments in Communication & Media Studies	2	R
	TOTAL	38

Course Structure at 300 Level

COURSE CODE	COURSE TITLE	UNITS	STATUS
300 LEVEL  1ST& 2ND SEMESTERS
CMS 301	International Communication	2	C
CMS 302	Communication and Society	2	C
CMS 303	Gender & Communication	2	C
CMS 304	Media Attachment	3	C
FMS 301	Digital Storytelling	3	C
FMS 302	Screenwriting	3	C
FMS 303	Multimedia Authoring	3	C
FMS 304	Digital Photography	3	C
FMS 305	Film Production	4	C
FMS 306	Multimedia Production	4	C
FMS 307	Film & Multimedia Criticism	2	C
	Courses from other Departments in Communication and Media Studies	6	R
	TOTAL	37

Courses Structure at 400 Level

COURSE CODE	COURSE TITLE	UNITS	STATUS
400 LEVEL  1ST& 2ND SEMESTERS
CMS 401	Media Law	2	C
CMS 402	Media Ethics	2	C
CMS 403	Data Analysis in Communication Research	2	C
CMS 404	Safety of Media Professionals	2	C
CMS 405	Media Economics and Sustainability	2	C
CMS 406	Communication for Development	2	C
CMS 499	Original Research Project I & II	6	C
FMS 401	Website Design	3	C
FMS 402	Animation	3	C
FMS 403	Managing Film & Multimedia Enterprises	3	C
FMS 404	Digital Film/Multimedia Studio	4	C
	Courses from other Departments in Communication and Media Studies	2	R
	TOTAL	33

 

Course Synopses

100-Level Courses

CMS 101         INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION I

A global overview of the history, institutions and functions of communication in human society; an examination of the concepts, levels/categories and elements of human communication; survey of the role and influence of cultural beliefs and practices as well as changing technologies in human communication.

CMS 102         INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION II

Consideration of media communications as a sub-type of human communication; an overview of the progress; models, and elements of media communications; survey of the media, including their adjuncts are discussed. It also presents an examination of the characteristics, functions, contents, operations and impact of the media as well as national media systems and communication between/across nations.

CMS 103         HISTORY OF NIGERIAN MEDIA

This course traces the major trends in the development of the communication and media in Nigeria; as well as their adaptation and contribution to the political, religious, economic and social development in Nigeria.

CMS 104         WRITING FOR THE MEDIA

Instruction and practice in writing for the media with the major emphasis on development of effective styles in professional communications and proficiency in grammar and the use of language.

CMS 105         TRADITIONAL AFRICAN COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

Survey of African traditional communication forms, channels, contents, technologies and institutions. Students are exposed to the significance and influence of these traditional structures on modern communication systems, as well as on contemporary African Political Culture and development.

CMS 106         INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER & COMPUTER APPLICATIONS

Instruction and practice in computer operations aimed at enabling the students to acquire the basic knowledge and skills essential for communication professionals.

CMS 107         INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS I

Role of statistics in social science inquiry; Nature of measurement;  presentation of data. Central values measures of deviation, correlation, nature of sampling; Probabilities and normal distribution, inference hypotheses testing.  Test of significance.

 

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200 –Level Courses

 CMS 201         FEATURE WRITING

This is a practical course designed to enable students to become proficient in preparing a publishable feature articles. Focus is on writing, analysing and marketing feature articles for offline and online newspapers and magazines. Subject research, investigation of editorial needs, ethical and legal problems and manuscript preparation are also discussed in this course. It provides excellent material from the Nigerian and foreign news media for study and imitation.

CMS 202         CRITICAL AND REVIEW WRITING

Prerequisite; news writing or consent of instructor; theory and practice of reviewing the arts for newspapers. Students write reviews of plays, movies, television programmes, musical and dance events.

CMS 203         EDITING & GRAPHICS OF COMMUNICATION

Students are taught how to write and edit copy in a style appropriate to the news media. Emphasis is placed on the preparation of articles and photographs in photo editing for newspaper publications, online and multimedia. Editing symbols and news proofreader’s symbols will be used in this course.

CMS 204         THEORIES OF COMMUNICATION

Exploration and analysis of major theories that deal with the nature, uses and effects of media and communication; the relationship between theory and research and the relevance of the latter to the success of the former are discussed.

CMS 205         FOUNDATIONS OF COMMUNICATION RESEARCH

The primary aim of this course is to introduce students to the logic and methods of research in communication. Principles of research design, instrumentation, data collection and analysis are taught to enable students apply them effectively.

CMS 206         INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS II

The nature of statistical methods. The role and significance of statistics in Social Research; Frequency distribution; Measures of Central Tendency – Mean, Mode, Median; Measures of dispersion – Range, Variance, Standard Deviation; Elementary Probability Theory; Binomial, Normal and Poisson Distributions. Tests of Hypotheses; small sample tests – t – test, x2 – test and F – test; Regression analysis; Analysis of Variance; Time series analysis; Index numbers; Sources of Statistical Data in Nigeria.

CMS 207         NIGERIAN CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

A chronological and critical survey of the development of the Nigerian Constitution from colonial times to the present; the developmental processes and features of the Richards Constitution, the McPherson Constitution, the Littleton Constitution, the Independence Constitution, The Republican Constitution, and the 1979 Constitution are all highlighted.

CMS 209: MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY

This course empowers students to learn, and to pursue lifelong learning. It aims at educating students to become media and information literate, to be informed and rational citizens. The course also equips students with competencies needed to seek and enjoy the full benefits of media exposure. It embodies essential knowledge about (a) the functions of media, libraries, archives and other information providers in democratic societies, (b) the conditions under which news media and information providers can effectively perform those functions, and (c) how to evaluate the performances of these functions by assessing the content and services they offer.

CMS 211 & CMS 304            MEDIA ATTACHMENT

This is a compulsory course for all Students, who are sent to relevant organizations for practical experience. It is a supervised activity and students must supply a weekly log-book and portfolio for all work carried out during the period of internship, the least should be 12 weeks in each of the two sessions.

FMS 201         INTRODUCTION TO FILM & MULTIMEDIA STUDIES

This course is a broad survey of the principles, practices and evolution of film and multimedia communications in Nigeria and internationally. The nature and operations of film and multimedia organizations are examined in light of the relevant regulatory frameworks. Students are exposed to the career prospects and challenges in the field.

FMS 202         FUNDAMENTALS OF FILM & MULTIMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES

Overview of the physical and technical bases of film and multimedia communications. Relates the laws of nature and the scientists that made film & multimedia possible. Describes the equipment and facilities used in film and multimedia production, distribution and consumption.

FMS 203         VISUAL CULTURE

Study of film and multimedia products as a subset of images and visual products that include photography, advertising, video and the internet. Students are exposed to the ways and means through which these film and multimedia products represent communicative practices that signal and are embedded in definite aesthetic, moral, religious, political, economic, etc. cultures.

FMS 204         FILM GENRES

Presents an analysis of film genres.  Students learn to recognize such film genres as drama,  comedy,  western,  science-fiction,  mystery,  action/adventure,  epic  and  animation. They will also use their knowledge of the various elements of cinema to analyse and critique films studied in class.  This will be accomplished through discussions, compositions, projects and evaluations.

FMS 205         HISTORY OF AFRICAN & WORLD CINEMA

An exploration of the broad sweep of film history from 1895 to the present time. Epochs in the evolution of world film/cinema are identified; the roles of major cultural drivers of the evolution are explained; and the story of African and Nigerian cinema are highlighted.

 

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300- Level Courses

 CMS 301         INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION

This course is an overview of the world’s media systems. The focus will be on the flow of information between the industrialized and advancing nations; how ideology, culture, economy and international market structure have all contributed either in hindering or advancing the international flow of news and entertainment among nations. The scope, characteristics, peculiarities and current issues in international communication  will  be  exhaustively  treated  so  as  to  acquaint  the  student  with  a thorough knowledge of the politics and manipulative nature of international communication.

CMS 302         COMMUNICATION AND SOCIETY

Examination of the media of communication as social institutions with particular attention to pertinent sociological concepts, themes and problems; the role and relationship of the mass media vis-à-vis other major social institutions. Focus on the sociology and professionalism of media communicators, media  contents  and  the  issue  of cultural imperialism and media dependency; internal dynamics and control of media organizations and mass communication politics. The role of communication in development is critically examined.

CMS 303         GENDER & COMMUNICATION

Gender issues are critical to development. Accordingly, the course examines the ways in which gender relations are impacted by culture, conventions, policies, communication and media as well as other  dynamics in society.

FMS 301         DIGITAL STORYTELLING

Study of the concepts, values and principles, elements and process of digital storytelling. Practical exercises guide students in the use of appropriate software resources to create and share their original digital stories. Application of digital storytelling to developmental and similar social processes is emphasized.

FMS 302         SCREENWRITING

The purpose of the course is to learn about film and television screenplay structure, analyze dramatic strategies in film and television, learn and apply correct script form, and creatively engage in the various stages of original scriptwriting. The assignments will include the writing of scenes, a treatment and a half-hour script, with special emphasis on the steps leading toward creating a final screenplay. The course places emphasis on analyzing dramatic structure and visualizing dramatic elements. Such an emphasis is important since anyone working in a creative or executive capacity in the media industry needs to know immediately what good dramatic material is and how best to present it in audio and visual terms. This course will help students understand the dramatic formula for creating successful film and television fiction and writing with a good dramatic structure.

FMS 303         MULTIMEDIA AUTHORING

This course is designed to familiarize students with designing and producing multimedia stories and presentations. Emphasis will be given to developing skills that integrate text, video, sound, 2D and 3D images and animations used for the World Wide Web and multimedia presentations. The course presents a description and history of computer- interactive multimedia. Students will explore current uses of these technologies and receive instruction in practical application. They will learn the basic principles of each media type including digital representation and issues that arise when media are combined. The course will also focus on the challenges and opportunities, and the development of multimedia journalism within the media industry. Students will also be exposed to the importance of hyperlinks, how to create them and what to link to. Furthermore, they will be exposed to weblog journalism as well as basic audio storytelling techniques.

FMS 304         DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Practical study of the concepts, technologies and practices of digital photography. Students are afforded the opportunity under supervision of using the full potentialities of digital technology to express themselves visually.

FMS 305         FILM PRODUCTION

This course will provide students with the knowledge and skills through exposure to the theory, terminology, and operation of single camera film and video production, including composition and editing techniques, camera operation, lighting, video recorder operation, audio control in the single and double-sound systems, film stock and digital video formats and editing.  It also focuses  on  the  aesthetics  and  fundamentals  of  scripting, budgeting, producing, and directing on location, incorporating multimedia, and postproduction for film, broadcasting, and cable or business media.

FMS 306         MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION

This course is a practical exploration of the processes, facilities and personnel involved in multimedia production. Techniques of cinematography and postproduction editing are taught. Intensive instruction in preproduction, production and postproduction is offered. Focus is placed on the employment of emerging digital tools for editing of the multi-media captures. Students will be exposed to the concepts and techniques of non-linear editing, compositing layers of computer generated imagery and live action video, special effects, camera movements and cinematic points of view, and design of titling and motion graphics. The need for students to meet deadlines is emphasised.

FMS 307         FILM & MULTIMEDIA CRITICISM

This course will survey the major directions in film and media theory. It will examine the major positions and issues in film theory with an eye to understanding its evolution. While film production methods have experienced incredible advances in the last decade, contemporary film technique and narrative find many threads back to approaches developed throughout the history of film. Since the 1970s, film scholars have developed and modified a range of compelling critical methods for the study of media texts: Psychoanalysis, Feminism, Marxism, Cultural Studies, Queer Theory, Audience/Star studies, Symbolic Annihilation, Muted Group Theory, Genre Analysis, among many others. These critical approaches are not cast in stone but require consistent and informed reassessment to remain viable. Additionally, the course will focus on realism, formalism, Auteur criticism, genre criticism and theories of Spectatorship and Reception.  Finally, this course will provide  students  with  the  tools necessary to interpret films as collaborative art works, technical artefacts, sociocultural and ideological productions and as products of a globalized media world.

400-Level Courses

CMS 401         MEDIA LAW

Study of the legal framework within which mass media institutions operate in Nigeria; the development and constitutional growth of freedom of expression in Nigeria, the privileges and restraints  affecting  the  mass  media, such as  libel,  sedition,  privacy,  contempt,  obscenity, copyright, etc. and government regulation.

CMS 402         MEDIA ETHICS

Ethical and moral standards applicable to the media and communication professionals; ethical responsibilities of individuals, groups, and organizations engaged in message construction, transmission or consumption, particularly in the field of news and public affairs, entertainment and persuasion.

CMS 403         DATA ANALYSIS IN COMMUNICATION RESEARCH

Students are introduced to data analysis techniques, particularly the use of tables, graphs and other statistical techniques and procedures. They are  taught  how  to  present  and  interpret  data,  using  these techniques.

CMS 404         SAFETY OF MEDIA PROFESSIONALS

In today’s environment of violent conflicts, international organized crime, and government impunity, the safety of journalists and media professionals has become of prime concern. This course analyses the issues and challenges involved in safeguarding the lives of journalists whose work put them in harm’s way. Institutional and other remedies are considered and debated.

CMS 405         MEDIA ECONOMICS AND SUSTAINABILITY

Critical issues have arisen over the last few decades on sustainability of the media in the face of a rapidly changing economy and importantly changing media technology. This course will examine principally emerging media occasioned by contemporary realities.

CMS 406         COMMUNICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT

This is an introductory study of the role of communication in the development process.  The role of the   media   in   relation   to   interpersonal   networks,   including   the   multi-media   approach   to communication in the development process is emphasized, along with the dynamics of development and communication variables that influence development.

CMS 499         RESEARCH PROJECT I & II

Each student is required to select, in consultation with the supervisor, a topic/problem and study this in detail, apply necessary theories/concepts and appropriate methods. Students initiate and execute a project following the steps in the research process, or do a professional production in one of the following areas: journalism, advertising, public relations, radio/television broadcasting, film or multimedia. However, each candidate is advised to orient his/her research project in a relevant area of specialization in Communication and Media Studies. Original Research Project I focuses on at least the first three chapters of the final research project. In Original research project II, the final research project is expected to be submitted to the Department for assessment by Internal and External examiners. The project may also be defended before a panel of examiners.

FMS 401         WEBSITE DESIGN

This course will introduce students to the foundations of Web design, including planning, creating, and publishing a Web site. It is designed to instruct them in Web site construction and design. Students will learn HTML/CSS/J Query coding and then be introduced to popular Web design and graphics programs including Dreamweaver, Photoshop and iMovie, as well as the content management system WordPress. The course will cover the usage of graphics, sound and video and discuss the appropriateness of multimedia on Web sites for journalism, advertising, public relations, and e-commerce. Students will work on several small Web projects that will lead to a final multimedia project. The goal is to emphasize more than just the skills associated with individual programs, but the integration of several programs into designing effective and attractive Web sites. In addition to providing a brief history of the Internet and introducing basic vocabulary, the course teaches students how to create basic cascading style sheets to control the presentation of a Web page or site, and identify the accessibility and usability issues that influence Web site design. In addition, the class will address social and theoretical implications of technology, such as the digital divide, cyber law, e-commerce, and Web content credibility and accessibility.

FMS 402         ANIMATION

This is an exploration of the history of animation; and development of the cartoon film. Traditional techniques of animation (cel-animation) and recent technical innovations (automation and computerization) are addressed.  Preparation and treatment of detailed verbal script; the storyboard;  and visual choreography are also examined, along with uses of animation and its place in entertainment, Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) and research. It will also focus on the work of professional animators, directors, and producers to demonstrate many techniques.

FMS 403         MANAGING FILM & MULTIMEDIA ENTERPRISES

The business and creative management of the cinema are examined, along with important issues relating to the establishment and operation of film and video making companies and cinema houses. Also, problems and challenges in running film and video production companies, institutions and cinema are also discussed.

FMS 404         DIGITAL FILM/MULTIMEDIA STUDIO

A special project of experimental and/or innovative film, video or multimedia production done by the student as a team project for public screening or broadcast. The project is conceived, planned and executed as the student’s response to a defined artistic and/or existential challenge.