Tuesday , March 26 2024

Mass Communication Degree To Be Phased Out In Nigeria As Professors Submit New Curricula To NUC

If you have a degree in Mass Communication, or you are currently studying to get this degree, or you have friends who have something to do with this degree in Nigeria, then you should be interested in this story. It seems the era of having Mass Communication as a degree in Nigeria is nearing an end.

Professors, professionals and practitioners of communication in Nigeria have presented new communication curricula to National Universities Commission (NUC).

A document containing new curricula for communication studies in Nigerian universities, which seeks to unbundle mass communication and create seven degree awarding departments to be domiciled under a School/College of Communication in its place, was formally presented to the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, in Abuja on Tuesday, 5th February 2019.

Proponents of the new curricula who have been working on it for the past two years and who were present to advocate for its acceptance and adoption included professors and senior lecturers from the departments of mass communication/communication studies of numerous universities spread across the six geo-political zones of the country; regulatory agencies such as the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and Nigerian Press Council (NPC); professional bodies such as the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and Radio, Television and Theartre Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU); practitioners such as the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), print media journalists and the Director of Public Relations of the Nigerian Navy; and international development agencies such as UNESCO, UNICEF and the MacArthur Foundation.

(from left to right) are: Professors Muyiwa Popoola of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo; Sunny Udeze of Enugu State University of Technology, Enugu; Nnanyelugo Okoro of University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Idowu Sobowale of McPherson University, Seriki-Sotayo, Ajebo; Stella Okunna of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; Ralph Akinfeleye of University of Lagos, Yaba, Lagos; Godwin Oboh of Benson Idahosa University, Benin City; Umaru Pate of Bayero University, Kano; and Eserinune McCarty Mojaye of Kwara State University, Malete.

The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Fund (TETFUND), Prof. Suleiman Elias Bogoro was also personally present to support the NUC Executive Secretary and to present a goodwill message at the ceremony.

The seven independent degree-awarding departments which the curricula seek to establish in place of mass communication are: Journalism & Media Studies, Public Relations, Advertising, Broadcasting, Film & Multimedia Studies, Development Communication Studies, and Information & Media Studies. Those who formally presented the curricula on behalf of the communication professors, professionals and practitioners were Professors Umaru Pate (Convener), Idowu Sobowale, Ralph Akinfeleye and Tonnie Iredia.

Receiving the document, the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Rasheed said a review of the mass communication curriculum was long overdue and promised to expedite action in the process of finalizing and adopting the curricula.

Prof. Eserinune McCarty Mojaye of the Department of Mass Communication, Kwara State University was among the notable dignitaries at the ceremony who also included Professors Palph Akinfeleye, Idowu Sobowale, Umaru Pate, Tonnie Iredia, Stella Okunna, Nnanyelugo Okoro, Sunny Udeze, Muyiwa Popoola, Godwin Oboh, Mr. Kingsley Osadolor and a host of others.

 

About Chinenye Nwabueze

Nwabueze is a writer with passion for cutting-edge news

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15 comments

  1. Wow….this is great

  2. Malachy Chukwunonso Onyema

    This is commendable

  3. Okolo Constantine

    In all honesty, it’s long overdue and also high time communication scholars concentrated on a specific field of mass communication.

  4. Yes, the decision it’s OK for one to focus on a particular area and improve properly. It’s a good one

  5. Wooow,it’s a very good one, good job sir.

  6. Good one…one of the best idea so far…nice implementation

  7. Its a good one..one of the best idea so far…Nice implementation

  8. Good one…one of the best idea so far…Nice implementation

  9. Good one….one of the best idea so far…Nice implementation

  10. it’s good so that one can consecrate on a particular field

  11. Am happy for the new development in mass communication, this action is long overdue. I so much believe in this move as it will go a long way to enhance the profession and give it the needed credibility. Instead all packed in one, we would have break down for more credibility of the various new courses.

  12. Good initiative. As a student of Mass Communication back then, I used to wonder why so many courses were packed into Mass Communication. So breaking the curricula down is a move inn the right direction. It will help students focus and become professionals in a desired line. But what will this mean to holders of a Mass Communication Degree?

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