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New JRMC majors better meet AUC students’ needs
The American University in Cairo’s (AUC) journalism and mass communication department (JRMC) will restructure its curriculum in next academic year to better serve its 700 – plus students’ interests and the needs of the current job market.
The biggest change will combine print and online journalism
and broadcast journalism under one specialization. A new major in communications
and media arts will also be offered.
“The journalism profession has evolved worldwide into a multimedia
platform for information,” said Lawrence Pintak, director of the
university’s Center for Electronic Journalism. “To be a journalist
in today’s market, you must be able to report, write and edit in
print, broadcast and online formats.”
The restructured curriculum will allow students to choose between a BA
in journalism (print, broadcast, and online), a BA in integrated marketing
communication (IMC) and a BA in communication and media arts.
The department currently has three specializations: integrated marketing
communications (IMC) for students interested in advertising, public relations
and marketing; journalism for those interested in print and online writing,
and broadcast journalism for television, radio and camera work.
The department worked with its professors for insight on the students’
interests and recommendations for each specialization as well as what
leading journalism and mass communication departments worldwide are providing.
A survey was prepared by JRMC professor Rasha Abdallah for all JRMC students
to solicit input on courses, including which ones are beneficial and what
changes they would like to see in the department.
“We are making changes in the specializations of the journalism
and mass communication department because we are trying to offer students
an opportunity to graduate with all the skills that the market requires,”
said Mervat Abou Oaf, undergraduate director and professor of JRMC.
“It will offer everything from communications theory to print journalism,
video and film, online journalism, television, radio, editing, photography,
investigative reporting and marketing,” explained Abou Oaf.
“The objective for the IMC is to get core courses that are relevant
to what students study in the major, and later when they get to choose
from the electives, the students should select from electives that interest
them,” says Sherine Fahmy, visiting journalism and mass communication
professor.
IMC students are glad changes are being made in their specialization.
“I wish this change was done earlier because I’m taking more
journalism courses than IMC courses. IMC should be more specialized in
advertising and marketing but it’s not,” said Dalia Hashis,
an IMC junior.
Professors in the department welcome the changes. “The journalism
and mass communication department is very popular and it determined to
restructure what it already offers [in order] to improve,” said
Naila Hamdy, journalism and mass communication professor. “The new
communications and media arts specialization is a very good idea and it
will attract more students.”
“The mass communication field is a diversified field, and we are
trying to cater to this diversified field, as well as having all the marketing
and communication tools under one strategic umbrella to maintain what
the world and the local market needs,” said Fahmy.
Students had similar views on the changes. “I think it is a good
idea that the department is making changes in the specializations to give
equal opportunity and skills for all the three, paricularly journalism
because I think it is underestimated here in Egypt,” said Zeina
Tawakol, JRMC senior.
