Introduction

The Department of Journalism & Mass Communication, was established in 1985 as a diploma awarding institution. After four years of its working, the department was elevated to postgraduate level in 1988. Till October 2000, the institution was called as The Department of Journalism. Run by a highly professional faculty, the Department has so far produced a large number of graduates, most of whom work in widely-read Urdu, English and Pashto newspapers, besides radio, television, Information Department and other media-related organizations. Since, the Department of Journalism & Mass Communication offers a versatile curriculum, ranging from Mass Communication Theory to English language and Economics, its students get easily oriented in the practical field of Journalism. Currently. The discipline offers courses in mass communication, community journalism, research methods, electronic & print media, advertising & public relations, and cyber journalism. It has a large number of research thesis on diverse topics and issues related to Journalism in Pakistan especially KP. A Campus Radio Station (Fm107.4) has already been established, which is producing different programs covering academic and other activities taking place in the university campus and the periphery. The department has recently established a TV lab and plans to start a TV station. The Department of Journalism also started IPR Three-Month Certification Course on Development Journalism. This three month course is designed to cater for much wanted professional expertise in journalism field. This program is one of the components of long-term commitment with FDP-GIZ and is an essential component of development Journalism teaching mesh with Independent Project Reporting (IPR). The department is fulfilling its social responsibility through offering on job capacity building to journalists in KPK along with offering higher education at M.A, M.Phil and Ph.D Levels.

Vision

The vision of JMC is to impart education through offering M.A, M.Phil, and PhD degrees in Journalism. There is but another important social function that JMC is bound to fulfill, namely capacity building of journalist professionals working in KPK. This is an important function, keeping in view the importance of this region as a news center at national and global level.

The importance of the region and the lack of capacity of the media professionals to deal with the challenges of the day makes it imperative to offer specialized trainings along with traditional university education. The responsibility of JMC, UOP is thus twofold, offering degrees in the traditional form, and secondly, capacity building of the media professionals in KPK and FATA, a professional group that is working under immense stress with little time or opportunity to build their capacities to serve their profession and the society at large in the best possible way. Capacity building includes trainings in the existing work routines on the one hand, but also initiate newer concepts into the market that will help in widening the scope of media coverage of KPK and FATA in the national and international media market. This aspect is achieved through close collaboration with the media professionals, national and international partnerships, as well as collaborative research in the discipline of journalism and mass communication.

Mission

Social change, development and harmony in society.

Objectives

To improve the standard of Journalism and Mass Communication education.
To develop a critical perspective on communication studies and to familiarize students with research methods.
To enable the students of Mass Communication to develop their writing and communication skills.
To train students for managerial responsibilities in media organizations especially at production and control levels.
To enlighten students to understand the communication problems of Pakistani society in a global perspective.
To enable the students to find homegrown solution to our communication problems, while respecting others’ views’ as a common human heritage.

Outcomes

Trained journalists, media managers and communication researchers.
Our own radio station (Campus Radio-FM 107.4).
Our own newspaper ( Campus Bulletin)
Collaboration with several national, international media organizations and institutions

Department of Journalism & Mass Communication

Highlights of Department of Journalism & Mass Communication