Mass Communication Will No Longer Be A Single Course - NUC

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has revealed that Mass Communication will no longer be studied as a single degree course in the Nigerian Universities, it will now be unbundled into seven separate degree programs.

Beginning March 2020, Mass Communications will no longer be a single course of study in Nigeria’s University, the Executive Secretary, NUC, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed revealed in a chat with journalists in Abuja.

According to Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, the era of Mass Communication as a course in universities is over, as the commission has responded to meet present demands in the labour market.

This development follows the presentation of new curricula for communication studies in Nigerian universities by professors and communication practitioners in Nigeria.

Mass Communications had been unbundled into Journalism and Media Studies, Public Relations, Advertising, Broadcasting, Film and Multi-Media Studies, Development Communication Studies and Information and Media Studies.

 Rasheed said, “We have almost concluded the unbundling of Mass Communication. At the end of first quarter (of 2020), Mass Communication will not be existing as a stand-alone degree programme because it is too wide.

“We are unbundling the programme into seven different programmes: Bachelors Degrees in Public Relations, Marketing Communications, Media studies, Film studies, Cinematography or photography, Strategic Communication, and so many others.”

The NUC’s Executive Secretary however said that the commission will retain Mass Communication for the universities that are yet to develop the full competencies required in the newly-introduced areas.