B.Voc. Journalism & Mass Communication

Last Updated on July 29, 2023 by Vishnu Nambiar

Do you want to become a journalist? If yes, this post will be of help to you. Here, we will deal with a vocational training program that is related to journalism sector. Here, we will have an in-depth analysis of B.Voc. Journalism and Mass Communication course.

Journalism is a profession that will help you bring about a change in the society. Honest journalism can create positive changes in the society and country. Our country needs skilled, honest and ethically sound journalists. B.Voc. Journalism and Mass Communication course will benefit those who want to build a decent career in journalism and mass communication sector.   Here is a quick overview of the academic program –

• Name of the course: B.Voc. Journalism and Mass Communication
• Duration: 3 years
• Type of course: Bachelor of Vocation
• Field: Journalism and Mass Communication
• Eligibility: 12th pass or equivalent qualification

As the name suggests, this is a vocational training program. It is an undergraduate level course. You may apply for admission right after completing 12th standard.   In this post, you will find all the important details that you need to know about B.Voc. Journalism and Mass Communication course – duration, eligibility, admission, colleges, syllabus, fees, career prospects and salary. The main aim of this post is to educate and inform you about this academic program.   What is Journalism and Mass Communication all about? Are these sectors related to each other? What’s the scope and potential associated with B.Voc. Journalism and Mass Communication course? Will I get a good job after completing this course?   You will find answers to these questions in the next section. Here it is –

B.Voc. Journalism and Mass Communication: An Introduction

As the name suggests, this training program deals with two domains – journalism and mass communication. What is journalism and mass communication, you may ask. In the next section, we will find the definitions of each term. Let us start –   In simple terms, mass communication is the transfer or exchange of data on a large scale to reach a wide audience. Examples include – TV, Radio, Films, Banners, Bill Boards, Digital Media, Newspapers, magazines, books etc.   Mass communication consists of the following main aspects – source of information, medium through which the data is transferred/spread and the audience. Usually, the source is away from the audience. The process through which the data is circulated among the audience is known as mass communication. The medium of propagation (such as TV, print media, advertising etc) plays a crucial role on the exchange of information.   Mass communication professionals study the transfer of information from the source to the audience. They study the process of propagation, the effect of information on the audience, the way in which audience consumes the information, opinion of the audience, change in their emotional state and behaviour etc.   Who is a journalist, you may ask. As I mentioned before, in many cases, the source of information is located away from the audience. Under such circumstances, a person usually collects the news, writes or distributes it to the public through any medium of mass communication. The person who collects, writes and distributes news is known as a journalist.   He/she is responsible for covering news, events and other information right from the source of origin. Through different forms of mass communication, he/she transfers this information to the people/audience.   Print media, broadcast media, digital media – journalists are hired by all forms of mass communication for obtaining, covering, writing, editing and distributing news, events and other forms of information.   Journalism is a part of mass communication. It is a broad field and consists of different areas of specializations. Some such notable areas of specialization are –

• Sports journalism
• Investigative journalism
• Photojournalism
• Advocacy journalism
• And more…

The job profile of a journalist depends upon the nature of work that he/she carries out. For example – reporters are professionals who researches, writes and reports on information from the source. News anchors spend most of their time in newsroom, presenting the news. Editors edit and curate the information before publishing or broadcasting it.   B.Voc. Journalism and Mass Communication course will train you in different areas of journalism and mass communication. The academic program is 3 years long. Students who have passed 12th class are eligible to pursue this course.   B.Voc. Journalism and Mass Communication course also offers multiple exit options. Here are the details –

1. Diploma certificate after completing 1 year
2. Advanced Diploma certificate after completing 2 years
3. Bachelor’s Degree after completing 3 years

Come, let us take a closer look at the course details. Here it is –

Course Details

Type of course

It is a Bachelor of Vocation course.

Duration

The academic program is 3 years long. It has various exit options too (Diploma after 1st year, Advanced Diploma after 2 years and Bachelor’s Degree after 3 years).

Eligibility Criteria

Minimum educational qualification required is – completed 12th (Arts, Commerce or Science) from a recognized board.

Syllabus

Here are some of the popular subjects present in the curriculum –

• Print journalism
• Broadcast journalism
• Web journalism
• Print media
• Broadcast media
• Web media
• Media marketing
• PR
• Media law and ethics
• Journalistic techniques
• Relevant equipment (camera, broadcast devices etc)

Colleges

Here are some of the popular colleges offering this course in India –

• University of Pune
• University of Lucknow
• Andhra Loyola College
• Tezpur University
• St. Albert’s College, Kochi
• MGCGV, Chitrakoot

Admission Process

Admission Process may vary from one institute to another. Some institutes are known to conduct merit based admission process. Some other institutes are known to conduct direct admission process.

PG Courses and Higher Studies

After completing B.Voc. course, graduates may go for M.Voc. course. M.Voc. course provides advanced technical knowledge related to the specific domain.

Career Prospects

Journalists have access to different types of job profiles and opportunities. Job profile attained by them depends upon their specialization and the type of work carried out by them.   Print media, internet media, TV, broadcast media – all forms of mass communication require skilled journalists to obtain, write, edit, print and broadcast news, events and information. Here are some of the prime recruiters –

• TV Production firms
• AIR
• Radio Stations
• Digital Media firms
• Internet Media firms
• Print Media firms
• NEWS Channels

In the above mentioned places, graduates may don roles such as –

• Reporter
• Editor
• Anchor
• Broadcast technician
• Cameraman/Photographer
• Columnist
• Analyst
• Writer
• Photojournalist

If you are interested in self-employment, you may become a freelance journalist. You may even become an independent investigative or photojournalist.

You may also check – Visual communication courses in India

BJMC course

B.Voc. colleges in India

Salary

Starting salary depends upon different factors. Some such notable factors are –

• Job location
• Profile of the employer
• His/her academic performance
• His/her skills and aptitude
• Job profile

On an average, starting salary could be anywhere between 20-40K INR per month. In case of Government job, the salary will be based on designated pay scale and grade.