BNU : Beaconhouse National University : SMC

Prof. Dr. Mehdi Hasan Head of Department
	• Professor of Mass Communication, formerly of University of the Punjab
	• Visiting Faculty Kinnaird College , Administrative Staff College , Civil Services Academy of Pakistan, NIPA
	• Analyst and Commentator

The School of Media and Mass Communication at the Beaconhouse National University is dedicated to the proposition that the free flow of ideas is vital for the development and improvement of modern democratic societies. The School attempts to establish a centre of excellence focused upon teaching, research and service in the study and professional practice of human communication. The new educational concern with media appears to be born of a convergence of ideas and changes. The range of alternative and overlapping sources of information and entertainment, instruction and art is more extensive than ever before. This cultural revolution brought about by new technologies and changing social and leisure patterns takes on an added force in education.

The School stresses the need for:
a.	A core liberal arts education, to promote an understanding of diverse cultural foundations while stimulating social responsibility
b.	Critical thinking, creativity and personal integrity
c.	Detailed research, lucid writing skills and a mastery of mass communication media in a global information age
d.	The belief that learning is a lifelong pursuit and that the communication process is one of endless enquiry and discovery

Journalism has become increasingly complex in a rapidly changing world and journalists who graduate from the School will have to analyze and explain the events that affect the country and the world. Preparation for such a formidable responsibility requires not just technical and professional skills but also an intellectual curiosity about the world. The Department of Journalism prepares students for careers as writers, reporters, editors and producers for newspapers, magazines, radio and television newsrooms or new multi media outlets. An opportunity is provided to study journalism in its broadest aspects, i.e. its history and literature, its laws, regulations and ethics; its traditional role as a motivator and critic of government in a dynamic, democratic society; and its total effect as a social and economic institution. Mass communication and journalism play a pivotal role in the development of a state. As instruments of public opinion, both interpret culture, its values that bind the society together and transmit information and knowledge that contribute to the development of a free society. Given this role of mass communication and journalism, the School of Media and Communication aims to:

1.	Disseminate information and ideas that enable students to fulfill their responsibilities in a democratic, pluralistic society.
2.	Prepare professionals in the field of media and mass communication who are able to exercise their freedom with a conscious awareness of the constitutional rights of citizens as enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
3.	To equip students with the required tools and skills to cope with the innovations taking place in international media and prepare them for the challenges thrown up by the information age.

At the Department of Journalism students are trained to become:
a.	Disciplined and ethical professionals accountable for their performance
b.	Skilled professionals who can use electronic and print media with equal ease
c.	Journalists who work towards enlightenment and moderation within their society

The journalism program allows for specialization in one of four sequences:
I.	The News-Editorial Sequence primarily prepares students for careers in the news/magazine service fields as well as for any other on-line or multimedia career.
II.	The Photo Journalism Sequence links creativity with practical professionalism. Students study the use of photojournalism techniques as apply in newspapers, magazines, and to some extent; corporate and industrial photography. Traditional and electronic darkroom methods are taught using labs. Computer skills are stressed.
III.	The Magazine Sequence trains students in the multi faceted periodical field, combining feature writing, layout and design skills and techniques of editing and publishing.
IV.	The Broadcast Journalism Sequence is designed for students who seek careers in the researching, writing and producing of news for radio, television and documentary programming.

The students are assessed through a series of seminars, assignments and individual research projects.