Master of Arts in Development Communication

Drawing from a long history and extensive research on the practice of development communication, Master of Arts in Development Communication is designed to meet the challenges of the 21st century in the areas such as food security, human rights, gender equality, peace and conflict, public health, and sustainability. Communication for Development (ComDev) is an interdisciplinary field combining studies on culture, media, communication and development. ComDev explores communication within contexts of articulating global and local processes of social change. ComDev field is partly science and partly art & craft, with multidisciplinary academic foundations drawn on aspects of development studies, anthropology, sociology and cultural studies.

Programme Educational Objectives

  • To offer an essential overview and introduction to the theory and practice of development communication
  • To give an understanding of the range of communication practices that fall within the ambit development media
  • To outline the contemporary development concerns, advocacy and communication for sustainable social change and gender sensitivity
  • To highlight important areas of development study such as behavior change communication, media monitoring, audience segmentation and responses, new media technologies and evaluation of national flagship programmes
  • To provide students the newer approaches to C4D( Communication for Development) concepts, methods and techniques

Programme Outcomes

At the end of the course, the students, will be able to:

  • Use digital and traditional communications to promote social change with an emphasis on communication for development, participatory research methods and strategic communication
  • Display skills sets such as journalistic writing, public service advertising, film-making and screen writing for all media platforms.
  • Understand the potential of communication in contributing to the social-economic development in the country
  • Effectively use the range of communication alternatives available, whether through facilitating dialogue or producing media campaigns

Programme Highlights

The program focuses on training and capacity building of students to use digital and traditional communications to promote social change with an emphasis on communication for development, participatory research methods and strategic communication. There is a pressing need for development communication experts—specialists in communicating within local communities and governments, and non-governmental and civil society organizations. Many specific skills are required, but the key and common goal is practically oriented social and behavioral change.

Some of the major areas that will be covered

The Master in Arts in Development Communication includes the classic media as well as new media: print, online and audiovisual, Social Media, Community reach, Advocacy, Public Affairs which are increasingly integrating in the world of media.

Career Avenues

Development communication specialists can enter Public Affairs, advocacy, build consensus, raise public understanding and generate change by effectively using the range of communication alternatives available, whether through facilitating dialogue or producing media campaigns. Both governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations need qualified and well-prepared development communication practitioners. They can also prepare themselves for a career in teaching and research.

Entry Requirements

Graduation in any field from a UGC approved university. In addition, candidates will also have to successfully complete a Goenka Aptitude Test for Admission (GATA) and appear for a personal interview.



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